Social promotion in NYC public schools

Today New York City district accounts approximately 1. 1 million students, what is one of the largest public school districts in USA. Just couple months ago, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Chancellor Joel Klein introduced new approach towards the social promotion in public schools in NYC. According to the Raymond Domanico, the proposed initiative will hold back around 15,000 third-graders in case if they fail English and math tests. [#1, P. 4] Of course, the issue of social promotion in public schools is a controversial one and contains numerous cons and pros which were lately widely discussed among the educators. In this essay I am going to provide detailed information regarding social promotion in NYC. The idea of social promotion was initially introduced in NYC in the beginning of 1980s. The program looks alike to the one proposed by Klein and Bloomberg not long ago. Though, 20 years ago it was called â€Å"Promotional Gates Program† and obligated students of the third and seventh grade to pass English reading test and math test before they are accepted to the upper grade. They were also proposed to study at summer schools if they fail the test and retake it at the end of August. Only if they fail this test for the second time, they will be turned back to the same grade again. The novelty of Mayor’s initiative concludes in that, that if the third-graders fail the reading and math test (will not pass level 3, where 4th level is considered to be the highest) – they will be offered another chance to take it but previously attend the summer school. The trick and the topic for the continuing discussions of educators is in that, that the passing level for the second test attempt – is level 2 (the rest of scenario of social promotion is invariable – if students fail this level, they are to repeat third grade again). Some argue that this method will provide weak students the understanding that their flabby achievements will be tolerated, and therefore these students are left with each year behind their progressing classmates. But the Chancellor Joe Klein notes, that â€Å"No one wants to hold students behind. So large numbers of students are promoted even though those students are not prepared for the next grade. The result is that many students are passed through the system from one grade to another without the necessary preparation and skills. These students typically fall further and further behind until they ultimately leave school unprepared. † [#1, p. 4] Now it becomes more understandable, why these changes raised number of accusations from the side of educators and have opponents as well. New Mayor’s approach is retrieved towards summer schools as well: those will be available for the students who are not only third graders but also second graders and who demonstrate poor results and attendance during that grade. The class size is decreased to the quantity of the small group and will account approximately 15 students in each. As to me, this point of the program is very commendable and worth of appropriate attention. Of course, the other question which is usually discussed when the program is either implemented or maintained – is its budgeting. Our case is not an exception. It is worth saying that budget of NYC is to cover these expenses and the size of this burden accounts $25 million (this number is an approximate, but the real one could be much higher). Therefore in order to deal with it, some high school principals in NYC has diverted the funds from the high school students toward the third grade program. Joe Mathew is supporting this idea as well and expresses his thought in the following way â€Å"Money spent on an extra year of schooling for retained students would be better spent on preventing low achievement†. [#2, p. 4] According to the statistical data, because of social promotion program, 25% of all ninth grade students in NYC public schools are over-aged for their class. #1, p. 4] This number brings to the conclusion, that these students most probably were detained once during there school time. In some schools also exists â€Å"unwritten policy of teachers and principals† which is aimed to minimize withholding of a weak students to the lowest quantity of years as it is possible. My opinion is, that when improving social promotion programs in NYC public schools, the attention should be paid to the identificat ion of the â€Å"risk† students or â€Å"risk† groups and work with them before it is too late. I think that it would be also more appropriate to aim these costs to the development of suchlike programs as preschool, improvement of the school in general and additional attention for the low-motivated students or the one who are behind the program. But, for myself I brought up the question for further discussion: is social promotion the result of school miscarriage or is it the sign of greater number of problems which school may face in a near future?

The thunder and lightening crashed over my head and made me very afraid

They said it would never rain again. I was surrounded by people but I had never felt so lonely. As I sat gazing from my window, I began to notice lots of happy families passing by on the road, all in their parents' cars. As I sit alone, thinking about my past, I began to feel so miserable and depressed. I suppose you are wondering who I am and what tragedy could have brought me to this place. Well, I will explain to you the long story. The thunder and lightening crashed over my head and made me very afraid. I was not the only one. My teacher kept looking upwards with a concerned expression. That's was when the head teacher burst into the room and ordered everyone to follow her. This was not normal. It could only mean that everybody was in serious danger. I instantly thought of my parents at home on their farm, had anyone warned them that a typhoon was coming soon? The noise outside was deafening. From our position on the roof, we could see everything. I watched in horror as a mud wall collapsed onto the road, trapping families in their cars. I saw frantic parents digging at the mud, trying to save their children who were still trapped. I wanted to go and save my parents too but I could not move. Two hours later, the road was a river. Trees and mud crashed through the village, destroying houses and families. Gradually, the storm came to an end. We were eventually allowed off the roof and I felt so glad, now I could go back and find out what had happened to my parents. I was so scared that they had been in danger, I just needed to know if they were safe. When I arrived home, I saw my house. It was completely destroyed. I ran towards it, screaming, calling for my mum and dad. Suddenly, I saw a flash of gold. It could only be one thing, my mother's ring. It was still attached to her still, lifeless, bloodless hand. I was numb. Standing there, I felt unusually calm but that feeling didn't last very long. Seconds passed and I began thinking about what would happen to me now. Where will I go? I have no other family, no one to take me in. I felt so isolated. That's how I ended in a foster home. All I can do is to sit and hope that someday, someone will come to get me. Perhaps today will be that day. I awoke feeling light in my heart and really hopeful that today would be that day. I heard that the newspaper reporter was going to come and write an article about the foster home where I was living. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. I opened it and there stood the reporter. She was a young beautiful lady with shiny, black long hair and a graceful smile. I was very surprised – I had never seen such a beautiful lady. She began to interview me because I had been at the foster home for the longest out of all the other children. She was very impressed with my unique poems; she even made a promise that she would make sure they were published very soon. She took my photograph so she could attach it to the poem. A grumpy old man was working in the hospital grounds. He reaches down to a scrap of newspaper which has blown across the garden and landed at his feet. He almost throws the article away when he suddenly decides to take a second look. He began to look more closely at the photograph and that's when he has a flicker of an image from his past. Suddenly his memory returns. It is difficult to cope with the emotions he feels after all these months. Dropping his tools, he strides down the road getting further away from the hospital. What has he remembered? Something is driving him he appears to be looking for something. The sky is grey and over-cast. I think about my future. Will I always be alone and abandoned. What's the point in living all alone with no family to love me? Everyday I wished that I had died with my mum and dad and this is why I made the decision to take an overdose. There was no point in living any more. No-one would even no that I had gone. I felt myself drifting into unconsciousness when unexpectedly there was a shadow in the doorway. At first I had great difficulty focusing my eyes on the figure in front of me. Slowly as my eyes began to see the details I was able to distinguish a man's frame. Meanwhile, I realised that it was my father. As my sight begins to dim, I see him run across the room towards me. He had tears in his eyes and trickling down his cheeks. He laid his head against mine and told me he loved me so much but as I took my last breath I felt so much regret. I could have had a happy life again with my family to love me and to be loved but now that will never happen.

Competitive advantage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Competitive advantage - Essay Example This is a trend that is popular mostly with retailers who wish to control both ends of their business. This is where the retailer wishes to manufacture or provide what they sell and manage part if not the whole distribution channel. This increases the business’ level of integration. However, not all organizations choose to further this strategy because of various reasons. This paper will look into the reasons why organizations integrate vertically whereas others do not. Vertical integration is categorized into two; forward and backward integration. In case of forwarding integration (also referred to as downstream integration), the organization expands its activities to manage distribution processes e.g. using its own trucks and personnel. For backward or upstream integration, the organization expands its operations to include manufacturing or production of raw materials e.g. owning a farm to produce crops used as raw materials (Antonelli 2009). The following is a diagrammatica l representation of Vertical Integration. As stated earlier those firms that adopt vertical integration do so with the aim of achieving some level of control over their inputs and outputs within their supply chain. This results in the firm in question being able to manage the production of its raw materials and the finished goods. This increases the visibility of all levels of production thereby asserting organizational control. Many companies have adopted it as a result of the various economic and competitive benefits it offers (Murray, Poole and Jones 2006). When an organization takes on more assets e.g. farmland which happens to be close to the processing plant then the cost of transporting raw materials is lower. Therefore, where vertical integration results in closer proximity or interdependent facilities or locations the costs are significantly lowered.

Starting A Business Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Starting A Business - Personal Statement Example I got candle (manufacturing) business is most appropriate for me. For idea generation I used the approach is market driven and the method used is "Growth Products" by which I tried to clearly perceive and think of growing products, which have experienced a regular and remarkable growth in demand. As I found that electricity problem is a greater problem here and during nighttime a few areas covered by electricity so people have to use oil lamp as alternative but the price of oil is out of their capability of purchase so, candle will be the best alternative for them and yet there is no candle manufacturer company. As the market is huge and no threat of competitor except some substitutes so the market has no entry or exit barrier and the profitability is high enough (shown in table below). As this business require a very little investment of BDT 10,00,000 ($20,000) the risk is very low and no intervention should comes from government as Govt. always encourage investing in this country a t any sector. The project is about 20 years. And Govt. of Bangladesh had a contact with China to work on Development in Electricity sector after 30 years as a project of water plant is already running. So till the completion of my target deadline my project is secure enough. Along with assumption, SWOT analysi

Current Even Topic on the Current USA Market & How it May Affect Term Paper

Current Even Topic on the Current USA Market & How it May Affect Students & Other Cultures Around the World - Term Paper Example Students typically enjoyed the use of new and innovative products and participated in the new revolution which has revolutionized the world. What is critical about these technological innovations is the fact that they have radically changed the culture of not only US but of other countries also. By redefining the way personal computers and internet is used, Steve Jobs was able to drastically change the way we now interact with the technology. Such an unprecedented achievement therefore requires special attention and treatment because the loss of Steve Jobs is not only the loss of a visionary business leader but also of a great personality who have propelled the society in an entirely new direction. This paper will therefore discuss the news of Steve Jobs Death and how this death might have an impact on the students as well as other cultures of the world. Steve Jobs- a Brief Introduction Steve Jobs was born on 24th Feb 1955 in San Francisco, California and died on 5th Oct 2011 after h is long battle with cancer. He was the chief executive officer and co-founder of American company Apple Inc. He along with Steve Woznaik successfully developed and marketed one of the earliest commercially produced brands of personal computers. They were both also behind the invention of the graphical user interface for the operating system to be run on any personal computer besides developing a device called Mouse for clicking the GUI icons. Steve Jobs however shot to the fame when he re-took the charge of Apple Computers and completely revamped and revived what was a dying company. His business style was considered as that of a perfectionist because he always wanted his firm and products to be at the forefront of the competition. It was this quest for perfection which has ultimately resulted into the development of some of the best products in the market. (POTTER, CURRY and JAMES) Most notable products of Apple include a portable music and video player with the name of IPOD which could not only play the music on the go but can also play videos. His second most notable innovation and product development was the creation of a smart phone with the name of Apple IPHONE. This smart phone became an overnight sensation as based on touch screen technology; this phone has been sold in millions. Lastly, Apple’s major product rolled out was a touch screen tablet computer with the name of Apple IPAD. Steve Jobs’s death and impact on students and other cultures One of the key features of these products is based on the fact that these products have related allowed the freedom to the young students and consumers. The music, videos and internet surfing on the go has allowed a much needed freedom to everyone because it has made people to shy away from the use of desktop computers and use mobile computers and devices. Due to this change a relatively new breed of consumers emerged – mostly students- which found a new level of freedom. Traditionally music o r videos could be listened to or seen while using a desktop PC or other audio and video devices however, the rolling out of the Apple IPOD has traditionally changed the way we used to listen to music or videos. Apart from this, these products were relatively cheaper and came with different varieties thus adding to the overall choice of the students. These products were designed in such a manner that they allowed almost everyone with

My life as a water molecule in human body Term Paper

My life as a water molecule in human body - Term Paper Example In the subsequent sections I will briefly discuss some of the important functions of mine in human body. Regulation of human body temperature is very essential as rate of biochemical reaction is very sensitive to the temperature and if the temperature is not regulated properly it is fatal to human life. Fortunately, I have high specific heat (~ 1 cal / gm) and latent heat of vaporization (~ 536 cal/gm) and this helps me in regulating human body temperature by sweating out in case the external temperature is very high. However, sweating leads to my loss (dehydration) and this may be fatal to an individual; therefore, one must ensure that he / she is maintaining sufficient intake of mine. When you are facing heat, just take me inside. There are many biochemical reactions required to sustain life in any living organism including human body. I act as a medium for almost all of these reactions. I play a very important role in all these reactions due to my ability to dissolve the ions and molecules relevant to biochemical reactions. Some important reactions are digestion of food, storage of energy in the form of ADP and ATP molecules etc. and all these reactions cannot be accomplished without myself acting as the medium of the reaction. In human body communication between a body parts to the brain is through electrical signals involving Na and K ions and these ions are dissolved in water. If I am not there these ions cannot exist and therefore, no signaling will be possible. Thus, it is me which facilitates communication system of human body. In the course of biochemical reactions inside human body, many harmful chemicals like urea etc. are produced. These chemicals need to be removed for the safety of life. I dissolve these harmful chemicals and brings them out through urine or sweat and thus I helps in cleansing of human body as well. Based on the

Journal 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Journal 5 - Essay Example This is because in a direct communication there is undisrupted flow of information, relaying of critical opinions, and knowledge besides experiences. This helps to solve individual or group’s questions, misunderstandings besides other issues that come up in the work place. Besides, it enables the workers to achieve many benefits including one’s wellbeing in his or her working place (Holley, Jenning & Wolters, 2012). The manager in charge of the employee and labour relations in any organization has key responsibilities such as settling workers difficulties and conflicts before worsening to affect the company. Conflicts between employees can be as result of discriminations, violence in the working place and sexual harassments among other vices that hinder the growth or development of the organization (The Ohio State University, 2013). The manager should as well be able to take the corrective actions in which they should identify their employees undeserving manners besides correcting them. In conclusion, respectable employee and labour relations are important aspects for the development of an organization. It helps in averting and solving difficulties concerning the employees that affect the respective organization negatively. Additionally, the employees grow professionally hence affecting the organization’s output or productivity leading to its fast development (Pace University 2011). The employee relations manager has the responsibility to assist and guide the entire staff according to their difficulties to ensure smooth prosperity of the

Performance Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Performance Management - Essay Example Therefore, apart from overcoming the barriers such as language, cultural differences and influence of the trade unions, the management needs to concentrate on the matters relating to recruitment of staff, training to the employees, system for appraisal of performance, compensation to employees and maintaining cordial relationship with the employees, because these are the areas where the scope of the management significantly differs with the domestic HRM based on the corporate policies of the company. The paper seeks to study and analyse the international operations and expansion strategies of Mega Widgets, with the ambition of planning to list its company in Australian Stock Exchange in 2014 or 2015, for suggesting improvements in performance management. Organisation Structure The corporate culture at Mega-Widgets has been influenced by the founding family members. The structure of the organization plays an important role in the implementation of its strategies and controls. The deci sion making process is influenced by the structure of the organization which remains very centralized presently. All expatriate assignments have been individually negotiated by the Newcastle Plant Manager. The company has manufacturing plants and sales offices in Indonesia and India with senior management positions filled by Australian expatriates. The structure of the organization hampers decision making process and affects performance. The function of integration of the whole organization spread all over the world on day to day basis saps the energy of the management team located at the head office. Under such circumstances, the coordination of the corporate activities becomes very difficult. McGuire (2011) states â€Å"To treat organizations as singular entities devoid of diversity is to ignore the richness of employee backgrounds and experience. If organizations are to prioritise creativity and innovation, then it is imperative that unique perspectives are valued and appreciate d.† (p. 179). There have been changes introduced in the organization in the wake of expansions proposed in China and US. The company has created a new post Executive Director Human Resources. This appointment combined with the efforts of the Project Control Groups established by him will enable the Board to consider proposals for international resource management programs. These programs are expected to facilitate current operational requirements and impact the future strategic direction of Mega-Widgets by improving its performance in the long run. Management Policy The management follows progressive policies for its growth strategies and is highly professional in its attitude. This reflects in the management policy: The family relatives are not guaranteed of a job – they must prove themselves like everyone else.   The Executive Director Human Resources, with the full support of the Board, has established international human resources management project control groups to lend support to the expansion strategies of the company for effectively implementing the expansion strategies. Garavan & Garbery (2012) state, â€Å"Strategic HRD (SHRD) is premised on the view that HRD practitioners possess the competence to assume the role of strategic partners, strategic players and players in the business rather than simply

The Wishing Tree Essay Example for Free

The Wishing Tree Essay February 27, 2013 It was the beginning of fall and the wind carried the aroma of fresh fallen leaves. The day was calm; children were playing outside, bikers were riding in the wind and homes were content with fall joy. Things seemed to be going well for everyone, everyone except Samantha Lewinski and her mother. Even the most amazing weather in the world couldn’t stop them from arguing. Samantha was growing into a young woman and she felt she knew everything she needed to know to take care of herself. Samantha had an idea of who she wanted to be and what she wanted to do. Her mother had a different idea. Her mother knew that Samantha was growing into a little woman but she was concerned with Samantha’s safety. These two different perspectives caused a whirlwind of confusion which in result caused many disputes. Samantha and her mother were known for their disruptive arguments throughout the neighborhood and this was the tenth argument this week for them. In their anger they were unaware of the changes to come. Maybe they should have enjoyed the beautiful evening. â€Å"No Sam! That party is going to run until 3:30am and if you don’t want to come home earlier than that, you’re not going at all! Samantha’s mother yelled so loud and hard the veins bulged out of the sides of her face. â€Å"You never let me do anything! Samantha’s heart was beating furiously. She quickly ran out the back door; tears wildly flying out the corners of her eyes. She hated her mother and all she wanted to do was get away. Into the woods she ran. She ran until she could feel her thighs and ankles burning from exhaustion. She sat on the ground, leaning against a large tree breathing violent, harsh breaths. Looking around she realized she had reached a calm, quiet, open spot in the woods. She had never seen this place before. The grass peeking through the fallen leaves was green and soft. The branches from the tree she leaned on reached across a small creek in front of her and the sun glittered off of the water like sprinkles of pixie dust. Samantha sat there in the silence thinking out loud. I’m so sick of my mom, she doesn’t understand me†, Samantha spoke out loud between breaths. Suddenly she heard a voice say, â€Å"I can remove your troubles. Three wishes I’ll provide you with and your problems will drift away. † Samantha, frightened yet curious turned around to see who was speaking to her up in the tree. Only no one was there. Soon she realized it was the tree that was speaking to her but her fear slid away as she pondered on the offer from the tree. Samantha looked at the tree with a sly grin saying, â€Å"I wish I belonged to a different family where the mom will let me do anything I want. The wishing tree shifted its branches and said, â€Å"Your wish has come true. † Samantha smiled with a grin from ear to ear, thanked the tree and immediately ran back home. Minutes later, Samantha arrived home. Bursting through the door with excitement and expectation, she ran into the living room. Samantha was very disappointed. Everyone in her family was the same, nothing had changed. Then she came up with an idea to ask her mother about the party again. This time when she asked, her mother looked at her with blank eyes and simply said, â€Å"Yes, you may. Samantha ran to her room to get dressed, called a ride and was shortly prancing out the front door. The party was a sweet 16 for S amantha’s’ close friend Julie. It was supposed to be pure innocent fun; Samantha had no knowledge of the events to come. Deeper into the party around 1am Samantha’s crush since elementary, Shawn Roberts entered into the party with a large cooler. Eventually it became obvious to Samantha and Julie that the cooler contained alcohol. Everyone drank except Samantha. People began to argue and things got out of control. Consequently, the cops were called by a neighbor and everyone in the party was taken to the police station. Samantha was terrified and wondered if she had made a mistake by asking the wishing tree for a new family. Moments later at the police station everyone was only given a warning and had their parents called. Samantha’s mother pulled in last. She entered the police station with an expression that showed no emotion or anger. Her mother stayed calm throughout the whole drive and even when they arrived home. Samantha kind of wanted to get in trouble for the first time in her life. She realized that her mother was right that day during the argument in the kitchen. If her mother was normal she would have never been in that situation. Now Samantha regretted her wish but she didn’t want to waste a wish to get her real mother back. The next morning Samantha woke up extra early so she could go back to the wishing tree to get her next wish. She ran as fast as she could, the wind blowing through her hair as she dodged twigs and branches. Swiftly, she had once again reached the calm spot in the woods. It seemed even more beautiful than before. It was a little warmer than before and the sun glistened on the water so bright it hurt to look at it. The wind blew roughly, whistling as it passed through the tall strong trees. The wishing tree sat very still in its dramatically stretched pose, looking as though it was trying to touch the water beneath it. Samantha was so excited to get her wish she felt like she was going to burst. As she approached the tree it spoke slowly saying, â€Å"Now child, there is one thing I have forgotten to tell you. Once you have made a wish it can never be taken back†. â€Å"Ok, yea, whatever just hurry before my mom comes looking for me†, said Samantha. Alright, young lady please state your second wish†, said the wishing tree. Samantha looked at the tree with the brightest eyes â€Å"I wish I could be beautiful forever and never grow old†, she told the wishing tree. â€Å"Your wish has come true,† said the tree. Without hesitation Samantha pivoted on her toes and proudly trotted back home. The following day Samantha’s mother left to go shopping. She decided to leave without bothering Samantha because she figured Samantha wouldn’t want to go anyway. Samantha’s mother arrived at the store slowly searching the racks for a new button up for work. She wasn’t having any luck so she looked up and strolled away from the area she was when suddenly she saw the most stunning blouse. It was a deep red button up with ruffles along the center. As she studied the shirt she noticed the face on the mannequin resembled her daughters’, almost exactly. The mannequins close resemblance began to gross her out so she backed away. â€Å"The eyes look so real†, thought Samantha’s mother as she turned around and walked off to find a different shirt. A tear ran out of the mannequins’ eye and down its plastic cheek as it watched the woman walk away.

Speech Of Life Reason Essay Example for Free

Speech Of Life Reason Essay â€Å"Life is a gift from God and it’s too short, no one can tell when life of an individual will end but God† so me, I enjoy my life every day, every minute, every second or even every millisecond cause that’s the way how I show my appreciation of what God has given to me. Aside from our Lord, I also value the Love that my parents, relatives and fellas give me continuously. That is a massive thing to me because that Love is my strength, power and my bravery to endure life every day. Myself? Do I really know myself? A question that is so easy to answer, but if the answer of your mind is YES well then your mind’s answer is incorrect. For me, the one who knew you most are your pals. How can I say? Simply because there are lot of things that your friends notice in you and you can’t say anything but, â€Å"Oh my God, I’m like that. I’m so sorry† Anyways, this is Ma. Emelyn C. Malabanan speaking in front of you all. I have a simple life and I grew up in a not so rich family but my parents Rafael and Emelita Malabanan did their very best to raise us. They are the two most important people in my life, the reason why I’m striving hard to finish High school up to College so that I can give them back all the goodness that they have given to me. Someday I wish to have a profitable life because I want it to share with them and give them the best life that they didn’t imagined even in their wildest dream. For me, they are the rival teachers and even if they don’t give grades I know that they made me pass because I’m their daughter and that’s how much they love me. I graduated elementary at Saint Raphael Archangel Parochial School but my auntie was the one who paid all the payments there because my parents can’t afford that school. Now, I’m relishing my teenage life because of the people who taught me how to enjoy it.

How eukaryotic organisms came into existence

How eukaryotic organisms came into existence Living systems (LST) are self-organising systems that interact with the environment. Flows of information, energy and matter maintain these systems in order and balance. Miller (1978) defines LST as a set of related definitions, assumptions, and propositions which deal with reality as an integrated hierarchy of organizations of matter and energy. LST is as an excellent and powerful tool in aiding an individual to understand and interpret reality, especially its living part. However when it comes to intervention, design and change, the LST gives little or no guidance concerning what to do and what actions and approaches to select. So although the LST provides extensive amount of knowledge in regards to life and living systems nevertheless it mentions nothing to do with that knowledge. Multicellular organisms are thought to have evolved at least 1.7 billion years ago; organisms consisted of many or more than one cell which have interdependent cells (differentiated cells) that perform s pecialised functions in an organism. Examples of multicellular organisms are humans, plants and animals which can be seen by the naked eye. Cells are separated into two main classes primarily by whether they contain a nucleus. Prokaryotic cells (bacteria) lack a nuclear envelope whereas eukaryotic cells have a nucleus in which genetic material is split from the cytoplasm. In general prokaryotic cells are smaller and simpler than eukaryotic cells. In addition to the absence of a nucleus prokaryotic genomes are less complex and they do not contain organelles in its cytoplasm or cytoskeleton. In spite of all these differences, the same basic molecular mechanisms manage the lives of both prokaryotes and eukaryotes which indicate that all present-day cells have descended or evolved over time. The endosymbiotic theory explains and provides evidence of cell evolution which claims that bacteria cells evolved to animal and plant cells by phagocytosis through a process called endosymbiosis. [endo=inside; sym=together; bio=life]. Symbiosis describes the close relationship between two or more organisms of different species, where they are not always benefiting each member. The relationship of algae and fungi in lichens and of bacteria living in the intestines or on the skin of animals are forms of symbiosis. Some scientists believe that many multicellular organisms evolved from symbiotic relationships between unicellular ones and that the DNA-containing organelles within certain eukaryotic cells (such as mitochondria and chloroplasts) are the product of symbiotic relationships in which the participants became interdependent. A significant step in the breakthrough of the evolution of eukaryotic cells was the knowledge gained of membrane-enclosed sub-cellular organelles, allowing the progress of the complexity characteristic of these cells. The organelles are thought to have been acquired as a result of the relationship of prokaryotic cells eukaryotes. Studies show that the theory of endosymbiosis shows evidence that origin of mitochondria and chloroplasts which are organelles of eukaryotic cells are thought to have evolved from bacteria living in larger cells. Both chloroplast and mitochondria are similar to bacteria in size and like bacteria they reproduce by a process called binary fission. The American microbiologist Lynn Margulis formulated the endosymbiosis theory that mitochondria and chloroplasts evolved from prokaryotic bacteria. Although now an acknowledged theory and biologist, she and her theory were rejected by many biologists for a number of years, her breakthrough came due to her persistence, and vast amounts of research and data gathered by her and many other biologists over the last 30 years. The discovery of mitochondria having similarities in structures played a key role in making her theory widely accepted by the science world. According to her hypothesis these mitochondria and chloroplasts originated as separate prokaryotic organisms that were taken inside the cell as endosymbionts. Mitochondria evolved from aerobic bacteria (proteobacteria) and chloroplasts from photosynthetic bacteria (cyanobacteria). The contraction of aerobic bacteria would have provided an anaerobic cell with the ability to carry out oxidative metabolism. The acquisition of photosynthetic bacteria would have provided the nutritional freedom given by the ability to perform photosynthesis. The Endosymbiotic theory proposes that mitochondria and chloroplasts were once prokaryotic cells, living inside larger host cells. The prokaryotes were known to have been ingested in the larger cell but somehow escaping digestion. It is not known for the reason why they were ingested and interned but purely for advantageous reasons to the host cells which ingested them. The endosymbionts provided crucial nutrients to the host cell by chloroplasts and the mitochondria helping to have exploit oxygen from extracting energy. The endosymbionts were protected with in a safe environment inside the host cell which they lived for many millions of years. Charles Darwin (1809-1882) theory of natural selection which we know today from the famous quote of Survival of the fittest supports the endosymbiosis theory. Early eukaryotic cells gained an advantage over their neighbours, once mitochondria (high energy source), were ingested in larger host cells. Mitochondria and their hosts increasingly were relying more and more on each other to survive. Eventually, neither could succeed alone but as a force united they produced millions of descendents, establishing a whole new domain of life. Both organelles are surrounded by two or more membranes where the innermost of the membranes show differences in composition from other membranes of the cell. The composition is like that of a prokaryotes cell membrane, while the outer membrane may have formed from food vacuoles as the host cell devoured the prokaryote. The inner membrane of these mitochondria and chloroplasts contains enzymes and transport systems, showing more similarities to that of prokaryotes. The inner membrane of mitochondria has a larger surface area which arose due to the inner layer being folded into what is called cristae. This is turn means that there is more area for the respiratory reaction occur in the organelle. Mitochondria can be found in they cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells similar to shape and size to chloroplasts. The primary function of mitochondria is the production of ATP which is an energy source vital for the proper functioning and survival of the organelle. The outer membrane is a relatively simple phospholipid bilayer, ions, nutrients; ATP, ADP, etc. can pass through with ease. The matrix is where diffusion happens, this is a very slow process due to the folds of the cristae, the matrix is close to the inner membrane, resulting in the diffusion rate to the inner membrane complexes and transport proteins within a short time. Chloroplasts are only found in plants, with a similar function to that of mitochondria, where they both provide energy in the cell. There appearance is that of flattened discs, using a process called photosynthesis to extract carbon dioxide from the surrounding and converting and releasing as oxygen to form glucose, which is stored a starch a food source. Chloroplasts are complex organelles which differ to those of mitochondria, as chloroplasts have there a double membrane called the chloroplast envelope and membranes of thylakoids inside. Chlorophyll is vital and is found in thylakoids membranes in the chloroplast, it is a coloured pigment which converts light energy for photosynthesis. Thylakoids are fluid-filled sacs stacked up in the chloroplast to form structures called grana. Grana which are flat thin pieces of thylakoids membrane are linked together by lamellae. Mitochondria and chloroplasts both have their own DNA molecules. Their DNAs are not duplicates of nuclear DNA but their DNA is exclusive and vital to the mitochondrion or the chloroplast. Genes are carried by mitochondrial DNA; these genes are replicated each time the organelle divides, and the genes they encode are transcribed within the organelle and translated on the organelle ribosomes. Thus mitochondria and chloroplasts contain there own genetic systems, which are distinct and dissimilar to the genetic material of nucleus. Unlike the DNA in the nucleus, mitochondrial and chloroplast DNAs are exposed and circular similar to that of a prokaryotic cells DNA. Genes of the nucleus can not duplicate these. Each organelle has its own ribosomes; these ribosomes are different to those found in the cytoplasm of a cell. The proteins coded for by the mitochondrial genes are produced by mitochondrial ribosomes, and those coded for by the chloroplast genes are produced by chloroplast ribosomes. These ribosomes are more closely related to those of bacteria that those encoded by the nuclear genomes of eukaryotes. Bacteria show more similarities to these organelles as size is also a similarity. To conclude on the question on discuss how eukaryotic organisms came into existence, I believe that the evidence and information regarding the theory of endosymbiosis is reliable but not 100% valid as there are many counter arguments to Lynn Marguliss theory. Numerous studies of DNA show that in fact mitochondria and chloroplasts do not show many similarities that of prokaryotes. For instance neither mitochondria nor chloroplasts can survive in oxygen or outside of the cell indicating that the cell would have lost many vital genes on the way. However both mitochondria and chloroplast are similar in size to prokaryotes, they lack a normal nucleus found in eukaryotic cells but have circular DNA which lacks histones similar to that of eukaryotic cells. Also symbiosis supports the fact that the host cells became dependant on the organelles which it ingested and the lack of DNA within the nucleus and the organelles having their own DNA explains that they would have been independent cells. Both organelles reproduce by division in a process called binary fission, prokaryotic cells also reproduce the same way. On the other hand there are many questions still to be answered. How did the cell manage to reproduce in such a tight space and inside another cell? How did the DNA of the ingested cell pass into the hosts DNA, as the DNA should have been blocked as the host would have responded by degrading the foreign DNA and detect it as a virus. However this can be counter argued against as similarities in structure of both organelles can prokaryotic cells can be explained by their functions and processes and not through their structures. In photosynthesis both chloroplast and cyanobacteria convert carbon dioxide and water with light energy into glucose and oxygen. Nevertheless there is more evidence to sustain the endosymbiotic hypothesis; the evidence outweighs the questions and arguments against. Lynn Margulis theory of endosymbiosis is widely used and accepted by the scientists and science world of today and the more valid and important ideas of the origin and evolution of the cell are of creationists. Finally I agree with the argument that some eukaryotic cells have derived and evolved from prokaryotes and the theory of endosymbiosis seems valid and vital in the way we understand evolution of the cell today. (http://www.newciv.org/ISSS_Primer/asem14ep.html). (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/symbiosis) (http://dictionary.sensagent.com/multicellular+organism/en-en/) http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/_0_0/endosymbiosis_06 http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~bioslabs/studies/mitochondria/mitorigin.html http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/E/Endosymbiosis.html http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/home.php

Executive Summary of Sun Cosmetics, Inc. :: Business Management Cosmetics Australia Essays

Executive Summary of Sun Cosmetics, Inc. There are many components to a successful organization, among them is a steady flow of innovative products that are consistently produced to high standards, available to customers when and where they are needed, and backed with diligent service and support. We will demonstrate the viability of capturing a significant market share of sunscreen products Down Under. We will inform you of our unique market entrance plans, our unique product and its marketable attributes. We will layout our target markets and their demographic information, and we will conclude with the profitability remarks necessary to gain your confidence and investment. Sun Cosmetics, Inc., the parent company, was founded in 1955 and has been a publicly held company since 1973. It was incorporated in the State of Massachusetts. Any U.S. legal conflicts fall under the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts state court system. It's annual North American sales of sunscreen products are in excess of $20 billion. Sun Cosmetics created Oceana's development team for the express purpose of penetrating Australia's regional markets. Its members were selected based on their cultural appreciation and adaptability, their research expertise, and their discerning abilities with both primary and secondary data. Cheri Brown, Vice President of International Operations Robert Roy, Director of International Sales & Marketing Helen Quinn, Director of Cultural Adaptation Becky Barth, Director of Research & Development Sun Cosmetics, Inc. will send two expatriate executives to F.H. Faulding & Company Limited to work in commensurate positions and pay grades. The training and marketing guidance is invaluable from both perspectives. Product introduction and formulation Due to the high incident of skin cancer Down Under, primarily originating in young children, we have developed an additive that enables parents and children to see that this sunscreen has in fact been applied to all areas of exposed skin. This additive is a coloring agent that fades approximately three minutes after application. Taking advantage of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Summer Games approach, we have incorporated the additive with an olympic theme: Oceana Gold, Silver & Bronze. The coloring agents will actually be gold, silver or bronze according to the label of the particular sunscreen purchased. In addition to these choices, each color would be available in several degrees of sun protection factor (SPF): SPF4, SPF8, SPF15 & SPF30 (SPF4 being the least and SPF30 being almost total sunblock). Oceana is a non-greasy water resistant sunscreen with aloe vera gel, vitamin E and is paba free. Incidence of skin cancer The high incidence of skin cancer in Australia is the reason for our choice of this product. Skin cancer has been on the rise due to environmental issues

Prohibition Essay example -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   English III Honors P. 1 Mrs. Robinson 4 May 2004 â€Å"Prohibition: The Noble Experiment†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Prohibition, sometimes referred to as the noble experiment, did not achieve its goals. It did the exact opposite by adding to the problems that it was intended to solve† (Thorton). It is also considered to be the thirteen years that damaged America. On January 16, 1920 one of the most disobeyed laws was put into effect. The 18th amendment, also known as Prohibition, was ineffective and caused more corruption in America with the rise of organized crime and the increase in alcohol consumption.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prohibition had many different purposes; one was to reduce the consumption of alcohol by Americans. This was going to fail no matter what because if you are told not to do something only going to want to do it more. That is just human nature. It also focused on reducing crime, corruption, poverty, death rates, solve social problems, reduce the tax burden created by prisons and poorhouses, and improve health and hygiene in America (Thorton). Not only did it not accomplish this but it did the exact opposite. And lastly it focused to improve the economy and the quality of life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Theoretically Prohibition was feasible, but in reality it had too many flaws. For one it was unenforceable. This is defiantly the biggest problem. What good is law if you can not enforce it? Fiorella H. LaGuardia was a prominent New York City politician who served several terms in the House of Representatives. He said, â€Å"It is impossible to tell whether Prohibition is a good thing or a bad thing. It has never been enforced in this country.† Even he was a realist that could see that this experiment was going to fail.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prohibition was not a new concept for Americans in the 1920’s. In fact, it was part of society since the 1600’s. The feminist movement originated early in the 1800's. Until the 1870's, however, feminine involvement in the temperance effort was largely peripheral. The Women's Crusade of 1873 and the organization of the Women's Christian Temperance Union in 1874 marked the formal... ...ed 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Behr, Edward. Prohibition: Thirteen Years That Changed America. New York:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Arcade Publishing, 1996. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bowen, Ezra, Ed. This Fabulous Century: Vol. 6. New York: Time Life Books,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1969 3. Dostoevsky, Fyodor. Crime and Punishment. Trans. Constance Garnett.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  New York: Bantam, 1981. 4. McGrew, Lang. â€Å"History of Alcohol Prohibition.† Online. 13 April 2004.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.druglibrary.org./schaffer/LIBRARY/studies/nc/nc2a.htm. 5. McWilliams, Peter. â€Å"Prohibition: A Lesson In The Futility (and danger) Of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prohibition.† Online. 13 April 2004. http://www.mcwilliams.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  com/books/aint/402.htm 6. Thorton, Mark. â€Å"Policy Analysis: Alcohol Prohibition Was A Failure.† Online. 17 July 1991. http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-157.html Prohibition Essay example -- essays research papers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   English III Honors P. 1 Mrs. Robinson 4 May 2004 â€Å"Prohibition: The Noble Experiment†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Prohibition, sometimes referred to as the noble experiment, did not achieve its goals. It did the exact opposite by adding to the problems that it was intended to solve† (Thorton). It is also considered to be the thirteen years that damaged America. On January 16, 1920 one of the most disobeyed laws was put into effect. The 18th amendment, also known as Prohibition, was ineffective and caused more corruption in America with the rise of organized crime and the increase in alcohol consumption.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prohibition had many different purposes; one was to reduce the consumption of alcohol by Americans. This was going to fail no matter what because if you are told not to do something only going to want to do it more. That is just human nature. It also focused on reducing crime, corruption, poverty, death rates, solve social problems, reduce the tax burden created by prisons and poorhouses, and improve health and hygiene in America (Thorton). Not only did it not accomplish this but it did the exact opposite. And lastly it focused to improve the economy and the quality of life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Theoretically Prohibition was feasible, but in reality it had too many flaws. For one it was unenforceable. This is defiantly the biggest problem. What good is law if you can not enforce it? Fiorella H. LaGuardia was a prominent New York City politician who served several terms in the House of Representatives. He said, â€Å"It is impossible to tell whether Prohibition is a good thing or a bad thing. It has never been enforced in this country.† Even he was a realist that could see that this experiment was going to fail.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prohibition was not a new concept for Americans in the 1920’s. In fact, it was part of society since the 1600’s. The feminist movement originated early in the 1800's. Until the 1870's, however, feminine involvement in the temperance effort was largely peripheral. The Women's Crusade of 1873 and the organization of the Women's Christian Temperance Union in 1874 marked the formal... ...ed 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Behr, Edward. Prohibition: Thirteen Years That Changed America. New York:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Arcade Publishing, 1996. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bowen, Ezra, Ed. This Fabulous Century: Vol. 6. New York: Time Life Books,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1969 3. Dostoevsky, Fyodor. Crime and Punishment. Trans. Constance Garnett.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  New York: Bantam, 1981. 4. McGrew, Lang. â€Å"History of Alcohol Prohibition.† Online. 13 April 2004.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.druglibrary.org./schaffer/LIBRARY/studies/nc/nc2a.htm. 5. McWilliams, Peter. â€Å"Prohibition: A Lesson In The Futility (and danger) Of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prohibition.† Online. 13 April 2004. http://www.mcwilliams.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  com/books/aint/402.htm 6. Thorton, Mark. â€Å"Policy Analysis: Alcohol Prohibition Was A Failure.† Online. 17 July 1991. http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-157.html

Company Introduction, Market Segmentation, and Product Positioning Essay

The key to successful product implementation in today’s national enterprise system is the effective marketing of a new product with the company’s line of existing products. As stated by Lacobucci (2012), marketing is defined as an exchange between a company and its customers. The customer wants something from the company or firm and vice versa. In previous times, a company would manufacture a product they thought the customer would want or need. The customer purchased that product because of a pending need, which basically meant that marketing used to be product oriented. However, marketing today is more that an advertisement for goods and services in an attempt to attract new business. We live in a customer orientated and empowered marketing environment. We realize the importance and ramifications of having an exchange with our customers and developing a relationship with them. It is this exchange of information between our company and our existing as well as future customers that secures our position in our target market. Our company is a regional tool distributor located in the northeastern section of the United States. Our customer base consists of several major retailers, nationally known in the retail and wholesale tool industry. We used the brand label Blue Steel Tools for marketing and distribution of our products to discuss the implementation of an effective plan to market a new product line, the Illuminated Power Wrench. This paper will analyze market, identify our market segment for sales distribution and discuss the reasoning for the segment. Discussing the target market and why the targeted customers were specifically selected. We will do the SWOT analysis; describe the unique market position and the expected service provided in meeting the needs of the target audience. 1. Identify the marketing segment for the product and provide a rationale for this segment. The definition of a market segment as stated by Lacobucci (2012) is a group of customers that shares similar inclinations towards our brand. To define market segment further for our needs, it is an identifiable group of individuals, professionals or organizations that share one or more characteristics or needs in an otherwise homogenous market. In our case, our product will have a very wide market of consumers and small business owners and employees. Therefore we will need to reduce the market segments to larger chunks. Market segments generally respond in a predictable manner to a marketing or promotion offer. The market segment for the new product will vary widely due to the versatility of our product usage. Our main segment approach will focus on the wholesale distribution to retail repair supply stores who carry lines of tools for resale to the private and business consumer. These market segments will include businesses such as Lowes and Home Depot, retail tool distributors such as Harbor Freight Tools, automobile parts stores such as Advance Auto Parts and tool catalogue companies such as great Northern to name a few. As we analyze this segment we ask the question if this segment is viable and can we profit from using it. Other considerations are accessibility and measurability. This segment is small enough to manage our sales and distribution, but large enough to reach the ultimate user of our product. This market segment possesses the potential and versatility to sell and distribute our product to the target consumer market with a widely diversified audience in the retail industry. The bases for this segmentation include similar demographics, geographical locations, and psychological make-up of customers and behaviors of users/purchasers. In other words, the customer base for our segments meets the desired user of our end product. Anyone who builds or repairs something whether they are a novice or professional is a potential customer. Therefore, by using this method of market segmentation for product distribution, we will successfully sub-divide a large homogenous market into clear identifiable and manageable segments that have similar needs, wants or demand characteristics indicated by Lacobucci (2012). 2. Discuss the target market and provide rationale for this target market. The target market defined is the particular market segment at which a marketing campaign is focused. As stated earlier, this product has been designed for the retail tool industry. We have targeted segments in the industry that will be the most successful in reaching the consumer and generating a demand for our product through steady sales. Lacobucci stated the first perspective in assessing segments target is to have a view of the segments themselves and the primary concern is the segment be profitable. This in turn will become a profitability issue for our company as we continue to hold a place in the small tool market and generate profits with continued sales. The second perspective examined was if the market or segment fit with who we are. In this case the answer is yes. The ultimate target for this product is the consumer. The greater exposure we have, the higher propensity for sales growth. The illuminated ratchet screw driver is a quality tool for use by not only the novice home self repair person; it will also meet the needs of the professional repair person, no matter what the industry. The illumination system in the handle of the wrench will appeal to the vehicle mechanic working in the close quarters of an engine compartment, the electrician repairing the circuit breaker box, the computer repair technician working in between electronic circuitry as well as to the basic consumer performing handy maintenance projects. This tool will come with the standard wrench lugs and have availability to accessories such as wrench tips to enhance its versatility to meet the needs of a wider target audience. The wider target audience is customers of our targeted market segments. Therefore the target market is our pathway to the ultimate user of the product is consumer sales. The strategic sales objective of these retail establishments coincides with our strategic vision of reaching the ultimate user of our products, satisfying their needs and increasing the likelihood of additional product sales. 3. Perform a SWOT (strengths, weakness, opportunities and treats) for the company. As we move forward in the marketing of our product, we need to our own corporate strengths. Lacobucci (2012) suggests the use of a SWOT analysis in identifying our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The strengths and weaknesses characterize our company in relation to competitors where the opportunities and threats characterize the broader environment such as the tool industry, suppliers, the government and etc. Our strengths are in our track record in t he tool industry. We have provided quality products at competitive prices. Another perceived strength is in the management of our company. The senior management of Steel City Tools has provided a strategic vision with clearly defined attainable goals for market position and sales. However a perceived threat is in the foreign market. A number of tool company’s efforts have been over shadowed with a cheaper duplication of products from foreign markets. The US has been plagued with a reduction in the manufacturing industry due to globalized markets, elimination of trade barriers and outsourcing. The end result is our market segment (distributor) could purchase a similar product cheaper and increase their gross margin and not purchase our product for resale. Another threat we are not prepared to react to is loss of a major distributing customer. With more and more businesses merging, we could lose a distribution source with no warning. One of our weaknesses is we have focused on sales east of the Mississippi, thus limiting market expansion. However, this could be turned around as a future opportunity for market expansion. An easy way to expand our market is to establish a retail division and use infomercials through the cable television network to accept mail order/telephone order select product sales such as our new illuminated power wrench. However, a marketing effort of this nature would require careful consideration must be given to the geographical area so as not to alienate our primary segment customers. A move of this nature would require additional capital investment and careful analysis of this type of expansion would be necessary to minimize risk of project failure. The SWOT is useful in clarifying our marketing questions. The key is to address our shortcomings so as not to give the competition an upper hand and not raise concerns with our customers and capitalize on our strengths for continued success. 4. Create the market position for your product and service. Explain your rationale. Product positioning, according to the Encyclopedia of Business, involves the tailoring the entire marketing program to include product features, distribution, price, quality and service to meet the needs of the consumer within the specific market segment. In this manner, the product positioning is part of the overall market segmentation. Product position takes place in our distributors store, or target market segment and tells us how we can strive most effectively in that market segment against our competition which are also present on display. The key is to understand the consumer perceptions of the product and the marketing behind it. Quality, reliability, affordability, unique features, benefits to the customer is just a few attributes of product positioning. According to Lacobucci (2012) positioning is often about modifying the four P’s of marketing (position, price, place and promotion). In the case of our company, our reputation is a reflection of the position to provide a quality product at a competitive price while leading the market in innovation. Our company performance is attributed to the quality of our employment staff. Our employees are at the core to our success. We have established core values for our company’s work force by creating a positive work culture with recognition of the whole person concept. The strategic leadership from the top on down to the employee fosters productivity with reward and recognition to enhance their performance in support of the company operations to include our marketing efforts. Thus the positive and proactive personality of our company in meeting its marketing objectives is a direct reflection of the quality of every member of the Blue Steel Tool Team. As we continue to grow and develop products for sale, we position our products at a distribution sales point or market segment with the greatest customer exposure for maximum market penetration. We will service our product to the satisfaction and benefit of the customer so as not to jeopardize customer confidence as well as the business relationship with our market segment. The product we create and the service we provide are a direct reflection of not only our company, but that of our distributors. Our products are designed to meet the working needs of our professional as well as consumer clientele with a level of quality that meet or exceed expectations at the best value. References Lacobucci, D. (2012) Marketing Management: 2012 custom edition. Mason OH Market Segment Defined Retrieved from http://www. businessdictionary. com/definition/market-segment. html Morley R. (2006), Trumpet Print Edition: The Death of American Manufacturing, February 2006 Retrieved from http://www. thetrumpet. com/index. php? page=article&id=1955 Reference for Business Product Positioning: Encyclopedia of Business, 2nd ed. Retrieved from http://www. referenceforbusiness. com/small/Op-Qu/Product-Positioning. html Target Market Defined retrieved from http://www. businessdictionary. com/definition/target-market. html

Trip to Tadoba Tiger Reserve

CITY TIGERS MEETING THEIR COUNTRY COUSIN This meet began with me and my brother proceeding to Mumbai airport for our first flight to the orange city Nagpur. Soon after checking into the flight we caught with team bhpian and participant in the workshop (sachin. sri) Sachin Shrivastava. He was already in the city on official work and we caught up with our specific interests on the forum. We had a smooth flight and as guided by Dr. Abheek over the phone we met our cab come to pick us up from the airport. We found that it was drizzling in Nagpur and this dampened our spirits a bit thinking that wildlife spotting would be difficult in incessant rain. We proceeded to the starting point where we were to meet other participants from Nagpur. The point was Hotel Turning Point at Laxmi Chowk. Here Wild Cats member Mr. Sachet and the owner of Turning Point Mr. Amol greeted us warmly. Mr. Amol treated us to a sumptuous breakfast and some interesting tales of wildlife in the outskirts of Nagpur. Very soon another Wild Cat member Mr. Chinmay Deshpande joined us. Interestingly he was an active snake rescuer for Nagpur and he had a bagful of snakes to be released in the wild during our trip. Sachin was startled and a bit alarmed by the presence of so many venomous and non-venomous snakes around. We were amazed and excited and try to reassure Sachin. We had for the first time such a close encounter with snakes. Under the close guidance of Chinmay we were even able to handle a non-venomous snake the trinket snake easily. It was so beautiful to hold the snake. In our hands the snake seemed like a velvet rope. It is very sad that even before knowing much about snakes I had a preconceived fear of such beautiful creatures. Chinmay rightly explained that snakes have no emotion and if we humans maintain our distance and exercise caution and adequate precaution while interacting with them there is no reason why we cannot co-exist with the most venomous of snakes. Having said that he also explained that the most experienced of handlers have been bitten only by either their carelessness or overconfidence. In no time Doc. (Dr. Abheek Ghosh) popped in. As expected he was a bundle of energy and charged up the already excited bunch. Meeting him for the first time I have to say the moustache suits him well, like the whiskers of a wildcat. He had some news. The team from Hyderabad had missed their overnight train and had since proceeded by car. They would be meeting us directly at Tadoba. Another of the coordinator Mr. Akash Kothe also joined us. All of us wrapped up the breakfast meet and proceeded to our coach, which was with us for the entire trip. The coach had a banner of Wild Cats in the front, which was looking very apt for the occasion. As we were getting into the coach we could see our host Amol also getting into the mood and wanting to join us for the trip. However as had some unavoidable work in the city he could not join us. We bade him good-bye and proceeded to Tadoba. Sachin was getting nervous with so many snakes joining us in the coach although secure in their respective jars. We all joked this would be â€Å"SNAKES IN THE COACH† Indian version of the famous Hollywood movie† SNAKES IN THE PLANE†. This made Sachin all the more jittery and he tried to make himself comfortable as far away from the snakes as possible. But at every jerk and every pothole he would plead Chinmay to check if all the snakes were secure. The entire journey of about 5 hours due to bad roads after Jam was hardly felt due the non-stop banter amongst all of us. It was remarkable that inspite of our varying backgrounds and ages we all gelled in no time. This goes to shows that enthusiasm is infectious and knows no barrier. In the coach Doc treated us to a Audio Video documentary by Vidya Atreya on animal human conflict in Western Maharashtra and how it was affecting the leopard in particular. I had already read up some material on her work and research as mailed to us earlier by Doc. Doc also enlighted us on the work done by her on conservation and human leopard conflict management. We were so engrossed in our discussions and running short of time that we had skipped halting for lunch anywhere enroute. As we neared crossed Chandrapur we were saddened to see quarries for coal mining all around with massive heaps of spent mud lying all around like small hills. Doc informed us that although Chandrapur was one of the most polluted areas of our country due to the coalmines and thermal plants the tigers were thriving in the forests of Tadoba. We reached the Moharli Gate of Tadoba sanctuary at the stroke of four, which was also the closing time for entry into the sanctuary. At the gate the gypsies were ready waiting for us as arranged by Doc. Here we also met another of Doc's close friends Mr. Indraneel Pal and his friend Gaurav. Indraneel Pal was by profession a contractor for the Cement Mills around but by heart he was an avid animal lover. His in depth knowledge of animal behavior in general and the tiger in particular was astounding. We learnt that he was a regular visitor to Tadoba, sometimes 2-3 times a week. He was to Tadoba what Doc is to Pench. Doc had an excellent rapport with him and he too welcomed us with open arms. I was struck by his humility and passion towards the forest and its inhabitants. It was a great pleasure and privilege to spend two days in his company. By this time we also learnt that the Hyderabad group had run into heavy rains and bad weather leading to slow progress. Enroute a section of the highway was washed away and they were facing a roadblock in the detour due to some vehicle breakdown. At this rate they would not be able to make it to Tadoba before nightfall. The rest of us decide to proceed for the evening Safari. The sights and sounds of the forest pleasantly surprised city dwellers like us. Tadoba is known to all, for the healthy population of tigers within it but it was also very interesting to observe the wide variety of birds and insects within the reserve. Photos will tell the story here. We immediately spotted a small herd of sambar deer and a solitary wild boar. In some time we reached the middle (hattori) gate. As required entry formalities were being done, Doc asked his man Friday (Sanjay) to serve poha packets to all of us. By now our stomachs had begun rumbling due go hunger having skipped lunch earlier. The poha was delicious and warm in the foil pack. Apparently doc had made some phone calls from the coach as we were nearing Tadoba. Indraneel happened to tell us that in the morning just as he entered the reserve he spotted a leopard very close to the entrance gate. This heightened the excitement for us. He and doc explained to us that large predators like the tiger regularly mark the boundaries of their territory to highlight their presence to their rivals and reassure the females. And during monsoon due to washing away of their scent markings by the rain, they have to keep marking more frequently and as a result of which the chances of spotting the tiger is better. Both he and doc were very tuned to the various sounds of the jungle and could immediately alert us to calls made by the sambar and some birds as they communicated to convey the movement of the tiger/leopard. This gave us some indication of the movement of these predators at a distance. It also gave us an idea as to how difficult it was for these predators to hunt when their presence could be easily given away by the alarm call of the langur, a bird or some deer. In these surroundings we easily lost sense of time. Very soon it was getting dark and the guide informed us that it was time to head back to the exit. We were beginning to enjoy the experience and started to head back with a heavy heart. At that moment the gypsy we were traveling suddenly broke down. We got delighted thinking that this gave us a perfect excuse to justify our delay to the exit gate and experience the dusk in the forest. But this happiness did not last long as very soon another gypsy of our group that came along gave us a lift to the middle (Hattori) gate. At this point Doc â€Å"insisted† on staying with the broken down gypsy and it's driver till it could be brought till the exit point. All of us wished to take Doc's place so that we could also experience some part of the night in the jungle, but it was not to be. We wished Doc luck and proceeded to the Hattori Gate. There the officials were miffed with us for the delay. On learning of the breakdown they offered a makeshift towrope and sent this gypsy back to tow our broken down gypsy. Doc must have cursed his luck to see help coming so fast. As soon as the gypsy was towed into the Hattori gate we proceeded to the Moharli exit gate. Enroute we were hoping that the towrope snaps and we get delayed further. But alas none of that happened. In some time we reached the exit gate. The officials here were very upset, as we had arrived way beyond the closing time. Luckily Doc and Indraneel being regulars there somehow managed to pacify them, but had to offer some written explanation and pay some fine. We went to the MTDC resort with so many stories to tell each other. On the way Chinmay told us that once we settle into our rooms we need to feed the cobra on a frog, which could be easily seen croaking around, as it might be hungry. We settled in our rooms freshened up and soon got out to catch a frog using our flashlights. Sachin as expected refused to have anything to do with the snakes. Understanding his fear we left him alone. Luckily we managed to catch one very close to our room. Chinmay carefully opened the lid of the jar holding the cobra and swiftly dropped the frog down the jar and closed the lid. All this was a different experience for us. Stuff we had been seeing on Animal Planet and Discovery channels on TV back home was unfolding live in front of our eyes. Within the confines of the jar the frog started puffing itself and avoiding the cobra. The cobra was seeming to be dazed and not striking at the frog. Suddenly Bhanu observed that the snake was badly infected with maggots, which was not easily visible in the plastic jar earlier. It had raised its hood but not was striking the frog. Chinmay explained that this cobra had been rescued from a grain godown in Nagpur and the labourers might have attacked and injured the snake before calling him for the rescue. After a long time the cobra finally struck the frog and injected venom, but was not showing any signs of eating it. Chinmay immediately stated that we need to release the cobra in some safe area outside. By now Doc joined all of us. He had been meeting up with the Hyderabad group who had just arrived. He informed us that two members of they group Mel and Shiv were avid snake lovers and handlers and we could take their opinion on this subject. On seeing the condition of the cobra and in the absence of any facility to treat the snake they also suggested immediate release of the snake from captivity. They too joined us in our short walk outside the resort boundary to release the cobra. As soon as the cobra was brought out of the jar into the open it became very alert and agile and started moving swiftly to the foliage around. Before releasing the snake Mel gave us a short talk on various types of cobra found and mechanism to handle them. We all felt glad to be releasing the snake into its natural habitat. We went back to the rooms along with the Hyderabad group comprising of Rashmi, Alex, Mel and Shiv. They briefly related their ordeal to get here encountering washed away roads, roadblocks, bad roads and all. We had our brief introductions and learnt that all of them were avid trekkers and â€Å"fanatic† nature lovers. Here I wish to thank Doc again, as without his initiative we would never have met such an ensemble of participants. Over the days we were stunned with their knowledge of birds, insects and reptiles given their relatively young age. During our trip we could not find any insect or bird that they could not identify. Once back the room Mel was shocked to find the snakes stored in plastic containers. He sadly remarked that inspite of noble intentions many a times † SNAKES NEED RESCUING FROM RESCUERS â€Å". He asked Chinmay to keep some cloth bags handy whenever he proceeds for a rescue. Chinmay informed Mel that there have been some cases of snakes biting some handlers through the bags however he was not sure whether they were jute bags or the plastic woven cement bags. Mel suggested him to use canvas-lined bags. Mel was also not happy with the type of stick with the semicircle hook used for snake handling. He insisted on a lighter stick with a hook flattened and smoothened near the tip while handling snakes especially while going for the head catch. Mel offered to send a snake handling stick as described above within the next two weeks through somebody travelling to Nagpur. Chinmay was very receptive to all their ideas. He explained that inspite of all his efforts he was unable to get any formal training on handling snakes in NAGPUR. Whatever he learnt had been by watching some other handlers rescuing snakes and learning on the job while rescuing snakes because of his love for snakes. Mel opened the jar having the trinket snake and explained that the snake was molting (shedding its skin). This could be seen by the cloudy nature of its eyes. We had seen it many nature channels on TV but seeing this so close was an altogether different experience. He explained that the peculiar ornamental pattern (like a necklace) on its scales gave it the name of trinket snake. It was a fast snake but non venomous. The next snake he removed was the sand boa. He explained that it was a constrictor similar to the python which kill they prey by constriction and are non venomous. It was closely related to the red sand boa, which is also called, a two-headed snake as its tail also resembles it head in shape and texture. Sadly these are being hunted by poachers for their skin, which commands a price of nearly a lac of rupees in the black market. The next snake was the checkered keel back which Mel explained spends most of its time in or near fresh water lakes or rivers and feeds mainly on small fishes and water frogs. It is a non venomous but very aggressive snake and will not hesitate to strike at the slightest provocation. As it was an extremely fast moving snake Mel wisely did not open it within the room. The next snake was the Russells Viper. This too was handled from within the jar as it was one of the most deadly and fast striking snake found in India, with a strike speed of two bites per second and which along with the saw scaled viper was responsible for most of the snake bite related deaths in India. We were glad that this too was observed from the confines of the jar and not in the open. The next were the three rat snakes which were confined in a 20 lit. Bisleri jar. Struggling to get them out Mel explained that it was not advisable to store them in plastic containers as they were not suitable for the snakes and snakes at times inadvertently hurt themselves while struggling in them. Using a swiss knife he cut open the neck of the jar and got one of them out. The rat snake though non-venomous was visibly irritated and started swinging wildly. Shiv and Chinmay were helping Mel all through. They asked the resort staff to get some gunny bags for these snakes. The resort staff managed to get some bags but they were torn in places. Mel and Chinmay selected one of the bags, which appeared reasonably better than the rest and slowly got the rat snake into the bag. For the second snake Mel demonstrated the technique of placing the bag with a round PVC pipe at the neck close to the snake. The snake immediately darted into this opening believing it to be a dark hole or burrow. When all the three rat snakes were securely bagged Alex and Chinmay decided to release the snakes the next day during daylight further away from the resort near the buffer zone. After this the Hyderabad group took leave to freshen up and relax for a short while before meeting up for dinner at 10:00. Rest of us assembled at the other room, where Doc requested Akash to set up the projector and laptop for the audiovisual presentation on photography. Akash who is also a professor in an engineering college in Nagpur handled this session. His command over the subject and the simplicity in explanation of various terms used in photography had us bowled over. Every basic terminology right from Aperture, Shutter Speed and ISO to Advanced image processing techniques was explained to us with live examples. Photos clicked by him and others were discussed and flaws analyzed and remedies discussed. Just as a doctor goes through an X-ray or Ecg report, Akash explained on how to study a photo through its histogram. The basics like composition of image and focusing of the image were explained in detail. Akash then went on to explain further how the processing of images is done using advanced software like photoshop elements and lightroom. â€Å"Cloning† of a different kind for image correction especially backgrounds was shown by live examples by Akash working on his laptop on images as he was giving the presentation. Akash made an important remark that only after clicking thousands of photographs does a photographer realize his shortcomings as he goes through them. He asked us to develop strong basic concepts and hone and polish our skills by clicking many pictures and analyzing them with above points in mind. We all mentally made up our minds to save up for a decent camera and gradually invest in good lenses to help us pursue this hobby in earnest. All those of us who have followed Doc's threads in various forums know him to be an excellent photographer and he too interspersed this session with his valuable insights from time to time. I would not be wrong if I said that this one session opened my eyes to photography more than ever before. Again thanks to Doc we were able to experience the â€Å"Akash Effect. † Here again we wanted to continue forever but were getting repeated calls from the restaurant staff calling us for dinner. We reluctantly took a break for Dinner with Akash promising to continue the next day after the morning Safari. We all assembled in the dining area for dinner. Dinner obviously was of limited variety but excellent quality. With our bellies full we lazily ambled to our rooms. Sachet lazily unlocked the door to the room and gave a sudden gasp. Akash who was blindly following him was startled and started rubbing his eyes. The snakes, which were so securely kept a little while back, were roaming freely in the room. Chinmay immediately took charge and grabbed one of the rat snakes and observed that the gunny bag was not very strong and that the rat snakes had made a way out through them. By now Alex and Shiv also joined Chinmay to locate the missing snakes. They found the second one in the bathroom with no signs of the third. The third one was missing. This made all of nervous and Sachin who was at a distance all this while became all the more jittery. Alex, Shiv and Chinmay made a thorough search of the entire room and declared it to be â€Å"snake free†. The two snakes were placed in the relatively clean and empty dustbin provided in the room with some weight on the lid to prevent them getting away again. The third rat snake was a juvenile and Chinmay and Alex opined that it might have slipped through the narrow opening below the door and the floor or slid out as Sachet nonchalantly opened the door. Doc asked us to wind up and go to bed, as we were booked for any early morning 6 am Safari and we would have to get up at 5 am to be at the gate on time. Doc also informed us three more WildCat members Sanket, Rahul and our host Amol at Turning Point had left Nagpur for Tadoba in Doc’s gypsy and they too would be joining us for the morning Safari. All of us had our own theories on the missing snake and Akash and Sachet were not comfortable to sleep in the room with the missing snake. So Akash, Chinmay and Sachet trooped into our room. With a snake loose Sachin declared that he would not be sleeping on the floor. We laughingly conceded and made ourselves comfortable on the extra beds and were fast asleep in no time. As soon as the alarm bell went off at 5 am Sachin started calling out to all to get up. After a light banter of â€Å"Pehle Aap† we quickly got to our feet and freshened up quickly. By now we caught up with Amol, Rahul and Sanket who had reached at 1:30 in the night with the gypsy giving some problem on the way and continuous rain all through the route. They couldn’t believe it when they learnt they learnt that they had been sleeping in the room with the missing snake. On seeing the video of the recapture of the escaped snakes shot by Akash and seeing the two rat snakes in the dustbin they started rubbing their eyes in disbelief. They were shocked that they had slept so peacefully in the room with a missing snake and two snakes lying the dustbin. Pulling their legs we walked to the resort gate where Indraneel Pal and his friend Gaurav were waiting for us. Here we got to the gypsy being tastefully rebuilt by Doc with sound advice from forum members. The middle and last row of seats were adequately pushed back giving ample legroom and maneuverability to people seated in them with their cameras. Doc informed that some work on providing proper vibration free camera mounts was still to be done. Once completed no doubt this would be an ideal vehicle for the jungle photographer. In the steady drizzle we got into the gypsies and proceeded to the Moharli gate. Due to the rains our cameras were packed up and we were wary to expose them to moisture. We entered the gates to be once again greeted by the early morning sights and smell of rain soil foliage and forest floor. As the gypsy drove into the forest the rain and the cold wind was beating against our faces. It was an experience to look out for sightings in these circumstances. As we were driving past at a steady speed our guide suddenly motioned to the driver to stop and head back for a few metres. On coming back a few metres he pointed to his right about 50 yards away and all we could see was a brown termite mound or anthill. But the guide insisted that he has never observed a mound at this place all these days. So to clear matters Doc and Indraneel took out their cameras with high power lenses to zoom and get a sharper view. They both softly remarked that it was a â€Å"tiger†. They motioned us to be dead calm and we quietly removed our cameras and focused on the tiger. On zooming it was clear that we were privileged to witness a tiger so well camouflaged in the Indian forest. In a few moments the tiger raised its head and started licking its hind legs. By this time the second gypsy in our group joined us and they too enjoyed the spectacle. The third vehicle had gone ahead and due to no mobile network we were unable to inform them of the sighting. Indraneel informed us that this tiger was the â€Å"Baghdo Male† who was very active in this part of the reserve. Indraneel was also the first person to have photographically captured this particular tiger some time back. Indraneel recounted the incident of having clicked this particular after it had a heavy meal of a gaur. In Indraneel’s words as the tiger got up after a heavy meal its belly was so full that it was almost scraping the floor as it walked. We were in awe as he spoke of the experience. In the meantime the tiger got up and reversed its position and nonchalantly surveyed the clearing around it. In a short while the tiger got up once again and started walking diagonally behind us towards the road. In no time we lost sight of the tiger as it disappeared into the thick foliage. We backed up our vehicles a couple of metres behind hoping to catch the tiger as it steps onto the road. We waited at that spot trying to gauge the movement of the tiger, looking anxiously in all directions in perfect silence. Suddenly Indraneel spotted the tiger about thirty feet behind emerging out of the bushes. Due to the rain we had packed the cameras and scrambled to get them in position. But Doc and Indraneel managed to capture some amazing photographs of the tiger looking directly at us. This sight of the tiger turning to look towards us will remain with me forever. The majestic head on broad shoulders was a sight to behold. At this very moment the driver of the second gypsy eager to give its occupants at better shot with the camera backed up suddenly and with a loud roar of the engine. This sudden noise and movement disturbed the tiger, which swiftly crossed the road behind us and entered into the foliage on the other side. We reprimanded the driver for his stupidity but it was too late. Doc and Indraneel remarked that they were pretty sure that if the tiger was not disturbed so abruptly it would have calmly walked down the road for some distance before slipping back into the forest giving us ample opportunity to observe and photograph this magnificent animal. We waited at this spot for some time reminiscing on the events that had unfolded some moments before us. Soon we heard the sambar call at some distance indicating that the tiger was steadily moving deeper into the forest. Doc informed us that during the monsoon only central tarred road was open for the safari and the mud roads going into the forest at intermittent distances were closed for the safari. This was done to minimize disturbance to animals and prevent vehicles getting stuck in the slush on these mud roads inside the forest. We backed up further across a small bridge over a stream in the forest hoping to catch some signs of the tiger if it returned back to the road. As there was no indications whatsoever we proceeded ahead to observe the rest of the forest. As we were on our way Bhanu suddenly exclaimed â€Å"tiger†. Out driver quickly backed up again but Bhanu just managed to see the tiger slip into the dense forest before the rest of us could spot it. We learnt that unless the tiger is in the open or moving in the forest along the road it was next to impossible to spot a tiger lying motionless in the bamboo clusters for an untrained eye. The tiger can spot you as you pass through its territory but there is no guarantee that you can spot it if it does not want its presence to be felt. With this lesson learnt we proceeded to explore the remainder of the forest enjoying the other flora and fauna. At the hattori gate Doc and Indraneel were mobbed by other tourists visiting the forest asking for the glimpse of the elusive king of the jungle captured by their lenses. We were basking in the adulation and envy of other tourists for having such a close sighting of the tiger, while the real hero had disappeared deep in to the jungle oblivious to the excitement caused by his sighting. We slowly observed the rest of the forest spotting some birds on the way. The snaps shared here will tell the rest of the story. But for me the sighting of the tiger overshadowed everything else. Even now if I close my eyes I can see the tiger looking right at me. I envied Doc and Indraneel for having so many sightings of the tiger. I for one can only marvel at its being and cannot imagine how another human can think of poaching the tiger. Do their hands not tremble as they perpetrate this dastardly act. During this trip Bhanu remarked that the human being is the most dangerous animal on the planet. This short sentence summed up everything that needs to be done for conservation. With this experience we headed back to the resort. While exiting we learnt that in the evenings we could opt for a one hour Safari over elephant back in the evening. However there was place for only 3 on the elephant back. Doc explained that no bookings for evening jeep safari had been made owing to the interactive session on tiger conservation planned in the schedule and so some of us opt for this. To make matters interesting Doc suggested drawing of lots after lunch to decide on the lucky three. Suddenly Amol remarked that if chicken was made available and if he were given access to the kitchen he would love prepare the main dish for the evening. All those who had tasted food at his hands began vouching on his skill and we all were enthused by his offer. Luckily Doc informed that another of his friend Monali from Nagpur joining us for a day. And as we spoke a vehicle was on its way to Chandrapur bus stand where she would be reaching from Nagpur anytime. Doc immediately arranged for the driver to get the required quantity of chicken from Chandrapur. After a light breakfast and tea we headed back to the rooms. We shared our experiences and relaxed for a while. In some time we proceeded for lunch and decided to release the snakes with us a little while later. While having lunch we all met up with Monali who had just reached some time back. But she was looking fresh and enthusiastic. We had our round of introductions once again and she joined us for lunch. After lunch some of us had a light nap. While leaving Nagpur we noticed that Doc had loaded some Solar Lamps into the coach. Doc had explained that these solar lamps were to be distributed to the villagers living inside the reserve. While we had a nap, Doc distributed these lamps and returned. Fresh after a short nap we assembled for the next agenda â€Å"release of snakes† into the wild. We were looking forward to this once in a lifetime experience with great excitement. In a group we trooped towards the buffer area of the forest to release these snakes. The interesting part was that Shiv, Chinmay and Mel delicately handled these snakes and practically showed us how to handle these snakes. One by one we gained confidence and started handling the non-venomous snakes like the trinket, rat snake and the sand boa. In the daylight we could easily observe and marvel at the distinct patterns and colorations of the snakes. Though visually the snakes appeared to be slimy and greasy it was the texture of their skin/scales that gave that effect. On the contrary these snakes were very smooth to hold. Mel, Chinmay and Shiv demonstrated on how to handle the snake so that it does not feel threatened or alarmed. Most of us used the time available to click snaps and videos of this entire exercise. These snakes were released into the trees and tall grasses around. In no time these snakes vanished out of our eyesight. Next Mel got the checkered keel back out of the jar. No wonder he called it fast snake. This snake sped away in literally leaps and bounds. Mel, who tried to hold it momentarily to show us the snake before letting it free, got bitten in the little finger. No danger as the snake was non venomous. We all were amazed at the speed of this snake. Finally we all stepped back as Chinmay cautiously got the most dreaded russel’s viper out. Mel explained that luckily for us the viper was in a docile mood and was not agitated at all. The head of this viper was flattened, triangular and distinct from the neck. The snout was blunt, rounded and raised. The body was stout, the cross-section of which was rounded to cylindrical. Mel explained that this was a snake to be really fearful of due to its unusually large fangs that deliver copious amounts of venom leading to extreme swelling at the site of the bite, terrible damage to the tissue and severe internal bleeding within minutes of the bite. It was one of the species responsible for causing the most snakebite cases and deaths in the India due to various factors such as its frequent occurrence in places where humans are occupied and the potency of its venom. Chinmay further explained that the Russel’s viper was generally very slow and sluggish unless pushed beyond a certain limit, after which they become aggressive and when threatened they form a series of S-loops, raise the first third of the body and produce a hiss that is supposedly louder than that of any other snake resembling the sound of the pressure cooker. This particular snake was moving very slowly and gave ample time for all of us to click snaps and videos. After satisfying our curiosity and anxiety Chinmay carefully released the snake into some thick bushes. After completing this exercise we proceeded back to the room. Before proceeding with the draw of lots for the elephant safari Doc suggested we have the interactive session on tiger-human conflict areas and forest conservation in general. The session began with the audio-visual presentation on tiger conservation in India. The documentary was very well made and all of us were glued to this presentation. After the sighting the grandeur of the tiger roaming freely in the forest in the morning we were really pained to see the plight of the tiger in the various forests of the country. The efforts being made towards conservation were feeble in the face of rapid deforestation and rampant habitat destruction by us humans. Whatever was left thereafter was being wiped out by sustained pressure of influential poachers. While Akash was handling the presentation Doc used to interject whenever he recollected a related incident or had something relevant to add to the presentation. As an attentive audience we too had our share of questions and remarks. Doc informed that very recently even in Tadoba the forest officials had found metal clamps and wire traps carefully laid out by poachers to trap the tiger. He also remarked that the tourist movement in the monsoon however restricted was a deterrent to these poachers who would otherwise have had a free run in the forest. He cited the recent case of the mysterious death of a popular tiger named circuit in the Moharli area of the reserve. Akash sadly remarked that during his earlier visit to Tadoba he had happened to spot Circuit active and healthy close to the buffer area just one day prior to his mysterious death. Doc informed us that wildlife enthusiasts like him were trying to use the RTI tool to find the actual cause of death of Circuit. They were trying to keep up sustained pressure so that any more tigers do not meet the same fate. Doc informed us that very recently the local DFO who was an avid wildlife enthusiast and photographer was abruptly transferred due to pressures from his superiors. Slowly we could understand the trying circumstances in which Doc and his friends were operating. Shiv and Mel also highlighted the plight of the Srisailam tiger reserve in Andhra Pradesh with a total area of 3,600 sq. ms. In 1983 there were 40 tigers and the habitat suffered severely thereafter due to high frequency of poaching, grazing, fires, tree and bamboo exploitation. Today they remarked that the tiger is almost extinct from this reserve. The presence of armed extremists in this forest is a serious problem to the effective management of this area and the tigers. The subordinate staffs are scare d to move freely in the interior and little communication exists. Doc also highlighted the frequent disregard and violations of the forest act by officials under pressure from superiors and politicians. Doc cited having himself sighted such instances in Pench when politicians with their red beacon official vehicles entering the reserve in the dead of the night in gross violation of the wildlife act. When Doc tried to investigate the matter further he received an official letter from the forest officials of Pench threatening his entry into the reserve in future on flimsy grounds. Further he cited the case of the accidental death of the jhurjhura tigress in the famous Bandhavgarh reserve in Madhya Pradesh. The tigress was a resident, breeding animal at ‘Jhurjhura’ (Tala Range), which forms part of the core/ critical tiger habitat. The tigress, alongwith its 3 cubs (around 6 months old) had been intensively photographed/ seen/ monitored by the park management and visitors. The research team from the Wildlife Institute of India in its data collection process using camera traps has also captured the said tigress. According to preliminary reports from the tiger reserve, a vehicle belonging to the state’s PWD minister Nagendra Singh’s son hit the tigress. But as always with such incidents in our country cover-up had begun at a frantic case. However Doc was hopeful of some justice as wildlife activists from around the country were actively following the case. Notable among them was activist Shehla Masood from Bhopal who had filed numerous RTI applications against top forest officers, senior police officials and influential politicians involved in the cover-up. Very sadly today as I write this barely two days after our meet I read the morning papers that this very lady has been shot dead outside her house as she got into the car. As there have been no eye-witnesses so far the local police have been so callous to even consider it to be a case of suicide. This incident really brought a lump in my throat just imagining the value of human life to such individuals and we are expecting them to conserve wildlife in the forests. Coming back to our session. Doc then asked us to spread awareness of conservation amongst our friends, relatives and acquaintances. An important idea suggested by him was to ask anyone visiting such reserves to click frontal and side profiles of the tiger whenever possible as seen the picture. Each tiger has a distinct pattern of stripes and they help in identification of the tiger. If a visitor shares such pictures with dedicated tiger conservationists like Doc in Pench and Tadoba then an accurate database of tigers and their movement could be maintained more effectively rather than just relying on unreliable pug-marks of the tigers. Doc informed that he had helped to provide a computer with facility of reading memory cards at Pench to the forest officials at the main gate so that they could collect similar data from the tourists’ cameras. After the presentation was over Doc informed us that he had got made some T-shirts for sale with the image of the tiger printed and he was using the proceeds of the sale towards procuring essentials like solar lamps for the villagers in the forest. Appreciating the noble cause we gladly picked up these t-shirts as a souvenir of the trip for our family back home. By now it was already dinnertime. Interestingly in the heat of the presentation and our involvement in the subject everyone forgot the draw of lots for the elephant safari in the evening. We were so involved in the presentation that none of us missed the elephant safari that evening. We also did not realize that somewhere in between Amol had quietly slipped away to the kitchen to get the dinner ready as promised. As the main course was getting ready he had swiftly managed to get the some starters ready also. Just as the presentation on conservation got over Amol entered the room with starters in hand. Akash started with the balance of the earlier days photography session. As we were munching on the starters our eyes and mind were imbibing the tips on photography. By the time the photography session was over we were satiated. Doc once again reminded us on the early morning safari the next day. We quickly proceeded for dinner. The dinner prepared by Amol was truly relishing. All of us were left licking our fingers and smacking our lips. We all thanked Amol profusely for this unexpected treat and retreated back to the rooms. With our bellies full we were fast asleep as soon as we hit the beds and snoring away. We were up again at the crack of dawn and quickly assembled into the gypsies at the gate. Although we were attracted to this programme with the prospect of seeing the tiger there is truly so much more to be seen in the forest. Even some of the trees seen inside the reserve are not regularly seen outside. Although we could not spot the tiger for ourselves this time we learnt that another vehicle entering the forest after us sighted a tiger. We were pleased on the healthy population of tiger in the reserve. The guide with us also informed us that even the buffer area had a healthy population of tiger. Doc told us that there was a proposal to declare the area we were presently wandering about as the core and declare out of bounds for tourists and allow the tourists only in the buffer area after proper relocation of villagers was done. We were glad for the animals provided adequate precautions were taken to keep the poachers also at bay. Today we also spotted a troop of langur monkeys and a solitary deer. On our way back we spotted a dead serpent eagle lying by the side of the road with its wings spread out as though just about to fly. There was a small wound by the side of its neck but we were clueless. We managed to spot the mahouts rounding up the elephants let loose in the forest at night to graze. As Sachin had to leave early Doc had requested us to wind up the morning safari early so that we could all proceed to Nagpur earlier than scheduled. Although not excited with the prospect we grudgingly agreed. Casting our last glances at the expanses of the Tadoba forest for this trip we exited the Moharli gate. Thereafter we wrapped up our breakfast and proceeded to pack our bags for the return to Nagpur. We bid goodbye to our four friends Rashmi, Alex, Shiv and Mel and hoped to keep in touch with them in future. They were also leaving for Hyderabad by noon. We got into our coaches for the ride back to Nagpur. Bye now the gelling of the group was complete and there was non stop banter right through. Akash the master photographer was compiling a database of all the images to be consolidated and shared later on. By the time we reached Nagpur our cheeks and stomachs were aching by the nonstop laughter. We dropped Sachin at the airport and bid him bye. The rest of us proceeded to doc’s residence. We all said our goodbyes and promised to keep in touch and went our respective ways. Amol and Rahul had their bikes parked there and left after goodbyes. Doc also changed gear from a nature lover to a cardiologist and proceeded to the hospital with Akash and Monali. As we had some time Sanket offered to accompany us to Nagpur city (market area) where we could spend couple of hours till our flight time. Doc had transferred our bags to his car and asked us to collect the same on the way to the airport. Thanks to Doc we were able to explore Nagpur â€Å"handsfree†. At the city centre we bid goodbye to Sanket. He too was a budding photographer and had shared many tips with us. After spending some time in the city centre we noticed that we hadn’t had a shave in the last 2 days so decided to have a decent shave and head massage. In no time we were done and we proceeded to Doc’s hospital. We collected our luggage, bid our final goodbyes and proceeded to the airport. As the flight took off we carried with us the sweet smell of the jungle, remarkable sights of the wildlife and fond memories of the people we had met and bonded so well with over the past 3 days. This write-up is dedicated to all these wonderful people and the unforgettable Baghdo.