My First Time Entering A Courtroom - 1624 Words

On Tuesday, November 10, 2015, I had the opportunity to visit the district court of Maryland in Rockville, around 10:30 am until 12:30 pm to observe a judicial criminal proceedings. I was so much excited because it was my first time entering a courtroom. A court is an institution that set up to settle disputes through a legal process. In the criminal court that I attended cases such as traffic violation, DUI and criminal offenses that carried a jail sentence, probation and the state brought fines against the people that had committed a crime. The defendants are given a chance to represent themselves or choose to have a legal representation including public defenders, which is mostly preferred by many of the accused. The courtroom included†¦show more content†¦In front of the judge far left which was two inches away was a seat for the defendant and his defense attorney to present their case. On the far right of the of the defense attorney was the stand for the prosecutor and the plaintiff. A bailiff who maintains peace at the courtroom was standing at one corner closer to the bench. Even though, he had the chance to move around. There was a divider between the open seats and those involved in the legal proceedings. Moreover, at the entrance of the courtroom was a police officer who acted as a guard. During the trial, I met Judge Rowan, he was about sixty years of age and thoughtful person. As soon as Judge Rowan enters the courtroom, the clerk asked the court to rise, and everybody stood up. After the judge had sat down, the clerk calls the case saying state versus the defendant name Smith, the defendant and his attorney who was a private attorney walked up to the front box where they came and stood to make their presentation. The defendant was asked by the clerk to sworn in giving the assurance whatever he says at the courtroom is the truth. However, the prosecutor made an opening statement briefly reviewing the violation and saying how they intend t o prove each element of the case. The prosecutor explained that on June 2015, Mr. Smith a twenty 28 years old was operating a vehicle seventy mile per hour on the Georgia Ave while he was intoxicated. Due to his

Janis Groupthink Free Essays

Have you ever thought about speaking up in a meeting and then decided against it because you did not want to appear unsupportive of the group’s efforts? If so, you have probably been a victim of â€Å"Groupthink†. Irving Lester Janis (26 May 1918 – 15 November 1990) was a research psychologist at Yale University and most famous for his theory of â€Å"groupthink† which described the systematic errors made by groups when taking collective decisions(Wikipedia). Janis described â€Å"groupthink† as â€Å"a mode of thinking that people engage in when they are deeply involved in a cohesive in-group. We will write a custom essay sample on Janis Groupthink or any similar topic only for you Order Now When the members’ striving for unanimity override their motivation to realistically appraise alternative courses of action†(Janis,1972,p. 8). Janis identified eight symptoms(features) of groupthink. They were- 1)Illusion of Invulnerability-This leads the group to excessive optimism, over confidence leading them to take extraordinary risks. It may also lead them to ignore clear signs of risks. 2)Collective Rationalization-Victims of groupthink construct rationalizations and discount and discredit negative feedback and advice from the oppositions. )Illusion of morality-Group members often tend to ignore the ethical and moral consequences of their decisions. 4)Stereotyped views of others-Victims of Groupthink have a stereotyped view towards opponents who give different opinions. They consider them to be too stupid or weak to handle the problem. 5)Pressure on Dissent-Group members apply direct pressure on anyone who opposes the idea or validity supporting a decision or opini on favored by the majority. Example-Body language,Voice tone. 6)Self-censorship-They tend to censor themselves when they have opinions opposing the majority of the group. This minimizes the members doubts and opinions to themselves and not to the group. They withhold dissenting views and counter arguments. Example-Keeping quiet and not giving an opinion due to opposing views. 7)Illusion of unanimity-Victims of groupthink have an illusion that the whole group is in unanimity. This symptom is caused by the preceding symptom. This is due to the false assumption that anybody who doesn’t give an opinion is in unanimity with the group’s decision. Silence is taken as consent. )Mindguarding-A few group members take up the role of mind-guards so as to protect the other members of the group from excessive information and facts that might destroy the majority decision. They stand up to prove the information wrong and label them stupid(stereotyped). This type of dysfunctional operation of an organization has many opportunities for failure. The basic fundamentals of this process are the beginnings of failure as groups seeks conformity and unity as th ey sacrifice everything in order to maintain peace within the group. These eight symptoms of groupthink identified by Janis leads to defective decision making. Victims of grouthink never consider all the alternatives,they do not re-examine the alternatives,they reject negative information and have no contingency plans. The above are due to the stereotyped view of the victims and they act in this way to not disrupt the idea of the majority. This is what the organizations should be careful of. A real life example of â€Å"groupthink† leading to a defective decision making is Challenger Space Shuttle disaster. This occurred on January 28,1986 launched from John F. Kennedy space centre. It was considered to be the most tragic event after John F. Kennedy’s assassination. The presidential commission that investigated the accident showed that defective decision making was the main cause. MTI engineers presented that the mission would fail as the shuttle would not succeed in such cold temperatures. But,the flight officials put forward technical rationalizations faulting MTI’s analysis. One of these rationalizations was that the data was incohensive showing their stereotyped view. The officials also forced Thiokol officials to change their recommendation from avoiding delay to the launch. This shows pressure on dissent. Hence,as expected the mission failed after 73 seconds of the launch killing 7 astronauts aboard. This example shows us how the officials had symptoms of groupthink and how it lead them to a defective decision making process. The challenge for any team or group leader is to create a working environment in which Groupthink is unlikely to happen. Hence we could avoid groupthink by exploring objectives,exploring alternatives,encouraging ideas to be challenged without reprisal,examining the risks if the preferred choice is chosen,testing assumptions,gathering relevant information from outside sources,processing this information objectively,have at least one contingency plan. References: 1)Moorhead,Gregory,Ference,Richard and Neck,Chris P. 1991 ‘Group decision fiascos continue:Shuttle challenger and a revised groupthink framework’. Human Relations 44/6: 539-550. 2)Wikipedia. How to cite Janis Groupthink, Papers

The Turkey free essay sample

It felt like the chill forests breath was breathing on my unprotected hands. We had been out for about an hour waiting for the turkeys to come down from the roost. It was May 16th spring, turkey season. My dad had been doing a lot of scouting so I could fill my tags. Then we heard it, asound like no other thing almost alien a gobble, my dad had been calling for some time to get them in. There was a hen that had come through the field but she had only stayed for awhile then left soon after she was there. This was probably going to be our only chance at a turkey. After the jakes, young male turkey’s, got out of the roost they would probably follow that hen we saw and hopefully would come to us. The group of turkeys we were hearing sounded real eager and ready to come in. We will write a custom essay sample on The Turkey or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Then my dad looked at me smiled and took a picture of me. He said â€Å"They should come in soon so get ready†. My reply was not the longest but it got the point across of how I was feeling about the turkeys coming. I said, with a nervous edge to my voice, â€Å"I’m excited† After that when I saw the first turkey pop it’s head above the rise in the ground out of the woods I had chills. It was the hen we had that came in the first time. When the other two jakes stepped out it looked like a postcard from a nature center (just looking perfect). They still had a little way to come so I could get a good shot on one of them. All the trees looked like a kind of northern rain forest in Michigan. I don’t know how they didn’t here me, for as I was bringing my dads remington 870 shotgun up I made some noise, but they kept coming. I had previously shot the 870 not that long ago at a target from twenty five yards gatting 33 bbs in the neck and head with my dad saying, â€Å"you did amazing!† As we watched the birds coming up eager to follow the hen. Then they started to get a little more careful not coming in as fast but looking around the open field from fear of danger. The two jakes that had come in a couple feet apart just following the hen as she was walking in. I could feel the tension rising knowing I would have to shoot soon. I felt like a lion on the prowl waiting for the prey to come a little closer.The bigger jake was on the side close to us, so I put the bead right on it’s neck and squeezed the trigger. . . I felt the impact of the 870 hitting my shoulder standing up with my ears still ringing as I ran up to the bird seeing the bird hitting the ground dead. The hen had disappeared into the gully underneath us before I had pulled the trigger, so she was just sitting there. As I stood up she fled. The greyish-blue earlymorning sky looked like the noise from the 870 hadn’t even touched it. When I got to the turkey it was flapping from the nerves still working, so my dad ran up by the legs moved to the edge of the clearing and took some pictures. It had happened so fast I had no time to react to the events. When my dad was sending the pictures I put my hand on the bird and prayed for it coming into the field. In the end I found It’s not the same as going into a store and buying one, but more exhilarating and loud.

The Causes and Effects of Alcoholism free essay sample

Alcohol dependence is when a person has an addiction to alcohol and cannot control how much they drink. The person simply cannot just have one drink of alcohol without feeling the need to become intoxicated. The highest prevalence of alcohol dependence and abuse is among ages 18-24. Over 80 percent of college presidents in the U. S. identify alcohol abuse as the biggest problem on campus (nd. edu et al, 2003). College students are in the ideal environment to develop a drinking disorder. Students are away from their families and are caring for themselves for often the first time in their lives. With the increase in responsibility in their lives students can find themselves stressed and confused. These factors only lead to students drinking amongst other students in efforts to fit in or as an escape from their studies or other social problems. However, drinking too much and regularly only leads to even more social and physical problems in the future and possibly for the rest of their lives. We will write a custom essay sample on The Causes and Effects of Alcoholism or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Alcoholism is something that should not just be seen as a socially devastating disease. The life of a person with alcoholism is controlled by their alcohol addiction. The many short term effects of alcohol are minor compared to the long term health concerns from excessively abusing alcohol. Public health organizations are utilizing new methods of prevention and research to combat the further rise in this disease. Demographics Though there are risk factors for developing alcoholism there is no definite cause of the disease. A history of alcoholism in a person’s family definitely increases their risks of developing the disorder. This theory has been validated throughout the years utilizing twins in adoption cases growing up in different families. Current research concludes that certain genes may increase the risk of alcoholism, but the identity and function of which genes are still unknown (NCBI et al, 2011). Ethnic and religious background can also play a role in the development of alcoholism, in relation to the cultures lifestyles and acceptance of alcohol. Cultural, religious values and expectations towards alcohol vary and can either promote or disapprove drinking. Members of different ethnic and cultural groups generally show preferences for different types of alcoholic beverages, which can affect their access and alcohol exposure. Other factors such as a race’s reaction to alcohol can affect the prevalence of drinking. For example, blacks are 3 times more likely to develop an alcohol related disease than white (NIAA et al, 2005). The SAMHSA National Household Survey on Drug Abuse reported that 3. 5% of people in their entire sample could be classified as alcohol dependent. Caucasian and black surveyors had a similar rate of 3. 4 percent of alcohol dependence (NIAA et al, 2005). Alcoholism rates for Native American and Hispanic-Mexican Americans are higher compared to other ethnicities at 5. percent (NIAA et al, 2005). It was found that these groups tend to start drinking at an earlier age and drank more heavily compared to other ethnic groups in the United States. The rates of alcohol dependence were lower among other groups, Caribbean, 1. 9%, Central American, 2. 8%, Cuban, 0. 9%, Puerto Rican, 3. 0% and South American, 2. 1% and Asian/Pacific Islander, 1. 8% (NIAA et al, 2005). The survey also reporte d that Asian Americans had higher rates of abstention and lower rates of heavy alcohol consumption compared to Whites, African Americans, and Hispanics. Diversity in drinking patterns is very distinguished between subgroups of the same racial or ethnic group. Mexican Americans born in the U. S. report drinking more often, but consuming less alcohol, and have three times higher rates of alcohol dependence (NIAA et al, 2005). This emphasizes that the lifestyle and genetics of a person play a greater role in alcoholism then race or culture. This is also relevant when looking at gender discrepancies. Women and men have the same chances of becoming alcoholics. However, women have a much stronger reaction to the effects of alcohol; therefore there are many more cases of alcoholism in men though there is no research to support gender susceptibility (NIAA et al, 2005). Women’s stronger reaction to alcohol also means that women are more susceptible to alcohol related illnesses after fewer years of heavy drinking. While research has provided many factors that increase the risk of alcoholism the highest risk factor for developing a drinking problem is a person’s lifestyle. This is why college students with their young, eager, and immature demographic are ideal for the development of alcoholism. Effects of Alcoholism on the Brain Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant and unlike other drugs alcohol does not activate a specific receptor in the brain. This attributes to the wide range of side effects of intoxication. Some of the side effects from drinking heavily include slurred speech, loss of inhibitions, slowed reaction times, loss of balance and memory loss. Cleary alcohol affects the brain negatively when causing these reactions. A definite sign that someone had consumed far too much alcohol is a â€Å"black out†. This is when a person has no recollection of events while they were intoxicated. A survey of 772 college undergraduates found that 51 percent of the students reported to having a blackout multiple times in their lives’ (nd. edu et al, 2003). What they do not recall is the altered state that their brains were in at the time. An estimated one-third to one-half of all unintentional and intentional injured Americans in accidents, crimes, and suicides were intoxicated (BSCS et al, 2003). Alcohol’s affect on the outer layer of the frontal cortex region of the brain interferes with the conscious thought process (BSCS et al, 2003). This contributes to the loss of inhibitions and sometimes careless behavior when someone is intoxicated. However, research has shown that these short term effects of alcohol abuse can be immensely more severe than just a hangover. People who drink heavily and regularly greatly increase their risk of developing changes in the brain. Up to 80 percent of alcoholics have thiamine deficiency (BSCS et al, 2003). This is a common occurrence in alcoholics and results from poor overall nutrition. This can eventually develop into serious brain disorders such as Wernicke or Korsakoff syndrome. Korsakoff’s psychosis is a chronic and debilitating syndrome, resulting in persistent learning and memory problems (BSCS et al, 2003). There are also cases where people have had difficulty walking and with hand eye coordination. People with Wernicke’s encephalopathy have mental confusion, paralysis of the nerves that move the eyes and difficulty with muscle coordination (BSCS et al, 2003). Drinking during pregnancy can lead to a range of physical, learning, and behavioral effects in the developing brain of the fetus (BSCS et al, 2003). This is known as fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). FAS infant’s brains may have less volume and fewer brain cells as well as being smaller than average. Therefore, drinking during pregnancy ensures the child a high risk of developing serious health problems early on in their lives. Effects of Alcoholism on the Body The dangers of alcohol are commonly associated with the altered states of mind people can find themselves in; while the negative physical reactions to alcohol can be much more severe. Alcohol offers very little nutritional value and is high calories. The body treats alcohol as fat, converting alcohol sugars into fatty acids (BSCS et al, 2003). This results in a lack of energy and endurance. When alcohol is consumed 20% is absorbed by the stomach and 80% by the small intestine. When alcohol enters the blood stream it can affect nearly every tissue in the body. This is because cell membranes are highly permeable to alcohol (BSCS et al, 2003). This absorption can be affected by the amount of food or liquid in a person’s stomach. Other factors such as how quickly the alcohol is consumed or how much a person weighs also affect absorption which leads to intoxication. Women absorb alcohol faster due to their metabolism. The absorption of alcohol is referred to as the BAC, blood alcohol content. (Graph pg. 10) When our society thinks of alcohol related deaths alcohol poisoning is first to come to mind. Not only can a person die from drinking too much alcohol at one sitting but research has shown that consuming alcohol can result in vast amount of different alcohol related disease. One study determined that 3. 6% of all cancer cases worldwide are related to alcohol drinking, resulting in 3. 5% of all cancer death (NASAIC, 2011). Research has also concluded that drinking alcohol heavily can damage brain tissue, heart, liver and reproductive organs. Problem drinking can also cause pancreatitis, nutritional deficiencies, malignancies, and cirrhosis (NASAIC, 2011). The liver is the most vulnerable organ to alcohol abuse because it breaks down the alcohol into harmless by products and years of this can destroy the liver. Therefore, the negative effects on the body substantially outweigh the possible positive social aspects from drinking. Factors causing the problem In our society drinking alcohol has become widely accepted and is associated with a celebratory or ceremonial atmosphere. This is a key component in the current increase in alcoholism. With the current acceptance, stigmas and speculations about alcohol in our country people are unaware of the severity of the drug. The increase in alcoholism is due to the fact that a majority of people in our nation drinks alcohol rather than profane. The public receives their information about alcohol through family, peers, media, and personal experimentation. The information people and especially college students or children living in homes with alcoholism are receiving often glamorizes alcohol. Therefore, the public knows very little about effects of alcohol and the consequential harm they can inflict on themselves and others. Other factors such as the quantity and frequency a person tends to drink plays a role in the chances of developing a drinking disorder. People with addictive personalities, depression and other social disorders are also at a very high risk of becoming alcoholics (NASAIC, 2011). These people with stressful lifestyles, depression or anxiety problems often use alcohol as a release. Drinking â€Å"numbs† their pain and is an escape from their social issues. A striking 20% of all suicide victims in the United States had a form of alcoholism prior to their suicide attempt (NCBI et al, 2011). Adolescents that live in a culture where alcohol use is common are often pressured by their peers to partake. All of these risk factors are directly correlated to scenarios most college students find themselves in. In result, this age group is at the greatest risk of developing a drinking disorder. College students are at an impressionable age and are looking to meet and befriend new people. They are peer pressured into going out with their riends to restaurants, bars and clubs. With easy access to alcohol they are often drinking more frequently than any other time in their lives. Research has shown that immaturity of neurotransmitter system and hormonal changes during puberty lead to more pleasure in drinking alcohol (NASAIC, 2011). This means that developing brains introduced to alcohol may trigger long term biological changes developing into an alc ohol addiction. The overall public neglect and unawareness of the severity of alcoholism only leads to increasing rates of alcoholism in our society. Providing the public with a better understanding of the ease in developing this disorder is an immediate necessity in our nation. Public Health Response In most cases a person suffering due to alcoholism does not accept that they have a problem. This makes it very difficult or sometimes impossible to cure. The support from loved ones and friends is essential to help find the person a form of treatment that suits them. Alcoholism is treated with counseling and support groups like any social disorder. There is very large number of national and local help services for people looking for help dealing with their addictions. Impatient treatment centers are closed communities where patients are able to live focused on controlling their addiction. Alcoholism is common to most drug addictions, whereas after being dependent on the drug sobriety triggers withdrawal symptoms and often results in relapses. In these cases having the close support of an impatient rehab center is the most effective. Tragically most alcoholics do not have the chance of obtaining impatient sobriety because of lack of money. Outpatient programs are less expensive and are an effective method of treating an addiction. SMART, LifeRing, and  Alcoholics Anonymous are all support groups that attempt to resolve the behavioral effects that led the person to become an alcoholic (NCBI et al, 2011). Participants meet in groups or class a number of times a week and share their own personal alcoholism experiences. As a whole group working towards a sober lifestyle the patients have the counselor or the other participant to turn to when they need help dealing with a possible relapse. In most cases a person will never completely resolve their alcohol addiction. Refraining from drinking entirely after achieving sobriety is recommended to limit the chances of relapsing. Alcoholics struggling with staying sober can be prescribed medications. Acamprosate and Naltrexone are some drugs that have been shown to lower relapse rates in those who are alcohol dependent by reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms (NASAIC, 2011). Prevention methods are currently being utilized to give people a better understanding of the risks and affects of alcohol. Programs such as D. A. R. E and other anti drug and alcohol programs are used to build awareness. Colleges have recognized the vulnerability of college students and have increased student awareness substantially over the past years. Online alcohol education programs are now mandatory for college freshmen to complete prior to admission to most universities. Though these classes are sometimes tedious and time consuming there is no doubt that they give adolescents a better awareness of alcoholisms social and physical effects. Other forms of prevention include warnings on alcoholic packaging and labels. These inform drinkers the percentage of alcohol in the drink and pregnancy warnings are always evident (NASAIC, 2011). Health organizations are working together to help find out more on the treatment and prevention of alcoholism to combat the prevalence of the disease in the future. Conclusion Alcoholism is not a disorder that only affects the one suffering from the disease. An addiction to alcohol controls the life of the patient, as well as their families. 56 million of Americans say that alcohol abuse has brought trouble to his or her family (NCBI et al, 2011). Getting a person to recognize the harm they are causing to themselves and others from their drinking is the first step of resolving the problem. The immense amount of organizations and support groups in America today provides people the best possible treatment. Studies continue to discover new illnesses that are in result of alcohol abuse. There is still no definite cause of the disease yet the factors attributing to developing alcoholism are definite. With a better understanding of the disease and a raised public awareness alcoholism is something that can be preventable for future generation. The chances of developing an alcohol addiction are higher than ever; which only leads to a new age of alcohol related diseases if the neglect of the negative effects of alcohol continues.

Learn About Sunspots, the Suns Cool, Dark Regions

Learn About Sunspots, the Sun's Cool, Dark Regions When you look at the Sun  you see a bright object in the sky. Because its not safe to look directly at the Sun without good eye protection, its difficult to study our star.  However, astronomers use special telescopes and spacecraft to learn more about the Sun and its continual activity. We know today that the Sun is a multi-layered object with a nuclear fusion furnace at its core. Its surface,  called the photosphere, appears smooth and perfect to most observers. However, a closer look at the surface reveals an active place unlike anything we experience on Earth. One of the key, defining features of the surface is the occasional presence of sunspots. What are Sunspots? Beneath the Suns photosphere lies a complex mess of plasma currents, magnetic fields and thermal channels. Over time, the rotation of the Sun causes the magnetic fields to become twisted, which interrupts the flow of thermal energy to and from the surface.  The twisted magnetic field can sometimes pierce through the surface, creating an arc of plasma, called a prominence, or a solar flare. Any place on the Sun where the magnetic fields emerge has less heat flowing to the surface. That creates a  relatively cool spot (roughly 4,500 kelvin instead of the hotter 6,000 kelvin) on the photosphere.  This cool spot appears dark compared to the surrounding inferno that is the Suns surface. Such black dots of cooler regions are what we call sunspots. How Often Do Sunspots Occur? The appearance of sunspots is entirely due to the war between the twisting magnetic fields and plasma currents beneath the photosphere. So,  the regularity of sunspots depends on how twisted the magnetic field has become (which is also tied to how quickly or slowly the plasma currents are moving). While the exact specifics are still being investigated, it seems that these subsurface interactions have a historical trend.The Sun appears to go through a solar cycle about every 11 years or so. (Its actually more like 22 years, as each 11-year cycle causes the magnetic poles of the Sun to flip, so it takes two cycles to get things back to the way they  were.) As part of this cycle,  the field becomes more twisted, leading to more sunspots. Eventually these twisted magnetic fields get so tied up and generate so much heat that the field eventually snaps, like a twisted rubber band. That unleashes a huge amount of energy in a solar flare. Sometimes, theres an outburst of plasma from the Sun, which is called a coronal mass ejection. These dont happen all the time on the Sun, although they are frequent. They increase in frequency every 11 years, and the peak activity is called solar maximum. Nanoflares and Sunspots Recently solar physicists (the scientists who study the Sun), found that there are many very tiny flares erupting as part of solar activity. They dubbed these nanoflares, and they happen all the time. Their heat is what is essentially responsible for the very high temperatures in the solar corona (the outer atmosphere of the Sun).   Once the magnetic field is unraveled, the activity drops again, leading to solar minimum. There have also been periods in history where solar activity has dropped for an extended period of time, effectively staying to solar minimum for years or decades at a time. A 70-year span from 1645 to 1715, known as the Maunder minimum, is one such example. It is thought to be correlated with a drop in average temperature experienced across Europe. This has come to be known as the little ice age. Solar observers have noticed another slowdown of activity during the most recent solar cycle, which raises questions about these variations in the Suns long-term behavior.   Sunspots and Space Weather Solar activity such as flares and coronal mass ejections send huge clouds of ionized plasma (superheated gases) out to space. When these magnetized clouds reach the magnetic field of a planet, they slam into that worlds upper atmosphere and cause disturbances. This is called space weather. On Earth, we see the effects of space weather in the auroral borealis and aurora australis (northern and southern lights). This activity has other effects: on our weather, our power grids, communication grids,and other technology we rely on in our daily lives. Space weather and sunspots are all part of living near a star.   Edited by Carolyn Collins Petersen

Capital Structure and Global Diversification

Financial leverage tends to be at higher side when business organization borrows huge long term funds from outside stakeholders as compared to their internal funds. Financial leverage or capital gearing denotes use of debt in the business operations. In this case, Facebook Inc and Linked In have been used for the analysis of implication on EPS of higher debt taken. High leverage shows higher amount of debt is obtained for business operations and it also denotes higher interest expenses (Salama and Putnam, 2015). When EBIT is at higher side then EAT will also be at higher side and vice-versa. In this case, both companies has financial leverage and both are geared companies, Facebook Inc has negative EBIT. Degree of financial leverage measures change in EPS when there is increase or decrease in earnings before interest and tax. Three elements of degree of financial leverage are outstanding shares, interest expenses and earnings before interest and tax   (Singh and Faircloth, 2015). Earnings per share are directly related to earnings before interest and tax of the reporting period as it can be analyzed in present case of Facebook Inc and Linked In.   In this case, Facebook is having EPS of ($ 1.29) because its EBIT is in negative also i.e. ($ 150,942,000). On the other hand, EPS of Linked In is $ 1.31 and its EBIT is $ 6,225,000,000. This shows that EPS of companies is directly related to its EBIT. Salama, F., & Putnam, K. (2015). Accounting conservatism, capital structure, and global diversification. Pacific Accounting Review, 27(1), 119. Singh, M., & Faircloth, S. (2015). The impact of corporate debt on long term investment and firm performance. Applied Economics, 37(8), 875-883.

Promotion Plan for an Indoor Go Kart Track Essay

Promotion Plan for an Indoor Go Kart Track - Essay Example This indoor track with all its latest engineered tracks and karts is one of the finest tracks around. Go karting has been famous among the young people and the main aim would be to attract them. Advertising Printed advertising is the most effective way to reach people. Newspaper is a powerful promotional tool which reaches everyone. Advertising in newspapers is the perfect start to the campaign. It reaches most homes and has the power to attract a lot of youngsters and families. It is hugely popular among the young people since it gives amazing racing environment. A monthly advertising will keep the people interested and make them come back. Advertising will be done when there are any additional features included in the indoor track. Another powerful medium of printed advertising is magazines and journals. A number of popular magazines and journals get printed either weekly or monthly. These magazines are followed by a lot of people and are an important advertising tool. Technical, h ealth, racing and sports magazines are mostly preferred by the younger generation. Targeting these magazines and advertising in them will catch the eye of many. Discount coupons and free first ride offer will be printed along with the advertising in newspapers and magazines. Our new technology karts will be highlighted in the newspapers and magazines and the DP4 kart being the latest of all. ... With the advancements in technologies, it has become easier to reach people whenever and wherever possible. Internet and Email have now become a common medium for communication. Sending mails which highlights the features of the indoor event will attract first time customers. Emails can be sent to retain and enhance customer relationship by notifying via mails when new features are introduced and inviting them. Internet with millions of web pages is the hub for majority of people in the world. Attractive videos and images of the tracks, races conducted and the location will grab the attention of users. Videos displayed on websites related to racing, sports, games and even search engines will help in showcasing its features. Advertising on the web during live broadcasting of racing events, sports and streaming channels will get the interest of a major lot. Outdoor advertising is one another powerful promotional tool. Images of the latest karts or the upcoming races will be pasted on t he billboards to attract people. The logo of Go karts of Bowie along with its tag line â€Å"Fun on wheels† will be displayed on the internet, newspapers, magazines and bus boards to enhance reputation. Marketing collateral Marketing collateral is a term used for printed materials used to present information about your business and its capabilities, products or services (smallbusinessnotes.com). These can include brochures, flyers, charts and business cards. A personal business card is a must which will reveal our identity. It will highlight the attributes of the indoor go kart along with its whereabouts. These are used to share with people during social events, parties or during formal introductions. Brochures contents range from a wide

Critically discuss why a clinical trial protocol is essential in Essay

Critically discuss why a clinical trial protocol is essential in clinical trials - Essay Example Therefore, clinical trial protocols are crucial tools that contribute to efficiency in clinical trials. One argument that supports clinical trial protocols is that it allows for quality of service within the area of clinical practice. Since clinical trial protocols are expertly prepared, they provide guidance on how tests should be conducted. Additionally, protocols provide safety precautions details that help professional from suffering from any damages (Chow & Liu, 2014). For instance, a person testing a dangerous gas is required to have a mask and safety goggles to ensure that they do not come to any harm. Therefore, such protocols eliminate negligence which could as much as life of patients or staff. Lack of standard protocols would lead to subjectivity as various staffs use different approaches to conduct trial (Wang & Bakhai, 2006). On this ground, protocols are quality and safety assurance tools that cannot be neglected within clinical professional practice. Secondly, a standard trial protocol simplifies the work of researchers especially when trial is long and requires a collaborative approach. Since the protocols are well arrange from one stage to the next, it is possible for different groups in a multi-center to pick various sections of the trial and implement them independently (Bradburn et al., 2010). This makes work easier without introducing errors within the trial. Since each group works on particular portions, it is clear that their results can be well combined with those of other centers to come up with a conclusive trial. This is something that would rather be difficult if there was not standard procedure for conducting clinical trials. However, the opponent of clinical trial protocols note that trials are subject to the opinions of the person conduction them, and hence protocols do not assure that there is quality. Reading the results is subject to a person’s view, which may vary

The attitudes of upper-classed people Essay Example for Free

The attitudes of upper-classed people Essay These statements suggest to the audience that Sheila feels responsible for the death of Eva Smith, as she caused Eva to lose a very stable job. The attitudes of upper-classed people at this time, was of power and greed for their own self-confidence, with little respect for lower classed citizens. The lower class were seen as cheap labour, at the service of more important people, which Sheila realised after her interrogation. Gerald Croft, the future son-in-law of the prosperous Mr. Birling, is the next character to reveal his revelation in the death of Eva Smith, but Gerald hides his part in the contact between himself and the young girl, denying he knew this girl, as of the case with Mr. Birling. The Inspector reveals that Eva Smith changed her name to Daisy Renton, which caused Gerald to respond with a startled manner. This response creates dramatic effect within the audience, as the audience convey that Gerald may be responsible also for the death of Eva Smith, creating tension for the characters revelation. Gerald is not open to confess his ordeal with Daisy Renton, denying he had any contact with another women, but Sheila pressurised Gerald to confess due to his startled response. Sheila uses the fact that Gerald did not come into contact with her for several weeks, as he used his business as a cover to see Daisy Renton, instead of his fiance. Gerald confesses to the other characters that he was involved with Daisy Renton, as he met her within the stalls at the Palace bar, in a situation with an unpleasant character named Joe Meggarty. Gerald offered Daisy Renton an escape from this character, with free accommodation in a friends apartment which he was looking after, for a couple of months. This meeting created an involved relationship between these two characters, as Gerald provided her with a strong, reliable source of money and lodgings, with spare time and affection which made Eva feel special, as she believed she had found the perfect man.  I became at once the most important person in her life-you understand? This comment from Gerald creates a sense of misleading on his behalf, as the audience can piece together that Gerald may have been using her loneliness, as a chance to give into temptation, before he was married to Sheila. Geralds involvement in the death of Eva Smith, is a lot more complicated compared to the other characters revelations, as he provided Eva with a new life, but he also used Eva as his mistress, ending the relationship when it suited himself, degrading Evas confidence with the end of the relationship. I didnt feel about her as she felt about me  This comment suggests to the audience that Gerald had no intention of having a long-term relationship with Eva, using her for passion and lust, as a last fling before he got married.  The Inspector reveals that Eva had recorded a statement in her diary, which revealed that she believed Gerald Croft was the right man, with the end of the relationship as the end of her life. The Inspector reveals:  She felt thered never be anything as good again for her  This comment could suggest to the audience, that Gerald was one of the main reasons for the suicide of Eva Smith, as she felt life could never be as happy again without Gerald, causing her to take her own life when life issues continued to go wrong. Eric, the son of the wealthy Mr. Birling, is one of the first characters to be suspected in the involvement of Eva Smiths death, as the audience notice Erics involuntarily response to the Inspectors comment, as a dramatic quality within the drama, as his shocked response displays a link between this investigation.  (Act One)(involuntarily) My God!  This is linked to the anxiety within Eric, as explained in the first part of the essay, as the audience piece together Erics involvement due to his reactions, before his interrogation. Eric first became involved with Eva, at a meeting at the palace bar in the intention of hiring a prostitute. The use of a prostitute at this time was seen as a dreadful sin, an action which would not suit the attitude of the Upper-Class. Eric was under the influence of alcohol when he confronted Eva at the Palace Bar, he used his power and immature attitude to force himself on Eva, creating a short relationship between these two characters. Eric met Eva by appointment, finally becoming Erics mistress, she fell pregnant with Erics baby. This creates a dramatic quality within the play, as Eva is linked to Eric more strongly than any of the other characters, as she was carrying the Birlings grandchild. The audience first examine the fact that Eva was pregnant with Erics child, as she seeks help to a charity committee, which is chaired by Mrs. Birling. Priestly uses the device of dramatic Irony within this confrontation, as the audience know Eva has been in contact with Eric, as she seeks help in a pregnant state. This link between Mrs. Birling and the involvement with Eric, suggests to the audience that Eva is carrying Erics child, a situation which Mrs. Birling would not approve of, in the view of her son. Eric provided Eva with a source of money, as what Gerald Croft had done, but this source was stolen from his fathers business funds, as an attempt to provide Eva with a stable financial background. This factor suggests that Eric cared for Eva, as he tried to support her with the stability and power which he held as a son of a prosperous business man, he did not deceive Eva. Eva ended the relationship, as she found out that Eric had stolen the money, Eric did not let Eva down so the audience feel sympathy for Eric, as he was displaying care for Evas welfare. The blame for Eva Smiths death does not fall on Erics involvement on a large scale, as he tried to support Eva through his wealthy background, to try to resolve his immature input. Mrs. Birling, the wife of Mr. Birling and the mother of Sheila and Eric, finds herself included in the revelation of the death of Eva Smith, as the Inspector reveals to the audience that Eva seeked help to the charity chaired by Mrs. Birling, as Mrs. Birling turned Eva away, due to her prejudiced attitude of the Lower-Class. Mrs. Birling denied her part in the revelation, at the start of the interrogation, with a paranoid response to the Inspectors photograph of Eva Smith.  No. Why should I?  This response from Mrs. Birling suggests to the audience that she is included in the revelation, as her paranoid feelings reveal an un-easy conscience. Mrs. Birling rejected Eva Smiths claim for charity purposes, as Eva addressed herself as Mrs. Birling, which caused Mrs. Birling to reject her claim. This rejection of the claim was caused by Mrs. Birling jumping to conclusions, as she did not analyse the full facts of why Eva Smith needed a charity claim. Mrs. Birling believed her family were the most important part of the society, as she was self-centred around a perfect family, Eva Smith was using the Birling name without respect, causing Mrs. Birling to take action. I think it was simply a piece of gross impertinence-quite deliberate  Mrs. Birling used her views on what should happen to the man involved with Eva Smith, as a contradiction to her views of her own family, as Eric is the man which was involved with the pregnancy of Eva Smith. This is used as a dramatic quality within the play, as Mrs. Birling uses her views to place a verdict on the man, which is known to the audience as Eric. Priestly has used this as dramatic irony, as Sheila tries to persuade her mother not to continue with her statement, Certainly. And he ought to be dealt with very severely-  (Sheila with sudden alarm)- Mother-Stop-Stop!  This statement suggests that Mrs. Birling feels strongly for the punishment of the young man, but she does not realise it is her own son who was involved, with her grandchilds life at risk. The audience convey that Mrs. Birling believes punishment is fit for the young man involved, but she would not punish her own son in this way, creating a one-sided view from Mrs. Birling. In conclusion, I believe Mrs. Birling has the majority of the responsibility for the death of Eva Smith, as she refused a charity claim, which could have prevented Eva from taking her own life, and the death of the Birlings grandchild. Mrs. Birling was the last person to come into contact with Eva Smith, which could have been the main reason for her suicide action, but all the revelations of the characters could have caused emotional pain for Eva, with the responsibility held on all five characters. The characters revelations were caused for different reasons, as the male characters used their power as influential men of society, to use greed and power as a main factor. The female characters used their status as upper-classed women, to use their power over lower-classed people, in an act of revenge and jealousy. The comfort that the audience have when leaving the theatre, is that both Sheila and Eric have learnt from the revelations which caused the death of Eva Smith, unlike Mr. Birling and Mrs. Birling, who feel that their responsibility is not to blame for the suicide of Eva. The audience take on board that the characters are all to blame for the death of Eva Smith, with their own opinion on who is most to blame for the death of this young women.

Three Lonely Outcasts :: Free Essay Writer

Three Lonely Outcasts In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck almost all of the characters are ranch hands and they are solitary wanderers. They live very lonely, solitary lives, drifting from one ranch to another. They don?t make many friends and they don?t make much money. There are three characters on the ranch who are the lonliest of the lonely because they are also outcasts or misfits who don?t fit in with what is considered ?normal? by the other ranch hands. Lennie is an outcast because he is retarded, Crooks is an outcast because he is black, and Curley?s wife is an outcast because she is a woman. These three outcasts look for companionship throughout the novel. First, Lennie is a lonely outcast because he is retarded. One of the reasons he doesn?t fit in with the other ranch hands is because he doesn?t always understand what people are talking about. He doesn?t even always understand George. Lennie admits this when Crooks says to him, ?Sometimes he talks and and you don?t know what the hell he?s talkin? about.? (Steinbeck,77). But Lennie always needs companionship. He is never alone, even if he has a dead mouse or a puppy with him. George would sometimes punish Lenny by not letting him tend to the rabbits on the ranch. And Lennie?s biggest fear is of being abandoned by George: He won?t do it,? Lennie cried. ?George wouldn?t do nothing like that. I been with George a long time. He?ll come back tonight But the doubt was too much for him.? (Steinbeck,78). The second lonely outcast is Curley?s wife. The other ranch hands stay away from her because she is a woman and because she is the wife of the boss? son. Also, even though her husband is very jealous, she is so lonely that she tries to get attention from the ranch hands, which makes Curley even angrier and more jealous. She is like the outcast of the outcasts. One night, when everyone else is away from the ranch, Lennie and Candy are in Crooks? room. Even though it is just the three ?. . . weak ones here? (Steinbeck,84), when Curley?s wife is lonely and wants to join them, they won?t let her: ?Maybe you better go along to your own house now.

Peace Like A River REACTION Paper

Trust God Peace Like a River, By Leaf Anger is about how miracles can work throughout your life. The book displays examples of hardship that God guides the Land family through. They turn to God and have faith during the worst times, and they remember that He has already taken care of all of their problems before they even happen. One example of God intervening is when Jeremiah, the school Janitor, hears chaos in the locker room.He then goes into to see his son's girlfriend, Dolly, getting bullied by Israel Finch and Tommy Abacas. Jeremiah stops the boys from hurting Dolly and beats the two boys for touching her. But the problem escalates when Swede Land, Jeremiahs young daughter starts to get physically abused by the two young boys. Finch and Abacas begin to blow the issue out of proportion, and soon enough, Dad gives warnings to the boys that he will take the matter into his own hands.One night Dad lures the two boys onto the Land family's property when he begins to shoot at Israel Finch and Tommy Abacas. After all of the things Israel Finch and Tommy Abacas had done, Dad goes to court he learns that world Is Judged unfairly and the only hooch He has is to break out of Jail, facing his entire life paying the price for the mistake, he made by protecting his family by not getting the law Involved by the beginning of the entire Incident.In my opinion Dad should not be punished for his mistake for the rest of his life. The town did not take the Incident seriously; they should have given the boys warnings. If anything the law should have been Judged fairly. But I also realize that, the mistakes you make during your youth can affect your entire life big or small. It makes a huge Impact on your life. So be careful on the hoicks you make no matter how old you get. Live life by getting to know God better and have faith In him to move mountains.Peace Like A River Paper By Gamekeepers had done, Dad goes to court he learns that world is Judged unfairly and the only mistak e, he made by protecting his family by not getting the law involved by the beginning of the entire incident. His mistake for the rest of his life. The town did not take the incident seriously; they entire life big or small. It makes a huge impact on your life. So be careful on the and have faith in him to move mountains.

Trueblood Case

SUBJECT: Deciding the Appropriate Extent of Audit Performed for Billy’s Beats for Asset Valuation Billy’s Beats Inc. , an SEC registrant, is a new audit client with a fiscal year-end of December 31, 2010. Billy’s is a manufacturer of musical instruments. Billy’s acquired Little Drummer Boy Inc. in 2010 for $575 million in cash. Significant assets acquired included property, plant, and equipment totaling $865 million and other assets totaling $145 million. The useful lives assigned to the property, plant, and equipment acquired were 30 years for the plant and 15 years for the equipment.The useful lives for the plant and equipment already owned by Billy’s are 20 years and 10 years. Other included assets of acquired customer lists, were assigned a useful life of 15 years. To test the useful lives of the operating assets, the engagement team asked management why the number of years assigned to the plant and equipment acquired differed from the years ass igned to the assets which Billy’s had already owned. Management stated that the useful lives for the acquired assets were the amounts used by Little Drummer before the acquisition.The engagement team discussed the useful lives of the acquired property, plant, and equipment with the plant manager of Little Drummer. The plant manager stated that 30 years and 15 years for the plant and the equipment, respectively, were the useful lives used before the acquisition. This discussion was documented in the audit working papers. The valuation specialist allocated the plant fair value of $865 million to each asset class based on the percentage of the seller’s total original cost applicable to each asset class. These percentages were provided by management of Little Drummer and relied on by the valuation specialist.The engagement team compared the percentage of total costs to a client prepared spreadsheet listing each asset class, asset ID, and percentage of total cost. No errors were noted and, accordingly, no further testing of the client-prepared spreadsheet was performed by the engagement team. In addition to its drum manufacturing business, Billy’s also wholly owns RockOut Inc. , which is the largest manufacturer of guitars in the United States. RockOut grew through the acquisition of other guitar companies and completed five acquisitions durng 2012, eight acquisitions during 2009, and four acquisitions during 2008.As a result of the acquisitions, RockOut reported approximately $90 million, which was 15 percent of total assets and 60 percent of total intangible assets, of customer lists as of December 31, 2010. RockOut amortizes its customer lists on a straight-line basis over 25 years, which management believes reflects the pattern in which the economic benefits of the customer lists are used up. During 2010, management revised its estimate of the customer list economic life, and began assigning an amortization period of 15 years to newly acqui red national customer lists.Amortization expense for the year ended December 31, 2010, was $3 million. To test the economic lives of the customer lists, the engagement team asked management what the reasoning was for the change in the assumed economic life this year. Management provided a memorandum that discussed the rationale for using the 25-year economic life to amortize the various customer lists, as well as the rationale for the current-year change in management’s estimate of the newly acquired national customer lists lives.According to IAS 16, The cost of an item of property, plant and equipment comprises, its purchase price, including import duties and non-refundable purchase taxes, after deducting trade discounts and rebates, any costs directly attributable to bringing the asset to the location and condition necessary for it to be capable of operating in the manner intended by management, and the initial estimate of the costs of dismantling and removing the item and restoring the site on which it is located, the obligation for which an entity incurs either when the item is acquired or as a consequence of having used the item during a particular period for purposes other than to produce inventories during that period. Because this in not how the company decided on the value and useful lives of the assets in question they should have follows IAS 36 to determine if there was an impairment. The audit procedures for determining if there was a valuation problem could also be addressed using FASB Statement No. 142.

Fighting division with division Professor Ramos Blog

Fighting division with division The forefathers of The United States of America have been hailed for the creation of the framework of our government. In 1887, The Constitution of the United States was created. More specifically, Americans of all political followings and backgrounds would likely recognize the first ten amendments of our Constitution, being the Bill of Rights, to be the foundation of the freedoms and rights that are guaranteed to us as Americans. The first amendment of our Constitution states the freedom of speech and religion without fear of persecution. In modern America, one of the ways we’ve used the first amendment was to speak out against or in support of the second amendment, which states, â€Å"†¦the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed† (US Constitution). Many still argue that it remains relevant, being created with the implication of a revolution in the event of a tyrannical uprising, while the opposing would view this to be an outdated amendme nt that has aged badly with the far more advanced firearms that have been made since the 1700s. Firearms have been a centerpiece of American culture, albeit a controversial one as of the last few decades. There are many reasons people would claim ownership of firearms: hunting, home defense, sport, hobby, and for many, to essentially have collateral over potential tyranny. As of recent, the fear of compromise for our second amendment has been growing just as much as the growing fear of firearms. One side calls for stricter legislation of firearms, be it acquisition, sale, and production. Many citizens speak their concern, stating that only certain firearms should be outlawed, and fewer state that firearms should be removed from the civilian population in general, leaving only military personnel and law enforcement to be the only part of the population that would be armed. While many pro-gun groups exist, one that stands out, having a strong influence on the people and government is the National Rifle Association. The NRA has received a lot of mixed feelings as a whole, especial ly towards the turn of the 20th century and into. When any sort of violent acts occur that involve firearms, they tend to hold a defensive stance with the general ownership of them.    In 2016, the NRA’s YouTube channel posted a short, one-minute video, expressing a descriptive and anger-driven message to the public, stating that individuals who inhabit the media regurgitate their message that only insults the credibility of the current presidency, as well as the followers. The speaker continues, stating that the violence and backlash we see so commonly on mainstream media, as well as the implication of open and righteous inequality our current presidency, is all a facade, drawn up by those who only wish to further a divide, in order to create chaos. With such chaos, would usher in action to make a hasty change that would result in the call for government intervention; to remove our freedom to bear arms. In the wake of Donald Trump’s presidency, he and his followers were hailed as bullies and a hateful group of followers, which drew a heavy divide between voters, many times resulting in violence between the opposing-minded. She states that even the pr evious president, who was Barack Obama, has continued to show a distaste and has spread resentment of the phobias the current administration had been accused of harboring. Within the video, showed footage of protest, violence, and symbols of the people who strive for the disarming of the people with the continual division of Americans. For Conservative Americans, it is implied that the right to bear arms is our collateral, in the case of a tyrannical uprising, giving Americans the chance to fight to ensure the integrity of the Constitution for the people. This sentiment has been criticized by Liberal voters, who Conservatives believe are being persuaded to respond with resistance. â€Å"†¦until the only option left, is for the police to do their jobs, and stop the madness†¦ they’ll use it as an excuse for their outrage† (NRATV, 00:32 – 00:42). This quote I’ve taken from this video has undoubtedly given me the seemingly inarguable belief that this is a video that is meant to play on fear, using conspiracies or unlikely circumstances to get the people riled up, and to stand up against those who speak about firearms legislations that would be seemingly built on false pretenses. It also openly shuns those who have expressed issues and figures that left-leaning Americans tend to follow, such as the radicalization of the left being endorsed by Obama and Hollywood and the seemingly taunting message to Liberal followers, that the police would simply be doing their jobs by quelling such a divide, blatantly and almost tauntingly humanizing the position of law enforcement, despite law enforcement being the potential agency to an impl ied confiscation of firearms, even though they have been the center of attention for increased awareness of police brutality and unjust killing in the eyes of many Democrat voters. This seems to have also given the impression that even those who are left-leaning firearms owners, are not welcome to accepting them as representatives for American gun owners, taking favor to only one side who holds only the same beliefs as them, and that they also seem to be for a division, despite speaking against those groups who they believe are causing this same division.    While the NRA to a large portion of American gun owners have been a symbol of representation, the political climate since the previous election has brought about such toxicity on both ends, that the NRA has began to willingly disregard any other owners of firearms who do not share the same beliefs, with this video appealing to conservative gun owners by stating that the implied Liberal media is in control, and that gun owners need to buckle down, as though a revolution would soon occur. Though the video seems to place blame on the left, and especially Barack Obama, the previous presidency has actually yielded little restriction towards lawful gun owners. In a town hall meeting on a PBS Newshour special, Obama was asked a question regarding the restriction of firearms, and why him and other leftist leaders have push for furthered gun control. While it is common for many to believe that Democrats consistently push for gun control legislation, he states in this PBS special that his intent was never to force Americans to relinquish their rights, or to take away from citizens, further stating that more firearms have actually been sold during his leadership than any other presidency. Throughout the eight-year span of Obama’s two-term presidency, much of the criticism he received was from the NRA and many of its followers. Many of the videos within the NRA’s YouTube channel sends similar messages, stating that we as Americans should stand in solidarity, to stop voting in those who speak for any sort of legislation regarding firearms. Myself being an owner, trained, and with understanding of firearms, I personally find a lot of the rhetoric and over-exaggeration to be counterproductive in their stance as being representatives for gun owners across the country. As someone who owns firearms, I stand by the statement also that the very thing we as Americans should worry about, are not the weapons themselves, but the people wielding them. Although the NRA seems to convey safety to being a priority in ownership, I believe that we as gun owners have a responsibility to being behind legislation that would limit the sale of firearms to those who are ailed by certain mental health problems, those who do not have any sort of knowledge on firearms or weapons safety, and those who are unfit to handle the responsibility of ownership in general. I believe that there is a middle ground between gun owners and those who are against it, but the NRA seems to use a high position to speak against opposed-believing leaders in such a seemingly conspiracy-driven manner, which takes away from their credibility, making it less productive than it would be if they were to instead use their position to educate us on issues regarding safety and potential reasons for ownership that would instead utilize reasoning instead of inciting fear and the very division they speak against. : The Violence of Lies. NRATV, YouTube. 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=169zQ1g-Ul0. Hofstadter, R. America As a Gun Culture. American Heritage. Volume 21, Issue 6. 1970. https://www.americanheritage.com/america-gun-culture Marcus, S. House Passes First Major Gun Control Law in Decades. Reuters. The New York Times. 2019. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/27/us/politics/gun-control-bill.html Why restrict ‘good’ gun owners, resident asks President Obama at town hall. YouTube. PBS NewsHour. 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6imFvSua3Kg Murse, T. List of Obama Gun Control Measures. ThoughtCo. 2019. https://www.thoughtco.com/obama-gun-laws-passed-by-congress-3367595

Construction Legal Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Construction Legal Studies - Essay Example The government has developed the Joints Contract Tribunal (JCT) forms and representatives RIBA, which covers a wide range of topics in the construction of a building. There are forms that assist all parties involved in determining the price cost, lump sum, agreements between employer and builder, the construction of streets, additional provisions, etc. These forms are very detailed and if followed, will make the project easier, more manageable, and more acceptable to all. This will result in fewer risks of liabilities. If the employer abides by the Standard Form of Contract and follows his/her duties as listed, he/she will find that all will be more efficient. The architect, Clerk of Works, and others are specialists in their specific field and know better how to perform these duties. Therefore, the employer does not have to take on these responsibilities, will not what to do and what not to do, and will also know what his/her rights are in the case that the contractor becomes bankrupt. Finally, the employer will be less liable should a situation arise. The Joints Contract Tribunal (JCT) forms lay out the architect’s instructions and he must abide by the guidelines, which are set forth in Clause 4.1 of the form. To keep each other accountable, determinations by the employer and contractor are listed in complete details on Forms 27 and 28. The building contract should lay out all the roles, responsibilities, and rights of each and every employer and employee. ... If the employer abides by the Standard Form of Contract and follows his/her duties as listed, he/she will find that all will be more efficient. The architect, Clerk of Works, and others are specialists in their specific field and know better how to perform these duties. Therefore, the employer does not have to take on these responsibilities, will not what to do and what not to do, and will also know what his/her rights are in the case that the contractor becomes bankrupt. Finally, the employer will be less liable should a situation arise. The Joints Contract Tribunal (JCT) forms lay out the architect's instructions and he must abide by the guidelines, which are set forth in Clause 4.1 of the form. To keep each other accountable, determinations by the employer and contractor are listed in complete details on Forms 27 and 28. The building contract should lay out all the roles, responsibilities, and rights of each and every employer and employee. The Architect's instructions should follow the guidelines as listed in the JCT. The same applies for Architects 1 and 2 as should also apply for Employers 1, 2, and 3. All has been presented and laid out in JCT and if Construction Legal Studies 3 followed precisely whilst adding specific details pertaining to the specific project and staff. Another avenue to take in order to insure that the on-site construction is managed effectively to avoid problems is be familiar with the occasions that require the issuance of a certificate. Legal Studies (2002) lists the matters that require certificates to be issued: a. Practical Completion of the Works. (17.1) b. On making good defects. (17.4) c. Damage by frost due to injury which took place before the practical

The Possible Product and Service of Zappos com Case Study

The Possible Product and Service of Zappos com - Case Study Example It is essential to determine that such a strategy in any way contributed to the success in shoes or whether it would be able to replicate the success in other product lines. It is also fundamental to determine how the company could scale the business with revenues of tens of billions. Moreover, the major effort of the company was to â€Å"wow† its customers by providing with maximum customer satisfaction. The market faced a hard situation as the economic scenario varied dramatically in late 2008, together with financial market collapsing and recession. Unlike the other many websites selling at the lower price during the period, the service-intensive company’s business was based on sales at the little discount or no discount. Evaluating the competencies o the organization would enable us to understand the chain issues and other critical elements to company’s success. Zappos always strives to foster a culture that understands the impact of working capital on the profitability of the firm. The process of decision making and the daily activities of the firm must be carried out on the basis of working capital management analysis. The company manages the decision making through a cross-functional communication system. The decision making is used to drive and maximize the working capital performance of the firm. Zappos.com also has already developed a training program to impart working capital management principles into practice. The management team utilizes the decision-making process to integrate capital management into the fabric of organizational culture. In the same way, the process of decision making in the routine activities reveals the glowing significance of cash management. It helps the management in all forms of risk management within the firm. The organization takes record of the important decision and measures taken by the management team.  

Barbara Ehrenreichs Pathologies of Hope Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Barbara Ehrenreichs Pathologies of Hope - Essay Example The purpose of  Ehrenreich's essay is to convince her readers that hope is being marketed as a glorified cure-all for every trouble in contemporary society. She aims to destroy the myth that hope is the key to happiness. Ehrenreich argues that hope has negative effects and advocates a more realistic attitude towards life. Ehrenreich’s criticism of hope as a universal remedy for life is valid, but her stand may not be applicable to every individual. Ehrenreich categorically declares, â€Å"I hate hope.† She regrets that the marketing of hope has become a major â€Å"self-improvement industry† in America, with self-help books, life-improvement coaches and motivational speakers establishing an increasing â€Å"Cult of Positivity.† Positive psychology takes on academic credentials with the emergence of courses in reputed college campuses. Ehrenreich concedes that the maintenance of an overtly positive attitude is all for the good of social interaction. However, she objects to the irrationality of clinging on to optimistic thinking, irrespective of the actual gravity of the situation. She equates such unwarranted hope as being out of touch with reality. She criticizes the pressure to hold on to a positive attitude â€Å"whether or not it is justified by the actual circumstances† (Ehrenreich). Ehrenreich points out that even the academically credentialed positive psychologists admit that â€Å"a healthy dose of negative thinking† is necessary for some situations, such as piloting an airplane. They also concede that their rules do not apply to people living under extreme conditions of stress, such as poverty of war. Ehrenreich extends these examples to other instances, such as car driving and child rearing. She disputes the validity of studies which claim to prove â€Å"the health-enhancing effects of positivity† and its contribution to happiness or success at the workplace.

The Effect of Media Type on the Message of Pakistan and the United Essay

The Effect of Media Type on the Message of Pakistan and the United States - Essay Example The story has seen widespread coverage across both newspaper and television media. This report will examine one television presentation and two newspaper presentations of the story and analyze how these differ in the way that they portray the information, the impressions they give, their focus, and the effect of the medium itself on the content. The television report was aired on CBS news, titled Terrorist cell phones link Pakistan to attacks. The two newspaper treatments were by the New York Times and USA today titled Pakistan’s spy agency is tied to attack on U.S. Embassy, and Admiral accuses Pakistani agency of backing terrorists respectively. Neil Postman was an American critic as well as being an author and media theorist. He produced a number of books, with several concerning the idea of mass communication being used to share ideas, how this has declined and the role that television plays. Finally, the results will be compared to the claims of Neil Postman, who proposed that different media had the potential to shape the news that we see. He argues that the method in which news is communicated can substantially impact what is communicated, and that television news is not an effective method of providing information, as it does not provide a complete or informative picture of what is happening. The results from my comparison agree with this, with the television news producing a more sensationalized picture that left out some key information, while the newspaper reports went in to more detail about the causes and effects of the event. The Television Perspective The CBS broadcast of the story was titled Terrorist cell phones link Pakistan to attacks, however the cell phones were mentioned only at the start of the three minute report. The attack on the US embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan was carried out by a group known as Haqqani, who have ties to the Taliban. While all those involved in the attack were killed, information from their cell phones, includi ng calls made and times, was able to be recovered. This led to the determination by US intelligence that both before and during the attack the cell phones were used to call Pakistani intelligence. This discovery has lead to Mike Mullen claiming that the Haqqani network acts is a ‘veritable arm’ for Pakistani intelligence As a consequence of this link, the US claims that all activities of the Haqqani network, which includes a string of high profile attacks, has been connected to the Pakistani intelligence, with them both protecting and funding the group. They claim that the Haqqani network, which has several thousand fighters, operates from within Pakistan, and is involved in raids that cross into Afghanistan. Furthermore, Pakistan uses the network to sell violence in an effort to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a stable and strong country. The CBS story also has a large focus on a truck bombing attack that occurred a few days prior. The truck was involved in the injur y of more than 70 American soldiers, and was known about prior to entering Afghanistan through an intercepted Haqqani transmission. The commander of US troops in Afghanistan General Allen called the commander of the Pakistani Army, General Kayani, asking him to head off the attack. Kayani promised to make a call, but the truck made

Akira Kurosawa An Auteur Film Studies Essay

Akira Kurosawa An Auteur Film Studies Essay Since the term auteur was applied to film directors by the cahiers du cinema magazine in the 1950s,there has been much debate by film-makers and critics as to what makes an auteur and how accurate the term is when applied to some directors. Federico Fellini, in a 1966 interview, said that Akira Kurosawa was the greatest living example of what an author of cinema should be'(Cardullo,2006,p.49) and in this essay I would like to explore the accuracy of this statement based on Kurosawas period films and how meaningful the term auteur is. In his article, Notes On The Auteur Theory In 1962, Andrew Sarris (interpreting the Cahiers various articles on what became known as auteurism)describes the auteur as a director who is technically proficient, whose personal style is clear in the way a film looks and moves and who creates an interior meaning from the tension between a directors personality and his material. This last statement, Sarris admits, is ambiguous. Susan Hayward in her book Cinema Studies: The Key Concepts (1996) sheds more light on what the cahiers meant by auteur by defining the interior meaning as the mise en scene and the personality of the director. She also describes the total author'(p.33), a director who writes their screenplays. Because of the sheer amount of debate surrounding what an auteur is I will base my argument on both Sarris and to a lesser extent Haywards explanation of the term auteur. A large part of being an auteur, based on what Sarris defines as an auteur, is the ability of a director t o imprint their mark onto a film in spite of the limitations brought on by studio control. This would have had great meaning in Hollywood at the time the article was written but not necessarily in the film industries of the wider world, particularly Japan. For Kurosawa in there far fewer limitations in how he made films in comparison to his Hollywood counterparts. Kurosawa was the principle writer on the majority of his films and those which were based on other stories would be adapted by him for the screen. He would often quote his mentor, Kajiro Yamamoto, in interviews saying if you want to become a film director, first write scripts (Kurosawa, 2008, p.10). In this respect Kurosawa was quite literally the author/auteur and originator of his films and so would appear to fit into the total author mould. Where the gray area exists as far as being an auteur is in Kurosawas use of collaborators in the screenwriting process such as Shinobu Hashimoto who was involved in the writing of Seven Samurai (1954), Throne Of Blood(1957) and The Hidden Fortress (1958) to name but a few. This would arguably prevent him from being considered a total author. Another area where Kurosawa has total control is editing. In the introduction to the book Akira Kurosawa: Interviews , Bert Cardullo calls Kurosawa an auteur because he edited or closely supervised the editing of all his films (p.10). I am inclined to agree with Cardullo that this would add to the degree of authorship on a film as Kurosawa will have the final decision on exactly what the cinemagoer will see. This could be seen as technical proficiency however Sarris article bases technical proficiency on directing skills, editing skills are not even considered. Overall it seems that the level of control Kurosawa had over non-directorial aspects of his films would remove the impact of his autuerism because so much of what makes an auteur is the ability to push through industrial control to have your own voice heard. With Kurosawa it was his own voice from the beginning in the writers room and it would end as his voice in the editing room with no real struggle involved. Because Kurosawa wrote the script it was all uniquely personal to him which is one of the key elements of auteurism. In Notes On The Auteur Theory In 1962 Andrew Sarris had said that a director spends most of his life on one film. For Kurosawa that one film could be the period film, something he worked on time and time again. The backdrop of medieval Japan was the preferred setting for Kurosawa and something which was very personal to him: Kurosawas intense feelings for pre-modern Japan, his perceptions of himself and his family in these terms, disclose a view of the past as a living sensuous reality (Prince,1999,p.203) His father was of samurai descent and Kurosawa himself romanticised the past in many ways, finding solace in it where there was none in the present. The early samurai films show his youthful exuberance with films such as Seven Samurai and Yojimbo(1961)showing a positive vision of the past heroism has been transformed into acts of everyday charity (Prince,1999,p.241). In stark contrast to the positive nature of these films the later samurai films are significantly more bleak in nature. These films followed years of depression, attempted suicide and struggles to find finance. For example Ran(1985) Kurosawas last samurai epic, the title of which translates as turmoil or chaos, is a downward spiral of misery from start to finish with almost all characters having distinctly negative traits. Prince describes the period of both ran and the earlier Kagemusha(1980) as defining a period of melancholy and bitterness and a questioning of youthful idealism (p.293). Further examples of Kurosawas o wn beliefs and personality lie in the themes of the films. When asked what he felt were the common themes in his films Kurosawa replied the only theme I can think of is really a question: why cant people be happier together'(Kurosawa, 2008, p.162). In many ways the real recurring theme of Kurosawas films is humanism, he regularly explores human nature whether its an individual taking up arms against the corrupt (Yojimbo), people working together for the greater good (Seven Samurai) or the hopelessness of war (Ran). All suggest that the world would be a better place if we all got along. These films show the personality, thoughts and feelings of the director during their production which I would argue is a prime example of what an auteur is, someone whos films reflect them. Kurosawa was a highly visual film-maker. In his youth he had wanted to be an artist and its clear from the composition of many of his shots that he retained the sensibilities of an artist. From the interviews conducted over the years in Kurosawa: The Interviews it is clear that Kurosawa maintains as much control over every shot as possible from composition to choice of camera. Stephen Prince describes the technical knowledge of Kurosawa and his reliance upon telephoto lens and techniques of multi-camera filming'(p.18) as well as his use of anamorphic frame in later films such as Kagemusha. Kurosawa knew how to get the best images out of every scene even if it meant using unconventional techniques and new technology. He lives up to the level of technical expertise Sarris had believed was vital for a true auteur. This did not however mean that Kurosawa was his own camera operator, indeed he couldnt be because from Seven Samurai onwards he stuck to using multi-cameras no matter what kin d of scene was being filmed. He believed this meant that actors would be less conscious of acting to a camera and instead would have to put on a good performance that could be seen at all angles. Kurosawa did his utmost to ensure that his vision was achieved and would regularly take control of his own camera however he described the process of getting others to achieve shots: I explain the desired image in detail not only to the cameraman but also every member of staff and have them do their utmost to produce the best possible likeness to it (Kurosawa,2008,p. 27) So even with his knowledge of camera lenses there was still a collaborative issue as far as using a cinematographer and indeed Kurosawa had several regular cinematographers such as Asakazu Nakai who worked on films such as Seven Samurai and Ran. Kurosawas technical proficiency is also very clear in his framing decisions. For example in Seven Samurai Kikuchiyo is clearly the outsider of the group which Kurosawa emphasizes by how the framing consistently isolates him from the rest of the samurai who are clustered together as a group'(prince,1999,p.214). The way battle scenes are shot in Kagemusha with huge amounts of troops at either end of the screen is a sight to behold, all the more so in the way Kurosawa manages to retain a sense of beauty in the battle. Francis Ford Coppola on the making of Kagemusha described the way Kurosawa presented fight scenes and violence as almost poeticstunning and dramatic and embodying the moment that was supposed to be expressed. The stylistic nature of the battle scenes became a trademark for the director from Seven Samurai onwards. His ability to use camera and edit techniques to portray violence in a thrilling, heroic way were part of the style and something that could be recognised as part of a distinctly Kurosawa film. Not only that but the introduction of colour only to improve his vision of battle with Kurasawa frequently choosing drab backgrounds'(Ebert,online) to show of the colourful costumes which effectively stand out from the background and clash together in battle. Another noticeable K urosawa technique is the use of cutting between similar shots to emphasize drama,Kurosawa loved to intercut two or three shots whose compositions were exactly aligned with the axis of view established in the initial camera position (Prince,1999,p.299). Examples of this exist in various Kurosawa films. In Seven Samurai it is used on the flame engulfed house following the initial bandit attack and the broken lock in Yojimbo which is used by Sanjuro to avoid the kidnappers. This technique focuses the viewer on the dramatic or emotional element and creates a tension. With so many more stylistic calling cards than could possibly be named in a single essay, Kurosawa has a clear style and so fits into the auteur theory. The auteur theory however clearly has many failings even when applied to someone who appears to cover all the bases (writing, directing, editing) of what makes a film-maker an auteur. Many of these failings have already been discussed but in essence they all come down to one thing, film is a collaborative work. Would Kurosawa be able to achieve the shots he did without the work of some of the worlds best cinematographers? Its highly unlikely. Did he write all of his screenplays alone? Certainly not. Would many of his films have been as enjoyable without some great acting from the cast, particularly frequent collaborator Toshiro Mifune? No. In an interview Kurosawa discusses the collaborative nature of his work with Mifune, particularly the distinct walk Mifune has in Yojimbo,Mifunes walk is his own invention. In order to stress it, I carefully selected camera framings and lenses. This seemingly insignificant example is a snapshot of all that is wrong with the auteur theory. The secon d a director claims a film is all theirs they are disrespecting the great people they have worked with. As for Kurosawa being an auteur,even ignoring the flaws in that theory, Mutsuhiro Yoshimoto in his book Kurosawa: Film Studies and Japanese Cinema says: Kurosawas films are too worldly and historical to be approached as mere aesthetic objects where his personal vision is inscribed or as a structure or textual system that reveals his unconscious desire (p.239)

The Natural :: Essays Papers

The Natural Iris vs. Memo, the everlasting battle of Good and Evil, Good Angel vs. Bad Angel. In The Natural the Angels take the form of women that interact with Roy. Iris the â€Å"Good Angel† has nothing but a positive influence on Roy and cares about him deeply. The exact opposite of Iris is the â€Å"Bad Angel† Memo who cares just about what she can get her hands on except poverty. To her nothing or nobody matters. The reason Memo’s able to sneak in with Roy so easy is that she uses her body, her looks. She makes Roy a â€Å"toy† to her. She wants money so badly, that’s why she’s always with people like Gus or the Judge, because they are the rich people who like to spend a lot of money. Memo has always been mean to Roy: She hadn’t treated him right. For a while things had looked so good†¦ but no sooner has he gone into a slump when she began again to avoid him. Had she been nice to him instead, he’d have got out of trouble sooner (165). Iris is really â€Å"laid back† when it comes to Roy. Iris isn’t as attractive as Memo, but she looks past the dollars and sees what she likes. Each â€Å"Angel† has a different effect on Roy both being on and off the field. Roy goes out with Memo ignoring Pop’s warning â€Å"†¦She is unlucky and always has been and I think that there is some kind of whammy in her that carries her luck to other people† (136). Roy goes into a bad slump. Everything he does fails until one game in Detroit. The lady in the stands hesitantly rose†¦ She was an attractive woman, around 30, maybe more, and built solid but not too big†¦ A reporter approached her and asked her name but she wouldn’t give it to him, nor would she, blushing, say why she was standing now (159). The woman standing is Iris and she is standing because she believes in Roy, and wants him to regain his confidence by showing her support.

Anthropology interview

My uncle is the oldest son in his family. His name is Long Do and he is forty years old. He is a businessman and he owns the liquor store. Mr.. Long is a successful person in the family that everyone in the family admires him. He was born in Vietnam so he is Vietnamese. Mr.. Long came to America when he was twenty-one years old. His major was Business Administration and he went to De Anza College. He came to Northern California with his family and his siblings. HIS family and he was the first one that came to the United State.The reason they came here because they didn't want to live in Vietnam because the life over there was hard and deficient of all necessities. My uncle's father who is my grand father had to work for extremely hard and got poorly paid. His parents, my grandparents, decided to come here so that my uncle and his siblings could have a better life, better education to archive their goals easier. According to what my uncle said, † It was a difficult and tough tim e when I first come here. I didn't know any English and It was very hard for me to communicate with other people.Also he shared that he had to help his parents take care all the paperwork and take after his younger siblings since his siblings were very young back then. So he was the only one who was mature and knowledgeable enough to take care of the whole family. I can see that language is his first challenge that he has to overcome. Mr.. Long said that when they first come here they TLD have a lot of money so that everyone In the family had to work to make money. Mr.. Long had to work two Jobs and he had to go school at the same time. He started out with SSL class iris, then English class later on.He shared that it was a hard time when he first attended to college because at that time he didn't know any English and going to school was something that made him really scared of. He always nervous in his classes because he didn't understand what his teacher were saying and he totally lost In the class. At night, when he got home he always turned on the radio to listen to FM or AM, he tried to listen how American people talked and he learned from there. His parents and his siblings also had to go to the SSL classes as well because hey didn't know how to speak English at that time.He shared his tip to learn English that you should make friend with native speakers because you can learn very fast. His advice is also similar to what I did when I first came to America. I tried to make friend with native speaker so that I could learn English faster and it was really help me to Improve my English skill. HIS family and he also had to learn how to adapt to is freedom. Everyone has his or her own freedom in religion or politics. As time passed by, he gradually learned English very fast and he could speak and monomaniac with his teachers and friends in his classes more fluently.He says that the more difficulties that you go through in your life the more you become a stronge r and a better person and you will be successful in your life. They still keep in touch with people from Vietnam by phone and they go to Vietnam whenever they have a chance because they are now very busy with work. He said that he like talking to people from different ethic groups because he can learn new things from them. Even he used to suffer a hard time, he says that his life wouldn't be like this if his Emily and he stay in Vietnam.So being here is a better off for his family. They can earn money and help his relatives in Vietnam. The global process economic and politics have planed out in his family life. It was a wonderful time interviewing my uncle. I can see that he is a very successful man due mostly to his hardworking characteristics. I want to be like him and I have learned that there is nothing easy in life so I have to try hard in order to be successful like my uncle. The more you try the better off you will get later in your life.

The Influence of Gangs in Teenagers

Gangs are a violent reality that people have to deal with in today†s cities. What has made these groups come about? Why do kids feel that being in a gang is both an acceptable and honorable way of life? The long-range answer to these questions can only be speculated, but in the short term the answer is easier to find. We must find ways and means to effectively implement the various strategies to end gang violence. I believe that three important institutions play a vital role in our struggle to fight gang violence. Some believe that gangs are caused by peer pressure. Many teens in gangs will pressure peers into becoming part of a gang by making it all sound glamorous. Other teens will use money as a crucial factor. A kid is shown that they could make a couple of hundred for small part time gang jobs. This includes selling drugs and robbing other people. In other areas like Bronx or the very worst case, Compton, children will be beaten and robbed if they do not join gangs. This is one reason why teens in these areas have to have friends in order for them to survive. Poor parenting also play†s a role why teens turns to gangs. Imagine in poor families with many children or middle-class families where parents are always working, the children will often feel deprived of love and attention. Parents often feel that putting food on the table is enough love. Children of these families may often go to the gang firstly out of boredom and to belong somewhere. As time goes on, a form of love develops between the gang members and the child. It is then that the bond between the kid and the gang is complete because the gang has effectively taken the place of the family. Most parents do not have enough time to talk and listen to their kids. They do not spend any social activities with their children. Even teaching their kids the right values is jeopardizes. Most of the time, parents do not know what their children are doing for two reasons. First, most of the parents† lives is outside the local community, while the children†s lives are lived almost totally within. Second, in a develop community, the passage of relations gives every parent, in a sense, a community of guards who can keep him informed of his child†s activities. In modern living-places, like cities or suburbs, where such a network is abused, he no longer has such sentries. Last but not least is the poor educational system. A lot of students are deprived of basic educations, which includes good skills in reading, writing, and arithmetic. If the educational system somehow ensure that each student actually does have access to equal opportunity for a quality education, then perhaps we will find these kids have a better future that holds something more than quitting school, hanging out in the â€Å"hood†, and making money at selling drugs. This is why gangs are more predominant in public school than private school. I am interested in this issue because I want to find out the best way I could prevent my kids from joining gangs. I do not have any experience growing up in this type of environment. I grew up in a place where gang affiliation is unheard of. This is why this is a major concern for me. These are the major factors why most of the teenagers turn to gangs. I believe that proper parenting plays the major role in preventing kids in joining gangs. Everything starts at home; from teaching your kids the right values and helping them develop self-esteem. Parents should teach their kids to value education because this is their key to better future. Parents should serve as a role model to their children. They should do everything possible to involve their children in supervised, positive group activities. Parent need†s to praise their children when they are doing well and encourage them to do their very best, to stretch their skills to the utmost.