Wizard of Oz free essay sample

There were many theoretical assumptions made by people however the author continued to say it was merely a childrens book. There was never any proof justifying what people assumed about the story. The strengths Of this article were all the evidence from the book. Dorothy wearing silver shoes on a golden road could have meant many things. A key plank in the populist platform was a demand for free silver. The good witch who wore white could have been another political analogy. The word Oz itself s another word for an ounce of gold or silver.Bam, the author of The Wizard of Oz had also written about politics previously. Many of those things could have a deeper meaning, but to most people its just a childrens story. He claimed that the story was neither a pro-Populist parable nor an anti- populist parable. The author of The Wizard of Oz aimed not to teach but to entertain; he aimed to amuse not to lecture. We will write a custom essay sample on Wizard of Oz or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Therefore, he believed the story is best viewed as a symbolic and satirical representation of the populist event and politics.What is known to most people as a childrens book can also be considered a political story. Oz operates on two levels, one literal and the other symbolic and political. Its fascinating how the author incorporates it on both levels. However, the weakness in this article was that there was no proof. It was all just rumors and hearsay. The point he was trying to prove couldnt be proven. Anyone can misinterpret a story or say what they think the author meant, but only the author himself will know the true meaning.

The Function and Location of the Pineal Gland

The Function and Location of the Pineal Gland The pineal gland is a small, pinecone-shaped gland of the endocrine system. A structure of the diencephalon of the brain, the pineal gland produces the hormone melatonin. Melatonin influences sexual development and sleep-wake cycles. The pineal gland is composed of cells called pinealocytes and cells of the nervous system called glial cells. The pineal gland connects the endocrine system with the nervous system in that it converts nerve signals from the sympathetic system of the peripheral nervous system into hormone signals. Over time, calcium deposits build-up in the pineal and its accumulation can lead to calcification in the elderly. Function The pineal gland is involved in several functions of the body including: Secretion of the hormone melatoninRegulation of endocrine functionsConversion of nervous system signals to endocrine signalsCauses sleepinessInfluences sexual developmentInfluences immune system functionAntioxidant activity Location Directionally the pineal gland is situated between the cerebral hemispheres and attached to the third ventricle. It is located in the center of the brain. Pineal Gland and Melatonin Melatonin is produced within the pineal gland and synthesized from the neurotransmitter serotonin. It is secreted into the cerbrospinal fluid of the third ventricle and is directed from there into the blood. Upon entering the bloodstream, melatonin can be circulated throughout the body. Melatonin is also produced by other body cells and organs including retinal cells, white blood cells, gonads, and skin. Melatonin production is vital to the regulation of sleep-wake cycles (circadian rhythm) and its production is determined by light and dark detection. The retina sends signals about light and dark detection to an area of the brain called the hypothalamus. These signals are eventually relayed to the pineal gland. The more light detected, the less melatonin produced and released into the blood. Melatonin levels are at their highest during the night and this promotes changes in the body that help us to sleep. Low levels of melatonin during daylight hours help us to stay awake. Melatonin has been used in the treatment of sleep-related disorders including jet lag and shift-work sleep disorder. In both of these cases, a persons circadian rhythm is disrupted either due to travel across multiple time zones or due to working night shifts or rotating shifts. Melatonin has also been used in the treatment of insomnia and depressive disorder. Melatonin influences the development of reproductive system structures as well. It inhibits the release of certain reproductive hormones from the pituitary gland that affect male and female reproductive organs. These pituitary hormones, known as gonadotropins, stimulate gonads to release sex hormones. Melatonin, therefore, regulates sexual development. In animals, melatonin plays a role in regulating mating seasons. Pineal Gland Dysfunction Should the pineal gland begin to function abnormally, a number of problems may result. If the pineal gland is not able to produce sufficient amounts of melatonin, a person could experience insomnia, anxiety, low thyroid hormone production (hypothyroidism), menopause symptoms, or intestinal hyperactivity. If the pineal gland produces too much melatonin, a person could experience low blood pressure, abnormal function of the adrenal and thyroid glands, or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is a depressive disorder that some individuals experience during the winter months when sunlight is minimal. Sources Emerson, Charles H. â€Å"Pineal Gland.†Ã‚  Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, www.britannica.com/science/pineal-gland.Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. â€Å"Melatonin.†Ã‚  Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, www.britannica.com/science/melatonin.

Case Study Analysis of Whole Foods Market Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Analysis of Whole Foods Market - Case Study Example In the last 30 years, sales of organic products have increased by 30 percent, driven by changing consumer habits in healthier eating and lifestyle (Gemma, 2009; Thompson, 2008). More consumption of organic products and healthier lifestyle products have made this an attractive procurement model for many different grocers and specialty stores to keep up with this increase in consumer demand. Thus, Whole Foods no longer corners the market and runs the risk of losing market share to new competition in key target markets. Using Porter’s Five Forces as the relevant example, Whole Foods operates in a market environment where there is relative ease of entry by competition, a market where competitive rivalry does not require complex technologies or capital investment to differentiate, where there is relative ease of product substitution for consumers, and where there is relatively low bargaining power for Whole Foods within the supply chain. In fact, Whole Foods acknowledges in its 201 0 annual report that the business maintains many different risks associated with current and future unpredictable supply fluctuations that makes forecasting and procurement difficult to manage (Whole Foods, 2010). The supply chain is significantly impacted by changing laws on organic and health-related products (Whole Foods, 2010) that can create harsher product formulation changes. At the same time, increase in competitive procurement of organic products has the ability to limit supply, thus raising prices within the supply chain against the laws of supply and demand (Boyes & Melvin, 2005). High availability of substitutes and increasing competitive rivalry in marketing, supply and differentiation give consumers considerable buying power in this market which forces Whole Foods to continuously monitor the marketing environment to counter competitive marketing to sustain its current and projected market share expectations with key target markets. Currently, the life cycle of organic products in this market environment is unpredictable, as most of the demand for similar health-conscious and organic products is trends-based driven by lifestyle and consumer attitude. Therefore, the sustainability of certain organic products represents a risk to the business and therefore impacts supply chain, promotions, and even pricing establishment. In many ways, the competitive advantages currently experienced by Whole Foods is strongly influenced by consumer behaviour and lifestyle demands that might not always be sustainable. However, Whole Foods currently maintains high revenues that continue to show growth in organic and health-conscious products (Whole Foods, 2012; MMR, 2012, MMR, 2011). Growth estimates recently provided by Whole Foods illustrate an estimate of 15.6 percent, up from the 2011 projection of 13.5 percent (MMR, 2012). The sales growth improves market availability domestically and internationally, however it is a market where competitive differentiation and m arketing-based positioning drive competitive rivalry. 2. Resource and competitive position of Whole Foods Whole Foods Market maintains a significant cost advantage in advertising over competition. In 2007, the business only devoted 0.5 percent of its total budget to this function, relying instead on word-of-mouth for sustaining market share and satisfying customers (Whole Foods, 2010; Thompson, 2008). Other competitors in this environment spend considerably more on advertising and promotion in order to