Football helmet Essay Example for Free

Football helmet Essay The average tackle football player has a natural tendency to experience fear and tension when thinking about the heavy rate of concussion injuries within the sport. In response to the violently physical nature of the game, Riddell Sports has produced a helmet that provides the best defense to worries and consequences of a concussion. The Riddell Revolution 360 football helmet has been constructed by engineers to protect the mental processes and safety of players. As a football player myself, I can think of no better alternative for head trauma prevention than this helmet. Riddell takes into account and states that players sustain roughly 950 impacts to the head over the course of a season. As a result of this, the helmet places a strong emphasis on protection of the most impacted part of the head, the front. Patented in 2012, HIT technology was established by Riddell in their experiment labs to measure the severity and location of head impacts from all directions. This technology proves that detrimental impact to the brain can go unnoticed or misunderstood, and use it to prevent future mental problems for players. This product changes the way participants feel comfortable and confident on the playing field more than ever before. The technology that is added includes a new carbon steel facemask that flexes in reaction to impact. Also added to the helmet was a new face frame structure which is made up of continuous hexagonal shaped padding on the interior that shapes to players heads for a custom and tight fit. This is important for reducing the amount of force to the head, which will allow the sport to be more commonly tolerated by everyone interested. With the rise of cognitive damage in football due to head trauma, parents are more hesitant than ever to allow their children play the game at a young age. However, parents can be assured that the expanded technology in the Riddell 360 will protect their children like never before. Customers will instantly feel the difference in protection when they place the helmet on for the first time! Although this product is revolutionary to the sport, there is a steep cost necessary to consider before purchasing it. The helmet itself has a retail value of $450 which could scare some customers away. This price does not appeal to high school or university student athletes who typically are looking for the best deal possible. However, the helmet is vastly popular amongst professional players and university athletic departments who have the income to buy the product at ease. The helmet also has plenty of cheaper competitors that provide more financially reasonable selections. Although the other products may be cheaper, the helmet Riddell has designed contains technology and protection that no other competitors can match. The helmet is a symbol of how far technology has advanced in sports to accommodate the needs of its participants. Football is notorious for its wide spectrum of physical limitations to those interested in playing, but innovation within the labs at Riddell have allowed for these barriers to slowly come crashing down over the years. The Riddell Revolution 360 football helmet should be strongly considered by all those striving to play the game of football in its safest possible fashion.

Monopoly and Quasar Essay Example for Free

Monopoly and Quasar Essay In 2003, Quasar computers launched a revolutionary new laptop computer named the neutron. The neutron uses high speed optical conductors, which is the first technology of its kind to be used in a laptop. Over time many businesses need to evolve to stay competitive and continue to make a profit in the market place that they have entered. This paper will discuss how the Quasar computer company moved through the different market structures over the past ten years and how the pricing and non-pricing strategies affected the company’s growth. During their transition the company faced many obstacles that could have caused a detriment to their economic prosperity. We will also discuss some of the potential risks that the company may have faced and the negative consequences that they would have had to overcome in those situations. Last, we will explore the competition that Quasar faced as the transition from one market structure to another occurred and analyze the commercial policies that are intended to protect the computer industry. Quasar like most other companies found a short-term profitable product, but being able to adjust as competition enters the market is the key for Quasar to remain profitable. After the launch of the Neutron laptop computer Quasar enjoyed a pure monopoly market. A pure monopoly exists when a single firm is the sole producer of a product for which there are no close substitutes (McConnell, Brue, 2004). During this time the company could set the pricing of the computer based on the demand for the newly innovative product. Because no other company produced the optical notebook the company was free to charge above market value for their product. But having a product in place will not bring up the sales. One of the strategies is to select an advertising budget to attract more customers to their product. The simulation showed that by slightly cutting the price and advertising the product the company could more than double their profits. Another strategy that the company was faced with was the improvement of the production processes. By upgrading, the company can optimize production while reducing the per-unit cost. This reduction means a lower price for the product which could bring in more customers and a higher profit. With the expiration of the patents once held by Quasar along with the increased demand for optical computers, other companies began to enter the market. This changed the market structure into an oligopolistic market. The difficulty in the oligopolistic market is the pricing strategy. The competitors need to reach a stable price where all make a reasonable profit. Because there are competitors fighting for market share and in the case of Quasar there is only one other fighting for market share, they both need to understand that pricing is the key. If the price is too high the demand for the product is lower if the price is cut severely, then the companies would have caused a slump in the industry. Even though they are both looking to get more market share the stability of the market is what will continue to bring the profits. As market share decreased due to competition, technology is now easily available, and new competitors entered the market. With low barriers to entry and ease of differentiation the market began to look like a monopolistic competition. In general, however, monopolistically competitive industries are much more competitive than they are monopolistic (McConnell, Brue, 2004). By having multiple variants in the market Quasar is faced with a decision of whether to promote the brand that has been the cornerstone of their business or introduce its own variant into the market. Quasar can invest money into research and development of their own variant that can remain competitive. By choosing to go that route, the company is able to be more profitable than if they were to advertise and promote the Neutron. As the years went by the monopolistic competition market finally became a perfect competition. A perfect competition market involves a very large number of firms producing a standardized product and allows new firms to enter or exit the industry very easily (McConnell-Brue, 2004). Unlike the other structures, the price of the product is determined by the market. In the short term a company such as Quasar can increase profits by using cost cutting measures. In pure competition a company has very little alternative to turn a profit. The quality and pricing of the product has stabilized and the products are similar to one another. A strategy that Quasar pursued was to invest in a company called Opticom which was a primary supplier of Optical Display Screens. By investing in Opticom and continuously improving much like the company did for the Neutron line, Quasar can turn a small profit before the industry catches up. During the transitions, Quasar was faced with many risks that need to be addressed to keep the company profitable. By performing a risk analysis we can determine if the course of action that the company pursued was correct. For example, when the company made the choice to introduce a variant into the market to remain competitive, the risk that the company took was tremendous. The money invested in research and development of a new product may not bring the expected result. If they had a far less superior product than the competitors or if the brand was improperly promoted, the outcome could have been disastrous. But by observing that they could use a twelve million of their unused production capacity they could lower the total cost of both the incumbent product as well as the new comer. Over the past several years the computer industry has grown exponentially with manufacturers like Dell, Apple and even Sony. Quasar has identified Japan as the country where they will face the greatest competition. Government procurement restrictions protect Japanese electronics and computer industries. These restrictions have recently been relaxed somewhat but they remain significant obstacles of trade (Unknown, 2004). These trade restrictions will hinder trade of Quasar’s products to Japan, but the company may be able to expand into the country and take advantage of the tax breaks while possibly distributing there product under a subsidiaries name. Many different businesses have had to evolve over their lifetime. Businesses that were once monopolies may end up on the other end of the spectrum depending on the ebb and flow of the market. The Quasar Computers scenario exhibited the evolution of a firm from one form of market structure to another. The company showed that during the life cycle of the product the company may have to pass through the different market structures as the product matures. The key to any company to remain profitable is to remain flexible. References McConnell, C, Brue, S. (2004). Economics principles. problems and policies [Adobe version]. University of Phoenix. (2002). Economics for Managerial Decision Making [Computer Software]. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, Simulation, ECOGM561 International Economics website. Unknown, . (1984). Japanese industrial policy. Retrieved from http://fraser. stlouisfed. org/publications/erp/page/5692/download/46305/5692_ERP. pdf.

The Sociology of Mental Illness

The Sociology of Mental Illness Within this report I aim to outline the biomedical model, investigating whether it can be used to assess mental illness. I will compare both social realism and social constructionism with regards to mental illness and assess the role of the psychiatric profession from the viewpoint of functionalist theory. Firstly, the biomedical model is the scientific diagnosis of a condition which is reached by quantitative and qualitative measures, often disregarding psychological and sociological factors. That being said, can the biomedical model of health really measure a persons mental health? Many mental health issues often have un measurable (scientifically) factors and symptoms, often having blurred lines between a common set of factors; making it hard to distinguish between a select group of illness.   In 1952 the American psychiatric association published the D.S.M. (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) which clearly outlined the symptoms and effects of a range of mental illness. Since its first publication, the D.S.M. has grown from featuring 22 mental disorders, to overviewing over 297 diagnosable issues. While there are no standardized medical laboratory tests to diagnose mental health issues (bar those classed as organic AND functional mental illness, which derive from brain impairment such as Alzheimers etc.), these will come into play during diagnosis to ensure there is no other causation for the patients symptoms. In theory these investigative measures can be argued to be the biomedical involvement for the diagnosis (in respect to solely functional mental illness such as depression etc.). The key players now would be the psychologist, psychiatrist and trained mental health professionals who are medically equipped to diagnose such issues. While the biomedical approach focuses itself on science and the causations being objective and measurable, the theory of lay opinion coverts the ideology of social construction, economical factors and social conformity. Lay opinion focuses on behavioural patterns and socio-economical input upon a persons life, and the subsequent impact these have upon their mental state. This theoretical approach can be seen as highly influential when determining a service users mental state, the practitioners diagnosis being based upon observations of an individuals behavioural characteristics which correlate to the D.S.M and I.C.D. (international classification of diseases). Again, despite the highly theoretical methodology which leads to diagnosis, within these methods we see standardized tests and assessments, which can in fact be construed as scientific as they set about to differentiate between normal and abnormal using a standardized set of questions and observational directives. There are arguments from either side as to the theoretical basis of psychiatry, on one hand Thomas Szasz famously quoted Its not science. Its politics and economics. Thats what psychiatry is: politics and economics. Behavior control, it is not science, it is not medicineà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (cchrint.org, 2017) Szasz believed that the practice of psychiatry was wholly influenced by the state, creating a mass of quacks diagnosing with free reign. He argued that there were two radically different kinds of psychiatric practices, consensual and coerced, voluntarily sought and forcibly imposed. (Szasz.com, 2007) his concept was that psychiatry based itself upon the principle of interpretation and social conformity or a service users behaviour. As mentioned before questions of coercion and imposition upon a patient undergoing assessment take the forefront in Szasz arguments, giving his ideals a typically Marxist approach. More recently the newest edition of the D.S.M. came under fire from the ps ychiatric community with a number of high-profile articles by Professor Allen Francesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. (that) highlighted changes to the manual that he argued were examples of over-medicalisation of mental health. These changes included: Aspergers syndrome, Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, Mild cognitive disorder, Generalised anxiety disorder and Major depressive disorder (NHS, 2013). While all arguments for the objective and subjective thesis of psychiatry have their merits, it can be argued that psychiatry as a whole can ONLY be deemed subjective as it uses no scientific model of approach to diagnosis, merely perception, opinion and guidance from the D.S.M and I.C.D. to decipher traits and categorize symptoms. The social realism perspective defines mental illness and the diagnosis of, as having a defined set of abnormal behavioural patterns which can be definitively seen across cultures and societies. Realists argue that despite the fact some illnesses are not recognized or share a common name, the symptoms and actual condition are very much real and observable. That being said, on the other hand we have the perspective of social construction, where by its theorists argue that mental illness is determined by social norms and values. For instance, the mental impairment of post-natal depression. Social realists would argue that the definitive set of symptoms being displayed by the suffering party, would be enough to determine effect. Constructionists however would argue that the individual could be presenting these symptoms due to their social environment and ideologies of social norms. Due to the nature of the illness, and its unpredictable effect on the individual either of these theories could be applied. Because of the set of diagnosable characteristics and cross society definition, realists could argue that despite its irregularity surrounding time frame, its cause and eventual effect can be clearly categorised without outside input. That being said, constructionists can argue that the illness is purely defined by social perception of norms. As the illness can take shape both instantaneously and over a prolonged period of time, the cause and effect could actually be influenced by sociological and environmental issues experienced by the individual, causing stress and ultimately the effects and symptoms of post-natal depression to take hold. The functionalist view of the psychiatric role is one of great social standing and status within the community and society as a whole. Due to their organizational position and social hierarchy, they, as a medical professional, hold great stature and ranking within the framework of functionalist society. Because functionalism bases itself on the premise that each key part (the church, institutions, the family) work together to keep society running smoothly, deriving its ideologies from social consensus; it is their view that the role of the psychiatrist is primarily motivated by the desire to heal the sick (Moore et al, 2010) Because functionalism focuses on categorising mental and physical illness as social deviances due to the upset of balance and roles, they put great importance on the timely rehabilitation and re conformation of individuals. They view the rehabilitation of individuals as necessary coercion so as not to upset social structure. As psychiatrists hold the key to diagnosis of mental health and subsequent re conformity of an individual to social norms, a great precedence is put upon their work. References   Ã‚   Jeffrey A. Schaler, Ph.D defining psychiatry, [2007] available at: http://www.szasz.com/freeman21.html accessed 20/1/17 Moore, S. et al sociology AS for OCR chapter 5 sociology of health page 172, Collins, London, [2010] NHS Choices news analysis: controversial mental health guide DSM-5, [2013] available at: http://www.nhs.uk/news/2013/08August/Pages/controversy-mental-health-diagnosis-and-treatment-dsm5.aspx accessed 20/1/17 Professor Thomas Szasz Psychiatry as a Human Rights Abuse, [2017]   avaliable at: https://www.cchrint.org/about-us/co-founder-dr-thomas-szasz/quotes-on-psychiatry-as-a-human-rights-abuse/ accessed 20/1/17

Binge Drinking :: essays research papers

Binge Drinking   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We all know what it is like to wake up in the morning, your head is aching, and your body feels like it was hit by a big garbage truck. College students worldwide know this feeling. These are the results of binge drinking. Why do they do it?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Binge drinking is defined for men as drinking five or more drinks in a row in the past two weeks, and for women as drinking four r more drinks in a row ( ICAP 1). This has become a great pastime for college students nationwide and a major concern on many campuses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A survey taken by students attending Yale University in 1997 showed the average binge drinker profile to be white, lacking religious participation, athletic, and members of fraternities or sororities (ICAP 4). Contrary to popular belief, year in school (i.e. freshman, sophomore, etc.) was not a significant factor in binge drinking, despite the fact that students under 21 would still participate in the drinking activities (NCADI 3). Studies show that binge drinking can start in high school and continue through college (ICAP 4). Twenty-eight percent of high school seniors have already associated with binge drinking (ICAP, 4).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The question of why students continue to submit themselves to alcohol is unknown. While many reasons are given, students generally fall into three categories (Kaufman 2). Peer Pressure is one of the main reasons students feel as if they need to binge drink. They do this because their peers are doing it and they want to fit in better. Insecurity is another incentive as to why students binge drink. College life can be very stressful, and drinking can sometimes become a â€Å"crutch† to make up for it (Kaufman 2). Students also binge drink to help them solve their problems. They turn to alcohol to aid themselves with hiding their feelings and numb their pain for a while.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many consequences of binge drinking. Health problems and social problems are just a few. Nausea, having a â€Å"hangover† and memory loss are just a few of the short-term effects of binge drinking. The more serious and long-term consequences of binge drinking can result in higher chances of stroke, heart disease, and brain tumors (ICAP 2).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Frequent binge drinkers have the most serious problems. These people are seven to sixteen times more likely, than non-binge drinkers to have missed classes, gotten behind in their school work, engaged in unplanned sexual activity, and not used protection during sexual intercourse, had run-ins with campus police, damaged property, or been injured or hurt (NCADI 2).

Perceptions of Marriage in Their Eyes Were Watching God :: Their Eyes Were Watching God Essays

Perceptions of Marriage in Their Eyes Were Watching God For generations marriage has been accepted as a bond between two people. However, the ideals involved in marriage differ by the individuals involved. The book, Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston clearly demonstrates these differences. In the book a girl by the name Janie is raised by her grandmother and then married off by her grandmother. Originally all Janie knows of marriage and love is what her grandmother tells her. As Janie moves on in her life and re-marries, she finds that everybody has their own idea towards the role of their spouses in marriage. Over time Janie begins to develop her own ideas and ideals. In Their Eyes Were Watching God each principle character has their own perceptions towards marriage. The first ideas that Janie was exposed to was those of her grandmother, Nanny. Nanny saw that Janie was entering womanhood and she didn't want Janie to experience what her mother went through. So Nanny set out to marry her as soon as possible. When Janie asked about love, she was told that marriage makes love and she will find love after she marries Logan. Nanny believed that love was second to stability and security. Only after those first two criteria were satisfied then and only then could one experience love. Nanny felt that a young girl like Janie was too young to make decisions for herself, so when she caught Janie exploring her womanhood Nanny felt that she needed to marry Janie as quickly as possible so that she could find love in a safe a secure environment. Nanny has her own ideals when it comes to marriage and Janie will soon learn that everyone's are different. Second, Janie sees Logan Killicks' perception of marriage. In the beginning it appears to Janie that Logan is a very nice gentleman, who is constantly treating her well. However as time goes on, Janie see Logan's "true colors." Logan feels that if they are both going to live together and share their lives then they should do an equal amount of work. Logan soon puts Janie to work and treats her more like a mule than a wife. Logan didn't want a wife out of marriage; he wanted a pack animal. Also, love doesn't seem to be incorporated in Logan's definition of marriage. As Janie said "Ah know ‘tain't nothin' dere." Logan didn't see marriage in terms of love, he only saw it in terms of free labor. After leaving Logan in search of love Janie finds Jody Starks.

Importance of Seasons in Kawabatas Snow Country Essay examples -- Kaw

Importance of Seasons in Kawabata's Snow Country    In his novel Snow Country, Yasunari Kawabata depicts a relationship between two people in the mountainous region of Japan. Shimamura, a businessman from Tokyo, visits a village in the snow country and develops a relationship with Komako, a geisha in that village. Their relationship is the central focus of the novel, as it changes each time Shimamura leaves for Tokyo and returns. Kawabata uses the changing of the seasons to reflect these changes in relationship. Since the novel is set in the snow country, the seasons have specific characteristics, and these parallel the relationship between the two central characters. Spring is a time of new beginnings in the snow country because of the new sprouts that begin to grow after the winter has covered the ground with snow and killed all the old plants. Shimamura first comes in the spring, and the relationship begins as a friendship because of Shimamura's view of Komako as a new sprout and his feeling that it is his duty to prot ect her. Fall is a time of transition, both for nature and for the relationship. As the trees in the snow country begin to lose their leaves and change into another version of themselves, Shimamura and Komako do also, creating a sense of romance that seems more and more distant as they grow apart. Winter is a time of bitter cold in the snow country, and this is reflected in the coldness brought into Shimamura and Komako's relationship. They argue often during winter, and Shimamura becomes intrigued by Komako's rival Yoko, a maid for the inn at which he stays, and the relationship becomes merely professional. The relationship between Shimamura and Komako undulates constantly with the pass... ...Shimamura's protection. The snow country becomes unbelievably cold in the winter, and darkness surrounds the land as all the plants are covered by snow and the land becomes a barren wasteland. Shimamura and Komako feel this coldness in their relationship, as the distance between them produces feelings of bitterness. Darkness encompasses their relationship as Shimamura's new attraction to Yoko is halted by her death. The relationship between Shimamura and Komako is a tumultuous one, fluctuating from an intimate friendship to merely a professional connection. These changes correlate with the changing of the seasons, and thus Kawabata uses the shifts between seasons in the snow country of Japan as an allegory for the central relationship of the novel.    Works Cited: Kawabata, Yasunari. Snow Country. Berkley Publishing Corporation: New York, NY 1956.

Education Is Very Important Essay

It helps us gain knowledge, information and interpret things correctly. Education teaches us how to lead our lives by mingling in the society and turning out to be good citizens. It makes us capable of interpreting rightly the things perceived. Education teaches us right behavior and makes us civilized people. It forms as a support system to excel in life, to continuously learn and build confidence, to reason everything till every question meets its answer. The conversion of information to knowledge is possible because of education and we also gain intelligence. Higher education influences the economic development of a nation as per the economists. A person is always judged by good manners he/she has. Education is important as it teaches us to differentiate between good and bad manners and choose the right behavior that cultivates good manners. Good manners are important for kids to develop at a very young age. Kids must learn to be polite, learn telephone etiquette, socialize with other kids and develop values. All this can be taught at home as well as school. Teaching your children good manners creates a foundation for them that will follow them through life. Education is important because it equips us with all that is needed to make our dreams come true. When we opt for higher education or masters, we need to choose the specialization field of our interest and talents. Most leading courses allow you to study all areas for the first year and to choose a specialization in your second year when you have more exposure and knowledge about these fields. The technical and analytical skills can be well explored in the area of one’s interest.