Wine Review: Santa Rita's 2009 120 Merlot

Sweet and wet Santa Rita’s 2009 120 Merlot has little tannin aftertaste due to its warm climate. High pitched berry aroma with a taste of ripe grapes, strawberries and perhaps just a touch of plumb. The vanilla taste from oak barrels is present. The color is dark ruby-purple red.  It is perfect for those who do not like acidity or a major kick in their wine drinking. It is an everyday table wine at a price of half the other brands.

  

The wine comes from Chile's Central Valley that hosts everything from the common wine to some of the more expensive types. Soil types are warm and dry and raise the quality of the grapes (1). Some of the world’s best wines come from this area. 

This wine is a strong choice for everyday meals. At a price of under $10, the quality and taste have significant value. It is beneficial to purchase this wine for casual dining or family meals. You may consider it for a social get together. Since it has a hard body but light taste, it is considered a winter wine and will pair well with less rich foods unlike its Merlot cousins.  I would not be afraid to try this with everything from Chicken to spicy Asian food. 

Shackleton's Lost Pictures of His Antartica Voyage Available for Viewing

Ernest Shackleton was a famous explorer of Antarctica between 1914 and 1917. His expedition ran into problems and he and his crew were forced to abandon their ship. After a century, 22 negatives found in a hut first built by the failed expedition of Robert Falcon Scott (1910-1913) were developed by the Antarctic Heritage Trust (New Zealand) (1).

Robert Scott’s team built the small hut and eventually left after they found out the Norwegian team beat them to the area (2). Shackleton’s team, called the Ross Sea Party, also came across the hut after being stranded by the ice crushing their ship. It appears that they accidently left the photos in the snow and cold. Despite the harsh conditions, many of them were able to be saved and produced for public consumption.  Many of the landmarks are clearly noticeable.

The Times of London Printed an exert of news related to Sheckleton’s voyage and the loss of the ship Endurance (3):

News of the expedition which Sir Ernest Shackleton led to the Antarctic with the object of crossing the South Polar continent is expected to reach England at any moment (says Reuter’s Agency). Sir Ernest Shackleton left for the Antarctic in 1914. Nothing has since been heard of the expedition. He estimated that it would take him four months to cross the Antarctic continent, and on the other side he expected to join hands with the party which, sailing in the Aurora from Tasmania in December 1914, were to make a base at the Ross Sea and go to meet him early this year.

Such explorers spread new knowledge in the time when nations sought to gain glory. The tools used were simple compared to today’s technology and conditions were often harsh. Many lost their lives. Yet such explorers are admired because of their determination, skill, and boot strapping endurance. Leadership often requires sacrifice and sets the bar high for others to follow. 

See the Photos

International Macro-Marketing Encourages National Development

Ferry Landing Marketplace-Coronado

Marketing and economic development are two concepts that are intertwined. According to a paper by Low and Dang (2012), international marketing is a major factor in raising economic development in a country. The development of society through producing and selling relevant products worldwide is based deeply in prior literature dating back over a century. Without marketing it will be difficult to grow the wealth of a country.

The concept of international marketing can be seen as macro-marketing; or marketing on a large scale. Macro-marketing is related to marketing systems, marketing systems impact on society, and societies influence on marketing systems (Hunt, 1977).  As marketing is a national exchanged and international marketing is an international exchange, development of society is directly impacted by the quality and value of goods and services flowing through these exchanges.

The purpose of international marketing is to satisfy needs worldwide. When countries can align their economic systems to produce products and services that will lead to wealth growth and quality of life development they have effectively competed on the international market. If wealth is moving overseas and standards of living are lowering then they are not effectively competing. The individual arguments matter little in this debate if they produce the same results.

International marketing isn’t a standalone process and relies on the three subsystems of physical distribution systems, financial systems, and communicative systems (Drucker, 1958). Companies must have connections to distribution networks; they need a medium of exchange and financial transference, and the ability to manage their companies/distributors through communicative systems. Customers must be aware of products, have a mechanism to purchase the products and receive the products.

The products are not bought and distributed without first being developed. The concepts of entrepreneurship, standards, proper management and stimulating demand can increase the market size. As these elements come together higher levels of productivity and efficiency in product development rise thereby drawing in more wealth (Cundiff & Hilger, 1980).

Ricardo’s theory of comparative advantage indicates that companies that can produce products cheaper in one country can trade with other countries with different competencies (Ricardo, 1817).  Labor, capital, and land are used to develop competencies in market production. Today’s international marketplace requires highly competent labor as resource extraction is likely an advantage of emerging nations.   

The authors argue that economic development requires the right national environment. It is important for nations to cluster industries and create local spillover effects that improve upon skilled labor, capital investments, and infrastructure. International marketing links a country to the international market and helps to encourage adjustments within society to meet these challenges. There is a growing need among developed nations to adjust their governmental management to better reflect the needs of the global marketplace.

The report helps us understand that when products are designed and produced to a world market economic growth can occur. Firms must align their internal resources to the world environment in order to be successful. Competencies lay in using intellectual abilities and highly skilled labor to turn lower value commodities to higher value products that have wide appeal and generate significant wealth. Underdeveloped nations will have a hard time copying the products and services developed through higher level nations when the highest human capital is developed that matches available resources.

Cundiff, E. W. and Hilger, M. T. (1980). Marketing and the Production-Consumption  Thesis in Economic Development. InG Fisk, R. W. Nason & P. D. White (Eds.), Macromarketing: evolution of Thought (pp. 177-186). Boulder: University of Colorado, Business Research Division.

Hunt, S.D. (1977). The three dichotomies model of marketing: An elaboration of issues. In C. C. Slater (Ed.), Macromarketing: Distributive Processes from a Societal Perspective (pp. 52-56). Boulder,  CO:  Business  Research  Division,  University  of  Colorado.

Low, S. & Dang, T. (2013). Role of marketing and construction in economic development: lessons for emerging economies. IBA Business Review, 7 (1).

Ricardo, D. (1817). On theprinciples ofpolitical ecOIIOfl9\ and taxation. London: J. M'Creepy.

Academic Writing Tips

By Dr Andree Swanson

Artwork: Dr.  Murad Abel

You have been tasked to write your first paper and the instructor gave you feedback.  It read: “This is not appropriate for an academic paper.”  

You are now at a loss to understand what defines an academic paper. Here are a few tips to remember when writing.

Most importantly, you are creating a document that is in your own words.  It is imperative to properly research the paper.  It is not unusual to have parenthetical citations after each sentence.  The reason this happens is that you have conducted a great deal of research on your topic.  You are now reflecting on what you have read, so the bottom line is...  you are not presenting new information.  Let me restate this.  You are presenting someone else’s information.  In fact, you may be presenting more than one person’s information and must properly cite each source.

Your paper is filled with ideas that came from many journals, web sites, and books.  Basically, there are no new ideas in the world, especially at the bachelor’s level.  You are not writing a dissertation nor developing your own research on a topic, thus, your academic paper is merely a reflection of your research… not your opinions.  Given this statement, you must properly cite your sources.

A prescriptive formula for writing an academic research paper can be defined in the following equation:

A + B(x) + D(x) = an appropriate academic paragraph

A = A statement in your own words

B = A paraphrase or summary of what you have read on the topic

D = A quote which adequately reflects what you stated above

x = Your APA citation in APA or MLA format*

        Here is an example of this formula in action:

Funding Formula

After World War II, American servicemen and women became eligible for a newly-enacted legislation called the GI Bill. President Roosevelt did not spend much time on this bill; however, Roosevelt saw that America needed a boost at the end of the war. The GI Bill was established (Remembering the GI bill, 2000). The Higher Education Act of 1965 strengthened “the educational resources of our colleges and universities and [provided] financial assistance to students in postsecondary and higher education” (Higher education act of 1965, n.d.).

Figure 1. Example of a properly cited paragraph.

        Another example that incorporates information from more than one source is shown below:

Lujan v. Colorado State Board of Education

This issue of funding and the equity of educational opportunities is an ongoing topic in the Colorado court system. Once again, a group of individuals went to court. These plaintiffs “represented by the Colorado Lawyers Committee brought suit claiming that the deteriorating physical state of the public schools deprived students of educational opportunity” (Hunter, 2006, ¶ 3). In 2000, the Colorado state legislature enacted Senate Bill 00-181 earmarking “$190 million dollars for school repair and construction in the neediest school districts over more than a decade” (Hunter, 2006, ¶ 3; Wham et al., 2000). Finally, in 2000, voters passed an initiative to increase kindergarten through grade 12 school funding in the state. Amendment 23 created the State Education Trust Fund (Colorado Budget, 2005, ¶ 1).

Figure 2. Example of citing more than one resource for a quotation.

In addition to critically thinking, paraphrasing and summarizing, and adequately citing your references, it is important to avoid certain elements when writing.      

Use citations sparingly –

When writing a paper it is important to put the paper in your own words. This means paraphrasing and summarizing what you have read, and to then properly reference the source. In the example below, there are 146 total words. Of these words, 28 are the author’s. This is not good. Nineteen percent of this paragraph is in the author’s own words.

Bad example

It is important to reduce stress because of the bad affects on the body. “When you’re stressed, you feel changes in your body and your mind. Your heart beats faster, your blood pressure goes up, and your face may get flushed. Your muscles might tighten up, or you may feel anxious” (Stress and how to lower it: A health guide for teens, 2007, para. 2). There are many situations that cause stress when you are writing an academic paper. “You might continually postpone working on your assignment and get a late start. If you procrastinate, you do not have enough time to think about and compose what you want to write” (Cone, 2007, para. 3) “Sometimes you might become so nervous that you feel unable to write anything at all. This is known as writer’s block, and it is akin to self-sabotage” (Cone, 2007, para. 4)

Figure 3. Example of multiple quotations strung together

Avoid vague terms… be specific –

Avoid empty words such as “things,” “stuff,” “many,” etc. Use specific terms. I have a vocabulary challenge on my personal website.

Avoid colloquialisms –

It is necessary to avoid colloquialisms in academic papers. For example, although you may use the words below when you are writing an article or a brief narrative paper, but not an academic paper. Can you think of how you might reword this sentence so it is appropriate for an academic paper?

Bad example

It was raining like cats and dogs outside while I was working on this academic paper.

Avoid references to pop-culture –

Quotes are good, but you must use the appropriate quote for the paper. I personally like this quote, but would not include this in an academic paper.

Bad example

Jerry Seinfeld once stated that when average Americans were asked what their number one fear was he said it was public speaking and number five on the list was death. Seinfeld stated, “...that would mean that at a funeral, people are five times more likely to want to be in the casket than giving the eulogy.”

*APA is American Psychological Association and MLA is Modern Language Association

Reference

Stress and how to lower it: A health guide for teens. (2007). Center for Young Women’s Health Children’s Hospital Boston. Retrieved February 23, 2007, from http://www.youngwomenshealth.org/stress.html