Decision Making Process Model in Real Life Marketing Essay

Decision Making Process Model in Real Life Marketing - Essay Example The process involves a number of factors that influence the decision making of an individual and includes the various stages that a shopper goes through while purchasing a product thus outlining the flow of activities (both physical and psychological) from the beginning to the end. The interview conducted in this certain scenario was that of an individual who had decided to buy a new pull-out sofa to add to the furniture in their house. The individual needed the sofa for visiting individuals who wanted to spend the night and thus the subject was very particular about getting this particular type of sofa. By studying the decision making process that took place one is able to identify the various variables that were taken into consideration as well as other influences that a played a part in the formation of the final decision. The stages that the consumer went through during this process included: This was the first stage and the consumer identified the problem that they were faced with (the need that they had) and what was required in order to solve the issue once it has been pointed out (Blythe, 2008). In this case the main need of this particular consumer was the provision of a place to sleep for overnight guests that would not take up too much space due to the size of the individual’s living quarters. This could effectively rule out the need for a bed as another one would not be able to fit in the apartment and thus a pull-out sofa arose as the best alternative option on offer. The main issue was ensuring that the needs of the consumer will be satisfactorily met by the purchase of the product that they had in mind (Cheng, Luckett & Schulz, 2003).

Recombinant Green Fluorescent Protein Purification

Recombinant Green Fluorescent Protein Purification A series of experiments were performed on the E.coli strain BL21 pLysS pRSETA-GFPUV in order to express and purify a recombinant form of Green Fluorescent Protein (rGFP) using Ni2+-Agarose chromatography based on the rGFP His6 tag properties. A rGFP crude extract (GCE) was collected and later purified resulting in 10 washes and 10 elutions. A Bradford assay was performed on the first 6 samples of the washes and elutions to determine activity via relative fluorescent units (RFUs). A sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-Page) followed to determine purity of the samples and a Western Blot verified the presence of rGFP. The sample with the highest activity was the E3 having 31,927 RFUs with an estimated purity of 10 percent and a molecular weight of 36 kDa. The estimated total yield of our protein is 2.07 ug. Introduction First discovered by Osamu Shimomura in 1961, the Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) was isolated and identified as a protein that fluoresce green light. When calcium binds to the photoprotein aequorin, in vitro aequorin produces blue light (1). However, in the original jelleyfish A. equorea victoria green light was produced. The green light produced was the result of a second protein GFP driving its excitation energy from aequorin (2). After purification, GFP is a protein of 238 amino acids absorbing blue light at 395 nm and emitting green light at nearly 509 nm (2, 3, 4). This chromophore is very stable towards multiple harsh conditions including extreme pH and heat (5). The Aequorea GFP also measures to be at 30 kDa monomer (6). Purifying rGFP required a unique way of identifying the protein without isolating other protein contaminants. This particular rGFP was tagged genetically to the N-terminal of the protein sequence. This tag is useful due to the unique property of the chromatography technique used. Using Ni2+ -agarose affinity chromatography, the histadine tagged rGFP binds to the Ni2+ , thereby attaching this particular protein to the column. Next, the rGFP is eluted from the Ni2+ -agarose column by running a competitor compound that has a higher affinity for the Ni2+ called imidazole. The His6 tag unbinds from the column allowing the rGFP protein to be collected for experimental purposes (7). The purpose of this experiment is to express and purify the E. coli strain BL21(DE3) using Ni2+ -agarose affinity chromatography followed by the SDS-PAGE and Western Blot procedures to estimate purity and confirmation of the protein. Materials and Methods Expression of rGFP and Preparation of the rGFP Crude Extract (GCE) The BL21(DE3) bacterial culture referred to as G was used to inoculate 10 ml liquid LB [100ug/ml Amp;25ug/ml Cam] growth media and grown overnight at 37 degrees celsius with vigorous shaking. OD600 of .1 of 500 ml of liquid LB growth media was achieved after a second inoculation was achieved with the culture grown overnight. The 500 ml culture was allowed to grow to OD600 reached .5 by vigorous shaking at 37 degrees celsius. The bacterial pellet was stored at -20 degrees celsius and labeled as G0 while 1 ml of the culture was pelleted in a centrifuge tube and induced with IPTG. At the time of induction the cultures relative time is zero. Three hours post induction, the culture was labeled G3, stored at -20 degrees celsius after the supernatant discarded. The same procedure was done to the G3-15 ml with the exception of pelleting 15 ml of the culture. Next, the culture was vortexed at 37 degrees celsius to lyse the bacteria. A 1 ml breaking buffer was added, solution vortexed, and placed in a 37 degrees celsius water bath. After the centrifugation the supernatant was decanted into a new tube labeled GCE representing rGFP crude extract. (8). Purification of rGFP using Ni2+-Agarose Affinity Chromatography A plastic syringe with a luer-lock was blocked by glass wool to hold in the Ni2+ Agarose matrix. The syringe was then secured vertically using a ring stand and filled with approximately 100ul of buffer followed by 2 ml to ensure the removal of air bubbles trapped in the system. A 50 % slurry of Ni2+-agarose was added to 500 ul buffer on top of the glass wool. The system is then opened to ensure packing of the agarose matrix towards the bottom. The final step in setting up the column is the pre-equilibration step which is the addition of breaking buffer to the column while the leur-lock is open until the ethanol is out of the system. After storing away 100 ul of GCE for future use, 1 ml of breaking buffer was added to the centrifuge tube. The GCE was transfered to the Ni2+ -agarose column. After a 10 minute period the luer-lock was opened and .5 ml effluent liquid was collected and labeled W1 followed by W2 until W10. Meanwhile washing the unbound proteins with 4 ml of breaking buffer. After the 10th wash was collected, the column was washed with an additional 5 ml of breaking buffer. A similar process was followed collecting elution 1 through 10 in 1.5 centrifuge tubes, however by adding the elution buffer containing imidazole. The elution buffer formula available in the solution manual (8). Estimating Protein Concentration of rGFP Determine protein amount using the Bradford assay requires a standard curve using known amount of Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA). The Bradford assay was performed on six known amounts of BSA (0, 2.5, 5,10, 15, and 20 ug). 50 ul of solution containing the BSA was added with 1 ml of Bradford reagent to a glass tube. The solution was mixed and incubated at room temperature for 10 minutes. 200 ul of the 6 assays were transferred to a microtiter dish to read the absorbance at 595 nm in a microplate reader. A standard curve was plotted (Absorbance Vs BSA amount) to determine the highest absorbance reading that can be extrapolated from this curve. The same procedure was done on the first six washes and six elutions in triplicate. (9). SDS-PAGE/Coomassie Blue Analysis procedure Two recipes were followed in order to make a resolving gel and a stacking gel. The 12 % resolving gel consists of water, 4x resolving buffer, 30 % Acylamide, 10% ammonium persulfate, and TEMED. This solution was poured between two glass plates until polymerization. The 5 % stacking gel consisted of water, 4x stacking buffer, 30 % Acrylamide, 10 % ammonium persulfate, and TEMED. The Stacking buffer was added on top of the resolving buffer followed by the addition of a toothed comb until polymerization. Afterwards, the samples G0, G3, GCE, W2, W3, E2, E3 were loaded into the gel. The loading of the samples was done after the plates were placed in the electrophoresis tank. The electrophoresis tank then ran for 45 minutes at 200 volts. (10). Preparation and Development of the Western Blot Using the 7 samples from the previous procedure, we add 2-Me (Beta-mercaptoethanol) to each sample and developed another gel. After electrophoresis, the gel was to be used as a part of a sandwich for the Western Blot. The sandwich consisted of (from the top) a clear cassette lid, sponge, filter paper, nitrocellulose, gel, filter paper, and sponge that laid against the black cassette lid. After an incubation period, the protein transferred from the gel to the nitrocellulose. Removing the nitrocellulose to a container, the Ponceau S stain was added for two minutes and rinsed several times with distilled water. This was done until red bands appeared. The molecular weight ladder was marked with pencil for further review. Next a blocking step followed where the nitrocellulose membrane was placed in a Tupperware with 30 ml of 5% non-fat dry milk/TBS solution. The Tupperware was placed on a shaking platform for 30 minutes. Afterwards, the blocking solution was discarded and a washing step compromising of 30ml of .05% Tween 20/TBS solution was added. The Tupperware was placed on a shaking platform for 5 minutes. This process was repeated two more times. Following the washing step a primary probing step was performed by adding 7 ml of mouse IgG anti-Xpress epitope MAb solution and incubated on a shaking platform for 45 minutes. Another washing step followed using 30 ml of .05% Tween 20/TBS and repeated two more times. 7 ml of Sheep IgG anti-mouse IgG conjugated horse radish peroxidase polyclonal anti-serum solution was added in a secondary probing step that lasted 45 minutes on a shaking platform. The same washing step previous done followed and repeated two times. Finally, the final wash step with 30 ml of TBS was performed on a shaking platform for 5 minutes. For the final step, 7 ml of TMB substrate solution was added to the membrane until band color intensity was achieved. Then the membrane was moved into a Tupperware container filled with water to stop the development. The nitrocellulose membrane was then dried and results recorded. (11). Results The bacterial expression system of rGFP is presented in Figure 1. The Lac repressor is made from Lac1 of the bacterial chromosome. The lac repressor blocks the t7 RNA polymerase but after inducing it with IPTG, the Lac repressor itself will be blocked. Hence, T7 RNA polymerase will start being abundant and be the promoter to the expression for the His6-Xpress-GFPuv thereby resulting in rGFP (7). For a better understanding of rGFP a schematic diagram is provided in Figure 2. The elution of interest was E3 which had 31,927, the highest relative fluorescent units. We also see that from the combined elution profile in Figure 3 which displays the RFU for the first six washes and elutions. The samples were then run through a Bradford assay. The E3 sample had a 20.7 +/- 12.45 ug total amount of protein. The specific activity was 342,995 RFU/mg. The SDS-PAGE gel (Figure 4) presented the molecular weight of E3 standing at 36 kDa. We determined that using the ladder provided. The results gathered was off by 3 kDa from the verified experimental value of the rGFP. From the relative color density, it was determined that the rGFP band retains 10 % purity which resulted in a calculated yeild of 2.07 ug. Figure 5 presents the Western Blot assay which was used to verify the presence of rGFP. E3 and E2 showed a stronger color while G0 as expected did not show a band due to lack of rGFP. The washes also show a faint color. We have confirmed the presence of rGFP by comapring the E3 band to the ladder which approximates 36 kDa. Conclusion/Discussion The confirmation of rGFP was obtained though proceeding with a Western blot analysis. The experiments that were performed beforehand gave a good understanding of how rGFP was induced, expressed, and purified. To recap, Ni2+-agarose affinity chromatography was used to isolate our protein through the unique property having affinity to the His6 tag in the rGFP. Followed by the Bradford assay we estimated how much protein the samples contained. The SDS-PAGe gel gave us an estimation of the molecular weight and purity of the samples which was paramount in the bigger picture of identifying the protein. Even though the purity gained was very low, we proceeded and developed a Western Blot which confirmed the presence of rGFP through band intensities. Since the GFP protein is very robust to pH and temperature, one can transfect or transcribe this gene into other living bacteria or even human cells to possibly see movement. One follow up experiment would to do just that, seeing if we can insert the rGFP into cancer cells or enzymes like insulin for further studies. We already know that GFP changes color based on the excitation energy which might be altered to produce different colors. This can be used to study two systems or their interactions or lack of interaction. We can study the energy consumption of different bacteria and learn which colonies survive longer. We can apply this method in cancer research and find out how cancer fast certain cancers grow by studying the relative fluorescence given off. The impact of this finding may be similar to the impact of creating spectacles (glasses) that allowed millions to see clearly. This protein offers that unique new ability to visually track things we could not have tracked as easily. References O. Shimomura, F. H. Johnson, Y. Saiga. J. Cell. Comp. Physiol. 59, 223 (1962). J. G. Morin and J. W. Hastings, J. Cell Physiol. 77, 313 (1971); H. Morise, O. Shimomura, F. H. Johnson, J. Winant, Biochemistry 13, 2656 (1974). D. C. Prasher, V. K. Eckenrode, W. W. Ward, F. G. Prendergast, M. J. Cormier, Gene 111, 229 (1992) . W. W. Ward, C. W. Cody, R. C. Hart, M. J. Cormier, Photochem. Photobiol. 31, 611 (1980). Ward, W.W. and Bokman, S.H.: Reversible denaturation of Aequorea green-fluorescent protein: physical separation and characterization of the renatured protein. Biochemistry 21 (1982) 4535-4550. Prendergast, F.G. and Mann, K.G.: Chemical and physical properties of aequorin and the green-fluorescent protein isolated from Aequorea forskalea. Biochemistry 17 (1978) 3448-3453. R. Scott, and E. Picket. Biochemistry Laboratory Manual. United States. (2012). R. Scott, and E. Picket. Biochemistry Laboratory Manual. United States. 84-88 (2012). R. Scott, and E. Picket. Biochemistry Laboratory Manual. United States. 99-100 (2012). R. Scott, and E. Picket. Biochemistry Laboratory Manual. United States. 125-126 (2012). R. Scott, and E. Picket. Biochemistry Laboratory Manual. United States. 139-140 (2012). R. Scott, and E. Picket. Biochemistry Laboratory Manual. United States. (2012). R. Scott, and E. Picket. Biochemistry Laboratory Manual. United States. (2012). citations: Primary stucture of the aequorea victoria GRP Douglas prasher, virginia eckenrode-229-223 1992 GFP as a marker for gene expression martin chalfie, vuan tu vol 263, feb 1994 Wavelength mutations and post translational autoxidation of GFP vol 91, pp. 12501-1250 dec 1994

The Power of Love in Louisa May Alcott Little Women Essay -- Louisa Ma

The Power of Love in Little Women  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "Truly, love does work miracles!" (335)   The March family portrayed in Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, was the classic American family. The father is fighting in war, the mother is all knowing and wise and the four daughters are budding seeds of independence. In the beginning of the novel we are introduced to all four of the sisters. Meg, the oldest, is wise and very concerned with class and the styles of the times. Jo was the least like any of her sisters. She longs to be a boy and not have to worry about such petty things as her hair and what she is wearing. Beth is a kind gentle soul who is always contented with what she has. Amy, the youngest, is very conceited. She is always concerned with her looks and who she will marry. "'It's so dreadful to be poor!' sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress. 'I don't think it's fair for some girls to have plenty of pretty things and other girls nothing at all,' added little Amy, with an injured sniff. 'We have Father and Mother and each other,' said Beth contentedly, from her corner . . . . Jo immediately sat up, put her hands in her pockets, and began to whistle. 'Don't Jo-it's so boyish!'{Amy said} 'That's why I do it'" (p.3-4). Though different in many ways, they all loved each other. It was, however, love from, and for, other people that changed them all in so many ways. Being the oldest sister, Meg felt a lot of pressure on her to marry into the right class. She longed for pretty things and large house. She wasn't as conceited as Amy, but continually let Jo know how disappointed in her she was. Jo's unladylike tendencies disgusted her. After going to a coming out party for Annie Moffat, Meg was a changed pers... ...n any other love. In her short life she changed many people for the better. The March family survived many hardships and surpassed many obstacles. Without the love for each other, they wouldn't have made so far. Many years later, Mrs. an Mr. March are sitting back, watching their daughters and grandchildren romp in the orchard. They both see how much they have all grown and changed, Mrs. March turn to Mr. March and says, "Truly, love does work miracles! How very, very happy they must be"(335) Work Cited Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women. New York: Signet, 1983. Douglas, Ann. Introduction. Little Women. By Louisa May Alcott. New York: Signet, 1983. vii-xxvii. Elbert, Sarah. A Hunger for Home: Louisa May Alcott and Little Women. Philadelphia: Temple Press, 1984. Hollander, Anne. "Portraying 'Little Women' Through the Ages. New York Times 15 Apr. 1994.

Affirmative Action Essay

Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, â€Å"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.† This statement will always ring true especially on the subject of equal opportunity when it comes to employment and education here in the United States. It’s no secret that equality has been something America has always lacked, but at the same time has always been something America stood for. In fact it can be easily inferred that equality among all men has been something America has stride for since it gained independence from the British in 1776. Our founding fathers were the first to have this initial thought, that being best portrayed in the declaration of independence, which state’s â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.†(qtd. In declaration of independence) To me this means our founding fathers believed that every man from birth has the god given right to a life of liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but somewhere during Americas journey as a country it forgot it’s true creed and became it’s own tyrant preventing people from reaching their full potential while also denying it’s own citizens liberty and a pursuit to happiness. And although achieving equality in this country has been nothing short of easy with countless set backs and hypocritical ideas, equality among all its citizens is still something America does strides for, and nothing brings you direct equality quit like Affirmative Action does. If you consider affirmative action for its intentional purposes than Affirmative Action is very just, its purpose being to equalize the education and economic gap between minorities and causations. Although it is not a perfect method to achieving equality in this country, it is essential to accept it for why it’s been put into place and that it is all part of a process. Of course affirmative action is far from perfect and has a fair deal of problems, like promoting reverse discrimination while backing up negative stereotypes. I researched all of these aspects while pondering the question â€Å"is affirmative action still needed in today’s society?† In this paper I will be explaining what affirmative action is. The History behind affirmative action like how it all unfolded, who made it, and the history as to why it is in effect now. I will also list some pros and cons of affirmative action, how the United States could better affirmative action for the future and f inally a conclusion, which is my opinion on the topic. But what exactly is Affrimative action? Born of the civil rights movement three decades ago, affirmative action calls for minorities and women to be given special consideration in employment and education acceptance decisions. Universities with affirmative action policies generally set goals to increase diversity. Affirmative action decisions are generally not supposed to be based on quotas, nor are they supposed to give any preference to unqualified candidates. And by no means is affirmative action supposed to harm anyone through â€Å"reverse discrimination.† The purpose was to create equal opportunity for the people who had been unjustly treated in the past. It was set out to correct this wrong, and make it right. But at the same time too often is Affrimative action is looked upon as a solution for a nation once ill with, but now cured of, the evil disease of racial discrimination. Some would say Affirmative action is, and should be seen as, a temporary, partial, and perhaps even flawed cure for past and continuing discrimination. But all in all affirmative action is defined as â€Å"The positive steps taken to increase the representation of women and minorities in areas of employment, education, and business from which they have been historically excluded. When those steps involve preferential selection—selection on the basis of race, gender, or ethnicity† (Fullinwider) Of course affirmative action has a very deep history to it, and to why it was put into place. Now that you understand the purpose for which it was made, le t me explain who made it and why affirmative action was created. The history of Affirmative action, the first step in affirmative action was the creation of it. President John F. Kennedy first introduced it in 1961. The following is in sections to show the timeline of affirmative action in the begging stages of its creation: * March 6, 1961 Executive Order 10925 makes the first reference to â€Å"affirmative action† (Timeline) President John F. Kennedy issues Executive Order 10925, which creates the Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity and mandates that projects financed with federal funds â€Å"take affirmative action† to ensure that hiring and employment practices are free of racial bias. * July 2, 1964 Civil Rights Act signed by President Lyndon Johnson The most sweeping civil rights legislation since Reconstruction, the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination of all kinds based on race, color, religion, or national origin. (Timeline) * June 4, 1965 Speech defining concept of affirmative action In an eloquent speech to the graduating class at Howard University, President Johnson frames the concept underlying affirmative action, asserting that civil rights laws alone are not enough to remedy discrimination: â€Å"You do not wipe away the scars of centuries by saying: ‘now, you are free to go where you want, do as you desire, and choose the leaders you please.’ You do not take a man who for years has been hobbled by chains, liberate him, bring him to the starting line of a race, saying, ‘you are free to compete with all the others,’ and still justly believe you have been completely fair . . . This is the next and more profound stage of the battle for civil rights. We seek not just freedom but opportunity—not just legal equity but human ability—not just equality as a right and a theory, but equality as a fact and as a result.† (Timeline) * Sept. 24,1965 Executive Order 11246 enforces affirmative action for the first time (Timeline) Issued by President Johnson, the executive order requires government contractors to â€Å"take affirmative action† toward prospective minority employees in all aspects of hiring and employment. The rest of the affirmative actions timeline from here on out is mainly just Supreme Court cases, which can help define what exactly it can do and what exactly it can’t do. * In the 1978 Supreme Court case University of California vs. Bakke, a white male named Allan Bakke claimed reverse discrimination because he was rejected twice from medical school while less-qualified minority students were admitted to fill a quota that required 18 out of every 100 places be filled with minorities. The Supreme Court ruled against inflexible quota systems, but did not outlaw affirmative action as a whole.(Timeline) Most of the lawsuits were against Universities since many universities also adopted affirmative action programs in the 1970s. These programs were aimed at increasing black enrollment and the number of black faculty. None more notable then Jenifer Gatz law suit again the University of Michigan â€Å"Gratz vs. Bollinger and Grutter vs. Bollinger.† It ruled that affirmative action fulfills â€Å"a compelling interest in obtaining the educational benefits that flow from a diverse student body.† The purpose of affirmative action policy shifted from redressing injustice to promoting values of diversity. But even after all these deciding cases on affirmative action it’s still a heated matter of dispute. After much legislation and many Supreme Court decisions, affirmative action continues to be controversial (Legal History, Ongoing Debates section, para. 1). These controversies lead to questions, which can only be answered by understanding why affirmative action was put into effect in the first place. It is important to remember affirmative action is still a work in progress to achieve something much bigger than any one individual. People tend to forget that and the history to why affirmative action was put into place. It cannot be denied that America’s history is full of mistreatment of minority individuals. Women did not have a chance to vote for nearly a century and half after the birth of the country. African Americans were captured and forced into slavery, Although the Thirteenth Amendment ended institutionalized slavery in the United States in 1865, African Americans were not treated equal to whites in the eyes of the law for nearly another century, they were considered only one third of citizen. So with the two hundred years of slavery coming to an abrupt end a new regime or prejudices was to come into effect. Of course even after the end of slavery African Americans were consistently denied employment, housing, and education. In the south discrimination was a daily routine supported by â€Å"Jim Crow laws.†(Affirmative action) Unjust social statues and norms were passed in the 1800s that establish separate, inferior, public facilities, schools, waiting rooms, railways cars, and restrooms for African Americans through out the country. This has caused a domino effect on our society that still seen today. Those outrageous social norms were practiced in America until late in the civil rights movement when president JFK finally acknowledged the struggle for equality and the idea of Affirmative Action was born. After President Kennedy’s assignation, President Lyndon B. Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It banned discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, and sex in the areas of employment, public facilities, and government programs. The idea of equality in America, that every man is created equally was slowly and surly becoming more realistic, due largely to Martin Luther Kings efforts. Here are Dr. King’s own words on the idea of Affirmative action from his 1963 book â€Å"why cant we wait† King states: â€Å"Among the many vital jobs to be done, the nation must not only radically readjust its attitude toward the Negro in the compelling present, but must incorporate in its planning some compensatory consideration for the handicaps he has inherited from the past. It is impossible to create a formula for the future which does not take into account that our society has been doing something special against the Negro for hundreds of years. How then can he be absorbed into the mainstream of American life if we do not do something special for him now, in order to balance the equation and equip him to compete on a just and equal basis?† – Martin Luther King J.R (Wise) In his 1967 book, â€Å"Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?† King argued: â€Å"A society that has done something special against the Negro for hundreds of years must now do something special for him, to equip him to compete on a just and equal basis.†(wise) Continuing: â€Å"†¦for Two centuries the Negro was enslaved and robbed of any wages: potential accrued wealth which would have been the legacy of his descendants. All of America’s wealth could not adequately compensate its Negroes for his centuries of exploitation and humiliation. It is an economic fact that a program such as I propose would certainly cost far less than any computation of two centuries of unpaid wages plus accumulated interest. In any case, I do not intend that this program of economic aid should apply only to the Negro: it should benefit the disadvantaged of all races.†- Martin Luther King J.R (Wise) It is clear that these are some of the reasons why Martin Luther King J.R and others thought affirmative action should be and eventually was put into effect. A large part as to why affirmative action is in effect is so Compensation can be made to those who are at a disadvantage due to past racial biases and predjedism. You should now have a better idea as to what exactly affirmative action is, what it’s intentions are, the history behind who made it and the deeper history as to why it is still in effect and why it was originally put into effect. Affirmative action is however a major controversy in the United States, ever since it’s beginning, the concept of affirmative action raised difficult questions. â€Å"Many civil rights activists see affirmative action as a necessary step in achieving equality for groups that had faced discrimination in the past. However, critics of affirmative action argued that individuals should be treated on their own merits without regard to color, national origin, or sex.†(Affirmative Action) The Benefits of Affirmative Action â€Å"The one benefit of affirmative action is to correct past discriminations such as the mistreatment of women and slavery. This remedial justification of affirmative action recognizes that wrongs have been committed in the past and acknowledges a moral obligation to set things right† (Affirmative Action – Pros and Cons, The Origins Of, Legal Treatment Of, Political and Social Debates, The Future, Pros and Cons section, para. 1). It is important for injustices to be redressed. â€Å"Slavery and institutionalized racism have not been redressed yet in America and around the world. In order for justice to be served, it is necessary for the main losers of racism in America (African Americans) to be compensated for their loses through affirmative action.† (Affirmative Action) And affirmative action does just that, not in the sense of giving physical money, but through opportunities in education and in life. The following are the benefits affirmative action provides: Affirmative action has provided many opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds and income levels who ordinarily would not be considered for admission to colleges and universities. This means that the pool of talent coming out of the higher education system is larger and better able to contribute as productive members of the workforce. Affirmative action has had a profound effect on employment hiring and promoting practices. Historically, â€Å"close to 90% of all jobs are filled without being advertised, with the majority of positions going to friends, relatives, or acquaintances of company employees.†(Wise) This is often the case with a lot of jobs. Unfortunately it can boil down to whom one knows not what they know. The result of this practice is that employers often end up with employees who are not the best person for the job if it were properly advertised. Affirmative action has encouraged many companies to engage in employment practices that set minimum standards of job definition, recruiting, outreach, and evaluation that result in choosing the right person for the job. Finding the right person for the job or the promotion is critical in letting business efficiently utilize the workforce and allow each person to reach his or her full potential. Diversity in itself is desirable, it has been since the birth of this country, but it won’t always occur if left to chance. But when affirmative action is working like its initial purpose was intended too miraculous things can happen, and there are good facts to back that up. â€Å"Between 1981 and 2001, the total number of degrees awarded to Native Americans rose by 151.9% because of affirmative action policies.† (Patterns) Also, from â€Å"1982 to 1995, there has been an increase in the percent of black managers from 5 to 7 percent. Hispanics have shown a 3 percent increase from 5 percent in 1982.†(Patterns) Affirmative Action has been successful in providing minorities with opportunities. â€Å"At the same time a recent study has shown a person with a white sounding name has a 50% more change of getting a call back from a interview than those with black sounding name even when qualifications are indistinguishable.† (Tim Wise) Again equality is desirable but it won’t always occur if left to chance. â€Å"Eliminating affirmative action can lead to the re-segregation of higher education. When affirmative action was outlawed at the University of Texas in 1995, the number of black students at the UT Law School dropped from 65 in 1996 to 11 in 1997 and Latino student enrollments have been cut in half since the decision.† (Patterns) this isn’t necessarily a pro, but interesting enough. With affirmative action being banned in Texas the number of white students also dramatically increased while the number of Asians skyrocketed. I guess the best-qualified applicants where accepted. Here is a statistics that shows why affirmative action is still needed. For â€Å"every dollar earned by men, women earn 74 cents, African American women earn 63 cents and Latina women earn 57 cents.† (Patterns) This unjust statistics will continue with out the help of something like affirmative action. It is the reality inequalities like this that suggest maybe affirmative action should be left alone till equality is fully reached or a better solution is thought of.

Truman Doctrine and Marshall Aid

Greece and Turkey -By 1946, Greece and Czechoslovakia were the only countries in Eastern Europe that weren’t Communist. -Even in Greece, the government, which was being supported by British soldiers, was having to fight a civil war against the Communists. In February 1947, the British told Truman they could no longer afford to keep their soldiers in Greece. President Truman stepped in. The USA paid for the British soldiers in Greece. Truman noted that Turkey too was in danger from Soviet aggression, so Congress voted to give aid to Turkey as well. -Part of the money was given in economic and humanitarian aid, but most was spent on military supplies and weapons. Truman Doctrine In the 1930s, America had kept out of Europe’s business. Now, on 12 March 1947, Truman told Americans that it was America’s DUTY to interfere. His policy towards the Soviet Union was one of ‘containment’ – he did not try to destroy the USSR, but he wanted to stop it grow ing any more. This was called the ‘Truman Doctrine’. Greece -After WWI Greece appeared to be ‘under threat' from Communism. -Britain was unable to support Greece (as it had done in the past). -In 1947 Greece was under attack from Communist rebels and asked the USA for help. Communism -Truman was concerned about the spread of Communism and was determined to take action. -He offered arms, supplies and money to Greece. -Communism in Greece was defeated by 1949 following a civil war. Doctrine Truman was determined that the USA would not live in isolation. -The Truman Doctrine aimed to contain Communism, but not push it back – known as Containment. -Offered assistance to â€Å"all free peoples† resisting â€Å"attempted subjugation†. Marshall Aid -Truman saw war ravaged Europe as a â€Å"breeding ground† for Communism. -He felt it was vital to encourage countries to become prosperous again – to recover from the war. -US Secretary of State, George Ma rshall, propsed Marshall Aid (also know as the Marshall Plan) Just being helpful? -Helping European countries to recover also meant creating a market for US exports. -Also (although not publicly admitted) it was a clear aim to prevent the spread of Communism. -Stalin saw this as America trying to buy support. Tension -Between 1947-51 12 billion dollars was given in aid! -Vital help for recovery. -However, Stalin refused Marshall Aid and banned Eastern European countries under the USSR's control from accepting it. -This created tension on both sides.