Analysis of “1954” by Sharon Olds Essay

â€Å"1954† by Sharon Olds is a poem displaying the horrors of an instance of rape and murder of a young girl by a man named Burton Abbott in 1954. Olds uses a frantic and horrified tone highlighted by a careful choice of diction to express her messages that any ordinary-looking person can disguise evil and the current justice system has a hypocritical eye-for-an-eye mindset that only ends up destroying human life. The structure of â€Å"1954† is built on enjambment and broken sentences. This helps the reader understand fear the speaker feels, as if words are simply pouring out, developing the frantic and horrified tone of the poem. This fear builds as the speaker begins to make connections between the victim and herself. The author uses clear imagery in phrases like â€Å"†¦I feared the word eczema, like my acne and like the X in the paper which marked her body†¦Ã¢â‚¬  to help make these connections. The speaker relates the victim’s eczema with her own acne, and recognizes how an innocent, little girl has been reduced to nothing but an X that marked where her lifeless body was left. Now that the speaker can relate to the victim in a clear way, she begins to realize how ordinary the murderer was. The author uses simple, ordinary diction to describe him. Phrases like â€Å"as if he were not someone specific,† â€Å"his face was dull and ordinary,† and â€Å"he looked almost humble† are examples of the author’s use of ordinary diction that make the killer seem normal. The speaker then says the killer went against â€Å"what I’d thought I could count on about evil.† This helps support the message that evil can be disguised in anyone because by making the murderer seem ordinary, the author forces the speaker and the reader to begin to question the people around them. A definite shift occurs in line 22 of the poem. The author shifts from using the word â€Å"fear† to the word â€Å"pity† when referring to the crime, and begins to use â€Å"fear† to describe how the speaker feels towards consequences the murderer, Burton Abbott must face. The speaker realizes that â€Å"the good people, the parents† were going to fry Mr. Abbott on the electric chair for his crime. The author deliberately used the word fry to express that the parents of the victim did not just believe that Abbott should receive capital punishment, but they wanted him to suffer; they wanted to watch him  writhe in pain for what he did to their daughter. As a result, the speaker begins to fear electricity, and her mother’s electric blanket. The author uses this and other carefully chosen phrases like â€Å"death to the person, death to the home planet† to demonstrate the hypocrisy that exists in the justice system’s eye-for-an-eye men tality when it comes to capital punishment. When someone commits a murder, they are sentenced to death, simply resulting in further loss of human life. People who see these crimes in the news not only fear the murderer; they fear the brutal punishment just as much, demonstrated by the speaker’s new fear of electricity. The author uses carefully chosen diction and tone to communicate two completely different messages to the reader. Both of these messages come together at the end of the poem to pose a single, lingering question to the reader: Who should we fear more? The murderer, or our own justice system?

Health and Safety Essay

The health and safety act consists of various principles, these are implemented to ensure employees are safe whilst at work, this doesn’t just apply those those who are employed by a company it applies to any one who enters the building including professional bodies I.e district nurses, And general practitioners the legislation is made up of COSHH,RIDDOR,The manual handling operations regulations, the health and safety first aid regulations and management of health and safety at work regulations, I will identify and write a brief description on how these legislations relate to my job role and work environment. *Reporting any incidents or occurrences puts a duty on an employer o report serious workplace accidents ,occupational diseases and any near misses* this comes under RIDDOR, reporting of injuries,diseases and dangerous occurrences regulations 1995 ( amended 2008 ),it is a legal requirement to report any accidents and occournences. In my work setting if and accident or dangerous occournence,for example a trip slip or fall, I will report this an accident report book no matter how minor. It is a legal requirement for my employer to have this procedure in place to keep a record of accidents and occournences, and my work establishment complies with wi the requirements of the DATA PROTECTION ACT 1988, by having tear o out pages that are filed and not accessible to unauthorised persons. Another regulation is the *health and safety first aid regulation1981* And in the event of injury or sudden illness failier to provide the correct practice could have fatal results.The health and safety first aid regulations require that an employer provide correct equipment, facilities and personnel to ensure their employees or clients, receive immediate attention if they are taken ill or injured at work the regulation applies to all work settings including mine,adequate provisions will consist of first aid boxes, and first aid rooms at my work setting their is always a trained first aider on site including nightshifts. The COSHH legislation is put in place,this ensures the employer does a risk assessment on any any substance hazardous to health I.e medication,cleaning products and many more, if not used correctly the employer will asses the risks and make a decision on what precautions will be needed to ensure a safety.Relating to my work setting medication is COSHH issue. And only a senior carer who has had full medication training and has been assessed and found to be compitant can administer medication.medication is stored in a trolly which is then stored in a medication cupboard which is locked at all times unless in use and is only accessible to authorised users, again my seniro will have completed a risk assessment for this situation to ensure the correct action is taken and the health and safety is correct and all employees are informed on the situation I follow my work establishments policies and procedures the policies and procedures folder can be found in the nurses station and an additional copy in the mangers office, their are a number of different policies that are to be followed some of which include ââ€" ªCare of dying policy ââ€" ªEqual opportunities policy ââ€" ªLocking door in home policy ââ€" ªEvacuation of the home policy The folder consists of 422 policy’s and is required that once the policy has been read and understood e employees or manager are required to date and sign. Whilst at work I ensure that I support others to understand and follow safe and good hygenie practices i.e frequent hand washing and glove changes.i also ensure that myself and others are we’re correct ppe, and use the equipment required, and also risk asses any situation I may be in. I also monitor and report potentiometers health and safety risks by checking all equipment prior to use for e.g hoist slings and wheelchairs.if I find any problems or concerns I will report this to my manager and make sure all staff are aware that it is out of use, however something minor I.e a dirty wheelchair or frame is something I can take care of myself and ensure it is cleaned correctly. Risk assessments are put in place to ensure the safety of an individuals needs , these assessments vary as different people have different needs these asesments can range from mobility to mental capacity, eating and drinking to personal care. In my work setting their are clients who need help with their personal care, and their others who only need assistance with bathing or showering and can do their own personal care. Prior to arrival to my home a client will have been assessed by a senior Carer, and the information will be put into a care plan which I and my colleagues will then read so we no all information about a client. I practice minimising potential risks by following all of my work place policies and procedures and carrying out and using risk asesments, wearing correct ppe at all times and practicing good hand hygiene and making sure the work place is always clean and tidy and their are no hazardous substances accessible to clients I also practice minimising risks by making sure the building is secure by closing doors and keeping external doors locked. There are many different accidents that may occour in a home some of which are trips,slips and falls from wet or worn carpets, dioreah or vomit etc In the event of someone falling in the work setting different procedures will take. Place, for example if a staff member falls they may get up and feel fine it is essential that it is documented in the accident report book, on the other hand if a client falls carers will not move them until professional help has arrived the client will be made to feel comfortable and depending on e situation may be put into he recovery persition,this again will be documented into the accident report book. I support colleagues to follow practices that reduce the spread of infection by ensuring that we always where correct ppe, and practice good hand hygiene and using alcohol rubs but not as an equivalent to hand washing. I also support by ensuring my colleague and I dispose of hazardous substances in the correct way. Ways that I ensure my own health and hygenie do no pose a risk to others I always have clean uniform when attending work, to ensure I do not bring any airborn viruses I.e MRSA I also notify my manger if I pick up and virus like D&V and will not return to work until I am clear of the virus for 48 hours on arrival back to work I will fill in a return to work form. The manual handlings operations 1992 regulations, requires employers to avoid all manual handling where their is risk of injury.the legislation also states that a risk assessment must take place and followed correctly to minimise any potential risks. If I want any additional support or information I ask my manager, senior carers, or fellow colleagues. I can also access any information I am not sure about in my policies and procedures folder. At my work establishment their are two folders in the nurses station that are acessable to any staff member that are unsure on a certain subject some of these are ââ€" ªMeeting clients nutritional needs ââ€" ªCleanliness and infection control These folders are built up of useful information and policies that are relevant to each subject. Ways in which I help practice to prevent fires from starting and spreading , are ensuring that I know my work setting fire safety policy attend all fire safety training,I also make that I make sure that I know where my fire assembly point is. I also make sure that there are no waste paper baskets overflowing or anything else that could help a fire to spread or start, my working setting also had a no smoking policy,so I also ensure I smoke in the designated smoking are.if a fire was to start , emergency services would be contacted and the building evacuated , and go straight to the fire assembly point.i also ask any visitors to sign in and out and tell them were the fire safety point is. The signing in book will determined how Many people are in the building on arival of the emergency services. Procedures are as followed at my work establishment and many others ââ€" ªNever let any one in the building in without signing in.and professional bodies will have I’d on show always check is ââ€" ªIf I am unsure about a persons identity for e.g a visitor depending on the mental capacity of the person, ask if this person remembers this visitor if this is not possible phone a next of Kin. Personal information is vital in my work setting, all residents Care plans inlcude daily food and fluid intake, mental capacity and all relevant information on an individual is kept in folders in a locked cupboard that is not accessible to any unauthorised persons. I protect y,mown security and of others by making sure I have the correct ppe on at all times and do not have any jewerly on whilst at work, and make sure all external doors are shut, and gates at the top and bottom of stairs are shut and locked. I also ensure others no of my whereabouts whilst at work, to ensure that a fellow carer is their to support the floor, even if I am assisting someone to go the toilet I make someone aware I am of the floor. Comon signs of stress can be very easy to spot some of these include ââ€" ªadgitation ââ€" ªBeing emotional and short tempered ââ€" ªNot completing jobs properly ââ€" ªWeight loss or weight gain ââ€" ªSmoking more ââ€" ªAlcohol binging My self indication for stress is ââ€" ªConstant worrying ââ€" ªWeight gain ââ€" ªBeing over emotional and snappy ââ€" ªFeeling very low and under the weather My own stress levels are triggered by unstructured situations, e.g understaffing at work have caused me to feel stressed and when I am unsure of a situation cause me to feel slightly stressed. My strategies for managing my own stress levels are having a written plan of what My main tasks are that shift, for e.g a morning shift my main task is to ensure all residents and clean and have eaten by. Reasonable time. Some may find it easier to take it task as it comes how ever I would rather focus on the main tasks and making sure these are completed correctly.

The Cinema of Attractions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Cinema of Attractions - Essay Example Still, the cinema of attractions is a way of the audience identification and the reflection of the needs of the society of nineteenth and early twentieth century. In case the cinema was able to show something, it was considered to be a good cinema. The early cinema is of the exhibitionist nature. The audience is targeted by the specific images they want to see. Gunning claims that it was very important the way camera interacted with the eyes of an actor. In such a way, the audience had a chance to feel an interaction with heroes on the screen. Both of them were watchers (Diiorio, 2003). The attention of a spectator was very important for the directors of early cinema. This aspect was specially supervised. That is why they were really concerned about visual contact between the viewers and the actors. Only images, which were shown to the audience, were important for them. We can illustrate this claim by the film directed by Edwin Porter â€Å"The Great Train Robbery† in 1903. In this film the bandit looks at the audience and makes a shot. The viewers are able to see the smoke of the gun. This scene happens in the beginning of the film and the audience catches its breath in a foretaste of further events or images. This move is referred by Gunning as exhibitionist move showing the views what will happen next. Gunning claims that: â€Å"the cinema of attractions does not disappear with the dominance of narrative, but rather goes underground, both into certain avant-garde practices and as a component of narrative films, more evident in some genres than in others†. If not images are practiced as the tools to exert influence on the audience, then music is often used by the directors of the later films. (after 1906). In the film directed by Victor Fleming â€Å"The Wizard of Oz† (1939), the events are surrounded by music (Faden, 2001). We can see the way the main characters show their inner states. This technique is used by the directors in order to make them understand further development of events. Therefore, the narrative is supported by music and there is a lack of exhibitionist strategy in it. Viewers obtain help from the directors in order to perceive what is going on the screen correctly. Thus, attractions in the early films were used as tools to grasp attention of the audience and in later films director’s techniques were used to understand moods of the cinema’s characters (Brewster & Jacobs, 1997). According to Gunning, â€Å"This is not to say that narrative films are entirely separate to the world of the cinema of attraction. On the contrary, narratives will often incorporate this form of cinema into their development. However, since this method of cinema does tend to disrupt the realistic illusion created by the audience’s lack of self-awareness, incorporating it usually has a result of slowing down the progression of the narrative† (Gunning, 2000). Therefore, the cinema of attractions c omprises films before 1906 and avant-garde films, but nowadays many directors use these techniques as well. Modern Hollywood films are also based on the techniques of attraction, when the audience can see the face of the main character clearly and feel with him or understand him better. The exhibitionist nature of the cinema of attractions was mainly used for creation of a special atmosphere on the screen. There are special concepts of attraction in

Film review Psycho Movie Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Film Psycho - Movie Review Example The film has brilliance in the editing. It will take the power of the power of the viewers’ imaginations to fill in the blanks of the film. The film’s black and white photography is a perfect one for its mood and tone. The characters of the film contribute to the plot development through scene-to-scene margin. Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) steals money to help out her boyfriend Sam Loomis (John Gavin) from her employers. He flees and takes refuge at a rarely hosting motel where we meet owner Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) who live s with his mother. It is through this that we learn of his supposed sexual interest in Marion. There are events of Norman peeping through a hole as she undresses and an anonymous figure stabbing her to death. Sam is contracted of Marion’s sister Lila (Vera Miles) of Marion’s death. It is through their investigation that we meet Arbogast. He is also slashed to death. As the events stream by, we learn of more characters such as Mrs Bate and Norman’s tricks. Forensic psychiatrist Dr Fred Richmond gets us informed of Norman’s fractured psyche. The films actions that entail the killing scenes are chilling depicted in a detached manner, not very scary and easy to predict. The film has various chilling and memorable performances. The strident, discordant music by Bernard Herrmann has been used in several other movies to denote the appearance of a â€Å"psycho†. As mentioned earlier, the film has brilliance in editing. If we go frame by frame through the film, we will note how much the film has left to the imagination. We can see a knife, blood (chocolate syrup), water, and naked woman’s body (parts strategically concealed from camera). We should notice that only a small penetration of the knife into the flesh is shown. The horror of the murder is only hinted at the on-scene. The movie not surprisingly generated a wave of shower phobia

Analysis of Paracetamol in Urine Using High Performance Liquid Assignment

Analysis of Paracetamol in Urine Using High Performance Liquid Chromatography Hyphenated to Ion-Trap Time of Flight Mass Spectrometer - Assignment Example thods including; thin layer titration, fluoremetry, UV-spectrophotometry, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and chromatography have been applied in paracetamol analysis in pharmaceutical preparations4. In this experiment HPLC was used to analyze this drug in urine. Normally, the formulation is in water preparations and simple filtration can be done to eliminate insoluble excipients. Filtrate analysis can be through HPLC with UV detection. However, direct analysis in urine or blood is not practical due to biological fluids have several other molecules that are UV active and do interferes with the analysis3. One way to approach such is to employ methodology based on HPLC and mass spectrometric detection which was used in this experiment. The advantage for this method is that there is identification of the analyte with respect to; mass to charge ratio, retention time and mass spectrum4. 500 mg paracetamol tablet was ground to a fine powder with a mortar and pestle. The resulting powder was transferred to a volumetric flask (100 ml).To make sure that all the powder was transferred to the volumetric flask the pestle and mortar was rinsed with deionised water. The volume in the flask was filled up to 100 ml mark with deionised water. The solution was sonicated at ambient temperature for 5 min. The resulting solution was filtered into a 100 ml clean volumetric flask. 10 ÃŽ ¼l was transferred to a sample vial then diluted with deionised water to 1.0 ml. Diluted solution of 100 ÃŽ ¼l was transferred to a clean vial and diluted with deionised water to 1.0 ml. An aliquot (5 ÃŽ ¼l) was later injected onto the HPLC column 1liter of formic acid (0.1 %) was prepared in water-mobile phase ‘A’ and 1l formic acid (0.1 %) was as well prepared in acetonitrile-mobile phase ‘B’. The solvents were transferred to corresponding solvent lines on the system of HPLC. The system was purged with the solvents by opening the valve of purge on pump ‘B’ and pump

Economy Report and International Business in Denmark Essay

Economy Report and International Business in Denmark - Essay Example The export commodities are constituted of manufactured products that amount to around 73 percent of the total exports. Again the agricultural commodities and other products constitute around 19 percent of the total exports. Agricultural products constituted around 18.7 percent of the export revenues. Similarly the imports pertaining to the region in the 2010 period amounted to around $84.409 billion. Commodities like raw materials and semi-manufactured commodities constitute around 37.4 percent of the total imports while consumer products and capital goods constitute around 18 percent and 21.7 percent respectively. The major countries that carry out the export and import transactions with Denmark are like Germany, Sweden, United Kingdom, Norway, and Holland in common while countries like China and United States only carry out the import activities with Denmark (U.S. Department of State, 2011). Cultural Stereotyping in Denmark and Impact on International Trade The economy of Dutch is found to largely depend on the activities of international trade conducted with different countries round the world significantly in the fields of import and export activities. The Dutch economy becomes highly dependent on countries like Germany for largely exporting the food products and other manufacturing products and similar materials. Dependency of Denmark over the German economy has risen to such extent that it has become evident that Denmark would fail to exist without the help obtained in from the German Republic. It is held that increasing dominance of Germany in Denmark’s international trade and tourism activities would lead to bolster a sense of inferiority and thereby threatens to usurp its cultural heritage. This fear of losing their own cultural heritage makes the people of Denmark bolster up their confidence in setting of stereotyped national cultures. Cultural stereotyping is considered as an important tool by the Dutch people in order to save their conditions from being largely invaded by the German culture (Renckstorf, 2004, p.347). The cultural parameters in Denmark pertaining to the dress codes are viewed to be quite casual in nature. Casual dresses in Denmark reflect less focus rendered on wearing any kind of formal suit. However this type of stereotyping method in regards to the dress codes often earns conflict in times when the person proceeds to work in a trade environment dealing basically with international trade activities. Therein the people are required to follow a certain formal dress code and thus to abstain from wearing casual wear in the office or working hours. Henceforth the people and cultural parameters of Denmark need to become much flexible in order to rightly embrace the internationalisation of trade activities in the region. Again the people of Denmark also regard or give importance in maintaining adequate distance when communicating with someone. The people regard maintaining a distance of an arm or two when tal king with people. This type of a culture developed among the people also depicts a stereotype nature of maintaining relationships with the people either pertaining to domestic or international regions. This type of stereotyping activity reflected by the people of Den

Profile of an Organisation (Hilton Hotels - Conrad Hilton) Lab Report

Profile of an Organisation (Hilton Hotels - Conrad Hilton) - Lab Report Example 1). In 2010, Hilton WorldWide earned well over $13 billion from it various activities (Hilton Management Services, par. 1). This paper discusses the Hilton Hotels brand with an aim of establishing a clear profile of the business. Conrad Hilton as an Entrepreneur An entrepreneur is a person who innovates or introduces new things with an aim of making a profit. Many analysts agree that many entrepreneurs share certain common characteristics. For one, entrepreneurs are disciplined. In this respect, they make strategies and define ways through which to achieve their goals. Yet again, entrepreneurs are open minded and see business opportunities where others see hurdles. This trait is seen in Hilton’s life when he buys his first hotel after realising that the hotel has great potential going by his experience; he had tried to book a room in the Mobley Hotel in vain for the high demand at the time (woopidoo n.d., par. 6). They are also ready to take risks as they focus on the goals th at they have set. One important characteristic of successful entrepreneurs is that they are self starters. In connection to this characteristic, the entrepreneurs believe in the fact that if something ought to be done, it is they that must initiate action. In other words, they are proactive and will go at great length to ensure that they succeed without seeking the approval of other people. Hilton is seen to be a self starter in many occasions. Without seeking anyone’s approval, he established a bank and bought his first hotel and worked his way to success. Hilton as an entrepreneur was keen to analyse the business environment before making important decisions. Before the First World War, Hilton had raised 3,000 USD of which he established a bank (woopidoo n.d., par. 8). When the country entered the war, he decided to sell the bank considering the possible negative impacts of the war on the business. Hilton, an American entrepreneur, was a hard working person going by his acc omplishments. During his younger days, Conrad helped his father in his business endeavours. At the tender age of 21, Hilton was already confidently managing his father’s store and enjoying a share of the profits (woopidoo n.d., par. 4). In spite of the fact that he was earning a lot of cash for himself, he felt that he needed to be autonomous. Later, he established and managed his own businesses before venturing into the hotel industry. Many of the hotels and resorts that form Hilton Worldwide’s portfolio were bought by Hilton in his lifetime. Some of the hotels that he bought include the Mobley Hotel and the Statler Hotel chain (Hilton, 1957, p. 17) Marketing Strategies Used By the Organisation The success of Hilton Hotels brand is a product of several factors. For one, the company’s marketing strategy is unique in many ways and has seen the organization expand and reach greater heights. In 2005, the Hilton Hotel Corporation emerged winner of the Best Customer Focus award - an award given by the UK National Business Award. From this achievement, it is worth noting the amount of focus that the brand puts on customer satisfaction. According to Mike Ashton, a senior Officer of the company, the philosophy of equilibrium greatly impacts how the organization operates and how it relates with customers. In a bid to improve its offerings to customers and for

PREPARE A 5 PAGE PAPER ON THE HISTORY, STRUCTURE, OPERATION, Essay

PREPARE A 5 PAGE PAPER ON THE HISTORY, STRUCTURE, OPERATION, ACTIVITIES, AND PARTICIPANTS OF A SELECTED ORGANIZED CRIME. PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO INVOLVEMENT IN - Essay Example The UNODC further identifies that drug crime organizations are among the most urgent concerns for law enforcement because of their direct effect to society and individuals. Among these organizations, the organization led by Diego Leon Montoya Sanchez is on the top of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) list of organized crime syndicates. The organization is involved in drug-trafficking and money-laundering and is considered as one of the most dangerous and violent groups at its peak. Based in Colombia, it routes its cocaine operations through Ecuador to Mexico and then distributes to supply New York, Florida and Montreal in Canada. Organized crime is has rich history in any society. The traditional notions of organized crime are often described by criminal activities by close associations or groups operating in a locality though they may have significant networks in other communities. Gangs, syndicate, crime families have been part of the lore of law enforcement since its inception. However, today's generation of crime organizations have a stricture, network and form that competes with most multinational corporations. Today crime organizations operate on a global scale with no limitation to their interests or involvements (FBI, 2003). This is not saying that l... Newer networks, in contrast, are seen as having a more decentralized, often cell-like structure," (p. 7). Furthermore, Wagley differentiates them by how they operate: "conventional organizations have interests that are aligned with countriesModern networks, in contrast, are seen as less likely to profit from state contracts and often thrive on the absence of effective governance". According to the FBI and Colombian law enforcement, it is important to develop international and interagency cooperation to be able to address these hew challenges. In their efforts to indict Diego Leon Montoya Sanchez, investigation and operations had to be conducted simultaneously in the US and in Colombia highlighted the scale and sophistication that these crime organization operate which involves a network of conspirators in government and law enforcement, legitimate and illegitimate business and even government services themselves in their operations. Drugs and Organized Crime The drug trade is considered as one of the most lucrative crime operations ever developed. The sheer revenue form its operations can reach scales that it becomes even bigger than a country's legitimate economy. Take the example of Afghanistan. Central Asia has been the traditional gateway of dugs form Asia to Europe and it is estimated that the Al Qaeda and several other Para-military groups are protecting the cultivation of narcotics in the country to finance their armies (UNODC, 2006). These issues have come to international light particularly since the US occupation of the country. The UN's goals of globally eradicating drugs are not anymore an achievable target. One weakness of

PEST Analysis for video game store that i'm opened Term Paper

PEST Analysis for video game store that i'm opened - Term Paper Example It should be noted though, that political environment does not necessarily imply the rivalry between top leaders. Instead, it is refers to how tax policy, labor-law, restrictions pertaining to trade are carried out. London, Canada is one of the best places in terms of political stability due to its setting. As far as the real politics is concerned, there has not been a case of political unrest in the city for a very long time. Concerning the taxes, the central government and the local one are the major collectors through various methods. For instance, the local government mostly collects from parking and such services Therefore, London City seems to be a perfect place to start this video store because there is political stability, no exaggeration of taxes not to mention the security. Secondly, economic factors in every city, especially one where a business is started, are very important and have to be investigated extensively. Usually, when the interest rates are low, business people are able to access loans at a lower rate. At this point, it is vital to understand that since the inflation rate is not high, the local people will be able to spare some money to spend on other things. As an informed businessperson, this video game store will have clients from every part of London courtesy of the marketing strategies. One reality about business is that no matter how strategic one may be, if the overall financial status of the target market is poor, the business will have minimal chances of success. Conversely, if the people in a region are financially stable, the businesses have higher probabilities of achieving success. Therefore, this London city is a great opportunity for this video game business to be initiated. The social aspect of every region is an imperative in the analysis of a business location. It is not logical to initiate a business where the locals hardly

Unemployment Rates in the United States and Japan from 2010 to 2014 Research Paper

Unemployment Rates in the United States and Japan from 2010 to 2014 - Research Paper Example In America, the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics defines an unemployed person as someone who does not have a job and has actively searched for work in the recent times, as well as currently being available for work. Proceeding further, Remer (22) asserts that people who are not in the labor force are not considered as employed or unemployed. In this regard, the labor force comprises of both the employed along with the unemployed. Anderton (11) affirms that people who are not in the labor force are either in school or retired. In the U.S, Walton, and Hugh notes that the rate of unemployment rates rose through the years to peak in 2010 at 10.9 percent before commencing to fall to 5.8 percent as of November 2014. Between 2010 and 2014, the rate of unemployment has been on a downward trend. As of November 2014, the unemployment rate was 5.8 percent and the number of the unemployed people was 9.1 million. Amongst the major workgroups, the rate of unemployment for the adult men increased to 5.4 percent, adult women 5.3 percent, teenagers 17.7 percent, blacks 11 percent, whites 4.9 percent, and the Hispanics 6.5 percent, as well as 4.8 percent among the Asians. Following this further, the number of the long-term unemployed was 28 million. These people accounted for 30.7 percent of the unemployed population. However, from 2010 to 2014, the number of the unemployed has reduced by 1.2 million. The number of individuals employed part-time for economic reasons was 6.9 million and these people would have preferred full-time employment.

Coffee Shop Essay Example for Free

Coffee Shop Essay I. Introduction The proposed study revolves around the creation of The Coffee House, a proposed small scale business that will be situated in the fast changing environment which is constantly changing due to constructions of buildings and other facilities in the Global City in Taguig City. The study will tackle from the history of the business up to the technical and financial aspects of the study, the said study will also develop the keen observation skills of the students in terms of the marketable value of a specific brand of their liking and will also hone their analysis skills in the business side of the proposed study whether technical or financial. II. Business History The Coffee House is a new small scale business that targets the coffee industry with an expected opening date of July of 2011 in 38th Dr. N. University Parkway, Bonifacio North Triangle, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City. The business is a coffee shop, located near prestigious schools and business districts in the area. The business specializes in coffee, tea, and homemade pastries. There are other shops that only serve coffee in the vicinity, the nearest being over one kilometer away which is stationed at Market Market Mall in the vicinity. The target audience of the business is individuals which are both in the workforce and in the academe, students and professionals alike. Currently, there are no places in the surrounding area that cater to the said target audience. III. Vision and Mission Statement The vision of â€Å"The Coffee House† is to become the leading coffee shop in the area of Bonifacio Global City that is under the governance of Taguig city that also practices the â€Å"green† operation of its store and eventually provides a common area for business meetings, hang-out with friends and even a place for studying while enjoying the products of the business. The mission of â€Å"The Coffee House† is to bring back the appreciation of the masses to the local coffee, to break social norms through the business, to create an environment that can cater to different types of people all in the same time, to contribute to the development of one’s self being, to take part in the solution of environmental problems and to be able to encourage others in doing the same thing and lastly to help deflate the rise of unemployment in the country. Objectives The proposed studies primary goals over the next year are as follows: 1. Secure financing for start-up of at least P1, 380,000 for space and equipment. 2. Renovate our space in Global City. 3. Acquire equipment necessary for business, i. e. coffee pots, cappuccino machines, blenders, etc. 4. Make agreement with coffee distributors, and bakery vendors. 5. Create a cozy, clean environment (i. e. choice of colors, choice of music, decor) 6. Open for another branches and become the foremost coffeehouse in the area. Ownership The Coffee House is a corporation that was formed in the early stages of the study. Each individual are equally involved in the operation and management of the said proposed business. Since the ownership type of the business is a corporation type, in terms of profit, responsibility and liability each individual has equal share, therefore each decision that the business will take before it will be implemented into the business the owners will first assess the proposed implementation before implementing it on a first hand basis and if the decision fails, each one of them will also share the consequences of it. Location and Facilities The Coffee House is located at the 38th Dr. N. University Parkway, Bonifacio North Triangle, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City. The proponents currently own the building that the proposed business will occupy. Thus, expenses for the renovation of the area will be taken from the funds of the business. Since building a business from the ground up, the proponents took a risk in renovating the proposed location to save the business for monthly increase in cost if the business will rent a commercial location. In terms of facilities, the proponents will avail the basic facilities to jump start the business and will acquire more equipment when the business has received its return of investment, which in the estimation of the proponents would be on the succeeding months from its launch date. Products and Services Description of Products and Services The Coffee House will offer high quality coffee our primary product at a very reasonable price. We will also sell homemade cookies, brownies, and doughnuts, also reasonably priced. Key Features of the Products and Services All drinks will be made with filtered water and the highest quality ingredients we can get. Frozen drinks will have caramel or chocolate syrup drizzled in the glass and over the drink. Cappuccino and hot coca will have whipped cream toppings as well as the option for candy sprinkles. Cookies will have the option of a chocolate or caramel dip and sprinkles. We will offer designer flavored cream and five kinds of sweetener, i. e. sugar, honey, Equal, and Sweet-n-Low. Cream and sweetener is at no extra charge. Production of Products and Services We will use only filtered water and will brew our coffee in commercial coffeepots that will be thoroughly cleaned between uses. We will bake cookies, brownies and pizza pandesal in our own on-site oven from proven recipes, daily. Future Products and Services Within the next three to five years we expect to branch out into catering and offer homemade pies, whole or by the slice. Comparative Advantages in Production Our low overhead and cheaper pricing will be the key to our success. Industry Overview Market Research There are other businesses that serve only coffee in the area. Size of the Industry Nationally, the coffee shop industry is quite large, but in Global City, there are only three. The nearest one is in Market Market which is less than one (1) kilometer away. Industry Outlook The coffee business does not show signs of slowing down. With new innovations such as flavorings and additives, it should continue for some time. Marketing Strategy. Target Markets Our target market is artists and writers who need a nice quite cozy place to think and do their work. Description of Key Competitors Of the three coffee shops in the area, one is a large chain with a very expensive product, one is really a home style restaurant, the last one, and our biggest is a Famous Coffee Shop with an Elegant Style Setting. Analysis of Competitive Position Our pricing strategy, comfortable atmosphere and offering free wifi access will be the key to our success. None of the other shops in the area can offer this. Pricing Strategy The business will offer three sizes of drinks, small, medium and large. Which ranges from 50 pesos to 100 pesos, our cookies and brownies will sell for P50. 00 each/Pizza Pandesal P46 each Promotion Strategy We intend to advertise in the local newspapers and offer a frequent drinkers club discount to our best customers. We will also send out ads via direct mail, which will include cents off coupons. Management and Staffing Organizational Structure Our organizational structure will be a simple pyramid style with the owners putting in as much work as the employees. Management Team Rachelle Ann Heyres and Marilou Deondo will share management and supervisory responsibilities equally. Rachelle for the morning shift. Marilou for the afternoon shift. Staffing We will hire two busboys, two waitresses, cooks, cashier, janitors, and also security guard these will be recruited from the STI. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Busboys- Security guard- A security guards duty is to perform the duties allotted to him either to secure a place from external infiltration of people or danger that may disrupt the functioning assets of the organization. His responsibilities include performance of the duty allotted to him, to report to his superiors and be accountable for any lapse of duty. Janitors or cleaners- Labor Market Issues In this area there are College students looking for work, part time or full time, we want to fill that need. Regulatory Issues Global City and the state of Taguig City both have regulations regarding food service establishments. We have already obtained the appropriate business permits. Risks Market Risks The main risk is monetary. The area may not be ready for a place like ours and we may not do a great business but it can be prevented we will offer( free wi-fi )access to all customers as long as they want as long as they are drinking our coffee. Implementation Plan Implementation Activities and Dates 1. Begin building renovation 7/11 2. Complete renovation 7/5/11 3. Begin preliminary advertising 7/6/11 4. Purchase and setup equipment 7/10/11 5. Open for business 7/15/11 Financial Plan Beginning Balance Sheet This will be a listing of all of your assets and liabilities, before you open for business. You may want to use a spreadsheet program to make this go easier. Balance Sheet Current Assets: Building P6, 900,000 Computer P69, 000 Sound System P92, 000 Furnishings P200, 000 Equipment P138, 000 Cash Rachelle P230, 000 Marilou P207, 000 Accounts Receivable None Inventory Coffee P46, 000 Tea P23, 000 Other Assets Cups P138, 000 Total Current Assets P8, 043,000 Liabilities: Accounts Payable (monthly) Water P9, 200 Phone P6, 900 Electric P23, 000 Donut Vendor P46, 000 Warehouse Club P46, 000 Coffee Distributor P46, 000 Wages P230, 000 Advertising P46, 000 Taxes Payable Property Taxes P23, 000 Employee Taxes P92, 000 Operating Loans Payable Startup Loan P23, 000 Total Liabilities P545100 ongoing per month Projected Income This will be a listing by month of your projected income. List the projected income each month for each product, this way you can compare actual sales to projected sales at the end of the year to determine what products to concentrate on. (Below is a sample month) July 05 Coffee P276, 000 Tea P92, 000 Cookies P69, 000 Donuts P115, 000 Misc. P184, 000 Total Income for March P736, 000 Total Projected Net Profit (Cost/Benefit) P144, 900 for July This would assume 20 pots of coffee sold a day, plus an assortment of other items. This also assumes the market will not increase or decrease due to weather or economics. This would be an average month. This of course would be adjusted monthly once you start business. Then based on the adjustments and actual sales, you can build a new balance sheet at the beginning of next year. Conclusions After you have created the business plan and examined the cash flow estimation you may find that your net profits are not what you would like them to be. In this case you may have to revise your pricing strategy to fit with your expectations or change your expectations. A coffee shop is not a get rich quick idea; it takes lots of hard work and long hours to realize your dream. But, in the long run, careful planning will make it all worth it. S. W. O. T analysis Strength * The Coffeehouse will offer foods compatible to the coffee that customer’s orders. * The environment of the business is always clean and well ventilated for customers to feel relaxed. * The beverages that the business offers are locally and naturally produced that ensures the quality of the products and lowers additional costs. * Ingredients for other products that will be offered by the business like pastries, salads and the likes is organically produce in the businesses green house. * The business is located near establishments for business, academic, rising condominiums and the occasional joggers of the area. Weakness * Unlike other coffee shops the location of our store is not inside the mall. * Lot of expenses. * Slow regaining for profit. * We need to advertise our coffee shop to the public to be known unlike the others. * Low competitiveness when it comes to name or brand. Opportunities * The coffee that we offer is new to the every individuals so the opportunity in it is that the coffee drinkers may want to try our products to compare it to their usual coffee. * Threats * The other coffee brands is popularly known by every individuals that drinks coffee. *

Effects of Free Speech on Children

Effects of Free Speech on Children The development of media for the last 50 years has allowed people to explore and discuss lots of concerned problems in the society but they are not always having the chance to freely speak up whatever they want to say or search for a particular topic due to censorship from the government. Since then, freedom of expression has been a controversial issue in many countries all over the world. While in Western nations, citizens have more access to freedom of expression, people in communist countries such as Vietnam and China are limited to express their ideas to certain extend. Some commentators have argued that free speech can bring upon detrimental effects on children, facilitate hate crimes, and anti-government groups to spread. It is the contention of this essay that It is a human right for people to have freedom of speech through the media without having any fear or being interfered by any forces. This essay will discuss the following aspects of free speech on media, the Internet in particular, as effects on childrens awareness, humans minds and democracy. It is a point of dispute between free speech through media and effects caused on children. It is often the case that children are exposed to adverse influences on the media through what they believe as freedom of expression. Reinhard (2004, p.170) contends that a person can still legally express his beliefs, ideas through films or music despite their viciousness and degradation, which brings up the moral issue on the media especially when children start to commit flagitious crimes. According to Bushman and Huesmann (2005, p. 351), violence on the media is most likely to increase aggressive behaviour in children, as well as, create long-term effects on children. Nevertheless, these arguments are not convincing enough. Freedom of expression through the use of media can hardly bring detrimental results such as violent behavior to children and it is, in fact, a positive influence for the development of children. A research conducted by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital led Dr. Cheryl Olson (Beresin Schlozman 2012) proves there is no definite relationship between media violence and aggressive behaviour in children. Samenow (2012) asserts that it is the personality that leads to violence not the media. Moreover, freedom of expression is able to enhance their confidence and awareness of their right. An article on Safely Connect (Magid 2014) demonstrates that despite the risks of social media, some teachers embolden students to use it to express themselves freely and widen their horizons by exchanging learning resources with others. Having access to freedom of expression allows them to speak up their mind and, thus, address important issues and unfairness in society despite their age. In brief, practicing freedom of speech on social media beneficially affects children as it raises their confidence and awareness that their voice matters. There have been several debates on whether or not freedom of speech broadens peoples minds. It has been argued that free speech makes them more small-minded and hateful. It could be asserted that the fact that cyber-libertarians object to censorship online can help extremists to spread hate on the media (Banks 2010, p. 2). Furthermore, in the 2012 Digital Terror and Hate Report by Simon Wiesenthal Center (cited in Ring 2013, pp.1-2) about 15,000 hate sites based on race, ethnicity and sexual preference are currently active. Even though some believe that these hateful speeches are parts of freedom of expression, there has been a stronger argument by Leets (2001, p. 312) that depend on certain rules and standards, hate sites such as white supremacist websites may not be protected by the First Amendment. In addition, freedom of expression can significantly help to widen humans minds. It is undeniable that without freedom of speech human would never have been able to acquire knowledge to create a more civilized and intellectually developed world. Pinker (2015) demonstrates that by practicing free speech, human beings start to question the nature of reality and test their ideas to come up with the truth. The power of media supports this idea by allowing its users to exchange ideas and knowledge on a global scale. There is evidence that at least 4.66 billion web pages existed in mid-March 2016 while this figure is only approximately 1 billion in 2014 (Pappas 2016). This indicates how frequently people are interacting with the Internet everyday practicing free speech to broaden their horizons. Overall, social media opens up peoples knowledge and perspective by allowing them to have free speech to exchange ideas or question the reality. It is also a matter of debate between free speech on media and political movements. One argument is that freedom of expression is a tool for political reactionaries to spread and develop against the government. According to VOV (2016), a group of Vietnamese people living in exile attempt to promote sinister activities to get rid of the current Communist leadership in Vietnam. They spread false rumours about the government to bring out the anger and frustration of the local, which results in potential protests against the government based on false information. Besides, there are also evidences about ISIS recruiting its new members with the aid of the Internet (Koerner 2016). On the other hand, this argument is tenuous at best because there is strong evidence from Menn and Volz (2016) showing that in reality these types of contents are often removed on social media such as Facebook. One supporting argument for this contention is that free speech mainly results in support for democracy and fight against dictatorship (Pinker 2015). The common oil of great and resilient democracies is the free flow of debate, the proposition and contest of ideas, both good and bad, from all and by all (The Age 2015). It is further explained by Thierer (2011) that the Internet creates more opportunities for people in the Digital Age to be heard. A further contributing proof from Brooke (2012) is that the Internet users in Russia challenge their government for democracy by starting an information war and eventually, they won. Parker (2014) advocates that in the protest for democracy in Hong Kong, social media did play an extremely important role as a tool for people in Mainland China and all over the world to show their support for Hong Kong citizens. In general, freedom of speech on the media has made significant impacts on the advancement of democracy in the twenty-first century. In conclusion, taking into consideration the advantages of free speech, freedom of expression improves childrens progress in confidence and social awareness, facilitates humans to broaden their minds and knowledge, as well as, supports democracy movement in society. Thus, it is crucial for people to express whatever opinions they have without being interfered or threatened. Free speech should be applied on an appropriate scale that is pointing out the faults in the society without involving any crimes. Bibliography Banks, J 2010, Regulating hate speech online, International Review of Law, Computers Technology, vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 233-239. Beresin, E Schlozman, S 2012, Violent Video Games and Movies Causing Violent Behavior, Psychology Today, viewed March 7, 2017, https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/inside-out-outside-in/201212/violent-video-games-and-movies-causing-violent-behavior>. Brooke, J 2014, Internet Opens Russia for Democracy Movement, VOA, viewed March 7, 2017, http://www.voanews.com/a/internet-opens-russia-for-democracy-movement-138042478/151111.html>. Bushman, B Huesmann, L 2006, Short-term and Long-term Effects of Violent Media on Aggression in Children and Adults, Archives of Pediatrics Adolescent Medicine, vol. 160, no. 4, pp. 348-352, https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/10.1001/archpedi.160.4.348>. Democracy thrives on free speech, The Age, viewed March 7, 2017, http://www.theage.com.au/comment/the-age-editorial/democracy-thrives-on-free-speech-20150113-12nfpj.html>. Koerner, B 2016, Why ISIS Is Winning the Social Media War-And How to Fight Back, WIRED, viewed March 7, 2017, https://www.wired.com/2016/03/isis-winning-social-media-war-heres-beat/>. Leets, L 2001, Responses to Internet Hate Sites: Is Speech Too Free in Cyberspace?, Communication Law and Policy, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 287-317. Magid, L 2014, Protecting children online needs to allow for their right to free speech, ConnectSafely, viewed March 7, 2017, http://www.connectsafely.org/protecting-children-online-needs-to-allow-for-their-right-to-free-speech/>. Menn, J Volz, D 2016, Facebook And Google Have New Weapons In Place To Block Extremist Videos, The Huffington Post, viewed March 7, 2017, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/facebook-isis-videos_us_577128a2e4b017b379f66ed6>. Parker, E 2014, Social Media and the Hong Kong Protests, The New Yorker, viewed March 7, 2017, http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/social-media-hong-kong-protests>. Pinker, S 2015, Why free speech is fundamental The Boston Globe, BostonGlobe.com, viewed March 7, 2017, https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2015/01/26/why-free-speech-fundamental/aaAWVYFscrhFCC4ye9FVjN/story.html>. Reinhard, C 2004, The Ethics of Censorship: Should Governments Cover Our Childrens Eyes?, in At the Edge of Information Changing Ethical Dilemmas, Ethica Publishing, Leeds, pp. 164-172. http://www.ethicapublishing.com/6CH11.htm>. Ring, CE, 2013. Hate Speech in Social Media: An Exploration of the Problem and Its Proposed Solutions. PhD. Boulder: University of Colorado. Samenow, SE 2012, Watching Violence in the Media Does Not Cause Crime, Psychology Today, viewed March 7, 2017, https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/inside-the-criminal-mind/201202/watching-violence-in-the-media-does-not-cause-crime>. Thierer, A 2011, The Internet Isnt Killing Our Culture Or Democracy, Forbes.com, viewed March 7, 2017, https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamthierer/2011/06/05/the-internet-isnt-killing-our-culture-of-democracy>. Viet Tan: terrorist and reactionary nature 2016, VOV VOV Online Newspaper, viewed March 7, 2017, http://english.vov.vn/politics/viet-tan-terrorist-and-reactionary-nature-320205.vov>.

Theories of Evolution and Intelligent Design

Theories of Evolution and Intelligent Design Humans have a profound longing to know their roots. In the broadest context, this longing expresses itself as a desire to understand how the universe itself came to exist, in a more particular framework, the origin of living things. Various models attempt to explain how life comes to be. These controversial issues settle on by two views. The evolutionists argue life evolved, while the proponents of intelligent design argue that life is a product of an intelligent cause. Then there are creationists who consider life to be created by a deity or deities. Nevertheless, creationism is not of importance because creationism focuses on defending the sacred texts, having no scientific evidence to how life comes to be. The contentious matter is whether intelligent design is science or not. As Charles Darwin wrote in the On the Origin of Species, â€Å"A fair result can be obtained only by fully stating and balancing the facts and arguments on both sides of each question.† Now, there seems to be a great deal of confusion among the society on what exactly evolution and intelligent design is. According to the online dictionary, evolution is the â€Å"change in the genetic composition of a population during successive generations, as a result of natural selection acting on the genetic variation.† Therefore, evolution is mainly a process occurring from one generation to the next, which results in heritable changes in a population. More accurately, evolution is any change in the â€Å"frequency of alleles within a gene pool† over succeeding generations. Like evolution, intelligent design is on the online dictionary too. The online dictionary states, intelligent design is, â€Å"the assertion or belief that physical and biological systems observed in the universe result from purposeful design by an intelligent being rather than from chance or undirected natural processes.† Thus, intelligent design argues that an intelligent cause rather than an undirected process best explain certain features of the universe. If an intelligent cause best explain certain features of the universe, then intelligent design supporters must agree that certain features are best explained by the evolution theory. Intelligent design supporters like Stephen Meyer say that intelligent design supporters are not against evolution per say. Evolution can mean change over time or common ancestry, which are not meanings of the term they dispute. They do challenge the â€Å"specific Darwinian ideal, that life is the result of a purely undirected process that merely mimics the powers of designing intelligence.† Charles Darwin’s theory is that all living things evolved from a simple organism over immeasurable generations. In addition to the countless generations, random mutations or changes in the traits and natural selection took place, with only the fittest of species surv iving and reproducing. As pointed out before, intelligent design supporters do not reject evolution, nor do they believe that the universe was created in six days. However, proponents of intelligent design do say an intelligent designer created life. Even though they are silent about the identity of the designer, most assume it the God of Christianity. Intelligent design proponents tend to stay away from defining design. Stephen Meyer, an intelligent design proponent says there are two features to what this intelligence is. Meyer quotes, â€Å"you can’t tell from the science alone the identity of the designer. It is like having a painting that was not signed. You can tell from the characteristic signature of intelligence, namely the presence of information, that some mind played a role, but we cannot tell from the science the identity.† Dr. Micheal Ruse, an evolutionist states â€Å"if a painting isn’t signed, a good art historian could look at the painting and say I think it’s a 13 century painting or this painting is an impressionist.† Proponents of intelligent design argue that even the simplest of living things have numerous complex and sophisticated structures that not even natural selection can produce. For that reason, how do you explain the complexity of design? The question that appears to be asked often is, â€Å"is the design of biology an illusion produced by a natural mechanism, namely natural selection that can mimic the power of designing intelligence or is the appearance of design, which all biologists recognize the product of actual intelligence, a mind not a material process.† Hence, proponents of intelligent design, in particular Michael Behe argue the challenge of irreducible complexity, suggesting the existence of an intelligent designer behind the purposeful structures of each living cell. Irreducible complexity implies a â€Å"single system composed of several well-matched, interacting parts that contribute to the basic function, were in the removal of any one of the part causes the sys tem to effectively cease functioning.† Michael Behe’s famous everyday example of an irreducibly complex system is a mousetrap. If one of the pieces of a mousetrap is unavailable, no longer will the mousetrap be effective. An irreducibly complex system is similar to this example. All the components have to be in place before you can catch a mouse or have a functioning system. Michael Behe considers an irreducibly complex system to be very difficult or highly unlikely to form by not only by numerous, successive modifications, but because any essential part could cease to function if a piece from the preceding generations was missing. Michael Behe supports his point how natural selection cannot clarify the complexity that is within a cell by acknowledging a quote Darwin said. â€Å"If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down.† The nature of an irreducible complexity poses as a threat to the Darwinian theory because systems which are entirely working can then only natural selection be present. An example in a living cell is the scheme of how proteins are able to navigate to the precise destination where proteins carry out their â€Å"specialized tasks, such as digestion of nutrients and excretion of wastes. This constant, regulated traffic flow in the cell comprises another remarkably complex, irreducible system.† In order for a system to function fittingly, a system should no break down and the system’s parts should not break down. Kenneth R. Miller counters the argument of irreducible complexity; an intricate system cannot be produced by evolution. Kenneth Miller proves his disagreement by explaining the fault he sees in Michael Behe’s own example, the mousetrap. Michael Behe states how removing a part of the mousetrap causes it to stop functioning, but Kenneth Miller states that you may not have a mousetrap taking away certain pats, but you can have another fully functional machine. A mousetrap is composed of a base, a metal hammer, a spring, a catch and a metal bar. â€Å"Take away the catch and the metal bar, [there is] a functional paper clip. Take away the spring, and you have a two-part key chain. The point is that bits and pieces of supposedly irreducibly complex machines may have different, but still useful functions.† Kenneth R. Miller argues that Darwinian mechanisms could have arranged the numerous complex system that exists within living things. â€Å"Evolution produces complex bioch emical machines by copying, modifying, and combining proteins previously used for other functions.† Kenneth Miller uses again one of Michael Behe’s own example. As mentioned before, Michael Behe argues how an intelligent design is behind the complexity of how the proteins move from one â€Å"subcellular compartment† to another. The journal called Cell has an article where working researchers noted â€Å"these mechanisms suggest in a natural way how the many and diverse compartments in eukaryotic cells could have evolved in the first place.† Overall, intelligent design does not succeed with present any biochemical evidence. William A. Dembski makes another interesting intelligent design statement. Dembski draws attention to how neither chance nor necessity can explain the creation of the universe. The origin of all living things must have had help from a designing intelligence. Researchers receive a sufficient amount of random signal from space for plenty of years. Dembski states, â€Å"If a sequence lacks complexity, it could easily happen by chance.† In other word, if it is complex, it must have not occurred by chance or randomness. Therefore, researchers must infer an extraterrestrial intelligence is the source for such â€Å"complex, sequenced patterns† (random signals). â€Å"Intelligence leaves behind a characteristic trademark or signature [called] specified complexity.† Specified complexity is not similar to the term irreducible complexity. The both have different definitions. Specified complexity indicates that it is an event â€Å"if it is contingent and therefore not nec essary, if it is complex and therefore not easily repeatable by chance, and if it is specified in the sense of exhibiting an independently given pattern.† Slim chances of unlikely events to happen do not reduce chance. For instance, if you roll a dice for an adequate amount of time, you will be able to notice a â€Å"highly complex or improbably event.† Another appealing argument is that â€Å"specifications be objectively given and not just imposed on events after the fact.† For example, if a soccer player kicks a soccer ball onto the field and then we place the soccer net, â€Å"we impose a patter after the fact.† Alternatively, if the soccer net is â€Å"set up in advance (specified)† and then the soccer player shoots the ball into the net, â€Å"we know it was by design.† Robert T. Pennock presents his counterargument to Dembski argument. Pennock claims that proponents of intelligent design like Dembski do not provide the society with â€Å"positive evidence† and instead present us with â€Å"negative evidence.† Basically, â€Å"negative evidence† is evidence that an individual has not experienced by their five external senses, mainly if the whole thing is a phony. On the other hand, â€Å"positive evidence† is the opposite, where there is truth and evidence for the event that took place or for any science matter. Dembski did not present any examples from humans and therefore Pennock states â€Å"Dembski has no way to show that the genetic patterns are set up in advance or independently given.† A common argument creationists attack on is how the second law of thermodynamics doesn’t support evolution. Proponents of intelligent design make use of this argument by means of different approaches to the matter, but it all comes down to how â€Å"can evolutionary processes produce more complex life-forms from more primitive ones [if] evolution violates the second law of thermodynamics.† Pennock states that biological complexities are open systems and since the law applies to closed systems, which is why the second law does not pass the test of evolution. This is simply a misunderstanding of how intelligent design supporters are not able to apply the law to biological systems. Again, the entire hypothesis made by proponents of intelligent design does not provide any scientific evidence. Also, if the origin of the universe was created by a designing intelligence, is this hypothesis testable? Proponents of intelligent design make assumptions on what evolutionists have not yet to discover information or fully understand the cause and reason behind a finding. â€Å"There is no way to dust for [the designer’s] fingerprints.† Jonathan Wells, a proponent of intelligent design claims in fact Darwin’s theory in hard to believe considering that certain features of living things appear to be designed. Natural selection and random variation cannot explain Darwin’s theory of evolution. Wells uses Darwin’s own two examples, the finches and the four-winged fruit fly, to back up his statement. Darwin’s finches and the four-winged fruit fly prove his theory of evolution, but Wells uncovers that Darwin’s theory can only account for certain feature and not all features of living things. Generally, finches vary among the shape of their beaks and Darwin concluded that the shape of their beaks differed due to the assorted food the finches ate. In other words, the finches adapted through a variety of food, but evolved from a common ancestor and the undirected process, natural selection is the cause of such diverse collection of finches. Wells argue that natural selection can only account for the fact that it works within its species and not modify the anatomical structure. Wells agrees that DNA mutations allow certain advantageous variations like antibiotic resistance. Now evolutionists provide evidence of anatomical changes through the four-winged fruit fly, but the fly does not indeed provide proof. The wings that the fly seemed to acquire through mutation show that these wings are not only useless but also worse. Eugenie C. Scott, a well-known evolutionist responds to Jonathan Wells claim by stating that natural selection alone does not explain the features of living things. Besides natural selection, there is genetic drift, symbiosis, genetic recombination and gene flow and chromosomal rearrangement. Scott assures that Wells is sticking to the religious belief rather than the scientific explanation. Today, â€Å"modern genetic analysis† provides scientists with plenty of evidence that all species descended from a common ancestor. The Ultrabithorax (Ubx) complex is â€Å"found in animals as different as sponges, fruit flies, and mammals. They turn on or off the genes involved in body segmentation and the production of appendages such as antennae, legs, and wings.† This Ubx complex is the key to the evolution of body parts and counterargument to Wells claim of how Darwin’s theory does not explain anatomical change. â€Å"The loss of legs in snakes, the change from lobe fi ns to hands, and the origin of jaws in vertebrates† are just some of the examples that the Ubx complex is involved in. For over a decade there has been a controversial issue among school boards whether it is appropriate to teach scientific creation, recently intelligent design, in public school science classes. In 1996, Michael Behe’s Darwin’s Black Box helped emphasize that intelligent design as scientific rather than a religious viewpoint. Although Behe does not mention the name of the designer, the scientific community refuse to believe his arguments and claim it to be from personal incredulity. This book presented points on why the teaching of intelligent design should be included and attacked the teaching of evolution in public schools. â€Å"The 2005 Kitzmiller v. Dover case put the calim that intelligent design was religion masquerading as science to the test.† Evolutionists know that Darwin’s theory has gaps and it is not perfect, but proponents of intelligent design. In conclusion, proponents of evolution and intelligent design dispute over whether life on earth evolved through natural mechanisms or produced by an intelligent cause. Each side brings up interesting arguments where neither side admits defeat. While evolutionists assert the community that intelligent design are more religious and philosophical, not scientific. They believe intelligent design has a link to creationism. Proponents of intelligent design claim evolutionists refuse to admit that life appears to look designed because in fact it really is designed. Even though evolutionists argue how intelligent design has no scientific evidence, proponents of intelligent design argue how there are peer-reviewed articles on intelligent design. The controversial issue in the Unites States of America is whether intelligent design should be taught in schools. Evolutionists say it’s acceptable to for students to learn about intelligent design, but not as a branch of biology. Proponents of intelligent design insist on teaching intelligent design in biology classes. There have been court cases due to this issue and the judge ruled out that intelligent design cannot be taught in schools. â€Å"It is pretty hard to find the right result to a controversial issue.†

Extramarital Affairs And Marriage :: essays research papers

Do extramarital affairs help or destroy a marriage? A lot of people say that having such affairs helped them solve the problems they had with their spouses, while other people’s marriages are destroyed by them. Do partners feel more comfortable in relationships outside their marriage and what could be the cause of that? Studies conducted by Pittman, who argues that unfaithfulness is not normal or acceptable, have shown that first-time divorce occurs in the wake of an affair; yet its also Pittman that states that ’a crisis of infidelity can reawaken a petrified marriage and therapy can save the adulterous marriage’, something in total contradiction with our traditional culture. Which should we believe than? Studies by Atwater lead us to believe that the second possibility should be seriously considered; in interviewing women engaged in extramarital affairs, she found that over half of them had improved their relationships with their husbands as a result of the affair. The fact that their needs were being met outside the marriage caused a change in their behavior in the marriage, as one woman reported: â€Å"Since I have this second relationship on-going, I have been able to draw my husband out more and get him to talk more... and to be more open in expressing my feelings with him.... I am slowly but surely trying to bring our relationship up to a level that meets more of my needs.† The expressive area seems to be the most troubled one in these marriages, as the unfaithful wives sustained. According to Atwater, extramarital relationships occur because â€Å"we are unrealistic about love and the ability of our spouse to satisfy all our sexual needs†. She concludes that there are five completely untrue myths that contribute to our faith in sexual exclusivity: one person will supply all of another’s emotional, social, and sexual needs people grow to love each other more through the years sexual exclusivity comes easily and naturally husbands and wives should be best friends extramarital affairs will destroy a marriage But lets examine this situation from the men’s point of view as well. Women and men have different expectations in extramarital relationships and while women report that their affairs are less for sexual fulfillment and more for emotional support and companionship, the most frequent reason men give for being unfaithful is either sexual rejection by their wives or the boredom of having repeated sex with the same person.

Hawthornes Hierarchy of Sin in The Scarlet Letter Essay -- Scarlet Le

Hawthorne's Hierarchy of Sin in The Scarlet Letter  Ã‚        Ã‚   Throughout the novel The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne focuses on the struggle of Hester Prynne, a woman who is forced to deal with the strict Puritan punishment for the adulterous birth of her child, Pearl.   Yet, the very Puritan values that bring Hester public ignominy help to lift her to a position of respect in the community.   Although Hawthorne does not condone Hester's sin, he takes pains to show that her sin is minimal in comparison to those of her weak lover, Arthur Dimmesdale, and of her vengeful husband, Roger Chillingworth.       Hester finds solace in the moral teachings of her religion and in acts of repentance, which help her deal with the struggles resulting from her sin.   Although she no longer practices her faith openly after her public disgrace, she still has deep ties to her God and religion.   She often prays for Pearl in hopes that her child's wild character will be calmed with time.   Hester accepts her punishment readily, elaborately embroidering the scarlet "A" she is forced to wear on her breast and dressing Pearl in scarlet.   She continues to wear the symbol of her sin long after the community declares her repented due to her commendable record of community service, showing everyone that she has nothing to hide.   Indeed, Hester's salvation lies in the truth:   "In all things else, I have striven to be true!   Truth was the one virtue which I might have held fast, and did hold fast, through all extremity.    . . . A lie is never good, even though death threaten on the other side!" (200).   Hester finds comfort in prayer and repentance, which help to make her strong:   "Shame, Despair, Solitude!   These had been her teachers- s... ...esdale.   For his sins Chillingworth suffers a horrible fate:   "All his strength and energy-all his vital and intellectual force-seemed at once to desert him; insomuch that he positively withered up, shriveled away, and almost vanished from mortal site. . ." (268).   He dies very shortly after Dimmesdale.       Although it appears at first glance that Hester is Hawthorne's focus in The Scarlet Letter, a closer examination reveals that the novel revolves around the struggles of a weak lover and a jealous husband.   Indeed, Hawthorne shows that Hester, who readily faces her problems, grows stronger and gains the respect of her community, whereas both Dimmesdale and Chillingworth, who are consumed by fear and hate respectively, bring about their own demise.    Works Cited Hawthorne, Nathaniel.   The Scarlet Letter.   New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1948.

Language and Imagery in Punching Out Essay example -- Punching Out Ess

Language and Imagery in Punching Out In the critical praise for the poetry of Jim Daniels which fills the back cover of the anthology, Peter Stitt of the New York Times praises Daniels’s ability to "articulate the feelings of inarticulate people," in his clear and often creative free verse style. But the culture which Daniels illuminates in his poetry is far from inarticulate, as the critic indicates; more precisely the culture articulates its feelings and emotions in a vernacular unfamiliar to those outside it and to those accustomed to the eloquence and expression of loftier themes in traditional poetry. Daniels simply distills the essence of these feelings through a gesture, a thought, an image or a scene more adroitly than the blue collar workers which surround him, using poetry to meet the hardships, hopes and concerns of this culture on its own terms. Throughout the poems contained in Punching Out, Daniels creatively manipulates the poetic devices of imagery, allusions, language and rhythm to vividly portra y the oppressive environment of the factory and the demoralizing effects of the repetitive labor on its workers. One image which Daniels frequently co-opts to highlight Fords’ ironic approach to its workers is the manufacturer’s slogan. Quality appears to be job one in Daniels’s portrayal so long as it does not impede on the bottom line. Buying a cheap radio from a merchant who assures him that he is purchasing "Quality Merchandise", (author’s italics) the author curses the mal-functioning machine, remarking to himself that he should "know all about quality by how." The shrewdly placed slash in the title of "Quality/Control", again highlights the company’s ambivalent stance on quality versus profits. In the poem,... ...over portrays the utopian vision of a fresco by Diego Rivera showing all type of workers, black and white, young and old working together for the common cause of the auto industry. Jim Daniels’s more disturbing vision shows that the industry’s real leveling effect comes not from some Socialist Unity of the workers of the world, but by stripping every worker equally of his or her human dignity. Daniels is able to capture, by the simplest of gestures and stories, the desperation of the auto workers’ lot. In "Old Green, he tells of the worker retiring after nearly half a century of dedication to the company, given an aerial photo of factory. "As hard as you look you’ll never find him," notes Daniels, and all of his poetry eloquently reflects this plight of the worker. Works Cited Daniels, Jim. Punching Out. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1990. Â   Â   Language and Imagery in Punching Out Essay example -- Punching Out Ess Language and Imagery in Punching Out In the critical praise for the poetry of Jim Daniels which fills the back cover of the anthology, Peter Stitt of the New York Times praises Daniels’s ability to "articulate the feelings of inarticulate people," in his clear and often creative free verse style. But the culture which Daniels illuminates in his poetry is far from inarticulate, as the critic indicates; more precisely the culture articulates its feelings and emotions in a vernacular unfamiliar to those outside it and to those accustomed to the eloquence and expression of loftier themes in traditional poetry. Daniels simply distills the essence of these feelings through a gesture, a thought, an image or a scene more adroitly than the blue collar workers which surround him, using poetry to meet the hardships, hopes and concerns of this culture on its own terms. Throughout the poems contained in Punching Out, Daniels creatively manipulates the poetic devices of imagery, allusions, language and rhythm to vividly portra y the oppressive environment of the factory and the demoralizing effects of the repetitive labor on its workers. One image which Daniels frequently co-opts to highlight Fords’ ironic approach to its workers is the manufacturer’s slogan. Quality appears to be job one in Daniels’s portrayal so long as it does not impede on the bottom line. Buying a cheap radio from a merchant who assures him that he is purchasing "Quality Merchandise", (author’s italics) the author curses the mal-functioning machine, remarking to himself that he should "know all about quality by how." The shrewdly placed slash in the title of "Quality/Control", again highlights the company’s ambivalent stance on quality versus profits. In the poem,... ...over portrays the utopian vision of a fresco by Diego Rivera showing all type of workers, black and white, young and old working together for the common cause of the auto industry. Jim Daniels’s more disturbing vision shows that the industry’s real leveling effect comes not from some Socialist Unity of the workers of the world, but by stripping every worker equally of his or her human dignity. Daniels is able to capture, by the simplest of gestures and stories, the desperation of the auto workers’ lot. In "Old Green, he tells of the worker retiring after nearly half a century of dedication to the company, given an aerial photo of factory. "As hard as you look you’ll never find him," notes Daniels, and all of his poetry eloquently reflects this plight of the worker. Works Cited Daniels, Jim. Punching Out. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1990. Â   Â  

Curfew Laws: Helpful or Harmful? Essay

Curfew laws are being carefully examined right now. Some adults believe that they are necessary and that they help curb adolescent crime. Others believe that they violate rights and don’t really solve the problem at all. To look at this issue more closely, there are two articles, one in support of curfew laws, and one against it. The first article is by David Knight, who is in support of curfew laws. There are strengths to his article. First of all, he is a police officer who has seen teen crime firsthand. He is also a parent, so he knows that kids may tell their parents one thing (i. e. â€Å"I’m going to Johnny’s house†) but really do another, intentionally or unintentionally. Knight is convinced that at night, teens can get into trouble because fewer people are watching them. Also, he says that teens who are out at night are likely behaving in ways that are disruptive, like violating noise ordinances and drinking underage. Knight points out that no one, regardless of their age, has the right to disrupt others and be publicly annoying. These are all good points. However, Knight fails to point out what effect, exactly, curfews have had on the juvenile crime rates. He also ignores other possibilities in combating juvenile crime, such as counseling or afterschool programs, or the parent’s role. While it is true, as Knight says, that some kids will lie to their parents, it is insulting and ridiculous to assume that all kids will lie to their parents. Knight glosses over this idea, and one has to wonder how much he trusts his own kids. The second article is by Colin Miller, who opposes curfew laws. The strengths are the statistics he cites – that most juvenile crime occurs between the hours of 3 pm and 11 pm, with most occurring before 8 pm. He also states that afterschool programs have been shown to be far more effective in combating crime than curfews. Finally, curfews have cost cities a lot of money in increased police costs, money that Miller says could be used to fund afterschool programs and other ways to combat juvenile crime more effectively. Miller also says that curfews take away the parents’ rights, while making them more responsible for their teens’ behavior. The weaknesses of his article are that he doesn’t talk much about the actual effects of curfews on teens in the towns, he just says they are â€Å"ineffective. † He also doesn’t look at the law enforcement’s point of view much. I agree with Miller. Miller makes many more reasonable arguments than does Knight. Knight assumes that all kids are inherently bad, and that the only thing they would be doing on the streets is getting into trouble. While it’s easy to see how Knight would feel this way – he is a cop who deals primarily with teens in trouble – it is a false and troubling assumption about teens. Knight’s statement that all teens lie to their parents and that parents can’t control their kids without the law’s help is also ridiculous. This supposes no trust or respect between parents and kids, and many parents have raised their kids better than this. Miller recognizes that kids are often inherently good, and that those that aren’t are going to get in trouble just as much (and more) during the day as at night. Research has shown, as Miller states, that it is in the afterschool hours (when parents are still at work and kids are unsupervised) that kids are more likely to get in trouble, if they are going to get in trouble at all. What’s more, Miller is correct in saying that teens need the freedom to make choices if they are to learn to make good ones. Teens are nearly grown up, and if they can’t even choose to come home early (or to go to a good evening event, possibly at a friend’s house or at church), then how are they going to be entirely responsible for themselves in a year or two? Teens should be given more freedom as they grow up, not less. Finally, instead of punishing all teens who are out late at night, cops and the rest of society should worry about helping the teens who are in trouble, those who have already been in the system for doing something they shouldn’t. These teens need help, they need supervision, they need people to care about them and provide them with alternative activities. In general, money is much better spent on real crime prevention than punishing the innocent.

Evaluate what psychologists have discovered about substance use and abuse Essay

In discovering about substance use and abuse one issue encountered are the inevitable ethical issues that occur. In Mestel and Concar’s study for example, sensitive data was collected. Sharing this sensitive data wit hthe researchers may have caused participants unnecessary anxiety or embarrassment if for example the urine test showed that they had used cocaine. This inevitably leads to ethical issues due to the unpleasant emotions participants may have been subjected to. Similarly in Robinson et al’s study, participants may have experienced unpleasant emotions such as embarrassment and ill ease as a result of the personal nature of the questions asked. From the two studies we can see that ethics is often a factor when exploring the issue of substance use and abuse however substance abuse is, by definition, against social expectations and consequently is always likely to incur ethical dilemmas when researchers attempt to discover substance use and abuse. Another difficulty incurred when attempting to explore substance use and abuse is social desirability. Social desirability is the term given to the situation in which people give answers that are contrary or different to their beliefs because their alternative answer is more socially acceptable. In Moolchan et al’s study for example personal data was collected and in order to present themselves in abetter light people may have lied when giving their answer – responding by saying that their parent didn’t smoke when in fact they did for example. Similarly in Lando’s study baseline data was collected by asking participants to keep a diary detailing their smoking for one week. Participants may have recorded false information because they felt this false information would be more socially acceptable. Social desirability can lead to results which are invalid and resultantly lead to a lack of validity as the study will not record peoples true response. Another difficulty in discovering substance use and abuse is the issue of generalisability. Generalisability is the term used to define the extent to which results from one sample of participants can be applied to wider groups. In Griffiths study for example the findings may not be able to generalised to a country such as Australia as the sample used was not representative. Similarly Murray’s study conducted in 1988 had a sample which was exclusively composed of adolescents and consequently it could not be applied to the wider population. In reality however a study is likely to never be truly representative to a global extent and in doing so such a diverse sample may make it hard for clear results to be distinguished due to cultural differences. Research into substance use and abuse may also incur the difficulty of ethnocentric bias. This is the tendency to perceive the world from you own cultural group, such as your wthnic group. The issue of ethnocentric bias can be seen in Gomels study. Gomel looked at a workplace in which smoking had been banned and how this related to the reduction in substance use (smoking). The study can be een to be ethnocentrically biased because it was conducted in one workplace in Australia. Ethnocentric bias can result in research that is not applicable to the larger population as the results from this study may not be found to be the same if it was conducted in Australia for example. c) Many people resolve to give up smoking each new year. With middle aged women specifically in mind suggest one psychological technique which would be useful to help them in their attempts to stop smoking. Give reasons for your answer. In attempting to stop smoking one technique which may be useful is the use of self help groups. Self help groups are support circles where each member is also attempting to quit smoking. As Moolchan discovered in his study, women who smoke are likely to be socially skilled and confident and so may find a group therapy useful where they can support and gain support from other women in the group who are in a socially similar position to themselves. Group therapy may also be effective in helping a middle aged woman quit smoking as she may make friends with people in the group and thus turn to them for support as she would turn to a friend outside of the group. The clear difference however would be that the person in the group would be going through the same experience as the middle aged woman and so would be able to identify with her. Those in the support group may also acknowledge an element of competition each one wanting to continue to stop smoking so they remain in the group. For this variety of reasons a support group is likely to be the most effective strategy in supporting a middle aged woman who is giving up smoking.

Foundational Accounting Principles and Terminology Essay

We all know how important the accounting aspect of any business/organization is. It is basically the most important way to manage finances. Without proper accounting for all expenses and finances, a company and/or organization will definitely have a hard time being financially stable. In this paper we will discuss some foundational accounting principles and terminology that are basic but quite essential to the accounting practice. Now let’s discuss some accounting terms beginning with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) is a codification of how CPA firms and corporations prepare and present their business income and expense, assets and liabilities on their financial statements. GAAP is not a single accounting rule, but rather the aggregate of many rules on how to account for various transactions. GAAP are more like accounting standards (Wikipedia, 2009). Next we have Contra-Asset Accounts, which is defined as an account which offsets another account. A contra-asset account has a credit balance and offsets the debit balance of the corresponding asset. A contra-liability account has a debit balance and offsets the credit balance of the corresponding liability (InvestorWords, 2009). Let us move on to Historical Cost, which is a measure of value used in accounting in which the price of an asset on the balance sheet is based on its nominal or original cost when acquired by the company. The historical-cost method is used for assets in the U. S. under generally accepted accounting principles (Investopedia, 2009). Okay, now there is the Accrual Basis vs. Cash Bonus Accounting. This is the difference between the two. In Accrual basis accounting, income is reported in the fiscal period it is earned, regardless of when it is received, and expenses are deducted in the fiscal period they are incurred, whether they are paid or not. Basically, you record both revenues and expenses when they occur. In cash basis accounting, revenues are recorded when cash is actually received and expenses are recorded when they are actually paid (Ward, 2009). Last but not least, there is the Accounting Standards Codification. Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) is a major restructuring of accounting and reporting standards designed to simplify user access to all authoritative U. S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) by providing the authoritative literature in a topically organized structure. ASC disassembled and reassembled thousands of nongovernmental accounting pronouncements (including those of FASB, the Emerging Issues Task Force [EITF], and the AICPA) to organize them under approximately 90 topics. The ASC are those that oversee that all accounting and reporting standards are adhered to (Wikipedia, 2009). It is now time to move on to discuss and describe three sets of financial statements that are part of financial statements of companies /organizations. The three sets of financial statements we will be describing are The Balance Sheet, The Income Statement and The Statement of Cash Flows. The balance sheet also known as the â€Å"Statement of financial position† reveals a company’s assets, liabilities and equity (net worth). The balance sheet is divided into two parts that must equal each other, or balance each other out. The formula of the balance sheet is: Assets= Liabilities + Shareholder’s Equity. What this formula means is that assets, or the means used to operate the company, are balanced by a company’s obligations along with equity investment brought into the company and its retained earnings (Investopedia, 2009). Next we have the income statement, which measures a company’s financial performance over a specific accounting period. The financial performance is assessed by giving a summary of how the business incurs its revenues and expenses. It also shows the net profit or loss incurred over a specific accounting period, which is typically over fiscal quarter or year (Investopedia, 2009). Moving on to the last one, which is the cash flow statement. The cash flow statement allows investors to understand how a company’s operations are running, where its money is coming from, and how it is being spent. The cash flow statement is also a mandatory part of a company’s financial report, and has been so since 1987 (Investopedia, 2009). Now I will describe which is more useful, Net Income or Cash from Operating Activities? I believe that Cash from Operating Activities is more useful to companies because they can generate cash in several different ways. Three different ways to be exact, they are cash flows from operating activities, from investing activities, and financing activities. Cash from Operating Activities, in my opinion is the most useful because it paints the best picture of how well a company’s business operations are producing cash. After looking over the annual financial reports for Samsung, RTL Group and Lockheed Martin, I make the prediction that each company will continue to improve its net income as well as see a significant spike in their cash flow. As far as relevant information in regards to conglomerates, such as the IDOLS segment of the Fremantle Media North America, I was not totally sure how to get this information but I eventually continued to read the investor portion on the RTL Group website where I found out more information. All in all, I learned some new definitions when it comes to accounting and decision making. I thought this assignment was intense due to a lot of reading and research, but I believe I got through it well. I look forward to learning more about how accounting and decision making come together. References http://www.investopedia.com/articles/04/033104.asp http://www.investopedia.com/articles/04/031004.asp http://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/incomestatement.asp http://www.investorwords.com/5476/contra_account.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generally_Accepted_Accounting_Principles