Huntingtons Disease Essay - 1062 Words

Huntingtons Disease Huntingtons disease, also known as Huntingtons chorea is a genetic disorder that usually shows up in someone in their thirties and forties, destroys the mind and body and leads to insanity and death within ten to twenty years. The disease works by degenerating the ganglia (a pair of nerve clusters deep in the brain that controls movement, thought, perception, and memory) and cortex by using energy incorrectly. The brain will starve the neurons (brain cells), and sometimes make them work harder than usual, causing extreme mental stress. The result is jerky, random, uncontrollable, rapid movement such as grimacing of the face, flailing of arms and legs, and other such movement. This is known as chorea. Huntingtons†¦show more content†¦And living the rest of your life in depression. Some 30,000 Americans are currently suffering for this genetic disorder. Named in 1872 for George Huntington the New York Doctor who first wrote down its devestating symtoms, Huntingtons disease up to now was a silent time bomb. 13,000 people, the largest known concentration of sufferers from Huntingtons Disease, live in the Lake Maracaibo region of Venezuela. The origins of this gene pool has been traced back to the 1800s to a woman named Maria Concepcion. It was from blood samples of these people that scientists became extraordinarily lucky and isolated the genetic marker that shows the presence of this disorder. Today, it is believed that Maria obtained the disease when she was birthed by a european sailor. Since it was first recorded by George Huntington, a Long Island doctor, Huntingtons disease had remained fairly low key. No one heard about it until it infected Woodie Guthrie, A famous folk singer from the 1920s who showed symptoms of the disease. In 1967, he died. This put Huntingtons Disease on the map, but it still was not well known. But, before Woodie guthrie died, he had a son, Arlo Guthrie. He, too became a famous folk singer, this time from the Seventies. He became extremely famous, but had to live with the fact that he has a 50% chance of having the disorder. That aroused huge public interest and made the disease well-known. Now that youShow MoreRelatedThe Huntington Disease Essay604 Words   |  3 PagesThis paper discusses one of the most well known neurodegenerative diseases named Huntington’s. Recent statistical records showed that the disease is widely spread around the world. Scientists have conducted many researches in order to study the mode of inheritance of the disease as well as to find a possible cure for it. They discovered that the disease is genetically inherited from one generation to another. The aim of this scientific paper is to provide information about this genetic disorder includingRead MoreHuntington s Disease ( Hd )931 Words   |  4 PagesHuntington s disease (HD) is basically neurological disorder that is triggered by a genetic mutation in the IT15 gene. Major characteristics of this disease are cognitive motor, psychiatric functions and advanced cell death in cortex and striatum. Certain important insights have emerged from the animal models that are related to the dis ease pathology and results of therapeutic strategies. A number of research studies have been conducted up till now and the majority of which have focused upon theRead MoreHuntington s Disease : A Genetic Disorder1121 Words   |  5 PagesAbstract: Huntington’s Disease- Huntington s disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative genetic disorder. It affects the muscle coordination and decline in cognitive that leads to dementia. It affects both males and females in their middle age (J.D, 2015). Huntington’s disease is most common in genetic causes the leads to abnormal involuntary movement also called Huntington’s chorea (J.D, 2015). Epidemiology: Huntington s disease is a rare neuropsychiatric disorder it occurs in aRead MoreHuntington s Disease And Its Effects831 Words   |  4 PagesHuntington’s Disease Huntington’s is named after George Huntington who was the first person to describe the disease in 1872. However it wasn’t until 1993 that the gene that causes Huntington’s was discovered. Huntington’s is an inherited progressive disease that affects the brain and causes severe cognitive decline. The result is involuntary movements, emotional disturbance, damaged perception and memory as well as overall lowered though processing ability. We know that Huntington’s is a geneticRead MoreA Research Project On Huntington s Disease1675 Words   |  7 PagesContents Introduction Methodology (How the research of the project was carried) What is Huntington’s disease? 1. Signs and symptoms 2. Causes 3. Treatment Huntington’s Association of South Africa Literary Review Conclusion Bibliography Appendix 1. Plagiarism check 2. Articles 3. Questionnaires Introduction According to the University of Utah a genetic disorder is described as a disease that is caused by an abnormality in an individual’s DNA. This means that there is a mutation presentRead MoreTaking a Look at Huntingtons Disease1686 Words   |  7 PagesIn 1892, George Huntington described this disease in the following quote: The hereditary chorea, as I shall call it, is confined to certain and fortunately few families, and has been transmitted to them, an heirloom from generations away back in the dim past. It is spoken of by those in whose veins the seeds of the disease are known to exist, with a kind of horror and not at all alluded to except through dire necessity when it is mentioned as â€Å"that disorder†. George Huntington was not the firstRead MoreThe Details Of Phenylketonuria And Huntington s Disease1562 Words   |  7 Pagesphenylketonuria and Huntington’s disease. Using these facts, the difference in screening policy between the diseases will be morally justified. The arguments will relate to the desire for informed autonomy, the differing prognoses for the diseases, and the avoidance of moral conflict. Then, using a test case, arguments will be made for circumstances in which one would be morally obligated under the principles of beneficence and justice to be tested for Huntington’s disease. Criticisms for that stanceRead MoreSymptoms And Treatment Of Huntington s Disease1263 Words   |  6 Pages The name Huntington’s disease comes from an American physician, George Huntington (see figure 1), after he was the first person to give an official description of the disease in 1872 (Bhattacharyya, 2016). In Canada alone, more than 21 000 individuals have been affected by Huntington’s Disease, an incurable illness that results in death typically between 15-20 years after diagnosis (Scrivener, 2013). This disease causes both physical and mental changes in an individual, therefore completely changingRead MoreSymptoms And Treatment Of Huntington s Disease1350 Words   |  6 PagesHuntington s Disease Huntington s disease is an inherited neurodegenerative disease that is caused by a mutation on the HTT gene. It typically effects persons in their third to fifth decade of life and can be passed onto their children. Neurons in the brain waste away or degenerate in different areas causing the characterizing symptoms, such as dance-like movements and mental decline. Diagnosis and prognosis can be devastating to both individual and family. However, there are genetic tests thatRead MoreHuntington s Disease And The Nervous System856 Words   |  4 Pages Huntington’s disease, also known as Huntington’s chorea, is a rare pathology among the nervous system. With fewer than 200,000 US cases per year is an inherited condition in which nerve cells in the brain break down over a period of time. This disease will usually start to effect people when they are in their 30s or 40s. Huntington’s usually results in psychiatric symptoms, progressive movement and thinking. No cur e to this disease exists but physical therapy, drugs, and talk therapy can help manage

Bloodlines Chapter Three Free Essays

THE DRIVE TO PALM SPRINGS WAS AGONY. I was exhausted from being dragged out of bed, and even when Keith took over the wheel, I couldn’t fall asleep. I had too much on my mind: Zoe, my reputation, the mission at hand†¦. We will write a custom essay sample on Bloodlines Chapter Three or any similar topic only for you Order Now My thoughts spun in circles. I just wanted to fix all the problems in my life. Keith’s driving did nothing to make me less anxious. I was also upset because my father hadn’t let me say goodbye to my mom. He’d gone on and on about how we should just let her sleep, but I knew the truth. He was afraid that if she knew I was leaving, she’d try to stop us. She’d been furious after my last mission: I’d gone halfway around the world alone, only to be returned with no clue as to what my future held. My mom had thought the Alchemists had used me badly and had told my dad it was just as well they seemed to be done with me. I don’t know if she really could’ve stood in the way of tonight’s plans, but I didn’t want to take my chances in case Zoe got sent instead of me. I certainly hadn’t expected a warm and fuzzy farewell from him, but it felt strange leaving on such unsettled terms with my sister and mother. When dawn came, briefly turning the desert landscape of Nevada into a blazing sea of red and copper, I gave up on sleep altogether and decided to just power through. I bought a twenty-four-ounce cup of coffee from a gas station and assured Keith I could drive us the rest of the way. He gladly gave up the wheel, but rather than sleep, he bought coffee as well and chatted me up for the remaining hours. He was still going strong with his new we’re-friends attitude, almost making me wish for his earlier animosity. I was determined not to give him any cause to doubt me, so I worked hard to smile and nod appropriately. It was kind of hard to do while constantly gritting my teeth. Some of the conversation wasn’t so bad. I could handle business talk, and we had plenty of details to still work out. He told me all he knew about the school, and I ate up his description of my future home. Amberwood Preparatory School was apparently a prestigious place, and I idly wondered if maybe I could treat it as pretend college. By Alchemist standards, I knew all I needed for my job, but something in me always burned for more and more knowledge. I’d had to learn to content myself with my own reading and research, but still, college – or even just being around those who knew more and had something to teach me – had long been a fantasy of mine. As a â€Å"senior,† I would have off-campus privileges, and one of our first orders of business – after securing fake IDs – was to get me a car. Knowing I wouldn’t be trapped at a boarding school made things a bit more bearable, even though it was obvious that half of Keith’s enthusiasm for getting me my own transportation was to make sure I could shoulder any work that came along with the job. Keith also enlightened me about something I hadn’t realized – but probably should have. â€Å"You and that Jill girl are being enrolled as sisters,† he said. â€Å"What?† It was a measure of my self-control that my hold on the car never wavered. Living with a vampire was one thing – but being related to one? â€Å"Why?† I demanded. I saw him shrug in my periphery. â€Å"Why not? It explains why you’ll be around her so much – and is a good excuse for you to be roommates. Normally, the school doesn’t pair students who are different ages, but†¦ well†¦ your ‘parents’ promised a hefty donation that made them change their normal policy.† I was so stunned that I didn’t even have my normal gut reaction to slap him when he concluded with his self-satisfied chuckle. I’d known we’d be living together†¦ but sisters? It was†¦ weird. No, not just that. Outlandish. â€Å"That’s crazy,† I said at last, still too shocked to come up with a more eloquent response. â€Å"It’s just on paper,† he said. True. But something about being cast as a vampire relative threw my whole order off. I prided myself on the way I’d learned to behave around vampires, but part of that came from the strict belief that I was an outsider, a business associate distinct and removed. Playacting as Jill’s sister destroyed those lines. It brought about a familiarity that I wasn’t sure I was ready for. â€Å"Living with one of them shouldn’t be so bad for you,† Keith commented, drumming his fingers against the window in a way that put my nerves on edge. Something about the too-casual way he spoke made me think he was leading me into a trap. â€Å"You’re used to it.† â€Å"Hardly,† I said, choosing my words carefully. â€Å"I was with them for a week at most. And actually, most of my time was spent with dhampirs.† â€Å"Same difference,† he replied dismissively. â€Å"If anything, the dhampirs are worse. They’re abominations. Not human, but not full vampires. Products of unnatural unions.† I didn’t respond right away and instead pretended to be deeply interested in the road ahead. What he said was true, by Alchemist teaching. I’d been raised believing that both races of vampires, Moroi and Strigoi, were dark and wrong. They needed blood to survive. What kind of person drank from another? It was disgusting, and just thinking about how I’d soon be ferrying Moroi to their feedings made me ill. But the dhampirs†¦ that was a trickier matter. Or at least, it was for me now. The dhampirs were half human and half vampire, created at a time when the two races had mingled freely. Over the centuries, vampires had pulled away from humans, and both of our races now agreed that those kinds of unions were taboo. The dhampir race had persisted against all odds, however, in spite of the fact that dhampirs couldn’t reproduce with each other. They could with Moroi or humans, and plenty of Moroi were up to the task. â€Å"Right?† asked Keith. I realized he was staring at me, waiting for me to agree with him about dhampirs being abominations – or maybe he was hoping I would disagree. Regardless, I’d been quiet for too long. â€Å"Right,† I said. I mustered the standard Alchemist rhetoric. â€Å"In some ways, they’re worse than the Moroi. Their race was never meant to exist.† â€Å"You scared me there for a second,† Keith said. I was watching the road but had a sneaking suspicion he’d just winked at me. â€Å"I thought you were going to defend them. I should’ve known better than to believe the stories about you. I can totally get why you’d want to gamble at the glory – but man, that had to have been harsh, trying to work with one of them.† I couldn’t explain how once you’d spent a little time with Rose Hathaway, it was easy to forget she was a dhampir. Even physically, dhampirs and humans were virtually indistinguishable. Rose was so full of life and passion that sometimes she seemed more human than I was. Rose certainly wouldn’t have meekly accepted this job with a simpering, â€Å"Yes, sir.† Not like me. Rose hadn’t even accepted being locked in jail, with the weight of the Moroi government against her. Abe Mazur’s blackmail had been a catalyst that spurred me to help her, but I’d also never believed that Rose had committed the murder they’d accused her of. That certainty, along with our fragile friendship, had driven me to break Alchemist rules to help Rose and her dhampir boyfriend, the formidable Dimitri Belikov, elude the authorities. Throughout it all, I’d watched Rose with a kind of wonder as she battled the world. I couldn’t envy someone who wasn’t human, but I could certainly envy her strength – and refusal to back down, no matter what. But again, I could hardly tell Keith any of that. And I still didn’t believe for an instant, despite his sunny act, that he was suddenly okay with me coming along. I gave a small shrug. â€Å"I thought it was worth the risk.† â€Å"Well,† he said, seeing I wasn’t going to offer anything more. â€Å"The next time you decide to go rogue with vampires and dhampirs, get a little backup so you don’t get in as much trouble.† I scoffed. â€Å"I have no intention of going rogue again.† That, at least, was the truth. We reached Palm Springs late in the afternoon and got to work immediately with our tasks. I was dying for sleep by that point, and even Keith – despite his talkativeness – looked a little worn around the edges. But we’d gotten the word that Jill and her entourage were arriving tomorrow, leaving very little time to put the remaining details in place. A visit to Amberwood Prep revealed that my â€Å"family† was expanding. Apparently, the dhampir coming with Jill was enrolling as well and would be playing our brother. Keith was also going to be our brother. When I questioned that, he explained that we needed someone local to act as our legal guardian should Jill or any of us need to be pulled from school or granted some privilege. Since our fictitious parents lived out of state, getting results from him would be faster. I couldn’t fault the logic, even though I found being related to him more repulsive than having dhampirs or vampires in the family. And that was saying a lot. Later on, a driver’s license from a reputable fake ID maker declared that I was now Sydney Katherine Melrose, from South Dakota. We chose South Dakota because we figured the locals didn’t see too many licenses from that state and wouldn’t be able to spot any flaws in it. Not that I expected there to be. The Alchemists didn’t associate with people who did second-rate work. I also liked the picture of Mount Rushmore on the license. It was one of the few places in the United States that I’d never been. The day wrapped up with what I had most been looking forward to: a trip to a car dealer. Keith and I did almost as much haggling with each other as we did with the salesman. I’d been raised to be practical and keep my emotions in check, but I loved cars. That was one of the few legacies I’d picked up from my mom. She was a mechanic, and some of my best childhood memories were of working in the garage with her. I especially had a weakness for sports cars and vintage cars, the kinds with big engines that I knew were bad for the environment – but that I guiltily loved anyway. Those were out of the question for this job, though. Keith argued that I needed something that could hold everyone, as well as any cargo – and that wouldn’t attract a lot of attention. Once more, I conceded to his reasoning like a good little Alchemist. â€Å"But I don’t see why it has to be a station wagon,† I told him. Our shopping had led us down to a new Subaru Outback that met most of his requirements. My car instincts told me the Subaru would do what I needed. It would handle well and had a decent engine, for what it was. And yet†¦ â€Å"I feel like a soccer mom,† I said. â€Å"I’m too young for that.† â€Å"Soccer moms drive vans,† Keith told me. â€Å"And there’s nothing wrong with soccer.† I scowled. â€Å"Does it have to be brown, though?† It did, unless we wanted a used one. As much as I would’ve liked something in blue or red, the newness took precedence. My fastidious nature didn’t like the idea of driving â€Å"someone else’s† car. I wanted it to be mine – shiny, new, and clean. So, we made the deal, and I, Sydney Melrose, became the proud owner of a brown station wagon. I named it Latte, hoping my love of coffee would soon transfer to the car. Once our errands were done, Keith left me for his apartment in downtown Palm Springs. He offered to let me stay there as well, but I’d politely refused and gotten a hotel room, grateful for the Alchemists’ deep pockets. Honestly, I would’ve paid with my own money to save me from sleeping under the same roof as Keith Darnell. I ordered a light dinner up to my room, relishing the alone time after all those hours in the car with Keith. Then I changed into pajamas and decided to call my mom. Even though I was glad to be free of my dad’s disapproval for a while, I would miss having her around. â€Å"Those are good cars,† she told me after I began the call by explaining my trip to the dealership. My mother had always been a free spirit, which was an unlikely match for someone like my dad. While he’d been teaching me chemical equations, she’d showed me how to change my own oil. Alchemists didn’t have to marry other Alchemists, but I was baffled by whatever forces had drawn my parents together. Maybe my father had been less uptight when he was younger. â€Å"I guess,† I said, knowing I sounded sullen. My mother was one of the few people I could be anything less than perfect or content around. She was a big advocate of letting your feelings out. â€Å"I think I’m just annoyed that I didn’t have much say in it.† â€Å"Annoyed? I’m furious that he didn’t even talk to me about it,† she huffed. â€Å"I can’t believe he just smuggled you out like that! You’re my daughter, not some commodity that he can just move around.† For a moment, my mother reminded me weirdly of Rose – both possessed that unflinching tendency to say what was on their minds. That ability seemed strange and exotic to me, but sometimes – when I thought about my own carefully controlled and reserved nature – I wondered if maybe I was the weird one. â€Å"He didn’t know all the details,† I said, automatically defending him. With my father’s temper, if my parents were mad at each other, then life at home would be unpleasant for Zoe – not to mention my mom. Better to ensure peace. â€Å"They hadn’t told him everything.† â€Å"I hate them sometimes.† There was a growl in my mom’s voice. â€Å"Sometimes I hate him too.† I wasn’t sure what to say to that. I resented my father, sure, but he was still my father. A lot of the hard choices he made were because of the Alchemists, and I knew that no matter how stifled I felt sometimes, the Alchemists’ job was important. Humans had to be protected from the existence of vampires. Knowing vampires existed would create a panic. Worse, it could drive some weak-willed humans into becoming slaves to the Strigoi in exchange for immortality and the eventual corruption of their souls. It happened more often than we liked to admit. â€Å"It’s fine, Mom,† I said soothingly. â€Å"I’m fine. I’m not in trouble anymore, and I’m in the U.S. even.† Actually, I wasn’t sure if the â€Å"trouble† part was really true, but I thought the latter would soothe her. Stanton had told me to keep our location in Palm Springs secret, but giving up that we were domestic wouldn’t hurt too much and might make my mom think I had an easier job ahead of me than I likely did. She and I talked a little bit more before hanging up, and she told me she’d heard from my sister Carly. All was well with her at college, which I was relieved to hear. I wanted desperately to find out about Zoe as well but resisted asking to talk to her. I was afraid that if she got on the phone, I’d find out she was still mad at me. Or, worse, that she wouldn’t speak to me at all. I went to bed feeling melancholy, wishing I could have poured out all my fears and insecurities to my mom. Wasn’t that what normal mothers and daughters did? I knew she would’ve welcomed it. I was the one who had trouble letting myself go, too wrapped up in Alchemist secrets to be a normal teenager. After a long sleep, and with the morning sunlight streaming through my window, I felt a little better. I had a job to do, and having purpose shifted me out of feeling sorry for myself. I remembered that I was doing this for Zoe, for Moroi and humans alike. It allowed me to center myself and push my insecurities aside – at least, for now. I picked up Keith around noon and drove us outside of the city to meet Jill and the recluse Moroi who’d be helping us. Keith had a lot to say about the guy, whose name was Clarence Donahue. Clarence had lived in Palm Springs for three years, ever since the death of his niece in Los Angeles, which had apparently had quite a traumatic effect on the man. Keith had met him a couple of times on past jobs and kept making jokes about Clarence’s tenuous grip on sanity. â€Å"He’s a few pints short of a blood bank, you know?† Keith said, chuckling to himself. I bet he’d been waiting days to use that line. The jokes were in poor taste – and stupid to boot – but as we got closer and closer to Clarence’s home, Keith eventually became very quiet and nervous. Something occurred to me. â€Å"How many Moroi have you met?† I asked as we pulled off the main road and turned into a long and winding driveway. The house was straight out of a Gothic movie, boxy and made of gray bricks that were completely at odds with most of the Palm Springs architecture we’d scene. The only reminder that we were in southern California was the ubiquitous palm trees surrounding the house. It was a weird juxtaposition. â€Å"Enough,† said Keith evasively. â€Å"I can handle being around them.† The confidence in his tone sounded forced. I realized that despite his brashness about this job, his comments on the Moroi and dhampir races, and his judgment of my actions, Keith was actually very, very uncomfortable with the idea of being around non-humans. It was understandable. Most Alchemists were. A large part of our job didn’t even involve interacting with the vampiric world – it was the human world that needed tending. Records had to be covered up, witnesses bribed. The majority of Alchemists had very little contact with our subjects, meaning most Alchemists’ knowledge came from the stories and teachings passed down through the families. Keith had said he’d met Clarence but made no mention of spending time with other Moroi or dhampirs – certainly not a group, like we were about to face. I was no more excited to hang around vampires than he was, but I realized it didn’t scare me nearly as much as it once would have. Rose and her companions had given me a tough skin. I’d even been to the Moroi Royal Court, a place few Alchemists had ever visited. If I’d walked away from the heart of their civilization intact, I was certain I could handle whatever was inside this house. Admittedly, it would’ve been a little easier if Clarence’s house didn’t look so much like a creepy haunted manor from a horror movie. We walked up to the door, presenting a united front in our stylish, formal Alchemist attire. Whatever his faults, Keith cleaned up well. He wore khaki pants with a white button-up shirt and navy silk tie. The shirt had short sleeves, though I doubted that was helping much in the heat. It was early September, and the temperature had been pushing ninety when I left my hotel. I was equally hot in a brown skirt, tights, and a cap-sleeved blouse scattered with tan flowers. Belatedly, I realized we kind of matched. Keith lifted his hand to knock at the door, but it opened before he could do anything. I flinched, a bit unnerved despite the assurances I’d just given myself. The guy who opened the door looked just as surprised to see us. He held a cigarette pack in one hand and appeared as though he’d been heading outside to smoke. He paused and gave us a once-over. â€Å"So. Are you guys here to convert me or sell me siding?† The disarming comment was enough to help me shake off my anxiety. The speaker was a Moroi guy, a little older than me, with dark brown hair that had undoubtedly been painstakingly styled to look messy. Unlike Keith’s ridiculously over-gelled attempts, this guy had actually done it in a way that looked good. Like all Moroi, he was pale and had a tall, lean build. Emerald green eyes studied us from a face that could have been sculpted by one of the classical artists I so admired. Shocked, I dismissed the comparison as soon as it popped into my head. This was a vampire, after all. It was ridiculous to admire him the way I would some hot human guy. â€Å"Mr. Ivashkov,† I said politely. â€Å"It’s nice to see you again.† He frowned and studied me from his greater height. â€Å"I know you. How do I know you?† â€Å"We – † I started to say â€Å"met† but realized that wasn’t quite right since we hadn’t been formally introduced the last time I had seen him. He’d simply been present when Stanton and I had been hauled to the Moroi Court for questioning. â€Å"We ran into each other last month. At your Court.† Recognition lit his eyes. â€Å"Right. The Alchemist.† He thought for a moment and then surprised me when he pulled up my name. With everything else that had been going on when I was at the Moroi Court, I hadn’t expected to make an impression. â€Å"Sydney Sage.† I nodded, trying not to look flustered at the recognition. Then I realized Keith had frozen up beside me. He’d claimed he could â€Å"handle† being around Moroi, but apparently, that meant staring gape-mouthed and not saying a word. Keeping a pleasant smile on, I said, â€Å"Keith, this is Adrian Ivashkov. Adrian, this is my colleague, Keith Darnell.† Adrian held out his hand, but Keith didn’t shake it. Whether that was because Keith was still shell-shocked or because he simply didn’t want to touch a vampire, I couldn’t say. Adrian didn’t seem to mind. He dropped his hand and took out a lighter, stepping past us as he did. He nodded toward the doorway. â€Å"They’re waiting for you. Go on in.† Adrian leaned close to Keith’s ear and spoke in an ominous voice. â€Å"If. You. Dare.† He poked Keith’s shoulder and gave a â€Å"Muhahaha† kind of monster laugh. Keith nearly leapt ten feet in the air. Adrian chuckled and strolled off down a garden path, lighting his cigarette as he walked. I glared after him – though it had been kind of funny – and nudged Keith toward the door. â€Å"Come on,† I said. The coolness of air conditioning brushed against me. If nothing else, Keith seemed to have come alive. â€Å"What was that about?† he demanded as we stepped into the house. â€Å"He nearly attacked me!† I shut the door. â€Å"It was about you looking like an idiot. And he didn’t do a thing to you. Could you have acted any more terrified? They know we don’t like them, and you looked like you were ready to bolt.† Admittedly, I kind of liked seeing Keith caught off guard, but human solidarity left no question about which side I was on. â€Å"I did not,† argued Keith, though he was obviously embarrassed. We walked down a long hallway with dark wood floors and trim that seemed to absorb all light. â€Å"God, what is wrong with these people? Oh, I know. They aren’t people.† â€Å"Hush,† I said, a bit shocked at the vehemence in his voice. â€Å"They’re right in there. Can’t you hear them?† Heavy French doors met us at the end of the hall. The glass was frosted and stained, obscuring what was inside, but a low murmur of voices could still be heard. I knocked on the door and waited until a voice called an entry. The anger on Keith’s face vanished as the two of us exchanged brief, commiserating looks. This was it. The beginning. We stepped through. When I saw who was inside, I had to stop my jaw from dropping like Keith’s had earlier. For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. I’d mocked Keith for being afraid around vampires and dhampirs, but now, face-to-face with a group of them, I suddenly felt trapped. The walls threatened to close in on me, and all I could think about were fangs and blood. My world reeled – and not just because of the group’s size. Abe Mazur was here. Breathe, Sydney. Breathe, I told myself. It wasn’t easy, though. Abe represented a thousand fears for me, a thousand entanglements I’d gotten myself into. Slowly, my surroundings crystallized, and I regained control. Abe wasn’t the only one here, after all, and I made myself focus on the others and ignore him. Three other people sat in the room with him, two of whom I recognized. The unknown, an elderly Moroi with thinning hair and a big white mustache, had to be our host, Clarence. â€Å"Sydney!† That was Jill Mastrano, her eyes lighting up with delight. I liked Jill, but I hadn’t thought I’d made enough of an impression on the girl to warrant such a welcome. Jill almost looked like she would run up and hug me, and I prayed that she wouldn’t. I didn’t need Keith to see that. More importantly, I didn’t need Keith reporting about that. Beside Jill was a dhampir, one I knew in the same way I knew Adrian – that is, I’d seen him but had never been introduced. Eddie Castile had also been present when I was questioned at the Royal Court and, if memory served, had been in some trouble of his own. For all intents and purposes, he looked human, with an athletic body and face that had spent a lot of time in the sun. His hair was a sandy brown, and his hazel eyes regarded me and Keith in a friendly – but wary – way. That’s how it was with guardians. They were always on alert, always watching for the next threat. In some ways, I found it reassuring. My survey of the room soon returned me to Abe, who had been watching and seemed amused by my obvious avoidance of him. A sly smile spread over his features. â€Å"Why, Miss Sage,† he said slowly. â€Å"Aren’t you going to say hello to me?† How to cite Bloodlines Chapter Three, Essay examples

Potentiality of the Tourist Group Operators-Samples for Students

Question: Discuss about the Potentiality of the Tourist Group Operators in Providing the effective services to the Tourist. Answer: Introduction In the present business scenario, tourism industry is one of the most promising and potential industry (Chon, 2013). In Australia, the potentiality of the tourism industry is more due to the fact that Australia is having tourist destinations ranging from hills to seas to scenic country yards. According to the report, in the last financial year, tourism industry in Australia contributed more than 3 percent in the total GDP. In addition, the rapid development in domestic infrastructure is also contributing in enhancing the potentiality of the tourism industry in Australia. More and more international tourists are coming in the country and it is showing positive trend in the recent years. This report will analyze the potentiality of the tourist group operators in providing the effective service to the tourist. In addition, this report will also determine the viability of these businesses along with their future potential. Business portfolio Tourist group operator is one of the key stakeholders in the tourism business. The main responsibility of tourist group operator is to initiate tourism plan according to the need and requirement of the tourists and covering all the responsibilities of providing the effective tourism experience to them (Erskine Meyer, 2012). There is a huge potential in this business due to the reason that tourist specially coming from the foreign countries always looks for a holistic tourism experience. They are in need of planning management which will provide them the holistic tourism experience. Moreover, due to the fact that, they do not have the idea about the tourism destinations in Australia, thus, they require a reliable partner which will guide them in covering the tourisms destinations. This gap can be fulfilled by initiating tourist group operators. The type of business will be the front office. This is due to the reason that in the tourism industry, the most effective way to deal with the customers is to dealing face to face. Physical dealing with the customers helps to understand the requirement of the customers more effectively. Their expectation from the particular package of tourism can also be effectively determined. Thus, accordingly the service can be offered. In addition, another advantage of having the front office business is to enhancing the trustworthiness of the organization among the tourist. This due to the fact that international tourist will search for reliable sources with whom they can travel. Market scenario According to the data available, total of 7.4 million tourists came to Australia in the financial year 2015. It is also been shown that majority of the people aged 15-29 have been travelled to Australia for tourism. Thus, there is a huge potentiality in catering to the domestic as well as the international tourist. It is also been seen that the positive trend of tourism industry in Australia is rapidly growing. Initiation of the easy process of getting visas is one of the determining factors for enhancing the positive trend of tourism market. It is been estimated that by 2020, the overnight expenditure in Australian tourism industry will be more than $115 billion. Thus, the market potential is huge for the tourism industry. Market targeting strategies This organization will initiate various strategies to target the probable customers. The tourist group operator will promote various promotional activities to reach out to the customers. The customers will be offered customization options through which the customers will be able to design their own travel plan (Fogliatto, Da Silveira Borenstein, 2012). It will attract more tourists. Due to the fact that the tourism industry is growing, enough tourists will be interested to avail these facilities. There are two probable reasons for them to avail these facilities. One of the reasons is the requirement of the tourists of having a reliable support system which will be provided by this organization. On the other hand, another reason is the personalization option. Thus, the customers will have the full freedom in determining their own travel plan. The promotional activities will be initiated in such way that it will reach out to the target segments (Riefler, Diamantopoulos Siguaw, 2012). The target segment will be the customers having the purchasing power to spend in expensive travel plan. Thus, the marketing media will be the travel channels in the television and various travel magazines (Berthon et al., 2012). The first or initial process of filtering will be done at this stage. It is being expected that the customers having the purchasing power will only be interested in availing the services. The last criterion will be the providing effective customer services to the target segments (Hakanen Jaakkola, 2012). The age demographics of the target segments are the young couples, baby boomers and college students. Thus, the customer segments are quite diversified. Service will also be provided accordingly. The preferences for the baby boomers and the young couple will not be same. Thus, leisure will be the main criterion of providing the service to the baby boomers. On the other hand, adventure will be main concern of providing the service to the college students. Initiation of romantic holidays will be the main concern of providing the service to the young couples. It will help to effectively cater to the diversified segments of customers. Market action plan The primary market area for operating will be the New South Wales. This is due to the reason that according to the figure 2, New South Wales is the largest contributor in the tourism GDP compared to other Australian states. Thus, it can be assumed that the potentiality in the market of New South Wales is more than compared to other states. This is the key reason of choosing the New South Wales as the primary market. If the organization gets success in the initial stage, then the market area for operation will be expanded. This strategy will help to reduce the business risk being involved for the organization (Sadgrove, 2016). Marketing channels will be selected keeping in mind the taste and preference pattern of the customers. Various television channels such as travel channels and travel magazines will be used for the promotional activities. It will help to reach out to the target customers more effectively. Advertisement will be designed in accordance to the preference pattern of the higher end customers who will be able to pay the money for the tourism service. In addition, the promotional activities will be carried out in extensive manner to reach out to the global customers. Social media marketing will also be initiated to engage with the potential customers along with determining the customer feedback effectively (Kim Ko, 2012). Conclusion Having analyzed the potential market for the tourist group operator, it can be concluded that this organization is having huge opportunities in the Australian market due to the fact that the tourism market is booming rapidly. It is been identified that the New South Wales will be the most potential market for the organization to start their business. The market segments are also being determined in order to effectively identify the marketing activities. The strategies for providing customer service are also being discussed here in this report. It is being expected that effective implementation of the strategies being discussed here will help to cater to the customers more effectively and it will further help to enhance the market share. References Australia's Tourism Industry | Bulletin December Quarter 2011 | RBA. (2017).Reserve Bank of Australia. Retrieved 30 August 2017, from https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/bulletin/2011/dec/3.html Berthon, P. R., Pitt, L. F., Plangger, K., Shapiro, D. (2012). Marketing meets Web 2.0, social media, and creative consumers: Implications for international marketing strategy.Business horizons,55(3), 261-271. Chon, K. S. (2013).Tourism in Southeast Asia: A new direction. Routledge. Erskine, L. M., Meyer, D. (2012). Influenced and influential: the role of tour operators and development organisations in tourism and poverty reduction in Ecuador.Journal of Sustainable Tourism,20(3), 339-357. Fogliatto, F. S., Da Silveira, G. J., Borenstein, D. (2012). The mass customization decade: An updated review of the literature.International Journal of Production Economics,138(1), 14-25. Hakanen, T., Jaakkola, E. (2012). Co-creating customer-focused solutions within business networks: a service perspective.Journal of Service Management,23(4), 593-611. Kim, A. J., Ko, E. (2012). Do social media marketing activities enhance customer equity? An empirical study of luxury fashion brand.Journal of Business Research,65(10), 1480-1486. Riefler, P., Diamantopoulos, A., Siguaw, J. A. (2012). Cosmopolitan consumers as a target group for segmentation.Journal of International Business Studies,43(3), 285-305. Sadgrove, K. (2016).The complete guide to business risk management. Routledge. Tours and Activities Need to Tap Into The Youth Travel Market. (2017).Rezdy. Retrieved 30 August 2017, from https://www.rezdy.com/blog/tours-and-activities-need-to-tap-into-the-youth-travel-market

Meaning Behind Aussie Battler free essay sample

The film industry determines the way we view our films. Australian films often backup the idea of the ‘Aussie battler/hero’. A battler/hero is known as someone who fights for what they believe in, their country, their heritage, their family, friends, dignity and pride. A battler’s job is to protect and hold onto what they are fighting for, whether it is for the good or for the bad. The Aussie Battler is known for being a working class citizen who commits there heart and soul into their work, land, culture and family. Many Australian films explore the concept of ‘Overcoming Adversity’ and explore into the idea of the ‘Aussie Battler/hero’. Wonderful examples of films that directly look into this idea of the ‘Aussie Battler/hero’, is Ned Kelly (2003) and The Castle (1997). Ned Kelly is a film based in the 70’s/80s about a group of young men, Ned Kelly (Heath Ledger), Joseph Byrne (Orlando Bloom), Dan Kelly (Laurence Kinlan) and Steve Hart (Philip Barantini), also known as ‘the Kelly gang’, fighting to preserve their heritage and remain true to their family. We will write a custom essay sample on Meaning Behind Aussie Battler or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The director of Ned Kelly ‘Gregor Jordan’ has contributed the idea of how overcoming adversity can be problematic and difficult, but can also change society. The Castle a film directed by Rob Sitch is about a man, Darryl Kerrigan (Michael Caton) facing the authority because he believes in fighting for his right to not lose everything he has worked for, for unnecessary government requests. The film industry determines the way people view films. Australian films often backup the idea of the Aussie Battler. An Aussie battler is referred to as someone who fights for what they believe in, their country their heritage, family, friends, dignity and pride. A battlers job is to protect and hold onto what they believe is worth fighting for, whether is is for good or bad. The Aussie battler is known to be a working class citizen who commits their sweat, blood and time into their work, land, culture and family. Many Australian films explore into the concept of overcoming adversity, and look deeply into the understanding the idea of the Aussie battler. Wonderful examples of films that directly look into this concept of the Aussie Battler’ is Ned Kelly (2003) and The Castle (1997). Ned Kelly is a Film based in 1880s about a group of men (Ned Kelly (Heath Ledger), Joseph Byrne (Orlando Bloom), Dan Kelly (Laurence Kinlan) and Steve Hart (Philip Barantini), also known as The Kelly Gang. The gang’s objective is to fight, preserve their heritage and change how the authority treats the Irish. The director of Ned Kelly, Gregor Jordan has contributed the idea of how overcoming diversity can be problematic and difficult, but can also change society’s views and ways. The Castle, a film directed by Rob Sitch, is about a man, Darryl Kerrigan (Michael Caton) facing the authority because he believes in fighting for his right to not lose something that is a big part of his life and something he has worked for his whole life. The events that arise in both films revolving around the characters, reiterate this idea of ‘Over coming Adversity’ and the ‘Aussie Battler/hero’ is emerged through a variety of techniques incorporated from their respective directors. In the first scene of Ned Kelly he is portrayed as a great contribution to society by saving his class mates life from drowning in a river. He received a green hero’s sash. Another scene that also really shows Ned as a battler is where he is chasing one of the authorities through the bushes. Ned shoots the authority multiple times and once he finally stops Ned tells him ‘he would not have shot if he hadn’t kept running’; he also tried to stop him from bleeding but in the end couldn’t and was forced to put a bullet through his heart. A scene where Ned’s image is turned around is where he steals the horse and gets caught from the authority; Ned loses it and threatens the authority which then lands him in jail and from this point on Ned falls into the role of ‘The Aussie Battler’. Ned Kelly belongs to an Irish heritage that immigrated to Australia for a better life, but not realizing what laid ahead for them they were pushed low down in society and struggled to keep an income. The Kelly’s were given a piece of land by the selectors where they were allowed to grow their own crops, producing their own food and founder animals for income. The authorities in Ned Kelly were self-centred and, self-indulged. The way the authority treated the Irish was different to how they treated their own. That’s where the Kelly Gang and the authority differed. Ned was pleasant to everyone he came across, he didn’t chose to harm them, gave them respect and the rights they deserved wether they were his own people or not. The events that arise in both films revolving around the two main character ‘Ned Kelly’ and ‘Darryl Kerrigan’, reiterate this idea of ‘overcoming adversity’ and the ‘Aussie battler’ is emerged through a variety of different techniques that have been incorporated by their respective directors’. In a scene towards the start of the film that shows Ned as a battler is where he is hunting a policeman through the bush lands because he ran. Ned finally guns down the policeman and finds the man lying on the ground in immense pain. Ned tells the policeman ‘he would not have shot him if he had not run’. This scene shows the battler side of Ned because further on in this scene Ned is forced to kill the policeman because there was nothing he could do to save him. The Castle is a classic Australian film the stereotypes the Aussie image but also conveys the message that Australians are tough and fight for right. The Kerrigan family is an admirable representation of the average Australian family. They are tight-knit, willing to help and passionate about sticking together as a family. There is a scene that particularly shows off the characteristics of a battler/ fighter within the castle. This scene is were Darryl is at his court hearing. When the Jury goes on break, Darryl sends out his message to his lawyer who then uses what he says in his debate. By Darryl really expression his true emotions, they win. Darryl Kerrigan resembles the typical Australian father. Although his family isn’t well off and don’t particularly live in a great spot (beside an airport), its home, it all comes from the heart. Darryl is a battler; he supports everyone’s opinions but in the end makes his decisions based upon his beliefs. He doesn’t particularly have a high status in society with him working as a tow truck driver but still manages to stay positive because he doesn’t care what people think of him, he’s a proud Australian. He works and fights for the things he needs and can appeal to ones emotions. He uses his power to battle against the bad to win the good. The directors of both Ned Kelly and The Castle have incorporated a variety of different cinematic techniques that make both films memorable in their own manner. Techniques that come under the branch are Setting, Dialogue, and Costuming, Camera angles and movement and sound. Ned Kelly desires the affect for its audience to become entangled within the films story line and to do this the film must include a range of different and somewhat unusual techniques to gather attention. The setting for Ned Kelly is rather stereotypical to the era the film is set in. Most scenes where the Kelly gang do major work is set on the authority’s side. This is the brighter, more classic, rich side, whereas most other scenes such as fighting and war is done in the bushlands, outback where the Kelly’s feel safe and indulged in their own culture. The lighting in Ned Kelly is very much so leaned to low key lighting. If you notice high key lighting comes into play when the Kelly’s are in the authority’s territory and low key lighting for the rest. The dialogue used in Ned Kelly is very traditional and formal. The authority take on a different role in there dialogue as they used different words, words that come off more offensive and cruel. Costuming is also another very outmoded label. The Kelly’s customarily wore old, scrawny, filthy unwashed clothes. They also were mostly seen in dark long pants and jackets, not a lot of skin was shown which contributed to the aspects of low key lighting. The outcast side of people had scrawny hair, beards and were dressed in dirty clothing. Whereas the upper-class side were dressed in clean cut, brighter coloured clothing that resembled there place in society. In both Ned Kelly and the Castle similar camera angles and movements were used. High Angles where used to show power i. e. the authority standing over Ned making him look weaker and more vulnerable. Particularly towards the start of both films you notice low angles and high angles being used to show authority, but as the films progressed you start to notice the change in angles and where the cameras are positioned. Throughout both films you will notice an establishing shot being used at the start of most scenes followed by either a close up or mid shot, depending wether the scene was to include dialogue where then they would need a close up or just a mid-shot. There were many cuts during dialogue which also showed great importance in what the characters were saying. The castle resembled typical Australian dress standards for that time (Flannelettes, Jeans and bowl cuts). The Authority seemed to be dressed in smart clothing the reminded you of control and responsibility. Dialogue in The Castle was stereotypically an Australian accent. The slang, the way the words are slurred and how the pronunciations of words are carried out. The authority defiantly takes on another type of channel of communication, they talk more proper, formal and tend to shorten their words to sound like they aren’t slurring. The setting in the castle is bright and cheerful. It creates a friendly environment that also shows a real Australian household. They do this by creating a rundown house, not much money and living right next to an airport. The lighting the frames this film is high key. Even when darkness controls the time of the scene light still manages to be the key element to the shots. Both films show and encourage messages about Australia in two completely different but similar ways. Ned Kelly shows a message that stealing is wrong and fighting is not the answer, but fighting for what you believe in, fighting for the right to not let others contradict your life is ok. On the other hand the message about The Castle is exactly the same but carried out differently. The castle shows the fact that Australians are not very materialistic and in general are quite simplistic and positive. Both films also conveyed the message that family is important and supporting that idea of love and trust is what makes life worth living for. Ned Kelly chose reveal the idea of using violence, crime and death to portray its message, whereas The Castle did not. The Castle showed its message through family values, gratitude and reverence. Both of these films had the authority against them, they stuck together and became united as one. By the end of both films we were left with the feeling of knowing and understanding how both families’ fought together. If one was going down they were all going down. What was also so great about these two films is that we could watch them grow from battlers into heroes. Ultimately both films were devised to create a sense of understanding about the Australian culture. For certain message and concepts to be conveyed a range of different techniques had to be used, from characterization, to cinematography. The plots direction leaded to the audience grasping different emotions and challenged the audience to experience a film unlike most modern productions.

Five Perils That Challenged Christopher Columbus

Five Perils That Challenged Christopher Columbus Free Online Research Papers America was discovered by an Italian explorer known as Christopher Columbus. Columbus was a navigator, colonizer, and explorer. His expeditions across the Atlantic Ocean were funded by the Spanish Crown. Columbus reached the Americas on his fourth voyage in 1502. Although his trip was successful, there were many troubles he faced along the way. Wind resistance, spoiled food, money problems, disease, and wasted time at sea were only a few of the perils faced by Christopher Columbus. Sailboats were common and widely used during Columbus’ time period. There were no gasoline powered boats. Most sailboats relied on the wind, and at times this could cause a problem. Columbus solely relied on sailing with the wind. Most of the time, Columbus and his men would have to sail against the wind using a technique called beating. Doing this technique would mean that there might be some days without food. Navigation and estimation were two important food determining factors for Columbus on his voyages. The menu for most Spanish seamen consisted of water, vinegar, wine, olive oil, molasses, cheese, honey, raisins, rice, garlic, almonds, sea biscuits, chickpeas, lentils, and beans. Most of the food was stored in wooden casks. The problem with this type of storage is leakage. If dry goods were contaminated with water, they would be ruined. A shortage of food would leave many of the crewmen hungry, and it would also be a waste of money for Columbus. Columbus had little money. He pushed for funding from many kingdoms. On May 1, 1486, Queen Isabella rejected his idea, but granted him an annual annuity of 12000 maravedis to keep him on his campaign. Later on, Columbus made a contract with King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. This contract gave him the rank of Admiral of the Sea, and it entitled him to 10 percent of all profits gained. They did not expect Columbus to return from is voyage. Traveling many long months on the sea, many people had fallen sick. When Columbus and his crew arrived at America, they spread many diseases that the Native Americans were not immune to. This outbreak caused many deaths. Columbus also traded different foods with the Native Americans that may have caused them to become sick. Columbus’ crew also picked up many new diseases as well. During most of Columbus’ voyage, he did not know where he was going. Columbus’ crew was both anxious and impatient. They pushed to move on. Many days were lost from changing waters and poor directions. Columbus was unaware of where he had arrived on 1502. He thought he had found the Indies, but instead he found America. Christopher Columbus overcame many obstacles at sea. Wind resistance kept Columbus from traveling quickly. Today, ships are made more aerodynamic and they do not rely on the wind. Spoiled food was also a problem. Today, the refrigerator is used for storing food for extensive periods of time. Columbus’ crew and many Native Americans died from many unknown diseases. Diseases are treated by many vaccines discovered through medical science. Columbus also did not have an absolute navigational source, he only used his sense of direction and a map to guide him. Today’s sailors rely solely on navigation and communication technologies. Christopher Columbus was a great explorer. Sailing is a much easier task today, thanks to technological advances. Research Papers on Five Perils That Challenged Christopher ColumbusThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationThe Spring and AutumnGenetic EngineeringAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 Europe19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraRiordan Manufacturing Production PlanLifes What IfsQuebec and CanadaMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesBringing Democracy to Africa

Installing Gems from Git Repositories

Installing Gems from Git Repositories Many gems are hosted on git repositories, such as the public repositories on Github. However, to get the latest version, quite often there are no gems built for you to install with ease. Installing from git is quite easy though. First, you have to understand what git is. Git is what the developers of the library use to track the source code and to collaborate. Git is not a release mechanism. Its important to note that the version of the software you get from git may or may not be stable. Its not a release version and could contain bugs that will be fixed before the next official release. The first thing you have to do in order to install gems from git is install git. This page of The Git Book explains how to do this. Its rather straightforward on all platforms and once its installed, you have everything you need. Installing a gem from a Git repository is going to be a 4 step process. Clone the Git repository.Change to the new directory.Build the gem.Install the gem. Clone the Git Repository In Git lingo, to clone a git repository is to make a copy of it. Were going to be making a copy of the rspec repository from github. This copy will be a full copy, the same the developer will have on their computers. You can even make changes (though you wont be able to commit these changes back into the repository). The only thing you need to clone a git repository is the clone URL. This is provided on the github page for RSpec. The clone URL for RSpec is git://github.com/dchelimsky/rspec.git. Now simply use the git clone command provided with the clone URL. $ git clone git://github.com/dchelimsky/rspec.git This will clone the RSpec repository into a directory called rspec. This directory should always be the same as the final part of the clone URL (minus the .git part). Change to The New Directory This step, too, is very straightforward. Simply change to the new directory created by Git. $ cd rspec Build the Gem This step is a bit more tricky. Gems are built using Rake, using the task called gem. $ rake gem It may not be that simple though. When you install a gem using the gem command, silently in the background it does something rather important: dependency checking. When you issue the rake command, it may come back with an error message saying it needs another gem installed first, or that you need to upgrade a gem already installed. Install or upgrade this gem using either the gem command or by installing from git. You may have to do this several times depending on how many dependencies the gem has. Install the Gem When the build process is completed, you will have a new gem in the pkg directory. Simply give the relative path to this .gem file to the gem install command. Youll need administrator privileges to do this on Linux or OSX. $ gem install pkg/gemname-1.23.gem The gem is now installed and can be used just as any other gem.

Does copyright needs to be changed in Digital era Essay

Does copyright needs to be changed in Digital era - Essay Example This paper explores the controversy by presenting both points of view, examining the historical origins of intellectual property protection and modern development in the field. U.S. and British laws and alternative (non-legislative) methods of intellectual property protection are analysed. Possible future developments in this field are discussed from the positions of the current situation. Throughout the history of mankind information has been playing increasingly important role in various fields of human life and activity. The uses of information and different methods of its collection and storage have long historical traditions. Institutional structures created specifically for that purpose - libraries and museums - are as old as modern civilization itself. Each of the past inventions associated with transmission and storage of information could be addressed as the major factor that affected the course of social development: invention of writing, the printing press, telephone, radio, and television have stimulated profound changes. Similarly, development of new information technologies - computers and the Internet - deeply affects contemporary society in many ways. However, the same technologies have led to dramatic changes that turned protection of informational assets into a highly controversial issue. Traditionally, Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) represent an excep... Abundant literature covering various aspects of IPR management and protection is very indicative of this complexity. Recent technological developments have contributed to the challenges associated with protection of intellectual property. The new technologies have substantial implications for literally each aspect of traditional IPR practices. It has become very difficult to keep any information protected these days. Copying materials from another medium, encapsulating content and software for emulation, or migrating content to new hardware and software, all involve activities that can potentially infringe IPR. Digital images and electronic texts can be easily altered, and people may easily transform or incorporate them as a part of some other documents, images, etc. The challenges imposed by the developing technology are likely to increase rapidly in future. IPR holders are perfectly aware about the risks imposed by this trend, and try to protect their rights. Such inclination is absolutely natural granted the fact that similar situations have already occurred in the past when emergence of new circumstances resulted in amendments in the relevant intellectual property laws. For example, in 1992 the US Congress accepted the Audio Home Recording Act that allowed people making copies of copyrighted songs or music for personal use. In 1998 amendments to the Act were made to cover digital technologies of copying, reproduction and distribution (Chebium, 2000). Similarly, the recently emerged Digital Rights Management (DRM) technologies are meant to increase the quality and scope of control that IPR holders can assert over their intellectual property

Ethical case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ethical case study - Essay Example She took the initiative to consult Jeffrey Anderson and was well prepared with the accounting manual of the parent company and the plan for valuation of the assets that belong to the company. Since, Jeffrey Anderson was a respected individual in the company, having served for more than a decade Lisa expected that he would have advised her on the way to approach the issue professionally to find a solution and to maintain confidentiality and integrity. The acquired company and the parent company are the main stakeholders in the issue that Lisa is trying to get solutions for. Lisa finds herself unprepared for the cultures within the corporate, and she did not believe that the acquired firm had used the appropriate financial rules and regulations. She was tasked to make sure that the assets of the corporate she was working for were secure. Lisa noted that the employees were more concerned in securing their jobs. Workplace ethics are some causes that make employees sacked especially during such strategic transitions that Lisa is encountering (Lawrence & Weber, 2013). According to the IMA guidelines that are used for ethical conflict resolution, Lisa is supposed to maintain confidentiality and ensure that she discusses it in details with the Controller. The reason why ethical standards should be maintained in businesses is to ensure that there is smooth flow and function of the advanced market economy. In addition, if there were no ethical standards in business, so many aspects would suffer particularly the economy and the people who depend on it for goods, services and jobs (Lawrence & Weber, 2013). Lisa provides clear, accurate and concise evidence to support her discoveries regardless of being turned down three times by Mr. Anderson. Lisa is keen not to abandon the ethical standards in the company as the finance manager. In her line of work, Lisa focused on the acquired assets and noted

Corporate Social Network Essay Example for Free

Corporate Social Network Essay

Federal Mandates :: essays research papers

Federal mandates can be very important to the well being of U.S. citizens. Mandate 13031 is for the protection of one of the natural rights of every U.S. citizen; life. The term "child abuse" means the physical or mental injury, sexual abuse or exploitation, or negligent treatment of a child. This mandate outlines the regulations of who is responsible for reporting possibilities of child abuse. This mandate is responsible for saving the lives of many abused children. Federal Mandate 13031 falls under U.S.C. Title 42 - The Public Health and Welfare, Chapter 132 - Victims of Child Abuse, Subchapter IV - Reporting Requirements. It leaves the responsibility of reporting suspicions of child abuse with a great number of people. Any one in the medical profession including: physicians, dentists, medical residents or interns, hospital personnel and administrators, nurses, health care practitioners, chiropractors, osteopaths, pharmacists, optometrists, podiatrists, emergency medical technicians, ambulance drivers, undertakers, coroners, medical examiners, alcohol or drug treatment personnel, and persons performing a healing role or practicing the healing arts are required to report child abuse. Other professions included in the mandate are: psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, licensed or unlicensed marriage, family, and individual counselors, teachers, teacher's aides or assistants, school counselors and guidance personnel, school officials, and school administrators, child care workers and administrators, law enforcement personnel, probation officers, criminal prosecutors, and juvenile rehabilitation or detention facility employees, commercial film and photo processors. Lastly, the parents and/or foster parents are responsible for reporting any suspicion of child abuse or neglect. Despite the large numbers of responsible persons in this mandate, it has only a small impact on the local & state budget priorities. For most of these professions it is normal practice to check for signs of child abuse. It takes very little time and very few resources to look a child over. However, if a child is found to be abused, the costs of investigation, prosecution, and further care of the child can be very expensive. Due to this, there is millions of dollars appropriated each year for the area of child abuse. Any mandate that deals with the safety of children should never be removed. However, this particular mandate could probably be done without. The mandate simply shows who is required to report suspicions of child abuse. Although it doesn't sound very important, the number of abused children would probably continue to rise. Federal Mandates :: essays research papers Federal mandates can be very important to the well being of U.S. citizens. Mandate 13031 is for the protection of one of the natural rights of every U.S. citizen; life. The term "child abuse" means the physical or mental injury, sexual abuse or exploitation, or negligent treatment of a child. This mandate outlines the regulations of who is responsible for reporting possibilities of child abuse. This mandate is responsible for saving the lives of many abused children. Federal Mandate 13031 falls under U.S.C. Title 42 - The Public Health and Welfare, Chapter 132 - Victims of Child Abuse, Subchapter IV - Reporting Requirements. It leaves the responsibility of reporting suspicions of child abuse with a great number of people. Any one in the medical profession including: physicians, dentists, medical residents or interns, hospital personnel and administrators, nurses, health care practitioners, chiropractors, osteopaths, pharmacists, optometrists, podiatrists, emergency medical technicians, ambulance drivers, undertakers, coroners, medical examiners, alcohol or drug treatment personnel, and persons performing a healing role or practicing the healing arts are required to report child abuse. Other professions included in the mandate are: psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, licensed or unlicensed marriage, family, and individual counselors, teachers, teacher's aides or assistants, school counselors and guidance personnel, school officials, and school administrators, child care workers and administrators, law enforcement personnel, probation officers, criminal prosecutors, and juvenile rehabilitation or detention facility employees, commercial film and photo processors. Lastly, the parents and/or foster parents are responsible for reporting any suspicion of child abuse or neglect. Despite the large numbers of responsible persons in this mandate, it has only a small impact on the local & state budget priorities. For most of these professions it is normal practice to check for signs of child abuse. It takes very little time and very few resources to look a child over. However, if a child is found to be abused, the costs of investigation, prosecution, and further care of the child can be very expensive. Due to this, there is millions of dollars appropriated each year for the area of child abuse. Any mandate that deals with the safety of children should never be removed. However, this particular mandate could probably be done without. The mandate simply shows who is required to report suspicions of child abuse. Although it doesn't sound very important, the number of abused children would probably continue to rise.

Mcdonald’s Is China Loving It Possible Solution

With China’s rapidly developing economy, the rising wealth of its middle-class and more Western fast-food chains infiltrating the nation, McDonald’s finds itself at a crossroads. The company must evaluate its current standing in the Chinese fast-food market and elect to either continue its present operations, hoping to maintain its second place rank to KFC, or implement new strategies to gain market share, meet the Chinese people’s expectations, and abide by governmental standards. The following alternatives will be evaluated to make a decision: 1. Base – Status QuoIn this scenario, McDonald’s will continue operating under its current strategies. New threats from competitors in China, including long-time rival KFC, Asian fast-food companies like Hong Kong’s Cafe de Coral, Taiwan’s Dicos Fried Chicken and Japan’s Ajisen Ramen, and emerging Western chains like Subway and Rainforest Cafe, would be ignored. Since its competitorsâ₠¬â„¢ menus focus on Chinese preferences for chicken and noodle dishes, McDonald’s will attempt to continue to offset that advantage by emphasizing quality and service. However, in the long run, McDonald’s operations would fall victim to China’s developing economy.In particular, China’s unionized workers would call for additional pay increases and inflationary pressures would cause material costs to rise. As a result, McDonald’s would be forced to increase its prices, as it had done in the past. In all likelihood, the price point for the quality of food offered would fail to live up to public and governmental standards. With competitors progressing in tandem with China’s economy, offering more luxurious casual dining environments and healthier menu options, McDonald’s would fall behind in the market. 2.Option 1: Efficiency, Convenience, and Environmental Responsibility. In this case, McDonald’s would augment its strategies to re main competitive with Western fast-food counterparts like KFC, Burger King and Subway, and Asian competitors like Cafe de Coral, Dicos Fried Chicken and Ajisen Ramen. McDonald’s would capitalize on the public’s demand for quick, convenient service at low prices and continue using its tier pricing model. The company would further exploit the wealth distribution in China by widening its target focus to include the increasing purchasing power of the lower-tier consumer in rural egions of the country. Chinese rural households account for over 60% of the total population. These households spend a larger proportion of income on food, compared to urban households, but as incomes rise, the proportion spent on food does not increase (see Exhibit 1). Thus, McDonald’s would focus on selling more products to more customers at lower prices. McDonald’s would incorporate healthier options in its menu, so to compete with Subway, a chain focused on fresh, healthy food, an d to address growing governmental concerns with an obesity epidemic.McDonald’s would also secure and sustain its locally-based supply chain and joint ventures, to maintain value and its business model, keeping competitors at a disadvantage. (page 8 lihua) (ultra modern cost efficiency) Despite the lack of formal legislation on environmental issues in China, McDonald’s would further emphasize its dedication to decreasing its environmental impact by repositioning itself as a market leader in environmentally friendly packaging, going beyond the established â€Å"no straw days† instituted in Hong Kong.This will highlight McDonald’s willingness to partner with its customers to decrease the use of plastic as well as reducing packaging costs. McDonald’s long-term goal would be to dominate the fast-food market as a dependable, responsible and valued brand. 3. Option 2 – Sophisticated Dining Experiences This option targets the higher-income segment o f the population. McDonald’s would recognize that individuals in this market have rising standards on the type of food and service they receive.Additionally, the amount of money these individuals spend on food, in proportion to growing incomes, is not increasing (see Exhibit 1). In order to retain these higher-income customers, McDonald’s will offer more luxurious ambiences and more amenities at its restaurants. McDonald’s would renovate current locations and build new locations in two ways, with both types offering the typical Western McDonald’s menu and options catered to Chinese tastes. One line of restaurants would encompass sit-down dining-rooms with waiter-service, which would mainly compete with Pizza Hut and Rainforest Cafe.The other line of restaurants, McCafes, would include sit-down dining spaces without waiter-service and offer wireless internet, calm music, and comfortable seating. The McCafes would compete directly with Starbucks. Delivery s ervice and car-side pickup options would expand throughout the country in both types of settings, to maintain sales volume. In addition, coupon partnerships with Internet companies like Taobao. com will continue to provide incentives for customers to dine at McDonald’s.The main risk in this scenario is that McDonald’s is completely revamping its identity as a true-fast food company. Consequently, the company may lose its second-place position to KFC, to justify itself as a luxury brand. 4. Option 3 – Fast Food Efficiency and McCafe Combination In this situation, McDonald’s would implement strategies from options 1 and 2. Tier pricing would continue, services and products would be tailored to the characteristics of the various provinces in the nation, and convenience, health, the environment, and luxury would be emphasized.As in option 1, McDonald’s would expand its operations in the more rural, Western provinces and renovate current locations in ur ban areas, to include the environmentally friendly and health-conscious menus and processes. In addition, a percentage of the urban locations would be transformed into McCafes, as mentioned in option 2. Drive-thrus, delivery service, and car side pickup would expand to all areas. Furthermore, McDonald’s would secure its local supply-chain, proceed with its joint venture structure, and continue coupon programs with Internet companies.IV. Critical Issues The following issues are significant considerations for McDonald’s, in order to make its decision: 1. Brand Perception: McDonald’s needs to convince its Chinese consumers that it offers a product worthy of the price it costs, that the products are special and luxurious, and that the company cares about its workers, the environment, suppliers and the health of consumers. McDonald’s must also address governmental concerns on safety and health, demonstrating that its products will not propose any detriment to China’s developing economy. 2.Impact on Market Share: Since KFC, its biggest competitor, entered the China market earlier than it did, McDonald’s must consider whether its new strategies will be able to surpass KFC in the fast-food market. McDonald’s must consider that as China develops, many new competitors will enter the fast-food market. McDonald’s strategies must be able to attract and maintain its targeted customer bases, and attract the consumers in competitors’ markets. 3. Long Term Sustainability: McDonald’s must consider whether its plan would have its desired affect to gain market share, maximize gross margin and cut its expenses.The company wants to ensure that it will maintain pricing power (charging more for fewer high-end product sales and charging less for more low-end product sales), improve consumer confidence in a rapidly changing economic environment, and continue to profit in the future. 4. Costs to Implement: McDonaldâ⠂¬â„¢s must consider the expenses associated with developing new programs and funding expansions. The company must be confident that future profits will cover implementation costs. V. Rubric and Methodology Score Key: 1 = Poor, 2 = Fair, 3 = Good, 4 = Superior, 5 = ExcellentBrand PerceptionImpact to market share LT SustainabilityCost to ImplementTotal Score Weight0. 40. 30. 20. 11. 00 Base**21141. 7 Option 144413. 7 Option 232222. 4 Option 354414. 1 **Base refers to current method. The ratings are based on a 1 through 5 scale with a score of 1 being poor and a score 5 being excellent. Weights for each criterion were assigned on an arbitrary evaluation of their importance. Brand Perception was considered most important (0. 4 weight) because most of McDonald’s problems regarding competition in China stem from a changing consumer perception of the McDonald’s brand.Impact to Market Share was considered to have the strongest secondary importance (0. 3 weight) because McDona ld’s main motivation for changing marketing strategies is to gain market share from its major competitor KFC as well as share from the increasing number of domestic fast food suppliers. Long-Term sustainability was considered to be less important (0. 2 weight) as in such a highly competitive market, McDonald’s may be forced to continuously alter the focus of its marketing strategy due the dynamic nature of the Chinese market. Finally, Cost to Implement was considered to be the least important (0. weight) as McDonald’s growth has been extremely robust and, regardless of the competition it faces, McDonald’s should be able to finance significant capital expenditures for the purpose of securing future growth. The option with the highest score should be implemented immediately. Base is included for comparison only. VI. Analysis of Alternatives Base Method: †¢Brand Perception – FAIR – Increasing awareness of the health risks of McDonaldâ€⠄¢s food, unfair treatment of workers, inconsistent environmental policy, and global perception of McDonald’s has reduced Chinese perception of the McDonald’s brand.The brand will continue eroding without action. †¢Impact to Market Share – POOR – McDonald’s will lose market share to KFC and an increasing number of domestic and foreign competitors offering diverse fast food and casual dining options. †¢Long-Term Sustainability – POOR – The dynamic changes in the purchasing power of Chinese consumers and the eroding brand perception will inspire them to purchase alternative products to those offered by McDonald’s. †¢Cost to Implement – SUPERIOR – McDonald’s will incur no additional costs than it is already incurring in the China market.Option 1: McDonald’s Concentrates on Efficiency, Convenience, and Environmental Responsibility. †¢Brand Perception – SUPERIOR – Increas ing supply chain efficiency, healthy food alternatives, clean/green/modern restaurant environment will make Chinese consumers perceive McDonald’s to be a vital, healthy, and responsible fast food alternative. †¢Impact to Market Share – SUPERIOR – McDonald’s will gain market share from KFC and other domestic and foreign competitors because its modern, energy efficient, and cost effective supply chain approach will allow McDonald’s to offer a superior product at a competitive price. Long-Term Sustainability – SUPERIOR – The efficiency of this new style of McDonald’s will enable it to keep profit margins higher during times of increased inflation and raw materials costs. This advantage will increase the sustainability of McDonald’s. †¢Cost to Implement – POOR – McDonald’s will incur significant capital expenditures costs to refurbish current restaurants, develop a more efficient supply chain p rocess, research healthier fast food alternatives that will prove successful in the Chinese market while maintaining McDonald’s brand identity as an American hamburger company.Additionally, McDonald’s will incur significant advertising expenditures as it campaigns to sell the new, green, and modern McDonald’s. Option 2: McDonald’s Concentrates on Sophisticated Dining Experiences †¢Brand Perception – GOOD – McDonald’s will increase the Chinese market’s perception of the McDonald’s brand by offering a more sophisticated dining experience worthy of higher prices and a continued characterization as a luxury brand. Impact to Market Share – FAIR – McDonald’s will enter a smaller and more specialized market with increased risks. While offering a more sophisticated and specialized food alternative will allow McDonald’s to charge a premium, there is a significant probability that this alternative will not catch on due to the increasing purchasing power of Chinese and ability to choose among casual dining competitors such as Pizza Hut and Rainforest Cafe.Long-Term Sustainability – FAIR – It is highly possible that the radical change in business plan suggested by option 2 will increase profits in the short-term as the new McDonald’s will be considered a novelty however, over the long-term, this novelty may wear off and significantly reduce the amount of returning customers. Cost to Implement – FAIR – McDonald’s will incur significant capital expenditures costs to refurbish current locations into more sophisticated casual dining atmospheres and significant advertising costs as the company campaigns to change the Chinese perception of McDonald’s from being a cheap and low class dining option to a sophisticated high-end establishment. Option 3: Fast Food Efficiency and McCafe Combination Brand Perception – EXCELLENT – McDonald’s brand perception will be maximized as it will offer a clean and green environment with fresh, fast, inexpensive, and healthy food in its flagship stores and a sophisticated and cool bistro cafe experience with interesting regional food options in its McCafe stores. †¢Impact to Market Share – SUPERIOR – McDonald’s will gain market share from KFC and other domestic and foreign fast food chains as it will offer a superior product at a lower price with an increasing corporate responsibility to have a low environmental impact.Further McDonald’s will steal market share from casual dining and coffee shop entrants as it works to make McCafe a market leader. †¢Long-Term Sustainability – SUPERIOR – Option 3 will foster superior sustainability through a strong brand perception of McDonald’s as a market leader in efficient and healthy fast food and cafe service. McDonald’s efforts to use its economies of scale to produce a very low environmental impact will keep its operating costs low and allow McDonald’s to price out the competition in the long-run while keeping margins high. Cost to Implement – POOR – McDonald’s will incur significant capital expenditures as it retools its supply chain and refurbishes its stores to operate more energy efficiently and with minimal environmental impact as well as advertising costs to convince Chinese consumers that it has corrected its prior missteps and has reinvented itself as a market leader in a new fast food space. VII. Recommendations Options 1 and 2 are not the best route for McDonald’s to pursue.In option 1 McDonald’s will seek to compete in only one market, the cheap fast food market. The more healthy, modern, and energy efficient approach will increase its brand perception, but at the opportunity cost of not exploring more casual dining marketing opportunities. By pursuing only option 2, McDonaldâ€℠¢s will compete only in the casual dining market but at the opportunity cost of the cheap fast food market that McDonald’s has been a world leader in.While option 2 will result in increased brand perception, the long-term sustainability of this option is unclear and may not justify the significant capital expenditures required to refurbish the company’s locations. While option 1 and 2 will both significantly increase McDonald’s brand perception, the increased costs of implementation and increased opportunity costs of foregoing other markets for a single market approach warrant that these options not be recommended.We recommend that McDonald’s pursue option 3 because it is a multi-segmented approach that utilizes McDonald’s current position as a market leader and focuses on expanding McDonald’s marketing footprint in the casual but sophisticated bistro/cafe space. Option 3, more than the other options, will increase McDonald’s brand pe rception and counter the growing sentiment in the China market that McDonald’s does not treat its workers fairly, does not offer healthy food choices, and does not strive to positively impact the environment.Following option 3 will reposition McDonald’s as a healthy and environmentally responsible fast food alternative. While this option will incur significant capital costs in the short-run, this option will allow McDonald’s to grow market share, price more competitively, and run a more streamlined operations that, in the long-run, will reduce operating expenses and lead to higher margins. As it will impact the problems McDonald’s faces in the case most effectively, we highly recommend that McDonald’s implement option 3 immediately. From HBS case, McDonald's Is China Loving it?

Overdraft

An overdraft is when one has overdrawn at the bank. Meaning there is a negative balance due to spending more than the money that is in the bank. Bank overdraft is a temporary facility whereby a bank customer can withdraw more money than what is actually available in his/her account. Obviously the money doesn’t belong to them but belongs to the bank, so this money will need to be paid back. Normally, paying back is automatically done when money goes into the person’s account.However, a small amount of interest based on the amount overdrawn and the length of time overdrawn is charged, a bank overdraft is also a type of loan which can be used if required to provide additional working capital for a short period of time when there is a cash deficit. An overdraft is particularly useful when one has regular sales and purchases coming out of the account which could result in bad cash flow situations. The best thing to do is to avoid overdrafts entirely.Do this by creating a bud get, keeping an extra cash cushion in your account, managing your checkbook and checking your balance before making a purchase or writing a cheque. The advantage of a bank overdraft is that it is there when you need. It allows you to make essential payments whilst chasing up for your own payments, and helps to maintain cash flow. You only need to borrow what you need at the time. Overdrafts are also easy and quick to arrange, providing a good cash flow backup with the minimum of fuss.The disadvantages of a bank overdrafts is that it carries an interest and fees which is often at much higher rates than loans. This makes them very expensive for long term borrowing. You also face large charges if you go over the agreed overdraft limit. Unless specified in the terms and conditions, the bank can recall the entire overdraft at any time. This may happen if you fail to make other payments, or if you have broken terms and conditions; though sometimes the banks simply change their policies.Ov erdrafts may need to be secured against your business assets, which put them at risk if you cannot meet repayments. Unlike  loans  you can only get an overdraft from the bank where you maintain your current account. In order to get an overdraft elsewhere you need to transfer your  business bank account. Situation: Mr. T applied for an overdraft facility with collateral. He mortgaged his house in order to get an overdraft facility of RM200,000 with an interest of BLR-2. 2% with HSBC Bank (BLR-Base lending rate).RM200,000 is deposited into his account upon the completion of security documentation. Interest is only payable for the amount of money utilized and he is given a tenor of 10 years to repay back. If he does not utilize the RM 200,000, he need not pay any interest to the bank for that month. The bank only calculates interest for the utilized amount only on a daily basis. However, if he doesn’t utilize any money, the bank may impose a service charge. This type of ov erdraft facility is best for businessman.

The History of Hacky Sack

The History of Hacky Sack Hacky Sack, also known as Footbag, is a modern, non-competitive American sport that involves kicking a bean bag and keeping it off the ground for as long as possible. It was invented in 1972 by John Stalberger and Mike Marshall of Oregon City, Oregon as a fun, challenging way to exercise. Inventing the Hacky Sack The story of Hacky Sack began in the summer of 1972. Mike Marshall introduced visiting Texan John Stalberger to a game that he had learned from a Native American, a fellow inmate in a military brig. The game involved kicking a small bean bag repeatedly to keep it off the ground for as long as possible- using all parts of your body except your hands and arms- and then eventually passing it to another player. Stalberger, who was recovering from a knee injury, began playing the game- which they described as going to â€Å"hack a sack†- as a way to rehabilitate his leg. Six months later, with Stalberger’s knee healed and newly acquired mastery of their game, they decided to go into manufacturing. Hacky Sack Evolution For about a year and a half, Marshall and Stalberger experimented with different versions of the sack. Their 1972 initial sack was square-shaped, made of denim and filled with rice. They quickly realized that internal stitching provided an improvement in control, and tried round instead of square, and switched from denim to cowhide for longevitys sake. By ’73, they had developed the classic, two-panel, leather, internally sewn, disc-shaped style that would stay in use and manufacture for the next twenty years. The first bags using the Hacky Sack name appeared in 1974. When the 28-year-old Marshall died of a heart attack in 1975, Stalberger decided to soldier on, developing a more durable bag and working to promote the game he and his late friend had created. Hacky Sack Ancient History LIke most modern inventions, hacky sack is a really old idea. A game similar to hacky sack was supposedly invented by the legendary (or mythological) Chinese Yellow Emperor (or deity), who used a hair-filled leather bag in a game called cuju, as training for his military forces during his reign in the late mid-third millennium BCE. The first non-mythological records of cuju date to the Zhan Guo Ce, a Chinese record written during the Warring States period (476–221 BCE). Cuju is also mentioned in the Chinese history of Shiji written about 94 BCE. In Japan, a similar game called kemari was being played at Nara by the 7th century CE; and in Malaysia, a game with a small rattan ball called sepak takraw has been played at least since the 11th century CE. Of course, hacky sack is also similar to soccer (European football), and soccer players frequently â€Å"juggle† or â€Å"freestyle† with a ball before kicking it in the air to a teammate. Official Techniques There arent any rules per se to the game of hacky sack, except that you cant use your hands or arms to keep the ball from falling to the ground. There are established techniques. The inside kick involves using the inside curve of your foot to kick the ball straight upward. The outside kick uses the outside of your foot to the same thing, and the toe kick hooks the ball straight upward. It is legal to stall the ball, bouncing it off any of those places on your foot rather than passing it high into the air, and it is legal to bounce it off your chest, head, or back. Just not your arms or hands. More formal types of hacky sack include footbag net (played with a net), footbag golf (like Frisbee golf), and consecutive (where you try to set a record for continuous bouncing). The original hacky sack is known as freestyle, where people stand in a circle and pass it to one another. The Hacky Sack Game Catches On Hacky Sack became extremely popular with high school and college students, especially with counterculture groups who would stand in circles, taking turns working to keep the footbags aloft. Groups of Deadheads playing the game became a familiar sight outside concert venues whenever the Grateful Dead performed. Stalberg was instrumental in founding the National Hacky Sack Association, founded in 1975. In 1979 the U.S. Patent office granted a license to the Hacky Sack brand footbag. By then Hacky Sack Company was a solid business, and Wham-O, the company that manufactures the Frisbee, acquired it from Stalberger. in 1983. A World Wide Sport Along the way, the generic, non-copyright name of footbag became popular for the game, and the game has become a worldwide sport with official rules. The first official organizing body for the sport, the National Hacky Sack Association, was organized by John Stalberger and Ted Huff in 1975. It sanctioned or sponsored U.S. footbag tournaments, including the World Footbag Championships, which have been running annually since 1980.   The NHSA ended in 1984, and the World Footbag Association rose to become its replacement. The World Wide Footbag Foundation was incorporated in 1994 and in 2000 it morphed into the International Footbag Players Association, Inc. The IFPA has a Football Hall of Fame: the first person initiated was Ted Huff in 1997.