Thursday, October 31, 2019

Documenting the Crime Scene Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Documenting the Crime Scene - Research Paper Example The responding offer must assess the scene and treat it as a crime scene through remaining cautious and observing events, potential evidence, persons, and vehicles (Horswell, 2010). According to Orthmann & Hess (2012), the initial responding officer is expected to take not of the physical location, time, address and date of the crime and make observations such as smell and sounds at the scene. Accordingly, the responding officer must take protective and safety measures by remaining attentive while scanning the area for any dangers such as natural gas, gasoline or hazardous chemicals that entail smells and sounds (Pepper, 2010). The next step is provision of medical attention to the victims of the crime without contaminating the scene and minimizing contact with the evidence such as knife tears and bullet holes (Orthmann & Hess, 2012). The officer can take statements from witnesses, the victim and suspects that are at the crime scene and victims or suspects that are sent to health facilities must be accompanied by enforcement officials in order to preserve the evidence (Ogle, 2011). The next step is securing and controlling the scene through limiting the access and movements and separating the suspects and witnesses, removing bystanders, family members and medical personnel in order to prevent scene contamination and destruction of evidence (Dale & Becker, 2007). The responding offers will then put physical barriers to the points of entry and document all people entering the scene.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Animal Farm-Power Corrpts Essay Example for Free

Animal Farm-Power Corrpts Essay Animal Farm is an allegorical novel about the Russian Revolution and the resulting political system of the Soviet Union. Through this story which appears to be a simple fable on the surface, we see George Orwell’s beliefs about the nature of power and its seemingly inevitable corruption of noble ideas. Educated authority figures in the book bend the principles of communism to suit their own selfish needs and desires, all the while taking advantage of the uneducated masses, and easily manipulated them through propaganda and persuasion. Through this allegory of communism turned to totalitarianism, Orwell explores the dangers of a political system where leaders have no sense of social responsibility toward their subjects. The first instance of corruption among the ruling class appears shortly after the revolution. The pigs, the new rulers of Animal Farm after the ousting of the tyrant farmer Jones, milk the cows to relieve them from of their discomfort. The animals, remembering how Jones would mix some of the milk into their mash, look forward to at least similar treatment from the pigs. However, the milk soon disappears and it is discovered later that the pigs have mixed it into their own mash without sharing it with the other animals, just as the windfall apples have been consumed exclusively by the pigs. Squealer, the political propagandist for the pigs, justifies this to the other animals by saying that the pigs need the extra brain energy, and then bolsters his argument with some fear mongering: â€Å" Do you know what would happen if w pigs failed in our duty? Jones would be back!† (32). The fact that this incident occurs so quickly after the revolution and at a time when all of the pigs are still present on the farm shows Orwell’s belief that the corruption is not only inevitable in a society where the ruling sector of the population is so much better educated than the rest, but that all of these members of the ruling class were potentially corruptible. As the story moves on Orwell shows us how power is corrupting more. Another of the major instance that occurs after the milk and apples is the ruling class moving in the farmhouse. As the commandment says no animal shall sleep in a bed. Some of the other animals were confused but as usual squealer came with his propaganda.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Sande Society and the Sowei Mask

Sande Society and the Sowei Mask Political, Educational, and Gender Aspects of the Womens Society of the Mende The Sowei Mask of the Sande Society is a symbol for the Mende people of Sierra Leone representing the ideals of feminine beauty, but the Sande Society also plays a key role in the nurturing, livelihood, and induction of young women into adults. This mask defines a goal for young women as well as symbolizes their transition from children to adults and, the Sande are the tools behind the Sowei which shape and mold the initiates of their society into women capable of managing marriage, political power, and even spiritual secrets. The Sowei Mask itself is carved from wood carefully with close attention to detail. Each mark is made with a greater picture in mind and at the end of the process the mask will epitomize the Mendes idealities of grace, beauty, and serenity. After the carving, the mask is painted and polished to a black, glossy shine. There are many Sowei Masks, all of which possess the black, glossy shine, but each mask can differ in many areas. The Sowei Masks can possess rolls of fat on the neck, scarification patters on the face, elaborate hairstyles, raffia around neck, and many other qualities which give it the elegance that it possesses. (Cosentino 17) The particular mask on display in the Stanley Collection has two small scarification patterns in low relief on either cheek of the mask, a beautiful hairstyle with a small bird perched on top. The mask is full of curves and the light catches off the surface to accent the slight cuts made along the hair of the figure give it a life like quality wh ich complements the serenity of the masks expression. Not only does the mask represent outer beauty, but also references the beauty of a womans inner strength and character. (Becker 82) The encircling ridges of a Sowei Mask which represent rolls of fat also are part of the origin of the mask. When a Sande society member who is particularly renowned for her choreography and dancing skill she is said to dream of diving into a pool, which is the dwelling place for female spirits. As she rises from the water, the ripples of the water on the surface form the rings around the base of the mask. The often complex and always elegant hairstyles of Sowei Masks are said to have come from Sande officials falling into water and emerges with a beautiful hairstyle.(Textbook 180) In performance, the Sowei is danced by the ndoli jowui alongside a second mask, the gondei, which is the antithesis of the Sowei. The gondei is sometimes a discarded Sowei Mask which has been worn down or broken. Occasionally pieces of trash such as tin cans or shells are attached to the gondei, further separating it from the Sowei. It is only when we see both masks that we separate the beauty and grace of the Sowei further from that of the grotesque and hideous form of the gondei. By having the two masks juxtaposed, we can see the grace and elegance in which the Sowei is danced in comparison with the ugly, stumbling dance of the gondei. The performance itself occurs in the weeks before the public portion of the Sande initiation. When the Sowei emerges from the bush to dance, she is admired and greeted by the entire town. (Cosentino 16-7) When the initiates themselves are present at the dance, they wear braclets of palm leaf fibers and body nets with small iron plates. Their faces ar e smeared with animal fat giving them a more youthful appearance. (Newland 125) To the Sande the Sowei Mask as a manifest of power from the spirit world. It is for this reason that while the Sowei Mask is the integral piece to bring the power needed to invest the initiates with everything they will need to marry, the mask also can appear in other places. Smaller versions can appear on the staffs and other objects used by higher ranking members of the Sande and small figures also are common. These objects represent the medicine of the Sande and their connection with the spirits. (Textbook 180) The Sande society itself is enormous; each village usually has its own Sande society governed by a council of elders. (Ellis 200) These elders are not only in charge of initation rites into the Sande society, and thusly into adulthood, but also the birthing, education, circumcision, political aspects, and spiritual aspects of the initiates underneath them. Once puberty is reached, the initiates are taken into the bush and taught the things they need to know to become adult women. Topics such as sex, dancing, fishing, cooking, and secrete medicines are discussed and generally a clitoridectomy, a female circumcision, is performed. After the initiates complete their training, they are eligible to marry and invested with fertility (Leach 58), but are taught that jealousy for ones co-wives is greatly discouraged. Initiates are also called and described by sex-specific terms from the moment they graduate into full genderhood. Men are forbidden from the Sande bush just as the women are from the Poro, the mens secrete society, bush. It is the responsibility of the Sande elders to punish any man who takes an initiate from the bush severely. The Soweis medicine is feared and when a man is pointed out as having broken a Sande law there is a fine or some other penalty which an elder determines. (Newland 125) Elder Sande officials are still susceptible to medicines which can affect their ability to deliver children, circumcise the initiates, and other tasks which are key to their position. The Poro and Sande societies together govern Mende ideas about gender and men and womens lives. Both genders have gender-specific tasks that are used to define a persons masculinity or femininity. Each group gives access to specific male and female medicines and social and political support. Both groups also give elders of the societies access to a higher status position in the villages. This status is known as a big man or big woman. The title comes with the responsibility of caring for the political or financial assistance of others. In Mende society both men and women can become a big person or numu wa. While the Sande will protect women from exploitation, abuse, and give them political and social support, the society also produces asymmetry. The high-ranking members usually gain their position from descent, and by controlling the important knowledge of the Sande, they are able to elicit loyalty or even material goods from the initiates and their families. In this way, the Sande s ociety acts as a driving force in socio-political structures in what would otherwise be a male dominated society. With the polarized and parallel powers of the Poro and Sande societies, women are not considered inferior to men, they are only considered different. (Leach 59-60) The Sande serve as mentors for young girls becoming women, but they also serve as friends and colleagues. Every woman who is considered an adult in Mende culture has been initiated and graduated from the Sande society. The initiates they graduate with become their social system of support and the society leaders are there to protect them as well. It is in this way that we see that all Mende women are connected. In summary, the Sowei Mask demonstrates the inner and outer beauty of the perfect woman, which every initiate of the Sande society and thus every woman considered an adult, strives to attain. Not only do the Sande teach young women about life, but also provide them with a network of support for the rest of their lives. In this way, the Sowei Mask represents not only the Sande, but all adult Mende women and their unavoidable connection to each other.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Gender :: essays research papers

â€Å"The Men’s Right Movement: ‘Male’ is Not a Four-Letter Word†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jack Kammer’s article seeks to point out that negative aspects have stemmed from the growing women’s liberation movement. This article does a good job bringing to light the anti-male feelings that are sometimes associated with the word â€Å"feminism.† However, it does not really have a concrete basis that supports this author’s opinions. Kammer’s article does share one concept common among some of the other critiques I have read on this man vs. women phenomenon. That is, without a factual base they tend to sound like simple complaints. I feel that articles such as these tend to take attention off of real problems that are embedded in our society. They also lead other reader to perceive the whole subject as a joke rather than a social science seeking solutions to real problems. Kammer does take the time to include some statistics on the many ways a man’s life is worse than that of a women, but these can be quickly thrown o ut. For example, women have typically not been allowed to work in â€Å"death professions.† I am sure that as our society grows everyone will have an equal chance at these wonderful jobs. I found it appalling that he even objected to differential treatment of children in hostage situations. I have shared some of the same feelings that Kramer describes, but I tend to ignore those as just differences of opinion or an ignorant person speaking to quickly. His use of the media portraying men as â€Å"secret admirer and blood brother to the gang rapist† is useless. The media will do anything to sell their product. That is something we can all agree on. We as a society are the police force that must control the media. Refuse to buy their product and they will change. I agree with Krammer in that many feminists tend to focus on men’s shortcomings as a way to further their cause. He does go a little far in using comics as an example of zapping our culture’s male e nergy. This is a large problem that is detrimental to a lot of arguments present today. (Look at the elections.) Rather than seeking a solution that will bring one side up to meet the other these people hope to bash the other side down.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Is USA a True Democracy? Essay

United States of America is undoubtedly being praised for standing firmly for democracy in the field of political system. Likewise, in political history, America is regarded as the only country having a strong democratic form of government. Throughout history, America has always played an important role in spreading democracy around the world. Several communist countries have also been converted to democracy through the efforts of America. The obvious reason for adopting democracy within a system of governance is to uphold majority rights rather than of the few. In addition, the power is concentrated in the hands of the people and not on the few groups of people. Aside from these, the features of democracy guarantee freedom and human rights which are not guaranteed in other forms of government. In the real scenery of a democratic country, the freedom exercised by every citizen is overflowing. In the American setting, several rights were established as new social developments are being experienced. Through case laws, the civil liberties afforded to citizens have been broadened and several classes of people finally enjoyed their rights. Through time, democracy has been strengthened over the land. However, recently, through issues on national security, terrorism, and other predicaments faced by the country, the spirit of democracy started to diminish. Furthermore, with the strengthening power of the government against its citizens, the essence of democracy has begun to vanish. Hence, despite adherence to the democratic form of government, in real essence, the country is not acting like it is a democratic country. Democracy Democracy, in its political definition refers to â€Å"a political system based on the participation of the people. It foresees, among others, the separation of powers among the judiciary, the legislative and the executive authorities, as well as free and regular elections† (Spring 91). In its cultural definition: Democracy is a way of living together and an expression of respect for other people; it must be rooted in a genuine democratic culture, a culture of debate and dialogue. A critical attitude should therefore be developed in children and young people towards the institutions that govern a State or regulate life in a given society. (Spring 91) In its political sense, the main feature of democracy is the direct participation of the people in governing the citizens and the country through election. Aside from this, it reiterates the principle of checks and balances or the existence of independent three fundamental branches of the government namely, the executive, legislative, and judiciary. From its political definition, the political system is only established; however, it is lacking of the rights or benefits guaranteed to the citizens. Hence, political architects have inculcated human rights protection by adding a cultural definition of democracy. Meanwhile, democracy has primarily rooted from the ancient Greeks. The word democracy was coined from the Greek word â€Å"demokratia† (Cartledge n. p. ). The â€Å"demos† means â€Å"people† while â€Å"kratos† means â€Å"strength† or â€Å"rule† (Cartledge n. p. ).. Hence, the word demokratia literally means â€Å"people power† (Cartledge n. p. ). The literal definition of the democracy is in consonant with the definition of government propounded by Abraham Lincoln in his popular statement, â€Å"government of the people, by the people, and for the people† (â€Å"The Gettysburg Address†). Development in the Concept of Democracy Through time, the concept of democracy has developed. Aside from being a political concept, democracy has also become a moral concept. As a political concept, democracy provides standard of societal management; while as a moral concept, democracy provides moral principles that should govern the conduct of the citizens as well as the government and its agencies (Kelly, 103). The moral concept of democracy does not stem out from any religious belief or governmental pronouncement; instead, it rooted from the concept of democracy alone (Kelly, 104). Among the guarantees of democracy in its moral concept includes â€Å"respect for freedom† of every individual in the society (Kelly, 104). It also demands equal treatment of every citizen and encourages them to openly participate in the government either by engaging in governmental affairs, evaluating government actions or taking part in forming public policies. This clearly correlates in the modern understanding that freedom is strictly linked in the democracy. Hence, a democratic country that has no respect on freedom is not democratic at all. Factors that Diminishes Democracy in the Country After the tragic 9/11 terrorist attack, the threat on democracy began to emerge. The threat to national security has become the license of the government in enacting and adopting laws and policies that have adverse effects on the democracy being enjoyed by the citizens. Through the 9/11 attack, the government has acquired power in order to implement rules and regulations beyond its legal duties. On the part of the government, its acts are justified by the need of the county and the citizens to be safe from further attacks and to fully eliminate any shadows of terrorism. However, as an effect, civil liberties are compromised. The exercise of freedom has gradually been regulated and limited. Furthermore, several fundamental freedoms exercised in a democratic country have been curtailed. These drastic changes in the lives of the American citizens have been perceived to be incompatible with the democratic principle adhered to by the country. It was reiterated that the laws and governmental systems being implemented today are a clear proof that United States is no longer a democratic country. It is noteworthy that the government quickly responded to the 9/11 terrorist attack through the enactment of the â€Å"Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001† or the USA Patriot Act (Scheppler 5). Through the Patriot Act, many remarkable non-democratic government actions and regulations have been imposed. This in turn, is an obvious disrespect to the cultural and moral concept of democracy that has been prevalent in the country throughout the years. Primarily, the USA Patriot Act aims to provide the law enforcement and intelligence community with tools and legal grounds to eliminate terrorism (O’Neal). Through the USA Patriot Act, the federal government has been empowered to intrude into the privacy of a citizen suspected to be a terrorist or corroborating with terrorists. The intrusion to privacy that the Act allows takes in many forms. Title II of the USA Patriot Act laid down the enhancement of the surveillance capabilities of the federal law enforcers. By virtue of the Act, communications, wire, oral and electronic, can be intercepted by the authorities (â€Å"USA Patriot Act of 2001†). In intercepting communication, the authorities are empowered to trespass into the communication tools of the target or suspect beyond legal boundaries. For example, the authorities can wiretap the phones of a target individual. Through the advancement in technology, roving wiretapping has been allowed by the Act. Traditionally, authorities are required to obtain first a court order to tap the phone (O’Neal). However, in roving wiretapping, the authorities can now tap a person or organization by monitoring the calls made and received by the target (O’Neal). In here, it can be observed that the extent of wiretapping that has originally been approved by law has expanded because all calls can be allowed to be monitored. In addition, the â€Å"pen register† and â€Å"trap-and-trace device† have allowed the authorities to collect telephone numbers dialed to and from the communication device used by the suspected terrorist (O’Neal). Remarkably, e-mail communications are also covered by the pen/trap provision of the Act because e-mail has been considered today as the most effective and fastest tool being used by the terrorists. Through these devices, the authorities can look into the Website and IP addresses visited and used by the target. Furthermore, the libraries and other public and private establishments visited by the target can also be intruded by the authorities in order to gather information about the activities done by the former. Through these extended power of the federal government in surveillances in communication, the privacy of the target is put at stake. The Act also enhanced the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act which was focused on foreign investigations (Bidgoli 225). Through the expanded meaning of terrorism, an alien has been denounced of his constitutional rights as he is considered as an agent of foreign power (Bidgoli 225). Hence, an alien is subjected to the provisions of the USA Patriot Acts. This system also means that information obtained through surveillance can be shared between agencies for further investigation of the target. The surveillance capability of the authorities under the USA Patriot Act also extends to information gathering. Notably, through the Act, the authorities can make searches and seizure against the dwelling place and objects of the target. The authorities can secretly make searches through the house or office of the target through a search warrant which is secretly obtained from the court. The Fourth Amendment has laid down the requirements of a valid search warrant. Through the precedents, it can be observed that the requirement for probable cause is strict. But the USA Patriot Act has limited such requirement by considering only a significant reason in obtaining a warrant. It is also noteworthy that the proper serving of a warrant is disregarded by the Act. According to the valid warrant procedure, the person against whom the warrant has been issued should be notified and be present during the search. This is to ensure that the things and areas specified in the warrant are correctly searched and seized. However, in the procedure adopted by the Act, such essential procedure has been denied and clearly violated. Another focus of the Act is the enhancement of the money laundering law. The Act has laid down effective measures in preventing, deterring and prosecuting money laundering. It is believed that the financial needs of terrorists have been backed by money laundering activities. Few of the measures include monitoring of suspicious bank transactions, seizing illicit funds in foreign banks, and issuing regulations to be adopted by banks in recording account owners and receivers. In addition, the Act also required financial institutions to use networks to facilitate communication between them and the authorities with regard to illicit and suspicious transactions or accounts (â€Å"USA Patriot Act†). These activities have been made possible through the Act requiring the national and international financial institution to cooperate and comply with the policies. However, such activity has been criticized because of violation of the confidentiality of the bank records of account owners. In addition, immigrants are also covered by the Act because stricter policies have been implemented in airports and in immigration offices. Immigrants are also treated differently as they are scrutinized stringently. Aside from that, the Asians and Arabs are usually subjected to discrimination because they are primarily linked to terrorism because of their racial affiliations. In accordance with the expanded power of the federal authorities, many fear that such power may be used in focusing in monitoring, harassment, and intimidation of political dissidents and thousands of harmless immigrants rather than concentrating on curtailing terrorism (Etzioni 9). Many civil societies are also alarmed by the government’s curtailment on the citizen’s civil liberties. Meanwhile, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) described the government as having an â€Å"insatiable appetite† due to its secrecy, lack of transparency, disregard of equality under the law, and â€Å"disdain and outright removal of checks and balances† (Etzioni 9). All of these changes in the government system after the 9/11 terrorist attack have only led in the diminishing spirit of democracy in the country. The political concept of democracy has also been endangered in the country through the USA Patriot Act. As has been said, one fundamental feature of democracy is the checks and balances. Meanwhile, the principle of checks and balances is understood as the separation of the three branches of the government namely; the executive, legislative, and judiciary. Each of the three branches is bestowed with unique duties and responsibilities. Having unique duties and separate jurisdiction, the three department works independently from each other. However, each serves as a watchdog for any act of encroachment or violation of the principle committed by any of the branches. In the present setting, the principle of checks and balances is clearly violated by the executive branch, particularly during the administration of George W. Bush. Remarkably, right after the 9/11, America initiated the global war against terrorism which has led to war against Iraq and Afghanistan. It can be remembered that several human rights violations have been recorded due to the wars. Civilians have suffered the pain more than the real enemies. Although America has been a firm supporter of human rights, the Bush administration refused to be bound by human rights standards (Weiss, Crahan, and Goering 113). During the height of war against terrorism, President Bush had been acting beyond legal constraints as he used the countries foreign policies and executive power to adopt policies that are perceived to require the approval of Congress. Apart from that, the government wanted to create an international order that places no limits to its actions despite the Constitutional checks and balances premise (Weiss, Crahan, and Goering 113). It has been clear that human rights have been compromised in place of fighting terrorism. The government was seemed so paranoid about the security that it almost forgot that is operated within a democratic country. Clearly, the activities and changes in the country have considerably limited the meaning of freedom. In addition, security has been used as a license in imposing policies that clearly violate the principle of checks and balances. Having violated both the cultural, moral and political concepts of democracy, it is clear that democracy has been diminishing in the country. Conclusion Generally, democracy is understood as a system of government where citizens have freedom and human rights. In its strictest concept, it is a political system where people have direct participation in the government and checks and balances is observed. The meaning of democracy was further strengthened by inculcating the freedom and rights of the citizens. As mentioned, democracy means power of the people. Hence, it would be useless of people have power but lack the freedom to enjoy and use such power in a way that the majority will benefit from it. It is also undeniable that since the early days, America has played an important role in spreading democracy and in fighting for human rights. America also initiated the adoption of various laws protecting human rights. However, because of the threat against its national security, its views about democracy have drastically changed. The imposition of the USA Patriot Act has remarkably limited the freedom enjoyed by the citizens. At the same time, the Act has significantly intervened with the fundamental rights of the citizens. The intrusion into the private dwellings of the citizens has eliminated the legal boundaries that separate the rights of the citizens and of the state. With the remarkable changes in the society and the massive violation of civil liberties, it is clear that democracy has also been gradually diminished in the country. Works cited Bidgoli, Hossein. The Internet Encyclopedia. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 2004. Cartledge, Paul. â€Å"The Democratic Experiment.† 01 January 2001. BBC. 16 April 2009 . Etzioni, Amitai. How Patriotic Is the Patriot Act? Freedom versus Security in the Age of Terrorism. New York: Routledge, 2004.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Patagonia Essays - Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard, Climbing Equipment

Patagonia Essays - Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard, Climbing Equipment Patagonia Abstract Patagonias mission statement is, To use business to inspire and implement solutions to environmental crisis. Patagonia is a clothing company thats focus is on selling environmentally safe outdoor apparel. This papers focus is on the history of Patagonia their environmental marketing strategies and their competition. There has also been some outside research done to see what the publics perception of Patagonia is. Introduction Patagonia's History In 1957 a young climber named Yvon Chouinard could not find pitons (a form of climbing protection) that he liked. So he began to make his own climbing gear. Chouinard was a self-educated blacksmith. He took his knowledge and began to build his own pitons. Of the pitons he made, Chouinard would keep what he needed and started selling the rest to his friends. Shortly after, Chouinard began building carabiners in addition to his production of the pitons. Up until this point, he had been working out of his parents' back yard and selling equipment out of his car. He moved his business in 1959 to an industrial yard in Burbank California and again in 1966 to a tin shed behind an abandoned slaughterhouse in Ventura California. In 1966, Tom Frost was recruited to help make the transition from handmade to machine made products. Chouinard and Frost founded Chouinard Equipment, Ltd. Everything about the operations focused on building the best quality climbing gear in the worldThe companies genui ne and relentless pursuit of quality was matched by its reputation for it (Defining Quality, 2). Chouinard and Frost remained partners until 1975. During this time the two managed to redesign, hence improve, almost every tool used on a climber's rack. Their production also tried to minimize the use of materials. By 1970 Chouinard Equipment was the largest supplier of climbing equipment in the United States. Although this seemed positive from a business standpoint, Chouinard and Frost realized that they were contributing to environmental deterioration. Pitons require repetitive hammering for placement and removal. Because rock climbing was becoming popular the amount of destruction increased. Chouinard and Frost took a stand and decided to discontinue their production of pitons. This decision initiated a blind devotion that ultimately led to Patagonia's Statement of Purpose: To use business to inspire and implement solutions to environmental crisis. An environmental safe alternative to pitons was found in aluminum chocks. As before Chouinard Equipment designed and produced their own version of the chocks. Sales were slow until their showing in the first Chouinard Equipment catalog in 1972. The first pages of the catalog featured A Word from the owners on the environmental hazards of pitons. The ethical stand taken by Chouinard Equipment dramatically effected the climbing community. Things began to change for the better. Within just a few months of the release of their first catalog, piton sales were severely stunted. In 1973 Patagonia the company was incorporated. Around this same time, Chouinard became interested in the profit potential of soft goods. He pursued his interest by introducing rugby shirts into their line. Frost and others opposed this decision and left the partnership in 1975. In the mid-seventies clothing was introduced under the name 'Patagonia'. Shortly after, in 1979, Patagonia Clothing Corporation was established. Patagonia was incorporated in 1984. Patagonia followed Chouinard's original intentions of developing goods that could easily be described as ridiculously overbuilt (Defining Quality, 5). Chouinard began technical product development in 1973, which continued and intensified under the Patagonia name. Patagonia continually improved on the amount of environmental impact as well as the quality of their materials. Pile lead to Bunting, which lead to Synchilla, which eventually changed the industry. Patagonia also introduced polypropylene underwear, which was replaced by Capilene in 1985. Although competition became fierce, Patagonia's attention to the details and construction of their products kept them ahead of the others. Throughout the years there has always been one constant in Patagonia's design and philosophy- a sense that there is in the products, or should be, more than meets the eye. Quality. Superb functionality. Environmental concern. A Killer warranty and service to match (Defining Quality, 9). Patagonia's Environmental History As you can see in the above text, Patagonias founder Yvon Chouinard has always put the environment first in his business plans. But Patagonia has done more for