The Progressive Era Essay Example for Free

The Progressive Era Essay The Progressive Era was a period of time when mass groups of people pushed for major changes. Some became successful while others werent. Many different approaches were used to try and change four areas. They were protecting social welfare, promoting moral improvement, creating economic reform, and fostering efficiency. The Progressives believed in four major principles which are demonstrated in the actions they took to support them. One objective the Progressives enforced was protecting social welfare, which they established in many ways. These groups of people wanted desperately to fix urban problems. With this mind set, the YMCA (Young Mens Christian Association) was founded. This association opened libraries, sponsored classes, and built swimming pools/handball courts, for the good of the city. A major supporter and leader of this reform was Jane Addams. She created settlement houses in many cities; they were homes for women to stay until they were back on their feet again. Jane Addams actions inspired many other women to become involved. With all that occurred during the Progressive Era, work sometimes seemed pointless, but thanks to numerous peoples hard work and dedication, many of the organizations still exist today. One significant goal the Progressives struggled to change was promoting morals. The Womens Christian Temperance Union became very involved during this reform. Frequently they would visit inmates and mental patients to see how they were managing during their time of hardships. WCTU believed that all women should have the right to vote. Suffrage for women was a heavily debated issue during the Progressive Era. One main leader of the moral improvement reform was Susan B. Anthony. She had no limits; she would try every law available related to voting in any way. She became a woman of power and an idol for others. Another notable debate at this time was prohibition, the banning of alcohol. Reformers believed that with alcohol out of the picture, the poor could live a better life and many of the poor were immigrants. Therefore the immigrants would have an easier life when first coming to America. Alcohol was a part of the culture, so the push to ban alcohol would be a difficult task for the leaders. Promoting moral improvement became an important but laborious goal for the Progressives. Another goal for the Progressives was creating economic reform. They fought for many changes in business. Some started to question Laissez Faire; in turn other people began to move towards socialism. The Sherman Antitrust Act was also brought back into play. The government used its power to bust monopolies, therefore helping small businesses. Also, Muckrakers wrote newspaper articles that criticized big businesses and social wrongs. Upton Sinclair, author of The Jungle, tried to show the naà ¯ve public and government the truth about the meat companies. His book involved detailed and gory findings that when published aroused many people. Sinclairs book influenced Theodore Roosevelt, the current President of the United States at the time, to send officials in to the meat factories to investigate what was really going on. Upon this investigation, new laws were made and enforced. The Pure Food and Drug Act dictated that companies must print on the labels what was truthfully in the product. Efforts made to change the economy were time consuming and troublesome but yielded good results. The last principle the Progressives believe in was fostering efficiency. The reformers wanted things to be orderly and organized. To them, this was being efficient, by not wasting energy. The idea of scientific management included many practices including applying science to businesses and making things simple would produce more money. This was the main concept of scientific management. Henry Ford was a supporter of scientific management. Mr. Ford developed the assembly line, which increased production by a large amount. With the introduction of the assembly line, work for the employee became demanding and repetitive. The worker stood in one place, where they were presented with work from a conveyor belt. Ford then brought the five-dollar workday into play attracting many employees to come work for him. Fostering efficiency was a well-met goal for the Progressives. In summary, it can be stated that the Progressive Era brought many changes into our generation. Even though quite a few of these actions happened in the 1900s they still affect us today in 2001. The Pure Food and Drug Act, the YMCA, and others still exist today with few revisions. The Progressives had four main principles which they believed in and even today they continue to influence us.

Evolution and Creation Essay -- essays research papers

Evolution vs. Creation How was the earth created? There are several different answers to this question. One is from a religious viewpoint and stems from the Bible. Another comes from the world of science and is based on evidence that has surfaced over the last century. The theory of evolution comes into direct conflict with another theory that has been around for thousands of years, the theory of creation. The theory of evolution claims that humans have evolved over thousands of years from apes. The creation theory discredits evolution and claims that God created man. As the teaching of the theory of evolution has been accepted into most public schools, a new controversy has arisen about whether or not the theory of creation should also be taught in public schools. The theory of evolution was first presented in 1859 by Charles Darwin and has influenced history as an alternative to the theory of creation. Evolution is simply change; it is a process that results in genetic changes in a population spread over many generations. The theory of evolution suggests that all the species that have ever existed descended from a single ancestor from the past. This theory claims that humans, through gradual continuous changes, have evolved from the ape family. These gradual continuous changes arose from the need for species to better adapt to their environment. Since mutation is a random process, the changes can either be beneficial, unfavorable, or have no use at all. This theory is largely supported by the findings of paleontology, anthropology, and genetics and involves the process of natural selection. Fossil records have been used as empirical evidence to support the theory and have concluded that Homo sapiens share â€Å"clear anatomical, genetic, and historical relationships to other primates.† This trend of evolution is never ending and continues to occur in all life forms. The theory of creation is based on the first eleven chapters in the Bible, and is by some considered to be part of world history. This theory supports the notation that the world was created in six days and that Adam and Eve were the first humans. The theory states that the world is young, only ten thousand years old. The Bible states that man is made in the image of God, therefore God created mankind. Creationists use this to further justify that God created man, not apes. It also claims that all... ...ce will always be questioned and doubted regardless of the empirical evidence that supports it. Mounting empirical evidence has proven through scientific means that evolution is no longer a theory, yet those who are eternal supporters of the theory of creation continue to attempt to discredit the theory of evolution. The theory of evolution is an acceptable subject to be taught in public schools because it is a subject that is based on scientific discoveries, making it appropriate for science classes. The theory of creation is based on religion and religion is a subject that should not be taught in public school, but one that is the responsibilities of the parents. Because of the diversities of religion in our country, soley Christian values and theories should not be taught to children in the classroom settings. Resources Bergman, Jerry. Teaching Creation and Evolution in Public Schools. Creation Ex Nihileo Technical Journal, 1999, Vol. 13, Issue 2. Bronson, Michael. 7-Day Creation: Figurative or Literal. Understanding God and his Universe, Section 11, 2001. Jackson, Wayne. The Influence of Evolution Upon Religion. Reason and Revelation, Augusta 1995, Vol.15, Issue 8: 60-61.

Moving beyond fit: the role of brand portfolio characteristics in consumer evaluations of brand reliability

DelVecchio’s article deals with the effects of brand extensions on company sales, especially with regard to the affected brands. Brand extension is hereby taken to mean how companies offer completely new products under the existing brand names. The target market could be the existing customer base or completely new one.Companies extending their brands are especially interested in increasing sales revenue by offering more products. According to DelVecchio (2000) the extensions could be a double edged sword to the implementing companies; it could increase sales to higher levels or could reduce brand loyalty to brands formerly dear to consumers. Marketing executives in companies intending to extend brands therefore have a hard task of investigating the level of brand loyalty before thinking about extensions.Understanding the risks involved with brand extensions should therefore be taken as the first step laying strong foundation for future sales. DelVecchio (2000) has specificall y stated that having many brands associated with the one being extended increases the possibility of success. This in consideration that respective company brands happen to have already proven themselves in the face of competition.Extensions are therefore seen by consumers as just another attempt for respective company to meet market needs and demands. Coca-Cola Company is the best example of a company that effectively uses its wide products to improve brand extensionality; its Coke drink is available in Zero, Vanilla, and Diet extensions (Makwana 2008)—all which succeed in their mission of satisfying specific market segments’ tastes.DelVecchio’s analysis leads to conclusion that brand loyalty is the foundation for successful brand extensions, which explains why companies that exceed consumer expectations succeed in their brand extension initiatives.Coca-Cola is yet another company whose consumer loyalty has boosted its extended brands, as well as remaining as t he world leader in carbonated drinks market. Ralph Lauren is another company that has been able to use its consumer loyalty to extend its Polo brand from clothing to home decor and furnishings. Consumers highly satisfied with the clothing had confidence in the new line of products and immediately embarked on making purchases.Companies whose products have narrow brand loyalty are on the other hand faced with diluted popularity of products being extended. For instance, Chrysler Motor Company faced with diluting popularity of its Jeep Liberty after extending this product into Jeep Patriot. Fact that Liberty had insignificant consumer base meant that extending it to Patriot would hurt it (Liberty) even further (BusinessWeek 2006). Indeed American car manufacturer’s current declining sales problems develop from extending unpopular products.These car assemblers go to an extent of one brand’s chassis for product extension purposes, such as Ford’s use of the popular F15 0 chassis to make more Ford brands. Unfortunately for such businesses, consumers end up understanding what is happening in the extensions and therefore feel cheated.The only solution is to ditch the affected companies’ products altogether and start patronizing competitors’ products. In retaliation to a point made previously in the paper, it is vital for companies to cultivate consumer loyalty in products they could be planning to extend in the future, failure of which result to loss of business even on well established products.ReferencesBusinessWeek, 2006, Jeep’s Misguided Compass, Available from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.businessweek.com/autos/content/oct2006/bw20061025_140103.htmDelVecchio, D., 2000, Moving beyond fit: the role of brand portfolio characteristics in    consumer evaluations of brand reliability. Journal of Product and Brand   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Management. Vol. 9 No. 7, pp. 457-471.Makwana, B., 2008, Coca-Colaâ⠂¬â„¢s Targeting Niche Market through Brand Extension.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Available from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.ibscdc.org/Case_Studies/Marketing/Brands%20and%20Branding/MA  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   R0089A.htm

Wildfire Red Flag Warning Extreme Burning Conditions

The United States National Weather Service is one major forecaster that determines a Red Flag Warning when weather conditions reach high potential for extreme wildfire starts leading to uncontrolled forest fires. It is a term used by fire-weather forecasters to call attention to critical weather conditions of particular importance that will potentially result in extreme burning conditions. It is must have continuously updated data for field foresters, wildland fire crews and equipment operators during periods of high fire hazard. A Red Flag Warning or RFW can be issued either by the state or the federal government to assist regional firefighting and land management agencies in making decisions on limiting the use of fire for a particular period of days or fighting fire when conditions suggest increased chances. Conditions that increase the chance of wildland fire starts and fire spread are monitored and a RFW is issued when a high degree of confidence that Red Flag conditions will occur within 24 hours of issuance. So, a RFW is usually issued from predictions based on drought conditions and when the relative humidity is very low. High winds and dry lightning strikes can become exacerbating factors and are included in some state and federal agencies that calculate their own warning data. These agencies will alter their staffing and equipment resources according to the data. To the public, a Red Flag Warning means high fire danger with increased probability of a quickly spreading vegetation fire in the area within 24 hours. Extreme care should be taken and the uses of outside fire suspended. Red Flag criteria also occur  whenever a region (usually a state) has been in a dry spell for a week or two, or for a shorter period under duress. It usually happens either before spring green-up or after fall color in the East or during the hot, windy summer in the West. The National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) is usually high to extreme and the following forecast weather parameters are forecasted to be met: Sustained wind averages of 15 mph or greater.Relative humidity less than or equal to 25 percent.A temperature of greater than 75 degrees F.In some states, dry lightning and unstable air are criteria. A Fire Weather Watch may be issued prior to the Red Flag Warning. Here is an example of a RFW issued by the Colorado Forest Service during a Colorado fire crisis. Note that the alert is often shouted in all caps in the daily report. The first section of the report deals with a general weather summary by zone and the expected effective time period of concern. The second section numbers and defines the actual fire weather zones affected and address dangerous firefighting conditions to watch for. It also includes instructions on distribution of the alert to fire control personnel. .................... Event: Red Flag WarningAlert: ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO MIDNIGHT MDT TONIGHTFOR DRY THUNDERSTORMS AND GUSTY OUTFLOW WINDS FOR FIRE WEATHERZONES 201...203...207...290...291...292 AND 293... .ANOTHER ROUND OF ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTEDTODAY AS HOT TEMPERATURES CONTINUE. WHILE THE CONVECTIVE POTENTIALREMAINS...MOISTURE WILL BEGIN TO GRADUALLY DECREASE AS HIGHPRESSURE STARTS TO NUDGE INTO NEW MEXICO. THIS WILL RESULT IN THEMAJORITY OF STORMS PRODUCING MINIMAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS AT THESURFACE TODAY. ...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THIS MORNING TOMIDNIGHT MDT TONIGHT FOR DRY THUNDERSTORMS AND GUSTY OUTFLOWWINDS FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 201...203...207...290...291...292 AND 293... * AFFECTED AREA...IN COLORADO...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 201 ROUTT FORECAST AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 203 GRAND JUNCTION FORECAST AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 207 DURANGO FORECAST AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 290 PARADOX VALLEY FORECAST AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 291 NORTHERN SAN JUAN FORECAST AREA...FIRE WEATHER ZONE 292 NORTH FORK FORECAST AREA...ANDFIRE WEATHER ZONE 293 GUNNISON BASIN FORECAST AREA. * THUNDERSTORMS...ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILLDEVELOP FIRST OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND THEN MOVE TO THE EAST ANDNORTHEAST. THE MAJORITY OF STORMS WILL BE DRY...THOUGH SOMEWILL PRODUCE MARGINAL WETTING RAINFALL. * OUTFLOW WINDS...ALL THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCINGERRATIC OUTFLOW WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH. * IMPACTS...ANY FIRE IGNITION WILL BECOME DIFFICULT TO CONTROLWITH VERY HIGH RATES OF SPREAD POSSIBLE. Instructions: A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS...LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY...AND WARMTEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL. PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS AND AFFECTED FIELD PERSONNEL OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING. ....................