Wednesday, October 30, 2019

History of Drug Testing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

History of Drug Testing - Essay Example To start with, the war against use of illicit drugs began in the ancient times of civilization and passed on from one generation to another. According to the Drug Policy Alliance, the first anti-opium laws formulated in the 1870s showing that even in the early days, governments were concerned on the welfare of citizens (1). The regulatory authorities took the responsibility of ensuring that the prevalence and use of illicit drugs was minimized among the citizens. However, it is during the reign of President Nixon that war against illicit drugs in the U.S. heightened. President Nixon increased the war against drugs by increasing and expanding the federal drug control agencies (The Drug Policy Alliance [DPA] 1). Subsequent American presidents also advocated for the war against drugs. For example, President George W. Bush allocated more money than ever to the war against drugs and further introduced drug testing to students (DPA 1). Because of government efforts in the fight against illicit drugs, drug testing became popular and various testing techniques introduced to facilitate the work of anti-drug agencies. One of the significant drug test technique introduced is the Marquis test. Marquis test is a simple and cost effective technique used to test for the presence of psychoactive drugs and further determine the chemical content (Erowid 1). The technique is effective because it distinguishes between â€Å"amphetamine and its ring substituted analogues† (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 18). The Marquis test is used by the law enforcement agencies to detect the presence of drugs on suspected criminals easily because it offers immediate results through color changes. Considering the mechanism of operation, Marquis Test utilizes the Marquis Reagent which is a chemical mixture made up of sulfuric acid and formaldehyde (Erowid 1). The Marquis Reagent, used to make ecstasy-testing kits, produces the results through

Monday, October 28, 2019

AirAsia Business Case Study: Strategy and Environment

AirAsia Business Case Study: Strategy and Environment AirAsia is one of the leading airlines corporation of Malaysia that performed exceedingly well in terms of its past investments and the profits that it made out of it after its relaunch. It was acquitted by a private entrepreneur Tony Fernandes when it was highly under debt. The sudden changes in the profit graph came to the surface soon when it announced its first profit right in seven months of its re-launch. The innovations in strategy and investments brought immense amount of profit to the company in the following years. It invested amounts on new and effective services and cut shorted various not essentially required expenditure to reduce the overall cost. With the implementation of its successful LCC model, the whole business model of AirAsia was changed and it became first Airline Corporation to have no-cost, no-frill concept to lower the prices by 40-60% than its rivals. The results were quite beneficial as it announced its first profit as US$6 million in December, 2002. The corporation kept on expanding its business with the opening of three other hubs within Malaysia to have more share of market size on domestic air flights in Malaysia. It also invested in to have regional flights to its neighboring countries like Thailand and Indonesia with its collaboration with Thailand Shin Corporation and Awair. This made AirAsia to have cheaper airlines to the neighboring countries. AirAsia soon emerged as the largest domestic airlines in Malaysia with the expectancies of over 18 million passengers in the year 2007. With its partnerships with various LCCs, the corporation performed well enough for its long-haul regional services. Its joint ventures with the LCCs like Australias virgin blue, the corporation got a big share in the expanding market of Australia. Its market kept on expanding over the years with the commencement of its flights to even the far cities like London and also for close countries like India and China with the net income reaching over US$ 44 millions in the year 2008. B] STRATEGIC POSTURE The mission of the corporation is to provide high-quality but low cost flying services to all type of passengers. The corporation being a part of airline industry, it missions to become the leader of the market by implementing its smart strategies and sharp business skills. As quoted by its owner Fernandes, he overtook the corporation during its declining stage as he advocated the correctness of time to enter the market because of charter aircraft price and abundance of skilled aircraft staff. The company has been consistent in following its goals and objectives throughout in its performance in the past decade. The corporate objectives were innovative and highly efficient with its symbolic acquisition of its own by Tony Fernandes, joint venture with Thailand Shin Corporation, Awair, Singapores Tiger Airways, etc to provide a broad destination options for its customers at the right times when it was needed. The business model was reconstructed with no-frills, low cost carriers (LCC) w hich brought immense amount of profits to them. The business objectives were to get not only the quality customers but the quantity customers with its seats available in different schemes and at different prices for all type of class of customers. They were constantly consistent with each other to provide exactly what the customers wants and what actually can be managed. The functionality objectives were always to cut down the economic fair of air travel by either performing to get reduced charge from the passengers or providing effective routes for them reducing their net expenditure on travel. It also added various value-added services like online booking, SMS booking, and bookings through call centers, etc. AirAsia soon became the integrated service provider from being a classic LCC product in its functionality to provide maximum attraction to its customers. The objectives were also consistent with the environment of the corporation. Even during the hikes in the prices of oil in mid-2008, the corporation didnt let the fairs go that high which was quite helpful for the corporation in beating off its competitors. The AirAsia opted for various cost-effective, customer-oriented and highly innovative strategies to shape its business model to reach its ultimate missions and objectives. With its innovative low-fare, no-frills concept it highly reduced the cost of air ticket such as by having just a single standard cabin, paid meals instead of pre-paid free meals, etc. The corporation found efficient ways of reducing the expenditure on travel by the customers while expanding its domestic and international business. Like for example, the short-haul flights took less than four hours for travel which provided it opportunity of having the return of the flights on the same day conserving many of the expenses of the corporation. The company also launched its long-hauled air services at the time when many of the LCCs were reluctant for that. All the strategies or mix of strategies were consistently aiming at gradually achieving the goals and the objectives of the corporation and dynamic with the changing internal and external environment. The corporation adopted bold and dynamic policies to achieve its objectives. The corporation first concentrated only on the domestic market and modified its business model to LCC. Then, gradually and steadily corporation expanded itself to first neighboring countries and then internationally across the continents. The missions, objectives, policies and the strategies clearly reflect the companys goals to achieve success not only at domestic level but also the international level (KO, 2009). EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT: A] NATURAL PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT: SUSTAINABLE ISSUES Opportunities: The physical environment around the corporations site of business is climatically categorized as equatorial, being hot and humid throughout the year. The climate is favorably well enough to support the flight take-off, landing and flying. The physical location of Malaysia also favors the growth of the organization as it is well connected to the seas and oceans and so for its long-haul regional services, the corporation does not require to manage the permissions to cross the airbase of other countries. In this way the surrounding physical environment of Malaysia provides fair opportunities for AirAsia. Threats: Coming to the threats involved with the natural environment, the well connection of the country to other continents through seas and oceans provides enough opportunities for the journey through ships and Cruzes too which somewhere indirectly can effects the market of AirAsia. The Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia is also a prone area for tsunamis and earthquakes that could affect any industry. The hot and humid climate also affects the working capabilities of the crew. These types of physical environments are also present in few other parts of the world and the same opportunities and threats exist there too. B] SOCIETAL ENVIRONMENT: Economy: The economy of Malaysia is a newly industrialized and state-oriented economy that plays a significant role in the success of AirAsia. The speedily growing economy of the country allows more and more customers to be able afford the airlines travel cost that makes a lot in the growth of a privately owned airlines especially it was relaunched soon after the nation came out of the financial crisis of Asia in 1997. Technological: The technological advancements in the fields of Information technology and Communication have led the value-added services of the corporation to work effectively. Political-legal: The political condition of Malaysia had also been in favor of the corporation as its acquisition was highly welcomed by the Malaysian government and there had been no conflict between the corporation and the governance of the nation till now. Socio-cultural: The hospitality of the people with their own diversity in food, cloth, etc and scenic beauty has always made Malaysia as a tourist spot for the tourists all over the world that has again proved a benefiting factor for the corporation. C] TASK ENVIRONMENT The forces like natural environment, external investments, location of hubs, rivalry with competitors, financial crisis, government policies, etc are the major forces that drive the industrial competitions. These forces vary from country to country as the economy; political, cultural conditions are not the same for every country. The following forces are listed with their ratings: Threats for new entrants- Medium Bargaining power of buyers- Low Threats of substitute products or services- High Bargaining power of supplier- Low Rivalry among the competing firms- High Relative power of unions, governments and special interest groups, etc.- High The key factors in the immediate environment affect a lot to the corporation. The government policies decide the taxes, establishment of hubs, permissions of number flights, etc. The loyalty of the labor unions ensures the smooth functioning of any corporation. The suppliers, providers, creditors always affect the quality of the services provided to the customers. INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT A] CORPORATE STRUCTURE Following is the way as the corporate structure of Air Asia at present (Organizational Structure, 2009): The structure is as we can see in a horizontal manner which means hierarchy is horizontal in the company. This is obviously something good for the company as interaction with lower level employees becomes easier for the above level of the employee or vice versa. Structure is comparable with most of airline firms as they also have the same horizontal hierarchy. B] CORPORATE CULTURE Corporate culture of the company is mainly base upon maximizing the value of shareholders. It also mainly believes in giving safety to the customers. It believes in giving maximum satisfaction to the customers with leaders in the cost structure It believes in transparency and development of human capital. Company is very much compatible with the employees and their diversities as it is providing employee satisfaction to all of its employees The company is similar in the cultural values like similar organizations as most of the organizations in the aviation sector have the similar cultural values (Strategy, 2006). C] CORPORATE RESOURCES- 1. MARKETING: The current marketing objectives of the corporation are to get maximum number of customers of all types by making such schemes in which everyone can be accommodated. Its tagline Now Everyone can fly says the basic fundamental concept behind its marketing objectives. The corporation effectively found the ways of getting the most effective routes to suit both its cost and customers satisfaction. The corporation has kept on adding and modifying its features and value added services to provide maximum offerings to increase its sales. The company has also strongly stuck itself to LCC principles. The corporation has also recently announced the commencements of its flights to even far-off places like London. The corporation has not only offered cheap tickets but also the services like travel insurance, etc. The free tickets on the basis of its point to the customer are another such offering. All these have also been dynamic and corresponding with its performance and availability of budgets. The company has very well performed on the basis of its current market position and the position from which it had started during its relaunch. The company has enough promotion and publicity in media through its publicity strategies. The fares of ticket have always been kept as low as possible despite of all sorts of problems coming up like price hikes of oil, etc. The company is even the sponsor of the famous Manchester United Football Club and ATT Williams Formula one team to have its world-wide promotion. The market size of the company is expanding with the launch of its several multinational collaboration and establishment of the joint ventures in Indonesia, Thailand, Australia, etc. Besides, its primary product of airline tickets its several other products include internet check-in services, Xpress boarding services, mileage programs, Citibank-Air Asia Credit Card, etc. The company is able to earn for the same product easily from the developed region in comparison to that in dev eloping region. This shows a trend that the basically the marketing strategy of a company should cover every section of the society in order to have maximum profit. This trend had been a fair impact on the success rate of a company and surely will be in the future too. The marketing of its products gives the company massive advantage over its competitors. The marketing strategies of the corporation have beaten all its major competitors both in terms of profits and customers satisfaction. The marketing managers have accepted these tools and techniques to evaluate the performance of a product. Marketing is highly dependent upon the political and socio-economic conditions prevailing in a country and hence same marketing strategy cannot be applied for adjustments in all the countries. The marketing takes an overall account in every dimension and hence the environmental sustainability has to be a guiding factor in marketing policies. 2. FINANCE: Corporations current financial objectives, strategies, policies and programs have been with high hopes of return. The corporation had to invest much on the purchase of flights, managing the crew of a debt-ridden firm and maximize its scale in a very less time. The finance has been clearly mentioned but under the limitations of its past performance. They have been exactly consistent with the objectives, policies and strategies of the corporation. The corporations finance in the activities of setting up of hubs within and outside Malaysia with the collaboration of other corporations helped them to gain several direct or indirect benefits. Its financial services like holiday products and all, charge for meal as customer desires, online and SMS bookings, medical care, etc did enough cash flow but in return it got enormous level of attachment with the customer who would always like to stick to AirAsia for its services. The smart finance policies of finance showed a trend of financing the long-term goals and objectives without compromising with the immediate ones can be an effective way to earn maximum economic profits. The past effects are already shown by the AirAsia and in future it is expected no less. This analysis strongly supports corporations past and pending strategic decisions. The financial success in terms of returns provides company with a competitive advantage. The financial performance of the corporation can be very well compared to others with the fact that out of many corporations based on LCC, it became number one in 2008. The profits were always high and when the MAS tried to have a price war it had to suffer huge losses. The finance is quite adjustable to the condition operating in various countries. The coping up of finance with global finance issue was also very well proved by the corporation during the period of global recession. Also, the finance managers play a very important role in strategic management as they are the ones who evaluate the effectiveness and acceptability of the strategies made and implemented. 3. OPERATIONS AND LOGISTICS The current service objectives, strategies, policies and programs of the corporation are not much different from those meant for the organization as a whole. They are meant for sale but with ensuring of its reputation and sustainability in the market. The services provided by the AirAsia are accurately meant for achieving its mission and objectives. They are clearly stated and structured with the requirement in the market. Also, they have always been revolutionary and innovative in their respective approaches. The cost effective and high quality services have the capabilities of not only bringing the ultimate customer satisfaction but also the favorably high returns of profits. Although the company has now started to focus internationally but still it has not been deviated from its initial aim of becoming the market leader of the domestic market. The purchasing is being handled on the very basis of its requirement. The other points to be highlighted are vulnerable to unexpected natural disasters, local or international strikes, hikes in prices of the materials and the other issues. 4. HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT The corporation has also effectively managed its human resource to benefit all. Even during its relaunch it didnt cut short the employees. It even saw the opportunities in hiring the skilled professionals, workers and other employees. Their objectives and strategies were again consistent with the corporations missions and objectives achieving the satisfaction for all even its own employees. There was not even a single considerable instance on clashes between employees and the top managing employers. The policies straight away indicate that they are simple, well stated, less dependent on the performance of the corporation and satisfactory for all of its employees. There have been less grievances, strikes and lay-offs which have been a great cause of success that has been achieved by the corporation till now. The commitment and loyalty of the employees as outcomes of proper HRM can be proved by the instance when Fernandes appreciated the staffs positive work ethic to overcome the finan cial issue of mid-2008. 5. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY The role of Information Technology was another important factor involved with the successful AirAsia. The current objectives and strategies of the corporation regarding IT is to advertise its features and services, add the services and products to the catalog and solve various issues regarding the customer care with direct interaction with them. They are clearly defined with no dependence on budget or performance. They have been implemented for the better accomplishment of corporations goals and objectives. Many of the value added services are handled by IT by providing the travelers with the interface for online booking, internet check-in service, cancellations, etc. The Real 5 star rating was another example of this kind. The IT played a very important role in assisting the managers in taking the decisions and decides the immediate strategy. The database of the customer could be easily maintained, the complaints of the customer is speedily managed with the help of Information Technology. This analysis emerges a trend that in this era of boom in IT sector, the appropriate use of IT is a must for any kind of business. This had a positive impact on the business model of AirAsia and surely with the expansion of IT sector the positive impact obviously would be there. STRATEGIC FACTORS Four Important Internal Factors: The marketing innovations and its implementation. The smart finance policies with the fixed priorities which should also be at the correct time. The proper use of available manpower, avoiding confrontation among them for maximizing the proper functioning capability of the corporation. The efficient use of the resources like Information Technology, etc. Four Important external Factors: The government policies and the relationships with the government. The natural environment and the calamities that can unexpectedly occur. The economic, social and cultural factors of a country. Rivalry with other corporations. The current mission and objectives can be justified in the light of available resources, problems and the environment and they are achieved and will be achieved at an appreciating rate in the future looking at the present prospectus. STRATEGIC ALTERNATIVES: The corporation can further go ahead with more effective use of IT. The dual seat system can be implemented in domestic level too. The corporation has enough expanded and it can now open its chain to other South-east Asian countries, where such strategies would be highly invited. BUSINESS LEVEL STRATEGY ADOPTED BY AIRASIA The business model of AirAsia is well established and fairly ideal for other industries as well. With the perfectly set goals, mission and listed strategy ensures the well functioning of the corporation. Foundation of the corporation is based upon low cost, efficiency, stimulation of new markets and strong cash flow. Strategies highlight the concepts of simplicity, quality services at low cost, etc. And the vision is to continue to be lowest cost in the market. The corporation started its business with just three aircraft in 2002 which grew to the number 72 in 2008. The corporation has enough popularity in print and electronic media. With its low cost and high quality services and the customers satisfaction with the products of the corporation, the corporation has emerged out as a market leader in the industry. According to the porters five forces model, absolute cost advantage, government policies, fulfillment of capital requirements, its proprietary products, value added services, and the importance given to the supplier clearly indicates that the strategies opted by the corporation are suitable for it. The buyers inclination to the substitute, switching costs, and corporate stakes are the obvious risks for the corporation. (Porters Five Forces: A MODEL FOR INDUSTRY ANALYSIS)

Friday, October 25, 2019

Shadowing :: essays research papers

shadowing experience at Doherty, Duggan and Rousse Insurers was on Wednesday March 20, 2005. At the beginning of the experience there was eight o’clock devotion about the different kinds of â€Å"wants†, we as human beings in a society of wants not needs. I met an array of assistants, accountants and different sales representatives. I met Charlotte Easterling the â€Å"central hub†, the administrative assistant of the entire firm. Regina King, the accounting manager she works on the payroll, which she outsources, pays bills and payables. Laura Coutu, the accounting and system administrator she books for computers the firm uses and she is the day to day computer tech and support. I met Melinda Duggan a sales associate with commercial selling. She oversees the account of Southern Ad trucking company, At nine fifteen there was a sales meeting, sales associates meet to discuss sales calls and sales revenue. Associates talk about different venues to sell to, states commission and also talk about different companies and corporation they sell to or try to sell to. Each sales associate spends about three to four minutes each discussing sales about previous week, commissions ranging from $40.00 to $8000.00. At twelve fifteen the firm have their quarterly meeting called WE Incorporated, the meeting starts out with birthdays and work anniversaries. The accounting manager states TARGETS for each individual department. The different departments state commissions and other new accounts. The different departments vary as such: Commercial Lines, Personal Lines, Claims, Accountant, Administrative, Procedures, Rewards and Recognition and Events. They have a Profile section which sales executives talk about biggest sales of a particular departments and the firms accolades, this week was Fred Taylor Trucking Company, Southern AD carriers who have been with the firm since they had 5 trucks and 17 trailers, they now have 327 trucks and 239 trailers, lastly the firm mentioned Water, Gas and Light Commission which is their largest account.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Great Gatsby Novel vs Film Essay

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is an iconic novel of American literature. It is seen as a definitive novel that highlights aspects of life and thinking in 1920’s America. Due to its cultural significance and popularity, numerous attempts have been made to translate The Great Gatsby from novel to film. The most notable presence of the film portrayed on screen, was the 1974 film, The Great Gatsby. The film starred big name celebrities such as Robert Redford as Gatsby, Mia Farrow as Daisy, and Sam Waterston as Nick. The movie also featured a script written by Francis Ford Coppola. While overall being considered a good film which stayed true to the novel, many thought it lacked heart and emotion. While Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby is the fifth time, the novel has been filmed, it is only the second time a film adaptation of the novel will see a widespread general release. The Great Gatsby (2013) comes from Australian director Baz Luhrmann, and stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Gatsby and Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway. The film like the book, is told through the narration of Nick Carraway. Carraway lives next to the mysterious Gatsby who has numerous large and extravagant parties. Gatsby is rarely seen by the public, and it is unknown to people how Gatsby became wealthy. The film follows Nick’s interactions with Gatsby and most notably the relationships between Gatsby, and the girl he loves Daisy Buchanan, as well as Daisy’s husband Tom. Much of the tension in the film stems from the class differences between New Money, and Old Money. People who belong to the class of Old Money are generally old aristocratic families, specifically highlighted by Tom and Daisy Buchanan. People who belong to the class of New Money are people who have recently acquired there fortune through various entrepreneurial ventures and jobs such as stock brokers. The main characters in the film who are part of New Money are Gatsby and Nick. The film is set against the backdrop of the wealthy society during the roaring twenties in and around New York and Long Island. Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby tries to express the same themes as are found in the book. One of the main themes is the differences in the various classes in the United States. Gatsby has a very different outlook on life compared to that of Tom Buchanan. Gatsby is considered new money meaning his fortune is recent and self-made, while Tom is from old money, where legacy and familiarity with the wealthy lifestyle are more apparent. Tom tends to believe in class and education and finds Gatsby essentially a crude bootlegger. Gatsby while not having the sophistication or education of Tom believes he can win over Daisy’s heart with extravagant parties and money. The film also demonstrates the apparent dismissal of the new money as equals. Tom is seen as a bully and someone with less morals than that of Gatsby, highlighted through Tom’s affair with another woman. The film also highlights the recklessness of the 1920’s. The 1920’s are shown as a period where money was plentiful and people were not afraid to spend it. People were frequently spending money they did not have on things they did not need. Gatsby is shown to be a very flashy person with a pink suit and expensive cars. Historically speaking it is now known compared to when the book was written the consequences of the recklessness. (i. e. the great depression) It is clear that the main relationship that Luhrmann wanted to emphasize was the relationship between Gatsby and Nick. Throughout the course of the film there are various differences from the novel that highlight the emotional relationship that Gatsby and Nick share with one another. For example the film has Nick telling the story to a doctor at a centre for rehabilitation, while the novel does not specify who Nick is narrating the story too. Nick is apparently here for Alcoholism which demonstrates that his experiences with Gatsby and ultimately Gatsby’s death took a more traumatic toll on Nick’s life. Also in the film Nick’s relationship with other women, specifically Jordan in the novel, is virtually non-existent. In the film there is no evidence to show that Nick maintains or has a romantic relationship with anyone. This once again highlights the strength of his relationship with Gatsby. Perhaps the most interesting difference is the lack of anyone who shows up for Gatsby’s funeral in the film. Nick is the only one who attends the funeral and he is seen as heartbroken. In the novel however, people do attend Gatsby’s funeral specifically Gatsby’s father. The special relationship that Luhrmann creates for Gatsby and Nick may be suggesting that Nick is in fact in love with Gatsby. Being directed by Baz Luhrmann, anyone familiar with his previous work will know what to expect from The Great Gatsby. People who enjoyed the general story of the book will enjoy this particular film version, but as for getting a point across or inciting emotion the film tends to be very shallow. While Luhrmann likes to create a visual spectacle, one can only be distracted by pretty colours and lights for so long. The actors in the film, while all good, are clearly not the directors primary focus. Luhrmann is able to bring the spectacular parties and beautiful landscapes to life, he is not able to really create distinct relationships between the characters and actors of the film. The two most standout performances are that of Tobey Maguire and Leonardo DiCaprio, the relationship between Gatsby and Carraway is by far the most interesting part of the film. Carraway’s obsession and defence of Gatsby may lead one to believe that he wants to be more than just friends with Gatsby.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

First World War Essay

I have focussed my monologue on the character of Sheila Birling. Her role in the play was significant as it is coming from the point of view of a young, upper class woman. Her naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve views represent her role as an authoritative figure in society who has the ability to help Eva Smith, but her selfishness and her egotistic manner contradicts the main theme running through out the play of An Inspector Calls that one person’s actions impact another’s and we all have a duty in helping people lower in the system. JB Priestley wrote the play in 1942 about a retrospective time just before the First World War. Sheila’s main role in the play was that she was able and had the power to get Eva sacked because of her position in society, whereas Eva, who was of a lower class than Sheila, was not able to stand up for herself because she did not have enough power. Sheila abuses her superior position in society for petty reasons of that Eva is prettier than her.  I chose to write about her, as she is a very expendable character who has no firm reason or purpose in firing Eva Smith. When the inspector questions Sheila about the photo Sheila says ‘You Knew it was me all the time, didn’t you?’ By saying this Sheila opens herself up (explain) and seems to accept responsibility for her actions and is showing this to the inspector, rather than trying to cover the truth up with lies, or try to pass on the blame to others as some characters in the play do. Her character I think is important in the play, as I believe that Priestly was trying to demonstrate later on in the play that the youth could change. The setting of my monologue of Sheila alone and isolated symbolises her distance from what she was once in the play. The year now being 1916, four years down the line, she has turned her back on the aristocratic life and is trying to dissolve into an unprivileged life.  Her clothes are the colour of green and brown that shake off her previous character of wealth and affluence as to her new attempted classless status. Sheila has disconnected herself from the Birlings and perhaps is trying to punish herself by living the life that the Eva Smith once led. Sheila’s job now includes working at homeless shelters and working for charities. Her language has become less energetic and fluent than it once was. I have however tried to include some of the phrases from the play ‘it was a mean thing to do’ I tried to make use of punctuation and grammar to create her feelings and emotions. In the monologue I have use ellipsis to show pauses, when she might be thinking or reflecting on painful memories. Exclamation marks are used to get her point across that she is getting agitated and snappy To the audience, I was trying to convey the ideas of Sheila being a changed woman. That she has come to realise that status and power isn’t everything. She can look past this now and look forward to a happy future with her new baby and Gerald, her husband.  I think the Play writer’s view on Sheila and all the characters from the play was that the younger generation can learn from their mistakes, and he directs strong criticism towards businessmen who are only interesting in making money and will never lean from their mistakes. Sheila’s the second person to be questioned by the Inspector and her response to Eva’s death is the most caring and heartfelt. She is genuinely upset by the death of Eva. The play is set in 1912. The periods between 1910 and 1945 were a great period of social change. In 1912 was the year that the titanic set sail, the year that the Suffragette movement started campaigning for women’s rights in society. The war being a main factor, affecting society greatly and it began the process of merging class boundaries. The upper class young men were sent to the front line as officers and where many of the great landed families of Edwardian Great Britain began to disappear. My overall intention with this monologue was to understand the significant character of the young, impressionable Sheila Birling and how she is central to the key themes in the play and how the Inspector plays the social conscience on all the characters minds.  By the close of the play, Sheila has come to realise that herself and her family have lied to each other, and also to the Inspector. She begins to see her whole life was a lie, the relationship she had with Gerald and lying to herself. She begins to see that she needs to start her life again with truth, starting with correcting her mistakes.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Supersaurus - Facts and Figures

Supersaurus - Facts and Figures Name: Supersaurus (Greek for super lizard); pronounced SOUP-er-SORE-us Habitat: Woodlands of North America Historical Period: Late Jurassic (155-145 million years ago) Size and Weight: Over 100 feet long and up to 40 tons Diet: Plants Distinguishing Characteristics: Extremely long neck and tail; small head; quadrupedal posture About Supersaurus In most ways, Supersaurus was a typical sauropod of the late Jurassic period, with its exceedingly long neck and tail, bulky body, and comparatively small head (and brain). What set this dinosaur apart from enormous cousins like Diplodocus and Argentinosaurus was its unusual length: Supersaurus may have measured a whopping 110 feet from head to tail, or over one-third the length of a football field, which would make it one of the longest terrestrial animals in the history of life on earth! (Its important to keep in mind that his extreme length didnt translate into extreme bulk: Supersaurus probably only weighed about 40 tons, max, compared to up to 100 tons for still-obscure plant-eating dinosaurs like Bruhathkayosaurus and Futalognkosaurus). Despite its size and its comic-book-friendly name, Supersaurus still lingers on the fringes of true respectability in the paleontology community. The closest relative of this dinosaur was once thought to be Barosaurus, but a more recent fossil discovery (in Wyoming in 1996) makes Apatosaurus (the dinosaur once known as Brontosaurus) the more likely candidate; the exact phylogenetic relationships are still being worked out, and may never be fully understood in the absence of additional fossil evidence. And the standing of Supersaurus has been further undermined by the controversy surrounding the oddly spelled Ultrasauros (previously Ultrasaurus), which was described around the same time, by the same paleontologist, and has since been classified as a synonym of the already-dubious Supersaurus.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Pro Forma Sessions in Congress

Pro Forma Sessions in Congress In the daily agendas of the House of Representatives and Senate, you will often see that House or Senate leaders have scheduled a â€Å"pro forma† session for the day. What is a pro forma session, what is its purpose, and why do they sometimes stir up political firestorms? Key Takeaways: Pro Forma Sessions Pro forma sessions are meetings of the U.S. Congress held â€Å"in form only.† Either house of Congress can hold pro forma sessions.During pro forma sessions, no votes are taken and no other legislative business is conducted.Pro forma sessions are held for the purpose of meeting the â€Å"three-day rule† in Article I, Section 5 of the U.S. Constitution. The three day rule prohibits either chamber of Congress from not meeting for more than three consecutive calendar days during a congressional session without the approval of the other chamber. The term pro forma is a Latin term meaning â€Å"as a matter of form† or â€Å"for the sake of form.† While either chamber of Congress can hold them, pro forma sessions are most often held in the Senate. Typically, no legislative business, such as the introduction or debate on bills or resolutions, is conducted during a pro forma session. As a result, pro forma sessions rarely last more than a few minutes from gavel-to-gavel. There are no constitutional restrictions on how long pro forma sessions must last or what business may be conducted in them. While any Senator or Representative present can open and preside over a pro forma session, the attendance of other members is not required. Indeed, most pro forma sessions are conducted before nearly empty chambers of Congress.   A Senator or Representative from one of the nearby states of Virginia, Maryland or Delaware is usually chosen to preside over pro forma sessions since members from other states have usually left Washington, D.C. for vacations or meeting with constituents in their home districts or states. The Official Purpose of Pro Forma Sessions The officially stated purpose for pro forma sessions is to comply with Article I, Section 5 of the Constitution, which prohibits either chamber of Congress from adjourning for more than three consecutive calendar days without the consent of the other chamber. Scheduled long-term breaks provided for in the annual legislative calendars for  sessions of Congress, such as the summer breaks and district work periods are typically provided for by the passage in both chambers of a joint resolution declaring the adjournment. However, the numerous unofficial reason for holding pro forma sessions of Congress often results in controversy and politically hurt feelings. The More Controversial Purpose of Pro Forma Sessions While doing so never fails to raise controversy, the minority party in the Senate often holds pro forma sessions specifically to prevent the President of the United States from making â€Å"recess appointments† of persons to fill vacancies in federal offices that require the approval of the Senate. The president is allowed under Article II, Section 2  of the Constitution to make recess appointments during recesses or adjournments of Congress. Persons appointed by recess appointments assume their position without the approval of the Senate but must be confirmed by the Senate before the end of the next session of Congress, or when the position again becomes vacant. As long as the Senate meets in pro forma sessions, Congress never officially adjourns, thus blocking the president from making recess appointments. However, in 2012, President Barak Obama made four recess appointments during Congress’ winter break, despite a run of daily pro forma sessions called by Senate Republicans. Obama argued at the time that pro forma sessions do not block the president’s â€Å"constitutional authority† to make appointments. Despite being challenged by Republicans, Obama’s recess appointees were eventually confirmed by the Democrat-controlled Senate.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Understand Chemistry Unit Conversions

Understand Chemistry Unit Conversions Unit conversions are important in all sciences, although they may seem more critical in chemistry because many calculations use different units. Every measurement you take should reporting with the proper units. While it may take practice to master unit conversions, you only need to know how to multiply, divide, add, and subtract to do them. The math is easy as long as you know which units can be converted from one to another and how to set up conversion factors in an equation. Know the Base Units There are several common base quantities, such as mass, temperature, and volume. You can convert between different units of a base quantity, but may not be able to convert from one type of quantity to another. For example, you can convert grams to moles or kilograms, but you cant convert grams to Kelvin. Grams, moles, and kilograms are all units that describe the amount of matter, while Kelvin describes temperature. There are seven fundamental base units in the SI or metric system, plus there are other units that are considered base units in other systems. A base unit is a single unit. Here are some common ones: Mass kilogram (kg), gram (g), pound (lb) Distance or Length meter (m), centimeter (cm), inch (in), kilometer (km), mile (mi) Time second (s), minute (min), hour (hr), day, year Temperature Kelvin (K), Celsius (C), Fahrenheit (F) Quantity mole (mol) Electric Current ampere (amp) Luminous Intensity candela Understand Derived Units Derived units (sometimes called special units) combine the base units. An example of a derived unit is a unit for area, square meters (m2) or the unit of force, the newton (kg ·m/s2). Also included are volume units. For example, there are liters (l), milliliters (ml), cubic centimeter (cm3). Unit Prefixes In order to convert between units, youll want to know common unit prefixes. These are used primarily in the metric system as a sort of shorthand notation to make numbers easier to express. Here are some useful prefixes to know: Name Symbol Factor giga- G 109 mega- M 106 kilo- k 103 hecto- h 102 deca- da 101 base unit 100 deci- d 10-1 centi- c 10-2 milli- m 10-3 micro- 10-6 nano- n 10-9 pico- p 10-12 femto- f 10-15 As example of how to use the prefixes: 1000 meters 1 kilometer 1 km For very large or very small numbers, its easier to use scientific notation: 1000 103 0.00005 5 x 10-4 Performing Unit Conversions With all of this in mind, youre ready to perform unit conversions. A unit conversion can be thought of as a sort of equation. In math, you may recall if you multiply any number times 1, it is unchanged. Unit conversions work the same way, except 1 is expressed in the form of a conversion factor or ratio. Consider the unit conversion: 1 g 1000 mg This could be written as: 1g / 1000 mg 1 or 1000 mg / 1 g 1 If you multiply a value times either of these fractions, its value will be unchanged. Youll use this to cancel out units to convert them. Heres an example (notice how the grams cancel out in the numerator and denominator): 4.2x10-31g x 1000mg/1g 4.2x10-31 x 1000 mg 4.2x10-28 mg Using Your Calculator You can enter in these values in scientific notation on your calculator using the EE button: 4.2 EE -31 x 1 EE3 which will give you: 4.2 E -18 Heres another example. Convert 48.3 inches into feet. Either you know the conversion factor between inches and feet or you can look it up: 12 inches 1 foot or 12 in 1 ft Now, you set up the conversion so that the inches will cancel out, leaving you with feet in your final answer: 48.3 inches x 1 foot/12 inches 4.03 ft There is inches in both the top (numerator) and bottom (denominator) of the expression, so it cancels out. If you had tried to write: 48.3 inches x 12 inches/1 foot you would have had square inches / foot, which wouldnt have given you the desired units. Always check your conversion factor to make sure the correct term cancels out! You may need to switch the fraction around. Key Points Unit conversions only work if the units are the same type. For example, you cant convert mass into temperature or volume into energy.In chemistry, it would be nice if you only had to convert between metric units, but there are many common units in other systems. For example, you may need to convert a Fahrenheit temperature into Celsius or a pound mass into kilograms.The only math skills you need to do unit conversions are addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Management Organisational Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Management Organisational Behaviour - Essay Example Complementary skills in team members are necessary for it to be able to function effectively and produce results. In case a team starts out with all of its members having only one skill set, and they need some more to be able to produce results, it would either need to induct more persons with the required skills, or its members would have to acquire the skills themselves, if they have to continue as a unit of any significance. The members of a team would have a common purpose or vision, articulated performance goals, and an accepted way of doing work in order to reach those goals. They would also hold themselves "mutually accountable" for what the team did or did not achieve. If I achieved something as part of the team, I would be willing to share the credit with the others; if someone in there made a boo-boo, I'd be willing to take the flak as well. Does the above definition of a team - a text-book one actually fit the real world It should, since the definition itself, we must remember, is also derived from observing that real world. However, as work conditions and situations get more diverse and complex, our definitions and understanding of how teams work must evolve from the simplistic to include complex aspects of their functioning. Teams can be extremely powerful when they work well. Of this there can be no doubt. ... Apart from the simple arithmetic of two plus two making four, in the case of a team operating well, the two plus two could make five or seven or even ten. 'Synergy' (from the Greek word 'synergos' or working together) happens when the combined effect of two or more persons working together is more than an aggregation of the individual members' efforts. It is interesting to reflect that Adam Smith, the originator of the science of Economics, was in fact referring to this synergistic effect of increase in production, when he stated that division of labor (the process of production being divided into many parts, with each part being performed by a different person) resulted in a higher output. Smith's model, which did not even consider it necessary that the worker be happy, still produced a higher output. Such is the power of synergy. (Hines 1996, para 3 ) However, synergy can go terribly wrong too, and work negatively. Negative synergy can undo all the benefits that possibly accrue from working as a team. To understand this better, let's take the analogy of a person working by himself and another with a computer. The computer's output can be a hundred times more than that of the person working unaided. But let a computer make an error - it would probably take hundreds of persons working hundreds of hours to make the kind of error that a computer could make in a nano-second! And synergy is just that. When working positively, it produces much more than disparate individuals can; negatively it destroys quicker and faster than an aggregation of individuals working separately. A real life example of the operation of negative synergy has been mentioned by Ghoshal, Piramal and Bartlett in the working of

Friday, October 18, 2019

Written communication and skills. Reflection Paper Essay

Written communication and skills. Reflection Paper - Essay Example I’ve always been inclined to read and have interest in reading a variety of novels, books and other literary pieces; however, due to some reason I could never write effectively. Whenever it came to writing even something as simple as my college admission essay, I would take hours to pen down my thoughts. Although I had consulted few books to learn how to write effectively, I could never be confident of my work. This course took me a step ahead in my endeavors to become an ardent writer. At first I would speedily begin writing without any outline or draft. This led me to skip a lot of important ideas that would come to mind later on. Fitting in these ideas on an ad hoc basis also disrupted the flow of my academic work so that later when I used to read it I found it nothing more than a haphazard summary of ideas. Upon taking this course, however, amongst the first things that my instructor taught was to prepare an initial draft of the prose and to proofread that draft before fin alizing it. This practice ensured that there were no dramatic leaps in my work and that all paragraphs were connected. The assignments I’ve worked on have developed in me the habit of proofreading all my work prior to submission. This has been a very effective strategy as it allows me to rectify any careless mistakes that I may have overlooked while speedily inking my thoughts. There have been cases where (during proofreading) I changed the sentence structure to break the monotony and replaced some words with their synonyms to increase the overall impact of the prose. This would be particularly useful for me when writing a cover letter for my job since any grammatical mistakes in this could put up a negative impression of me and cost me my job. It has inculcated in me the spirit of critically evaluating my work from all possible angles which allows me to explore various approaches to the same topic. This has overall improved the quality of my argumentative essays by equipping me with the skills to craft un-biased and convincing arguments by considering both sides of the topic. So, for instance, when putting up a project proposal to the Board of Directors as a manager in future, I would be able to analyze the feasibility of the project (including its pros and cons) in order to put up a strong argument and suggest strategies for overcoming the drawbacks. Surprisingly, these assignments did not require students to work in isolation (as one may expect from an ‘academic writing’ class). Instead, there were assignments which required students to reflect on the ideas of their peers which have provided us with the basis for producing peer-reviewed academic work. Not only has this led to an improvement in my written skills but also oral skills due to constant verbal communication and interaction during the assignments. In future, I see this as an important skill as I would be required to consult my boss/superior at work as well as my team prior to a rriving at a decision. Perhaps one of the most useful academic skills that I learnt in my assignments was that of referencing my work. In my initial assignments, my referencing was weak which would result in high plagiarism. However, with the use of electronic media I was able to provide all relevant referencing for ideas that I borrowed from other authors. Considering that plagiarism is a crime, the assignments taught me how to paraphrase ideas rather than merely quoting them. This has also contributed to my language skills as paraphrasing requires the use of synonyms and producing variations in sentence structure while sticking to the original idea. I find these skills very useful for preparing reports and documents at

Review of Rain Man Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Review of Rain Man - Research Paper Example There are a number of critical perspectives on Rain Man that argue the film positively contributed to society’s understanding of autism and individuals with mental disabilities. In this context of understanding one considers Kim Peek, the inspiration for Dustin Hoffman’s character in the film. It’s understood that following the film Peek found a new degree of confidence and heightened sense of mission (Treffert). In these regards, Hoffman’s depiction of autism is interpreted as empowering and beneficial to social understandings. Another understanding is that as the film demonstrates Raymond’s significant emphasis on routine -- among other peculiarities -- it allows individuals greater insight and understanding for people with autism that exhibit similar character traits (Solomon). This is a perspective that was shared by the filmmakers, including writer Barry Morrow who cried during an award acceptance speech and noted how the film positively change d perspectives on autism (Perring). Although many argue that the film’s depiction of autism is unrealistic, converse perspectives contend that the film did not try to specifically depict one form of autism, but is instead a conglomeration of many disparate elements ("debatewise"). Ultimately, it’s clear the film shifted perspectives on autism in many positive ways. ... Critics have noted that in addition to demonstrating new perspectives on autism, the film also demonstrated Raymond’s emotions and challenges socially relating to his brother (Giordano). It follows then that these emotions, which greatly contributed to the narrative, also allowed the audience to significantly identity with the Dustin Hoffman character. Through this identification the film was able to change perspectives and increase autism awareness, giving it significant social utility, and making it important. While there exists a great degree of positive views on the film’s depiction of autism, others argue that the film changed social perspectives in negative ways. One major perspective in this mode of investigation considers that Raymond -- Dustin Hoffman -- is depicted as better off in the mental asylum. It’s been argued that this depiction is harmful to individuals with autism as it glamorizes the asylum environment, subsequently restricting the freedom of people with autism (Solomon). Other criticisms of the film argue that rather that the film glamorized autism and shifted public perception such that a wave of self-diagnosis took hold that is actually harmful for individuals that are truly autistic ("debatewise"). While such arguments constitute perhaps the most scathing criticisms of the film, other have argued along less stringent lines. One such perspective contends that the film, while accurately portraying a savant, stilted public perception of autism (Lacob). In these regards, critics argue that the vast majority of individuals with autism lack such savant-like abilities, yet the film changed social perspectives to a belief that this is an element that is

How did the physicians and the literate lay people in the 18th century Essay

How did the physicians and the literate lay people in the 18th century explain disease and what did they think were the roles of doctor, the individual, and the state in responding to and preventing it - Essay Example The state had not been involved previously in the maintenance of health and health related issues but many writings and works led to the initiation of the intervention of the government in these issues. This century could not be considered as an era of great medical development because it did not reach very close to the actual concept and meaning of medical practice. But the advances and progression in this regard was great enough as compared to the previous centuries. The concept of disease was previously considered to be the problems encountered by a patient. It was the presentation of the symptoms and signs by the patient which laid the basis for the explanation of the disease. This practice was very much common till the start of the eighteenth century. This is clearly presented by an example which was put forward by Alexander Morgan who was a surgeon in Bristol. He put forward a case which he encountered with a patient in 1744 when the patient presented him with his problems. This was the period when the doctor was not the person solely governing the pathology with which the patient was suffering and the prescribed medications. It was rather the doctor and the patient who discussed the problems together and reached to a conclusion regarding the treatment to be prescribed to the patient. It is said that during this time it was actually the patient who ruled the right to reach to a conclusion regarding his problem and medicine and practice basic ally lay in the hands of the sufferer. During this time patients explained the reasons for their diseases. They could actually stand against the treatment given to them by the doctor. The reasons explained for illnesses ranged from sudden changes in temperature to the curse of god. Not only were there vague reasons for diseases but treatments were also of a similar range. By the middle of the eighteenth century certain changes to these concepts were noticed. Hospitals were created by this time. And the other

Thursday, October 17, 2019

The SWOT Analysis of Beyond Product Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The SWOT Analysis of Beyond Product - Essay Example The Beyond company has a significant strength from the Peter, who is a vital shareholder and has experience in the business. The participation of Peter in the business plan completion helped him to win the competition that provides knowledge he used to formulate business the strategy that helps in achieving their objectives of introducing the snowboards in the market. His partner who had complementary financial and accounting skills also helped in the product and business plan development. The Italian and Belgian engineering companies and the significant chemical company motivated Peter to develop hybrid binding with positive features that proved that the market was ready for a new product. However, the company faced severe challenges in product development and marketing strategies because it was costly, and the company was limited to financing methods. Meanwhile, lack of assurance to the inventors due to slow product development of the product in the market caused Peter to lose the only partner, who was supporting the company financially. The beyond product has a significant opportunity of achieving its mission to provide a range of high-quality products by allowing business angels to invest their equity of pounds 300,000. Meanwhile, the company will encounter potential threats from generating the interest of importers at the ISPO fair because the sales would be much lower than expected that will jeopardize the future of the company. The snowboarding is the quickest growing sport in the United State with the average growth rate of 11.4 percent that will offer Peter a sizeable market opportunity for its products. Meanwhile, there are seventeen million snowboarders active globally that account for every one-third of the total winter sports population, and since the peter product is designed for this purpose it will benefit from these buyers.

Lnternational Marketing of Coca Cola Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Lnternational Marketing of Coca Cola - Essay Example This study looks into Coca Cola Enterprises Limited that intends to introduce a new energy drink in Chile. The drink is Lucozade which is made by using Glucose Fructose Syrup, orange juice from Concentrate, Citric Acid and Sodium Benzoate. The company has already made the decision for the selling price by establishing a price which should not be more than 5% difference with existing drinks in the market. The packaging shall be done in both 275ml plastic bottles and 250ml cans. The company intends to Launch Lucozade brand in Chile. Most of the consumers are health conscious and prefer the low calorie energy drinks. The promotional activities will include endorsements by sports personalities and mass advertisements. The company has set enough financial resources for the operations and timelines for the execution of the marketing plan. The marketing organization includes the chief marketing director, the territory directors, the area directors and the public relations personnel. A situa tional analysis is the foundation of the marketing plan. The situational analysis will include a thorough examination of the internal and external factors which affect the introduction of Lucozade drink in Chile. It will enable Coca Cola to understand the factors which will influence the market growth in the future. Internal analysis will consider the strengths and weaknesses of Coca Cola enterprises Limited. The internal analysis will consider the company culture and image, the staff, the operational efficiency and capacity. (Kotler 2010). The internal analysis will also consider the weaknesses which hinder the launch of the Lucozade drink in Chile and which may impair the growth in market share and profitability. The external analysis will evaluate the suppliers, the trade partners, customers, new technology, competitors and the economic environment prevailing in Chile which may enhance the operations of Coca Cola Enterprises Limited in Chile (Dibb, Simkin, Pride and Ferrell 2005) . The external analysis will also consider the treats which exist in the market which could curtail the achievement of the Coca Cola Enterprises objectives in Chile. 2.1 Market Summary Coca Cola Enterprises Limited is the world’s largest bottler of non-alcoholic drinks by volume. The company produces, sells and distributes its drinks using a wide distribution channel which covers all the continents in the world (Kotler 2010). Coca Cola Company is the largest bottler for the Coca Cola Company since it produces 20 percent of the entire Coca Cola drinks world wide. 85 % of its products are classified as carbonated soft drinks while the rest are non-carbonated soft drinks. The company annual revenue was $ 21.65 billion in 2009 while the net income from its operations was $ 731 million. 2.1.1 Market demographics This section of the marketing plan will include analyzing the customers in terms of the demographic features such as the age, the race, gender, educational attainments, ma rital status, income levels, attitudes and beliefs, and the household size. Chile population comprises of 15,166,500 people but the population has been on the decline due to controlled birth rate. It is estimated that the population is likely to hit 20 million people by 2050. About 80 percent of the populations live in urban areas with the population mainly concentrated in Greater Santiago. Chile population consists of all races including European and Indians. The most dominant religions are Roman Catholics and Evangelical (Kotler 2007). Spanish is

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

The SWOT Analysis of Beyond Product Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The SWOT Analysis of Beyond Product - Essay Example The Beyond company has a significant strength from the Peter, who is a vital shareholder and has experience in the business. The participation of Peter in the business plan completion helped him to win the competition that provides knowledge he used to formulate business the strategy that helps in achieving their objectives of introducing the snowboards in the market. His partner who had complementary financial and accounting skills also helped in the product and business plan development. The Italian and Belgian engineering companies and the significant chemical company motivated Peter to develop hybrid binding with positive features that proved that the market was ready for a new product. However, the company faced severe challenges in product development and marketing strategies because it was costly, and the company was limited to financing methods. Meanwhile, lack of assurance to the inventors due to slow product development of the product in the market caused Peter to lose the only partner, who was supporting the company financially. The beyond product has a significant opportunity of achieving its mission to provide a range of high-quality products by allowing business angels to invest their equity of pounds 300,000. Meanwhile, the company will encounter potential threats from generating the interest of importers at the ISPO fair because the sales would be much lower than expected that will jeopardize the future of the company. The snowboarding is the quickest growing sport in the United State with the average growth rate of 11.4 percent that will offer Peter a sizeable market opportunity for its products. Meanwhile, there are seventeen million snowboarders active globally that account for every one-third of the total winter sports population, and since the peter product is designed for this purpose it will benefit from these buyers.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Merger, Acquisition, and International Strategies Research Paper - 1

Merger, Acquisition, and International Strategies - Research Paper Example Transcontinental Oil Company was the owner of the Marathon brand. Ohio Oil Company transformed into Marathon Oil Company in 1960s, making it grow through purchasing or merging with other companies. Besides, the company has enjoyed good fortunes through drilling oil in regions outside the USA. Such regions include Mexico, Canada, Alaska and Ireland (United States Congress, 1981) United States Steel bought Marathon Oil in 1982 and moved its headquarters from Ohio to Texas. In 1998, Marathon Oil merged with Ashland Inc. and formed Marathon Ashland Petroleum LLC. This enabled Marathon Oil to expand its base in the USA. In 2001, USX sold the steel firm in Marathon Ashland Petroleum LLC and concentrated on oil business. The company was then named Marathon Oil Corporation (Donnell, 2007). The company has opened up drilling facilities in Louisiana, Illinois, Canton, Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Texas City, Catlettsburg, Texas, Minnesota, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea because of merging. The com pany also experiences good returns on its investment. For example, the latest financial statement for the company stated returns on investors appreciated by 9.8%, earning yields of 8%, revenue increase of 16 billion and profit margins of 9 billion. The company made a profit of 4 billion more compared to the previous year. Though the company had an increase of daily expenses from 166 million daily to 174 million, it experienced a daily income of 384 million. The main reason why the company has sustained good profits is its ability to conquer new markets and merge with other companies (Donnell, 2007). Question 2 CarMax, Inc was established in 1996. The company deals in second-hand cars through its subsidiaries. Last year the company sold over half a million cars. The company also sales some of its cars through auction; last year, the company sold thirty thousand cars at its on-site auction centers. At times, the company is allowed to sell new cars at four locations together with manuf acturing companies. Last year, two percent of its cars sold were new cars. Apart from this, the company offers other products and services. They include purchasing of cars directly from consumers, guaranteed asset protection, accessories, and vehicle repair. The company acquires cars from consumers through car-buying centers and in-store appraisal process and sales them to other buyers or leases them out to hires or individuals who want to use them in racing or wedding parties (CarMax, 2013). It would be profitable if CarMax merged with Suzuki Motor Corporation. This is because Suzuki Motor Corporation operates worldwide. This would make CarMax expand its services to the international community and widen its market. Lastly, by going international, CarMax would improve its image as an international company. The company would also deal in a wide range of cars such as pickups and Nissan motorcycles. This would enable the company to outshine major rival companies such as General Motors (American Suzuki Motor Corporation, 2013). Question 3 Marathon Oil Corporation has a cost leadership system that improves level of efficiency and reduces costs of operation. Such system is able to convince countries to allow Marathon Oil Corporation to operate in their regions in a cost-effective mode. This has enabled the company to deliver goods and services to its clients at a relatively lower price compared to its rivals. The company has also differentiated its

Monday, October 14, 2019

Criminal law: Treating a child as an adult

Criminal law: Treating a child as an adult A 15 year old commits a crime, depending on the seriousness of the crime, that child should be treated as an adult. Children in the past have been given many but not all of the due process protection that is recognized in adult criminal courts, so why cant children be treated as adults if they get certain advantages that adults get. Juvenile courts have many of the same rights as adults such as the right to a hearing. Juvenile offenders are typically treated as a special group. The courts soon realized that children could commit serious offenses therefore the juvenile courts created a procedure to transfer the case to the adult criminal courts. Nearly all states have provisions where if a juvenile who commits a serious felony can be prosecuted as an adult. This provision is called â€Å"concurrent jurisdiction† where the prosecutor can decide if the case will be moved to the adult courts. Statutory exclusion means that the legislature can require that certain serious crimes that involve juveniles can be tried in the adult court system instead of leaving it up to the prosecutor or the judge to decide how the case will be taken care of. In 1994 at least 13 states required that certain juvenile cases should be handled by the criminal courts. The case of the sniper shootings in the Washington D. C. area involved Lee Boyd Malvo who was 17 at the time of the shootings. Malvo was tried as an adult for capital murder and was sentenced to life without parole. One percent of juvenile cases are waved to the adult criminal court each year. Juvenile crimes lead to more serious crimes. Therefore the juveniles need to be stopped by being treated as adults and getting worse punishments than they would if treated as a juvenile. Both Bill Clinton and Robert Dole urged that juveniles charged with violent crimes be tried as adults, removing them from the protective confines of juvenile court proceedings. Courts are going back and looking at court cases that involved juveniles getting sentenced to life without parole. In 2009 the Supreme Court looked at two crimes (Graham and Sullivan) involving juveniles that committed crimes that should not have sentenced them to life without parole. They will be deciding whether life without parole sentences for juveniles is unconstitutionally harsh. Florida is one of six states to charge juveniles for non-homicide crimes. â€Å"An estimated 2,570 juvenile defendants in the United States are serving life without parole sentences, nearly all are homicide related. Of the 111 juvenile defendants who committed lesser offences such as Graham and Sullivan, 77 of them are in Florida p risons† (USA Today, Nov. 10, 2009). The Supreme Court ruled that sentencing a juvenile to life without parole for a non- homicide crime is unconstitutional. There was a 5-4 decision on this ruling. Justice Kennedy states in his majority opinion â€Å"Gives all juvenile non-homicide offenders a chance to demonstrate maturity and reform. The juvenile should not be deprived of the opportunity to achieve maturity of judgment and self-recognition of human worth and potential† (EJI). In 2010, a state judge in Michigan sentenced life without parole to Dakotah Eliason who was convicted of murdering his step grandfather. Dakotah was 14 at the time of the murder. The defense said this sentence was cruel and unusual punishment and violated the 8th Amendment. â€Å"Long-standing and unchallenged precedent establishes that when a juvenile is convicted of killing another human being, a life-without-parole sentence does not violate the Eighth Amendment,† says Judge Scott Schofi eld who was the judge in the Eliason case (WBST.com, October 25, 2010). An article dated May 1995 states that the public is alarmed by the increasing number of juvenile violence. Between 1982 and 1992 arrest for juvenile violence doubled. If people were afraid of the increase in juvenile violence in 1982 and 1992 then what does that have to say for the violence now. Juvenile violence may not be as high as it was in the late 1900s, thats most likely because in the late 1900s security wasnt as serious as it is now. Juveniles in the late 1900s had a better chance of getting something that they should not have in their possession than in 2011. In 1987-1993 politicians started using the phrase â€Å"adult crime, adult time.† A May 2010 article mentions that juveniles cannot be sentenced to life in prison without committing non- homicide crimes. Attorneys explain that juveniles cannot be convicted of a crime that they cannot control because their frontal lobe has not fully developed. The frontal lobe is responsible for reasoning, impulse control, and planning. A study was done at the New York University School of Medicine that shows that the frontal lobe is one of the last areas to reach maturity. It matures around age 20 or beyond. The 26th Amendment changed the voting age from 21 to 18, therefore most states lowered the age of adulthood to 18. Juvenile courts were designed to save children from the damage that could be caused by holding them with adult offenders. Studies show that transferring juveniles to adult courts is not an effective deterrent of further criminal activity. In 2005, the Supreme Court banned use of the death penalty against minors in all cases. In 2009 the Just Kids Partnership found that the adult court system teaches teens to become violent criminals, subject them to sexual and physical abuse and waste taxpayers money. Problems at home could have contributed to the child committing the crime therefore the courts should look into the juveniles family background. Studies show that juveniles who are tried as adults are more likely to commit another crime than those tried in the juvenile court system. This means that it is more effective to prosecute all juveniles in the juvenile court system. The government should treat children as adults depending on how serious the crime is. Example: if a 14 year old murdered someone and it was not self defense then yes the child should be treated as an adult. Lock up only the most serious and most violent offenders. Kids that commit crimes such as murder or terrorism should be tried as adults not kids that are property or drug offenders. If children want to try to be grown up or are trying to grow up to fast then they should be treated like an adult if they want to act like an adult, like the phrase says â€Å"adult crime, adult time†. The only reason why a child should not be treated as an adult is if the crime is not serious enough or if the child has family or school problems or psychological problems then the courts would have to take a whole other approach. If people are concerned that teens being sent to jail with adults is critical to their health then the Government could build a building for teens that get tried as an a dult and sentenced to jail time. Even though this will use tax money, it is better than putting kids into a jail that may not suit them. Also the kids will get more attention and learn to make better decisions if they ever get out of jail. This building will serve the purpose of the juvenile courts for those juveniles that committed serious crimes which is to rehabilitate, not only punish which is what the adult courts are used for. Since courts are now going back and looking at court cases where juveniles were sentenced to life without parole this means they will be letting some convicts out on good behavior or put them in the right facilities. These convicts that the courts are letting out are not murders but they still committed a crime. That is just like letting a 45 year old out for good behavior when he assaulted someone when he was 34. America is suppose to be a safe place, but if we have murders getting let out of jail and roaming the street who knows if they will strike aga in even if they were convicted when they were a juvenile. If the frontal lobe does not mature until into young adult hood than the Government should raise the age of juvenile court jurisdiction till the age of when the frontal lobe is scientifically proven to be fully developed. So then courts can be sure that the convicted persons brain was fully developed and they were fully aware of what was happening and what the consequences should be. The Government should also construct a document that says that you will still be considered a juvenile if you are under the age of 18, but if you commit certain serious crimes while under the age of 18 you will be treated as an adult. Most criminal activity happens after school hours and on weekends in the evening. Schools could help with the crime rate by offering more school activities that do not cost money to be in or are offered for a low cost. Then students would be less likely to commit a crime especially if they are an officer of a club or on a team that they represent in and outside of school. There are pros and cons to whether or not a child should be treated as an adult but if we do not stop the crime rate in children than the crime rate in adults is going to rise because once those children get older their crimes will most likely develop into more serious crimes. Juveniles are â€Å"different† than adults. Juveniles are not as mature as adults both physically and mentally but that does not mean they should not suffer the same consequences as adults. People always say children are the future but if we do not welcome them to the real world and make them realize that the decisions and actions they make have consequences than they will have no future and will not be able to make it through life.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

AIDS In Africa :: Disease Research Papers AIDS

AIDS in Africa Spreading rampant throughout the African continent, AIDS is killing any and all who cross its path. â€Å"As the death toll from AIDS recedes in America, Africa is reeling from an epidemic of Biblical proportions. South of the Sahara, AIDS is worse than anywhere else in the world, and this catastrophe is transforming the continent forever† (Schoofs part 5). Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, better known as AIDS â€Å"is a virus that weakens the immune system and subjects the patient to opportunistic diseases such as pneumonia and tuberculosis. The virus is transmitted through the exchange of body fluids, primarily semen, blood, and blood products†¦it can be prevented by having protected sex†¦AIDS is a problem throughout the world, especially in sub-Saharan Africa† (DeSalle 238). It is an unbiased killer that threatens the African population. With very little education, parentless children, and cultural and societal beliefs, AIDS continues to run havoc on th e continent of Africa. â€Å"Only 10 percent of the world's population lives south of the Sahara, but the region is home to two-thirds of the world's HIV-positive people, and it has suffered more than 80 percent of all AIDS deaths†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Last year, the combined wars in Africa killed 200,000 people, and in sub-Saharan Africa alone 3.8 million people became infected with the disease while another 2.4 million died; totaling 25.3 million people who are living with AIDS in Africa (Schoofs part 1, Carey). One main reason for the severity of these numbers is due to the lack of education of the African people. With little or no education, people do not truly understand the consequences of unprotected sex and sex with multiple partners. African girls are not sent to school because it is too expensive and most are only going to get married and have children. The males who go to school learn that they are the breadwinners of the family and that they control what goes on in the house. The lack of education poses an astronomical problem in Africa and is the major reason for the spread of AIDS. Since people are uneducated about birth control, they do not use condoms; those who are aware of it either do not have access to condoms or cannot afford them. Without education or access to condoms, AIDS will continue its devastation throughout the African continent. â€Å"In apartheid South Africa, blacks were either not educated at all or taught only enough to be servants.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Goals of a Future Teacher :: Teaching Education

Goals of a Future Teacher In today's constantly changing world, our children and youth need to learn inquiry-based, problem solving skills to that they may become successful members of society and live productive lives. I think all students yearn to learn. We as future teachers need to motivate students with learning, exploring, investigating, discovering and inquiring. Together you will be learning and teaching. As teachers, you need to be very organized and creative. Time is very valuable. When students are able to use creativity it enhances them and helps them in their learning process. Our children are natural and curious explorers. Students need to be inspired to think critically. By this they comprehend what has been learned and be able to use it. I hope my students will be able to achieve their greatest potential that they can accomplish anything they set their minds to. We can give our children these building blocks thru education to use in decision making situations, moral value of their thoughts and actions. This will guide them to realize how their actions and decisions will affect themselves and others. Discipline plays a key part in education. Respect from your students will make the classroom a better atmosphere. Rules should be established on the first day. Rules should be a thoughtful process so they can be carried out to be affective, but logical consequences. We do not want the students self esteem to be damaged. I would like to teach K-3. I believe that these years of education is very crucial for learning and developing their skills. Inquiry-based learning will only enhance these curious students to explore, share ideas and ask questions. Our role as a teacher will help identify needed resources and monitor, guide the students inquiry. Children learn by doing. We need to continuously assess and evaluate our students so we can set appropriate goals for each student and individual instructions. Each child learns different, so as a teacher we need to have different styles of teaching for positive reinforcement. I want to be a role model for my students.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Memory, thinking and intelligence

Early researchers believed intelligence was a general or unitary trait because scores on diverse measures of intelligence including verbal ability, numerical competence and abstract reasoning were highly correlated (Spearman, 1972). However, modern theories or intelligence have defined intelligence in terms of multiple dimensions. Two of the most known intelligence theory is that of Gardner’s multiple intelligence and Sternberg’s triarchic model. The two theories are similar in that they posit that intelligence is not a single trait but rather is made up of subcomponents, however distinct differences exist between them. Gardner (1983) argues for the notion of multiple intelligences and proposes eight relatively independent types of intelligence which include linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist intelligences. He also says that we can develop these intelligences through environmental enrichment, the strength of our intelligences on the eight types lies in a continuum, that there are different ways of demonstrating our proficiency in intelligence and that they work together in complex ways. Gardner defines intelligence as the human ability to solve problems or to make something that is valued in one or more cultures. Sternberg (1990) had proposed a triarchic theory of intelligence. According to Sternberg, intelligence is made up of subcomponents that include the processes that underlie behavior or the componential intelligence, the ability to relate to novel tasks or new ideas in one’s environment or experiential intelligence, and the ability to adapt, select or shape one’s environment or contextual intelligence. For Sternberg, intelligence is purposive adaptation to, selection of and shaping of real-world environment relevant to one’s life and abilities (Sternberg, 1989). In comparing multiple intelligence to the triarchic theory of intelligence, we can observe that MI has emphasized the content and construct of intelligence while Sternberg focused on the way people gather and use information. Multiple intelligence theory identified eight types of intelligence and has encouraged the educational community to think of student intelligence in these terms and that each of the types should be enriched and developed. While Sternberg, stresses the process by which a student acquire, learn and use information and knowledge and these abilities are intelligences that is always present in all of us and can be enhance by further training and education. I believe that Sternberg’s triarchic model of intelligence is more relevant in psychology today than multiple intelligence. The theory holds that intelligence is made up of componential, experiential and contextual abilities which are reflective of the traditions of psychology, to understand behavior, to learn through experience and to be masters of our environment. Thus the model has wider implication in the field of psychology, at present it has been used to understand the intellective abilities of racial and minority groups in school (Suzuki & Aronson, 2005). It has also been applied extensively by a gifted and talented school and has yielded positive results such as improved test scores and teacher morale (English, 1998). The theory has also been applied to adult education (Sharan & Rosemary, 1998). Moreover, the theory is built upon a solid tradition of scientific rigor and academic discourse, it has been supported by researches along the years although it has been surpassed in popularity by MI. References Caffarella, R. & Sharan, R. (1998). Learning in Adulthood: A Comprehensive Guide 2nd ed. Jossey-Bass. English, L. (1998) Uncovering Students' Analytic, Practical and Creative Intelligences: One School's Application of Sternberg's Triarchic Theory. School Administrator, Retrieved July 2, 2006 from http://www.aasa.org/publications/content.cfm?ItemNumber=4284 Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of Mind. New York: Basic Gardner, H. (1987). Developing the spectrum of human intelligences. Harvard Educational Review, 57, 187-193 Sternberg, R. (1988). The Triarchic Mind. New York Sternberg, R. (1990). Metaphors of mind: Conceptions of the nature of intelligence. New York: Cambridge University Press Suzuki, L. ; Aronson, J. (2005). The cultural malleability of intelligence and its impact on the racial/ethnic hierarchy. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law 11, (2) 320–327 ; ; ; ;

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Tree Paper

Which is the correct symbol for the stalling speed or the minimum steady flight speed in a specified configuration? C) VS. Longitudinal dynamic instability in an airplane can be Identified by B) pitch oscillations becoming progressively steeper True course measurements on a Sectional Aeronautical Chart should be made at a meridian near the midpoint of the course because thee C) angles formed by lines of longitude and the course line vary from point to point. Regulations which refer to â€Å"operate† relate to that person who C) causes the aircraft to be used or authorizes Its useTo act as pilot In command of an aircraft operated under 14 CUFF part 91, a commercial pilot must have satisfactorily accomplished a flight review or completed a proficiency check within the preceding C) 24 months Each required flight crewmen is required to keep his or her shoulder harness fastened A) during takeoff and landing, unless he or she is unable to perform required duties To increase the rate of turn and at the same time decrease the radius, a pilot should A) increase the bank and decrease airspeed. Dashed lines on a Surface Analysis Chart, if depicted, indicate that the pressure gradient is B) weak.One of the most dangerous features of mountain waves is the turbulent areas in and C) below rotor clouds. Weather Advisory Broadcasts, including Severe Weather Forecast Alerts (AWE), Convective Signets, and Signets, are provided by C) Arts on all frequencies, except emergency, when any part of the area described Is within 150 miles of the airspace under their Jurisdiction. Which Is the best technique for maligning the wing-load factor when flying In severe turbulence? C) Set power and trim to obtain an airspeed at or below maneuvering speed, maintain wings level, and accept variations of airspeed and altitude.The reason for variations in geometric pitch (twisting) along a propeller blade is that flight. What does good cockpit stress management begin with? A) Good life stress management The conditions most favorable to wave formation over mountainous areas are a layer of C) stable air at mountaintop altitude and a wind of at least 20 knots blowing across the ridge.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Comparison of The Crucible and After Liverpool Essay

For this assignment I am going to be comparing two plays both of which I have studied and preformed. The first play, which I studied, was the crucible by Arthur Miller and After Liverpool by James Saunders. Each of the two plays are naturalistic but are set in two very different times. The Crucible is set in Salem Massachusetts in 1642 and After Liverpool is set in the 70’s. The two are quite contrary in how they were set out first of all After Liverpool was made up of 23 small scenes some only having a few lines some having quite a few but most of them were short. The main things used in the setting for each scene are very basic. The scene was made up of a coffee table, a few chairs and a sofa. It os so basic as everyone has these things and this type of thing could happen to anyone of us at any time. This produces the effect that relationships are similar and that in this performance the only thing that maters is the relationship between the actors whereas on the other hand The Crucible is quite different. This is made up of four long acts. This uses lots of sophisticated props for example detailed furniture and crockery. This is all needed to set the time in which the crucible is set. Whereas in After Liverpool the setting is not irrelevant but is not as important. After Liverpool was made up of two characters of not much significance and a series of duologues bar one. After Liverpool is about the lack of communication that can develop over time. The short scenes in this piece are somewhat symbolic to the nature of relationships today. The speed and the fact that long term relationships are not as common. Also most of them are based on sexual attraction, which is now an important thing when looking for a partner. The crucible has many different characters and each of the characters are described and are of quite significance. Compared to After Liverpool where there is no description of the characters. There is no description of characters as it is irrelevant of who you are in this piece as all people are involved or could be involved in a relationship. The crucible is based on a true story and some of the characters were real people. The crucible is an allegory and was written as Arthur Miller wanted to express his views but couldn’t so he uses The Crucible as an allegory to do so. Miller wanted to express his views about the McCarthy communist hunts in America. What he was saying was that if America is so great and believes in freedom why is it that you were killed or exiled for believing in a contrary government to Americas own. Also The Crucibles main theme was mass hysteria and the community being ruled by the church and religion. After Liverpool also uses symbolism in the apples by this is mean is that the apple is representing the forbidden apple from the story of Adam and Eve. Both of theses plays are similar as both are about gaining power in a relationship in the crucible Abigail gains power over John Proctor leading to his death. After Liverpool this is about relationships and communication between couples. It is preformed entirely in chronological order with no flash backs unlike The Crucible tells you about past events. In After Liverpool each scene is wholly about the couples relationship and the communication or lack of the couples lack any past and never refer to the future. The Crucible is very detailed in its explanation of characters, which gives you an idea when performing of how to play each character. In After Liverpool there is no indication and it is entirely down to the person performing the piece. So it is an indication of how the performer sees the scene happening and maybe an indication on how they view relationships. The fact After Liverpool is written like this is also symbolic in that everyone can be in a relationship that is why the characters are labelled M and W. The reason they are labelled M and W is that it can represent anyone, which is rue as anyone can be in a relationship. The scenes did not have to be in any order this is also symbolic that the relationships in the play do not get anywhere they always end up asking the same questions. They had no specific chronological order as everything was happening in the present. Having looked at both plays it has given me an insight of two very effective ways of portraying relationships both of them very different from each other. I preferred performing After Liverpool as I could use my own drama skills to play each character, which I think is a lot better, and I enjoyed it more. Also I found it easier to understand, as it used more modern language, which was easier to learn.

See details Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

See details - Essay Example However, when the Spartans staged a war against the Athenians, the Athenians managed to win against them with an army three times less than theirs. The victory of the Athens against the Spartans won the state a lot of respect form other Greek states. However, it was the rise of the Persians and their conquests against the Greek states and islands that prompted the formation of the Delian League. The formation of the League promoted Athens’ struggle to conquer the Persia. Many things did not go as planned after the formation of League, with Athens hijacking the leadership and control of the union. The activities of the Athens in the leadership of the League prompted the question, were Athens trying to genuinely make a united government under their leadership to promote a better defence against the Persian threat or were the Delian League just an attempt by them to create a Thalassocracy. According to various studies, the Athens was angry for power. Little did they consider the interests of other cities. The Persian threat, although having been key to the formation of the government, in a big way, it was not the main interest of the Athenians. There was more to the unity, as the various scholars suppose. If the Athenians were after uniting the various cities into the Delian League, they would have allowed independence to various states forming part of the league. However, the exercise of supremacy by the Athenian power indicated their intentions to create a Thalassocracy. The forceful pulling of the various groups into the League by the Athens, and intimidating means it used to draw the members into the league was proof enough that Athens was not interested in uniting them into the common interest that united them against Persian. This paper seeks to justify that the reasons why Athens formed a united government under their leadership was not to promote a better defence against Persian invasion, but the Delian League was an attempt to create a Thalassocrac y. In explaining whether Athens was genuinely making a united government under their leadership to promote a better defence against the Persian threat, reasons for the formation of the Delian League are discussed. The Delian League as an organization was established in the early 5th Century BC by several Greek states. The main reason why these states formed the league was to defend them against Persian invasion. They had defeated the Persians in the Greaco-Persian wars, and an alliance of several states against them was the best way to ensure immunity (Spielvogel 78). Uniting against a common enemy made states stronger. They created a strong army by bringing the best men together to form one common army. They would also enjoy the best leadership and command from a single source. The unity would also ensure that the states shared a common interest, making them even stronger. Although they had earlier defeated the Persians, its Empire was still powerful. Besides, the reason for the le ague was to get a little payback for the devastation the member states had suffered in the hands of the Persian forces (Duiker and Jackson 103-104). The common interest between Greek forces united together states consisting of Athens and Greek from Ionia, the Hellespont of the besieged Sentos, a city previously held by the Persians. As a result of this, the Greek fleet under the command of   Pausanias who was a military commander from Sparta, sailed to