Apple Inc. Analysis Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Apple Inc. Analysis - Case Study Example employs to run its shows in the electronic consumer market (Thompson, Strickland & Gamble, 2011). Also, the paper will determine the various strategic elements of Apple’s competitive and product differentiation in the market place. Further, the paper will examine the competitive strength and thereby provide indications as to why Apple Inc. is a stable competitor. Moreover, the paper will assess the financial performance of Apple Inc. and provide recommendations aimed at strengthening Apple’s market position going forward. Elements of Competitive Strategy As a major developer, Apple Inc. develops, manufactures and markets personal computers and the supporting and/or related products. These product packages are directed basically to business entities and their owners, creative industry and the general consumer markets (Marino, Hattaway & Jackson, 2011). In addition, Apple Inc also provides the consumers of electronic products with the supporting utility languages, operati ng systems, the necessary developer tools and the needful software databases. Therefore, according to Lashinsky (2009), Apple Inc. is the only company that designs and owns the whole widget comprising of the hardware components, software components and the driving operating system components, which in togetherness serve the varied needs of their customers accordingly (Lashinsky, 2009). In the forefront to motivate Apple Inc. is the able hand and mind of the top notch executives in the overall realm of electronic product consumption market, which form the nucleus of the executive officer’s brain trust and thereby drive the operational excellence that is needed in order to sustain the growing number of the loyal customer base that the company currently prides of (Lashinksy, 2009). Additionally, Apple Inc. has a broad wealth of software and engineering skills that enables the company to develop evolving elements as per the demands of the market as well as the global influence of the products that it specializes in (Marino, Hattaway & Jackson, 2011). In order for any consumer to fully consume and enjoy the use of products in the personal computers in specific and the electronic market products in general, he/she must be able to access the three distinctive product components that Apple Inc. has prioritized; software, hardware and the operating systems. Therefore, it is evident that the various elements of Apple’s competitive strategy work in togetherness to maximize the value that the consumer accrues. This implies that the company’s product element pieces purposefully fit together to provide the necessary millage in terms of competitive capability in the market. Further, the fact the Apple has initiated and executive strategic decisions to sign agreements with other major players in the market enables it to fully exploit the generic strategic form provisions and thus develop products that the consumers consider highly innovative since they pr ovide advancements and/or complements the other products in the market (Marino, Hattaway & Jackson, 2011). Elements of Apples product strategy Personal computers Apple Inc. designed and distributed personal computer product line that enabled it to assemble the various product components together to enable the compatibility with the peripheral

A point in life Essay Example for Free

A point in life Essay I have come to a point in life that many people have not. I have made a firm decision to recommit myself to pursuing my dreams. While there are those who believe that with an ounce of luck and a ton of persistence anything can be accomplished, I believe that there is no reason to expend so much energy and rely on luck. I believe in taking hold of my destiny and carving out a future for myself based on the decisions that I make in life. Life is simply too short and too precious to be left to luck alone. This is why I have chosen to apply for a course in Nursing at the Saint Xavier University. I have always wanted to help change the world. As a child, I believed that if everyone did their own little part in taking that extra step to help others, the world would be a much better place for everyone. The stark reality of it all hit me not long after that but it did not lessen my resolve. I figured that if so many people I knew did not want to do their part in changing the world then I would probably have to do their share. This is where my motivation to pursue nursing comes from; the drive to go the extra mile just to make a difference in this world. I see my goal in life as similar to that of Nurse Leader Mary Breckenridge in that I know that nursing plays a very important role in the world today. There are few jobs and professions that are as rewarding as nursing. While other jobs may get more publicity, the role that nurses play in the health care industry is highly valued and appreciated. My motivation has to do with the fact that nursing is one of the ways by which I am able to do something that I really want to do in my life and that is to care and help other people. More importantly, I greatly feel that by taking up nursing I will be able to make a difference in this world much like Mary Breckenridge has done. Pursuing my career in nursing is just the first step in my plan. Much like Nurse Leader Mary Breckenridge has done, I too want to be just more than a nurse. I would like to have the opportunity to take a bigger role in making the world a better place to live. My main philosophy in life is to lead by setting an example. I cannot expect others to do what I myself would be willing to do but that does not mean that I cannot hope that others will see the example that I have shown them. This philosophy is one of the many forces that drive me to pursue my dream of pursuing a career in nursing and of becoming so much more in life. The chance to help those who are less fortunate in life, the chance to help people like myself, the opportunity to be of service to humanity; these are the reasons why I have selected nursing as the profession that I will pursue; for, as Eleanor Roosevelt once said, â€Å"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams†¦Ã¢â‚¬ 

Corynebacterium Diphtheriae :: Medical Biology Medicinal Essays

Corynebacterium Diphtheriae Life History: Corynebacterium diphtheriae is the microbial causative agent of diphtheria; however, it is the exotoxin produced by pathogenic strains of the bacteria that cause the symptoms of the disease. Non-pathogenic strains are normal inhabitants of the oral cavity and lack the bacteriophage DNA to produce exotoxin. Pathogenic C. diphtheriae can localize in different parts of the body, including the nasal cavity, the naso-pharynx, the larynx, and the skin. Depending on the localization, the symptoms range from slight to severe (death). The bacteria are spread by direct person-to-person contact; concurrently, humans are the reservoirs for C. diphtheriae. Since the introduction of a vaccine in the 1920’s, diphtheria has not been prevalent in developed countries. Conversely, it is endemic in developing countries, especially in the former countries of the USSR. Characteristics: C. diphtheriae are non-motile, aerobic, gram-positive bacilli (rods). Viewed with a microscope, the bacteria are club-shaped and group in patterns that resemble Chinese characters. Little is known about the details of the adhesion mechanism of C. diphtheriae, but the bacteria are known to produce a neuraminidase. This enzyme is able to split N-acetylneuuraminic acid, which is found on the surface of animal cells. This may facilitate bacterial entry into the host cell. There are four biotypes of C. diphtheriae, gravis, mitis, belfanti, and intermedius. Only intermedius can be differentiated by colony morphology; small, gray, or transluscent lipophilic colonies compared to larger, white or opaque colonies of the other biotypes. In addition, the biotype intermedius is rare in clinical infections, while the belfanti biotype rarely carries the tox gene. Virulence: C. diphtheriae are capable of producing exotoxin. The diphtheria toxin gene, tox, is located on a bacteriophage genome; thus, bacteriophage infection is necessary for virulence. tox is negatively regulated by diphtheria toxin repressor (DxtR), located on the bacterial chromosome, in response to iron concentration within the cell. When iron concentration is low, DxtR does not repress the tox gene because it requires iron to be functional. Thus, when iron concentration is low, the tox gene is transcribed and toxin is produced. Diphtheria toxin is made up of a single polypeptide chain with two portions, A and B. The toxin attaches to a cell membrane receptor of the host cell and is engulfed by receptor-mediated endocytosis. Once inside the vesicle, the disulfide bond between the A and B portion is cleaved and the A portion enters the cytosol, where is can resist degradation for a long period of time.

Safety in China

In every activity we undertake, safety should prevail. Safety is very important for well living in terms of health and finances. This is because any individual who seeks safety by protecting him or herself lives free from harms, diseases and infections, thus spending little if any on treatments. This enhances saving of finances which could otherwise be spent on medication, and these funds can be used later to make other developments, or purchase other necessary goods and services. This shows the role of safety in life. Harms and damages may be caused by fire, traffic, occupational activities, as well as disasters whether natural or man made. In all these cases, we need to know the possible impact of the safety against these harms and based of individuals animals, businesses, premises as well as the entire society. China is geographically located on the Eastern side of Asia between Vietnam and North Korea. The country has diverse climate, characterized by subarctic in north and tropical in south. The country is exposed to various natural hazards such as floods which damage many things, earthquakes, tsunami, typhoons and drought among others. The country is rich in terms of natural resources as it produces hydropower potential, petroleum, natural gas and aluminum among many others. China is the forth largest country in the world, and part of the country hosts the tallest mountains peak in the world. According to the 2007 estimation, the country has a population of 1,321,851,888, a population growth of 0. 6%, with birth rare of 13. 5 births per a thousand populations, and a death rate of seven deaths per a thousand populations. The infant mortality rate is twenty two per a thousand live births and life expectancy of seventy three years at birth. China has 9. 326,410 sq Km of land and 270,550 sq of water with the coastline covering about 14,500 KM. Geographically China lies on 3500 N and 105 00 E. The Chinese have an intermediate degree of risk to major infectious diseases such as food and waterborne disease, vector borne diseases, water and animal diseases and very rarely avian influenza. (CIA 2008). An average of 91% of Chinese total population is literate, with the individuals aged fifteen and above able to read and write. Every Chinese individual is entitled to getting mandatory education. The country has 961,000 schools with 1,080 colleges and universities. Majority of these colleges and universities have online websites. Generally the China education system covers the preschool to college and universities levels, (Premier 2007). The China has a market oriented economy with many private sectors developing which has played a major role in the global economy. The GDP as per the 2007 estimate is 87. 043 trillion, 885,300 of PPP. The labor force is 803. 3 million as per the 2007 estimate. The unemployment rate is about 4% with 8% of the Chinese population living below poverty line. The household income rate ranges from 1. 6% to 35% (Harper 2005). According to the 2007 estimation of China budget, the expenditures out weighs the revenues, and has a 19% of GDP as public debt. The communication in China is composed of telephones which use main line and mobile cellular. The mobile cellular move used, compared to main line, according to 2006 estimate. There is also television and radio broadcast stations (Peterson 2002). Various modes of transport are used in China. Among these include airports, where there are those with paved runways and unpaved runways, the heliports, pipelines for gases and refined products, railways, waterways and roadways which are the commonly used transports among all Fire can be caused by various factors. Many lives and goods are lost as a result of fire disaster. It is very important to create safety against fire to minimize the risks related to fire. In China most of fire fighting agencies are the country’s army part and citizens undergoes the training which is divided into subcategories. These subcategories include drills, construction concerns, and simulations. The trainees can be trained by a 26-minute training DVD which are made in away to help the fire fighters to effectively and compassionately work with disabled individuals. The fire fighters Agencies in China include the public Agency. For any citizen to become fire fighter, there are several characters he or she need to have. This is barely because the job involves helping people who are in great need of the help, while risking your own health and life. Fire fighters have a unique character. When all other people are moving away from fire incident, the fire fighters tend to move closer to the fire, to put it off. This means that for any citizen to become an effective fire fighter, he or she need to be courageous and ready to save other people lives and ready to risk his or her life. The fire fighter are not only involved with putting out fires and saving other peoples lives, but they also constantly care about the people’s health making the society a better place to live. This brings the need for any citizen who intends to become a firer fighter to be devoted and not selfish. Citizen willing to become a fire fighter is expected to take psychological and physical examination, and to undergo a background and criminal check. The individual are expected to be self motivated without attitude. The citizen is expected to have empathy on others and have the ability to support people in all situations. A citizen with these abilities and who passes the exams are considered to be able to fight fire. In China, the fire fighters get their training involving in various activities and handling various equipments. They engage in responding to emergency calls, duties that require keeping watch, driving fire trucks and operating the fire trucks. The fire fighter learns manual and mechanical operation of the fire truck ladders. These practices needs to be handled in various locations, including inside buildings where they are expected to learn the amount of ventilation in building and how to increase without deteriorating the scene. They learn skills on how to enter into buildings on fire using the safest entrance. This shows that the training is not restricted to a specific area or location of training, but rather in various places depending on the skills being learnt to enhance proper practice. Safety against fire can be gained by using building code and fire codes. Although all building materials can be damaged by fire though at different heat degrees, the spread of the fire can be minimized by using building codes. (Thygerson 2008). Use of building codes enhances good public health, general welfare and safety. The building codes are used by engineers, architect and other manufacturers of products used in building, as well as insurance manager and tenants. Due to the distinct climatic zones in China, building codes are used. These codes are developed by code compilation committees which have high industrial involvement, and they are reviewed by the public, approved then the ministry of construction adopts them. These China building energy codes saves 35-50% energy in a 10% less cost increased as compared to other buildings. DEO II and other simulation software at LBNL, enhances software transfer and codes drafting where implementation activities are reviewed. Various zones have been covered in China, and the heating zone of North was covered by the code first, the residential code followed in cold winter and hot summer regions. The cooling of the warm winter and hot summer consumed a lot of energy, without heating. The commercial and government building are yet to get public building codes as they are in the process of being developed. (IEA 2006). The building codes in China played roles in heating the houses in colds winters and cooling the houses in warm and hot summers. Initially the fire codes were not translated into Chinese, until 2004 after the signing of agreement between National Technical committee for fire protection, Fire department commute, the China public security ministry and the National fire protection Association. They agreed to translate the 26 NFPA code. The translation was to be followed with training where individual would get the knowledge on how to apply the codes. This was aimed at enhancing life safety for the Chinese, and visitors who were to join the country for Olympics. Among these codes is the NFPA 1 uniform fire code, which was edited in 2003, NFPA 13E, NFPA 72, National alarm code which was edited in 2002, NFPA 101, life safety code which was edited in 2000, NFPA 230, standard for the fire protection of storage which was edited in 2003, NFPA 921, guide for fire and explosion investigation which was edited in 2004 among others in China, a GB316-87, is the current national standard Building design code which was edited in 2001 with the aim to control building fires. Kelly 2000). The National technical committee and China public security ministry are responsible for fire prevention in China. The PRC has come up with law which enhances fire prevention by ensuring that all residential buildings have a clear emergency exit. Generally the Chinese people feel the need for safety. This is evidenced after the several fire disasters which have oc curred in the country. Despite the need for this safety, many builders and new-home buyers tend to assume the need. This is because, by use of these fire stops and better fire resistance rating materials the costs of construction and subsequent cost of buying the built house increases. In 1999, a severe fire disaster occurred in a village of Eastern province of Saudi Arabia. A high number of people were involved, and the following year, others died, while others remained hospitalized. Around fourteen patients were referred to UK and USA for further medication. Rapid motorization has caused severe challenge to driving safety in China. Research has showed that most of the Chinese drivers usually have unsafe driving behaviors, recommending improved training methods and enforcement of good driving behaviors by the police. The Chinese drivers consider use of driving skills and capabilities rather than practical safe driving guidelines. The Chinese drivers rarely use running light in snowy weather, few of the drivers don’t use safety belts and very few of them use turn signals as well as headlights. The automobiles in China were developed in 1986, and the output rapidly. These automobiles are high-class consumer durable containing low household ownership in China. In 2005, China started producing sedans. The death rate of Chinese in relation to motor vehicle is high, but not as the rate in United States. Chinese have more of the injury death associated with drowning, suicide, unlike the United States whose motor vehicle clashes rate is more compared to suicide and drowning. In China its easy to get driving license especially for individuals from other states, an individual is required to present a passport copy, a copy of driving license from their state, four red-color photos and 1,880 Hong Kong dollars. The applicant then sits for traffic rule examination and road tests follows, the applicant drives the vehicle for very few minutes as a practical examination, and after two weeks, driver’s license is ready. This means to get drivers license in China is easy because one can even refers the answer to the questions from the book. According to the Chinese culture, alcohol drinking is an important cultural aspect, believed to enhance, colleagues and leaders relationship, and to promote happy life when in festivals with friends, relatives and family members. In China, there is no minimum alcohol taking age, Alcohol-related injuries account for a third of total injuries in China, and the Chinese government made a traffic safety law in 2004. In China, there has been set penalty for drivers who drink while driving, and a different one for drivers who are found drunk when driving. For the drinking drivers, the driving license can be suspended for an average of two month, and a fine of an average of 50 US dollars. For the drunk drivers suspension of driving license takes an average of five month and the driver can end up into custody, and/or about 230 US dollars fine. WHO considers the Chinese most collisions to have resulted from violation of traffic rules, arguing that the poor road conditions, lack of necessary measures and ineffective prevention measures also contribute to the deaths, where farmers and businessmen are the major victims. According to Chinese automobile fatalities are preventable, but this contradicts with the cultural practices because what can be used to prevent the fatalities, the Chinese culture has great value for them. A good example for this is drinking. There has been no major motor vehicle accident in China, but minor cases have been reported throughout China, causing few severe and minor injuries to the victims. The International Labor Organization, State Administration of Work Safety as well as China International Forum of work safety are some of the organizations in China, which have been working to promote safety of workers at their work places. One of the most dangerous work places in China is the coalmines. Education and training of safety inspectors are the major keys which can underpin safety culture. The coal mining industry training in China is offered in four institutional types. The level A and level B institutions are involved with training the mine managers and safety controllers, level C institutions trains special occupational workers with special skills unlike those given to manager and controllers. The level D institution trains mine workers at the mining sites. (OS and HC 2001). The occupational safety inspectors require the training on how to maintain safety while working, and the need for the safety. An underground gas- triggered earthquake in Northeast China killed at least two hundred and two people. The president leaders and local officials made efforts to rescue the victims and put strict measures that would prevent similar and other disasters at mining site, and compensated the victims’ families. The Chinese work hard and with diligence. They believe that hard work has a lot for them in terms of benefits, incomes and generally good living standards. All Chinese keep this as their drive force, whereby all individuals work hard to earn living. Migrant workers put extra efforts when working in China, and the wages they get in return are very low. Not all Chinese are hard work, but since no country has a universal cultural trait, the general description of Chinese is that they are hard working. They are status-obsessed, greedy and envious of their social betterment. These traits are the driving force of Chinese to hard working. The riches of the Chinese are not achieved from the parents’ financial background, but rather from the efforts of their hard work. Various trade unions have been formed in China. These unions are aimed at protecting the legitimate rights and interests or workers. Among these unions is the All China Federation of Trade Unions which collectively bargains for the workers in the management. The union represents the workers interest in wage negotiations, while enhancing job security. Occupational illnesses and injuries cost China a lot. Most of these illnesses are caused by inhaling of dusts at mining sites and include, chronic lung diseases, pneumoconiosis. According to legal daily, the GAWS, said that about seven hundred million of Chinese suffer occupational illnesses, and there is a high possibility of the number to increase. (Chow 2003). There are other illnesses and injuries related to the Chinese occupation, but the ones that result from mining are the majority and have severe effects to individual and businesses. Although some businesses gives sick leaves, not all of them give a considerable duration of the leave for fire fighters in China, some fire houses gives a day to two medical leave for fighters but its given to workers with severe injuries. Minor injuries like sprains, injuries and cuts are not considered. The city argued that workers who seek on-duty injury leaves should be penalized because the union fosters the decision to seek the sick leaves. The ILO urges China to create more and better jobs to meet the economy surges, of filling jobs. This is because China’s economy is booming but the labor is scarce. The ILO reported that there is a decrease in creation of jobs in China, compared to the GDP growth. There has been a high ratio of unemployed Chinese in relation to the entire Chinese population. ILO reported that the shedding of jobs at poorly performing states owned business has caused loss of many jobs, and the shifting from long-term structural shift to employment-intensive growth as the country modernizes have resulted to mediocre rate in creation of job. ILO urges China to participate in education and training system to avail skilled technicians and workers. The trained personnel and thought to ensure long term transition plans are effective which would produce greater valued goods and services. In China occupational accidents are so frequent especially at mine sites and despite it all, Chinese continue to work at the mines. Despite the deaths which result from these accidents, the Chinese continue to work to earn for their living. The International Strategy for disaster reduction and UN/ISDR have been participating in preventing and minimizing risks associated with natural and manmade disasters in China. In July 1931, a severe flood occurred in China, which led to 3,700,000 deaths. The disaster was as a result of flooding of yellow river in China. In 1920, Gansu earthquake occurred in China killing 200,000 people. (Brown 2002). The WHO report, indicates that China is one of the major tobacco consuming countries, with subsequent death, and to limit this, the WHO report emphasized on preventing the tobacco consumption by giving anti-smoking messages to the public. In another WHO report, China was among the countries which were found to be operating in a level accepted by WHO in terms of compliance with its principles of good manufacturing practices. The tobacco consumption in China, as well as other lung infections related to mining dust is some of the specific threats faced by the Chinese. . According to WHO report, Chinese population is under the risk of chronic diseases, children malnutrition, under nutrition and overweight, anemia resulting from under nutrition and poor sanitation. These risks if not sorted out can have great negative impact to the entire Chinese population. Other diseases which increase the Chinese mortality rate include HIV /AIDS, malaria infection, and tuberculosis among others. Deaths, injuries and damage of premises are some of the major threats faced by the Chinese as a result of various disasters. These disasters affect individuals, organizations as well as the entire population in the Chinese society, whether directly or indirectly The WHO recommends support from governmental, and non governmental organization to enhance health workforce and financial support, which are thought to ensure effective treatment of infected and affected people in China. China is one of the countries mostly affected by disasters due to its geographical and physical feature. The disasters are also enhanced by involvement of people in various activities thus the manmade disasters. These disasters greatly affect the social and economic development of the Chinese. Various disasters have been reported to have occurred in China, including floods, earthquakes, firers, drought, seismic and ecological disasters among others. (Thygerson 1977). However, no history report has indicated volcano eruption or possibility of eruption. Threats posed by disasters are related to property, life and individuals’ safety as well as the country’s safety in terms of economy and society. These China’s social stability and national security are inhibited by the disasters and due to fear of investors, China economic development comes to halt, which promotes poverty in the country. The disasters made by man in China include the virus, biological warfare, chemical warfare and the development of nuclear weapons by man. (Abramowitz 2002). Both natural and man made disasters have similar threat to the Chinese population. A lot of injuries and deaths’ have resulted in China from disasters whether, natural or manmade. In China, flooding is a major killer of lives in China. Below is a table showing the top ten natural disasters in China, including the resulting death and injury toll. The Chinese blame Japanese, claiming that they cause most of the experienced disasters. They relate manmade disasters to the Japanese action. They regard civil war as a process in which a nation moves despite the war effects. Despite the many likes lost as a result of these disasters the Chinese population takes heart and continues with their work activities. This is common in mining sites, because the disasters are frequently reported but Chinese continue working at the mine site to earn for their living. (Heming and Philpee 2001).

Key Features of Utilitarianism Essay

The theory of Utilitarianism is based on the concept of utility, a theory of usefulness. Utilitarianism is a system of morality that generates us with what the most useful thing to do in different situations and outcomes. Different Utilitarian approaches to morality have emerged each with their own theory of good and community of concerning individuals. Featuring the main influential contributors to this theory are Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. There are two types of theories, teleological and deontological theories. Firstly for the teleological theory, you would consider the ends, or the outcomes of your decision. It considers whether it is right or wrong depending on the different outcomes it might cause and not concerned with the motive or intention for an action. This is the most common thing to all Utilitarian, the teleological outlook. In this theory, the means justifies the ends. Whereas the deontological theory concentrates on the moral rules that can’t be broken. For this theory, the most important ethical thing isn’t the result or the consequence of the action, but the action itself. If by nature that the action is wrong, then don’t do it. For example, a deontologist could day, ‘You should never steal, this means by the act itself of stealing is wrong. This theory suggests that the end never justifies the means. Introducing Jeremy Bentham, where his theory focuses on weighing up pleasure and pain. In 1789, in Principles of Morals and Legislation, he wrote: Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure. It is for them alone to point out what we ought to do as well as what we shall do. This is when the hedonic calculus came into the equation. Its purpose is to weigh up pain and pleasure generated by the available moral actions to find the best option. There are 7 factors that needs to be considered in this calculus before making the decision, starting with its intensity, considering how deep or superficial the happiness is, duration, how temporary or permanent the happiness is, certainty, how sure the happiness is, propinquity, how near or remote the happiness is, fecundity, how likely the happiness is to recur or lead to future happiness, purity, how free from pain the happiness is and extent, how far the happiness-giving effects of action will spread. This suggestion will only help the majority and no the minority. It doesn’t give any protection to the minority, for example the sadistic guards, where the guards gain pleasure from torturing and the helpless prisoner gets pain but there are a higher number of guards comparing to one prisoner. So is it correct to say that what the guards are doing is right? For the calculas, what if someone doesn’t have all the available information for every 7 factors? Will the calculus still be put to use? There’s absolutely no guarantee in predicting the future because everyone is different. Each person has different views even if it’s on the same subject. The calculus is obviously flawed. J. S. Mill on the other hand, felt that Bentham had made a mistake in his assessment of what human beings desired the most. Mill thought that what was more important was that happiness will be most affectively gained when individuals seek their own needs. Mill knows that Bentham’s theory is based on quantitative level and that’s where he saw upcoming errors where human behaviours react to different things change everything. So, instead of focusing on quantity, Mill focuses on the qualitative pleasures. He developed a system of higher and lower pleasures where the higher pleasure would be taken into consideration first before the lower ones. Mill stood up on the fact that pleasures of the mind were higher than those of the body. For example, Mill thought that pure bodily pleasure like food, drink, drugs and sex was not as high an objective as those on an intellectual level. There are two types of utilitarianism, act and rule. For act, the principle of utility is faced individually. All of the acts are decided by the resulting consequences even if it might break the law. It has the benefit of being flexible where the section of justification may vary. Meaning of this is that, one day it might be the right thing to do and another day it might be the wrong thing to do. It is said that the act states the most number of good for the most number of people is generally good. For example, it can be in a form of satisfaction, pleasure and happiness. Act utilitarianism is the application on a case by case basis. It states that, when faced with a choice, we must first consider the likely consequences of potential actions and from that choose to do what we believe will generate the most pleasure.   The problem with this is that we have to take every single thing into account. By every dilemma that we face, we’d have to go through it first then make a decision to act upon it. It is closely associated with Bentham’s theory. For rule utilitarianism, it focuses on general rules that everyone should follow to bring about the greatest good for that community. For example, the rules are pursued by the whole community giving them convenience and reasonable rules to live by which ultimately brings the best result overall. This theory leans closer to Mill’s theory. In any situation, an individual must obey the rule even if it doesn’t lead to the greatest pleasure. By obeying all these rules, it brings the greatest good when everyone acts in the same manner. Now, there are the weak and the strong where the weak utilitarianism doesn’t have to stick by the rules cause they chose not to abide by it therefore when it comes to certain situations, they have a free choice to either follow it or not. For example, although rules should be framed on previous examples that benefit society, it is possible, under specific circumstances, to do what produces the greatest happiness and break that rule. On the other hand, strong utilitarianism is where people never break the rules. So a strong rule utilitarian might say the â€Å"Do not steal† rule must never be broken and they would stick to it even though in some situations, it might be better if they did steal but to them, it’s the wrong thing to do no matter whether it brings them to a better condition. Lastly, there are other forms of Utilitarianism such as the â€Å"Best Interest Utilitarianism† by Peter Singer where he tries to solve the problem that some pleasures are bad for us. Preference Utilitarianism by R. M. Hare where he tries to solve the problem that people have different ideas of pleasure even if it’s something very small and specific, not everyone wants and thinks the same. Ending with Motive Utilitarianism by Sidgwick where he tries to solve the problem of the difficulty of predicting consequences where he elaborates on the inaccuracy of an individual’s chances of guessing what’s going to happen in the future.

Monticellos Dome essays

Monticellos Dome essays Thomas Jefferson began the long, tedious job of building his dream house in 1770 at the age of twenty-five. Along with being a congressman, and the third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson was also the architect of Monticello. The original Monticello was built to take on conventional Palladian features. However, as Jeffersons public career kept him away from Monticello for long periods of time, including five years spent as the nations representative to France, Monticellos design began to change. In this report I will concentrate on the dome, one of the major additions. I will quickly tell you a little background information of Monticello. Monticello is located near Charlottesville, Virginia on a hill that stands 867 feet above sea level. When standing on top if the mountain, if one looks eat from the house over the Rivanna River to the gentle hills of Albemarle County. Facing the west one can spend hours watching the shifting light patterns on the Blue Ridge Mountains. And if one stands on the north terrace, one can see the University of Virginia (Urofsky 21). Following Peter Jeffersons (Thomas Jeffersons father) death, Thomas Jefferson was given a large amount of land, including several in Albemarle County. Here is where he pick his ideal location for his house, and he named it little mountain or in Old Italian, Monticello. After living in Paris and visiting its great public buildings as well as the city and county houses of the nobility, Monticello seemed small and provincial to Jefferson. He declared himself violently smitten with the Hotel de Salm in Paris, now the Museum of the Legion of Honor across the Seine from the Louvre. He went to look at it often from the Tuileries, and this one - story town house with a dome certainly influenced him as he sat out to remodel Monticello(Urofsky 93). Jefferson remodeled other parts of Montice...

Free Essays on All The Presidents Men

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Life Under Hammurabis Rule in Ancient Babylonian Cities

Life Under Hammurabi's Rule in Ancient Babylonian Cities Babylonian cities during Hammurabis day were made up of royal compounds with palaces, gardens, cemeteries, and Mesopotamian temples known as ziggurats. Residential areas in cities such as Ur consisted of ordinary houses on winding streets, dotted with elite housing, shops, and shrines. Some of the cities were quite large, reaching their maximum size in the late 3rd or early 2nd millennium BCE. Ur, for example, measured 60 hectares in size during the Isin-Larsa period, with additional suburbs outside the city walls. Urs population at that time has been estimated at 12,000. Babylonia was a kingdom in ancient Mesopotamia, located to the west of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in present-day Iraq. Although famous in the West for its cultural advances- including the legal code of its greatest ruler, Hammurabi- the city of Babylon itself was of minor importance throughout much of Mesopotamian history. Far more significant was the city of Ur and its rivals (at various times) for regional power: Isin, Lagash, Larga, Nippur, and Kish. Ordinary and Elite Residences Ordinary houses in Babylon and Ur were house complexes rather like a Roman villa, consisting of a rectangular internal courtyard open to the air or partially roofed, surrounded by blocks of rooms opening up on to it. The streets were curving and generally unplanned. Cuneiform texts from the period tell us that private householders were responsible for taking care of the public streets and were at the risk of death for not doing so, but archaeologists have found trash deposits in those streets. Simple house plans without internal courtyards and single-roomed structures probably representing shops were scattered throughout the residential quarters. There were small shrines located at street crossings. The grandest houses at Ur were two stories high, with rooms around the central courtyard again open to the air. The walls facing the street were unadorned, but the internal walls were sometimes decorated. Some people were buried in the floors beneath the rooms, but there were separate cemetery areas as well. Palaces The palaces were, in comparison to even the grandest of regular houses, extraordinary. The Palace of Zimri-Lim at Ur was built of mud brick walls, preserved to heights as much as 4 meters (13 feet). It was a complex of over 260 rooms on the ground floor, with separate quarters for the receiving rooms and the kings residence. The palace covered an area of about 200 by 120 meters, or about 3 hectares (7 acres). The exterior walls were up to 4 meters in thickness and were protected with a coat of clay plaster. The main entrance to the palace lay off a paved street; it had two large courtyards, an antechamber and an audience hall thought to be the throne room. Surviving polychrome murals on Zimri-Lim show the events of the kings investiture. Near life-size statues of goddesses graced the courtyard. Below is a list of some of Babylonias most significant cities at the height of Hammurabis empire. Agade (Akkad): exact location between the Tigris and Euphrates is not known. They spoke Akkadian.BabylonEridu (Eridug/Urudug): Site of the temple of EnkiEshnunna: Located in the Diyala Valley, gateway to the kingdom of ElamKish: Symbolic center of northern MesopotamiaUr: Biblical home of the Hebrew forefather Abram, later AbrahamUruk: Seat of the legendary king GilgameshNippur: Symbolic center of southern MesopotamiaSippar: Sun-cult center on the banks of the EuphratesUmma: Rival to LagashLarsa: Another center of a sun cultAdab: A vassal of KishLagash: Especially ancient city and center of artistic developmentIsin: Important city to the Third Dynasty of Ur, ca. 2000 BCE, and thereafter

Under FSMA 2000, the Financial Services Authority has various Essay

Under FSMA 2000, the Financial Services Authority has various statutory objectives. Critically evaluate the progress they have made under each of these objectives - Essay Example This ensures that there is smooth functioning without any friction. The second point of consideration is its power to conduct regular supervision of the financial services industry. This means writing policies for wholesale, retail, banking, and other financial services including insurance, and ensuring their proper adherence to the policies. As a part of this, the Authority has developed a code of market conduct which ensures that the market abuse practices are properly dealt with. Also, it has its own investigation and enforcement policies and department that identify the misconducts, and bring the culprits to law. The benefit of FSMA Act is that Section 165 allowed FSA to collect information and documents from firms as necessary. This power can be utilised in two ways. Either it can be used to require the provision of particular information, or it can be used to require the production of a particular document. According to Section 167, the Authority has the power to appoint investigators to conduct general investigations into firms (Alexander, 2002). Another vital point that deserves attention is the possibility of conducting investigations in support of overseas regulators. When there is violation of the policies, the Authority has the power to issue a public statement of misconduct or penalty as it finds appropriate, and the quantum of penalty is based on the risk of loss caused to consumers and other market users. Yet another important measure that enhances market confidence is the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. The next point is ensuring public awareness. Admittedly, Financial Service Authority has such a policy that is open to all consumers. To illustrate, there is the FSA library, FSA handbook, and FSA register. The FSA handbook gives one an idea about all the rules, regulations, and policies of FSA. In addition, there are handbooks called tailored handbooks available on various

The Art Of The Rapanui Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Art Of The Rapanui - Essay Example Art has for a lengthy time, been used to make political statements among the Rapanui. The art of the Rapanui, in particular, the statues of Moai, are the last part of the ancient history of these people and because of this, they still have a special impact on then Rapanui. When the Spanish colonized the Easter Islands, they discovered the importance of these statues to the Rapanui and in order to make a political statement, these giant statues were toppled from their pedestals, to show that the Spanish were dominant on the islands. While this may have been the case, these statues have come to be recognized as a unique part of the Rapanui heritage and attempts have been made by the Chilean government, which governs the islands, to restore them. The Rapanui have made these statues their rallying point when agitating for political independence from Chile, which they consider an oppressive colonizer (Romero). A similar political statement was made in the past by the English in a bid to e stablish their dominance over the Scottish people. The English, after defeating the Scots in battle, took the important Stone of Scone, which was an essential part of the Scottish coronation ritual, from Scotland to England ("Stone of Scone due Back in Scotland Today" 5). This was used as a symbol of English dominance of the Scots, but in this instance, it does not seem to have worked since Scotland came to regain its independence later.  

Welfare Reform in the US Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Welfare Reform in the US - Essay Example Drug testing for welfare recipients would save money and effectively limit the number of drug abusers collecting money. Each year in the United States, approximately four hundred billion dollars is given to citizens in the form of welfare. The recipients are out of work or do not make enough money to live a healthy, albeit basic, lifestyle. The cash assistance given is used towards housing, bills and utilities, food, and clothing, and the primary focus is ensuring that any children involved are being taken care of. Though many recipients use their money to make sure their families have food in their stomachs and a roof over their heads, roughly twenty percent of recipients use their government aid to fuel their illegal drug use. They may be in the same financial distress as others on welfare, but instead of using their government aid to improve the quality of their lives, they use it to make it increasingly worse. It has been proposed that people who apply for welfare should be drug tested before being allowed to receive cash assistance from the government. By drug testing recipients, the government can weed out the people who have the potential to abuse the system by using their money on illegal substances. ...It almost becomes a case of who is more deserving of government aid. However, a need for it has arisen. Drug testing potential welfare recipients can be monetarily beneficial for the government. If they stop supplying drug addicts with money, that money can be put to other state or national uses. The extra money can also be put towards other families that need financial assistance and will spend the money on necessities. Another possible outcome that could come as a result of drug testing recipients is that by cutting drug abusers from a primary source of money, then the drug users will have less opportunity to obtain drugs. In the end, more money will exist for the people who sincerely need it to improve their lives, and increasingly less money will be available for the drug abusers to feed their addiction.

Human Resource exam questions Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Human Resource exam questions - Coursework Example This eliminates conflict of interests, through hindering individuals from undertaking some tasks, exert authority or interfere with certain duties outside the confines of their jobs (Schwind, Das, & Wagar, 2010). Job analysis creates order, discipline and responsibility, by defining the duties and responsibilities of each worker (Schwind, Das, & Wagar, 2010). Additionally, Job analysis helps in preparing job description and job specifications necessary for hiring the right individuals for a job (Schwind, Das, & Wagar, 2010). Observation and interview methods of collecting job analysis information are recommended. This because, through observation, the investigator has an opportunity to get first hand information, since he/she can observe the tasks as they are being undertaken. This improves the validity of the information obtained (Schwind, Das, & Wagar, 2010). Interview method allows an opportunity for employees to give their suggestions on top of the already existing tasks. This im proves the nature of the information collected (Schwind, Das, & Wagar, 2010). Job description refers to a factual statement of the duties and responsibilities that are involved in a certain job task (Schwind, Das, & Wagar, 2010). ... Under this approach, an organization looks at its labor audit data, where it observes patterns such as the hiring, retirement, turnover and productivity (Schwind, Das, & Wagar, 2010). The approach is applied based on an assumption that the trend will remain stable. Therefore, an organization plans to increase or decrease their labor force, depending on the past trends, which are used to predict the future patterns (Schwind, Das, & Wagar, 2010). Depending on the predicted future situation, an organization can hire, reduce or maintain its work force. This approach is advantageous in that, it helps the organization predict its future demand and supply needs, based on the real data and experience that the organization has had in the past (Schwind, Das, & Wagar, 2010). However, the limitation is that the future needs may vary with the past and the current patterns, making an organization experience either a shortage or a surplus of human resources in the future (Schwind, Das, & Wagar, 201 0). Replacement chart This approach entails focusing on the available positions within an organization, and planning on how such positions will be taken up by internal employees, when their occupants exits the organization (Schwind, Das, & Wagar, 2010). This approach is futuristic, aiming at ensuring that all the key positions of the organization has potential replacement, while also planning for the occupation of other positions that might arise out of the expansion of the organization. This approach is beneficial since it ensures that the operations of an organization are not disrupted due to exits from the organization. The limitation for this approach is that the potential candidates

Retail Banking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Retail Banking - Essay Example The process of such redefinition is by means of strategic relocation in the economic service sector. Augmented competition, expansion, innovative services, and new-fangled geographic markets construe to the fact that both the gamut of stakes or risks and the stake profile for the banks are considerably transforming. Banks are transforming with the incorporation of economic markets, thereby, facilitating with tremendous opportunities for expansion. The Western banks have accounted for generation of around 90 per cent of the revenue from the interest income which has depreciated to 60 per cent, and sometimes, as low as 40 per cent (Penza and Bansal, 2000). As viewed by Miller, Fee-based income by means of the investment services as well as derivatives are some new-fangled sources of income which are becoming increasingly pertinent for the income statements of commercial banks (Miller, 1988). ... Nearly, every nation, until the commencement of the twentieth century, possessed a domestic retail banking sector which was set apart from its fellow citizens, thereby, being dominated by a handful of developed banks (Ream, 1998). The core assets of retail banks are widespread branch networks where each branch is equal to the others, along with a manager and extensive back-offices. However, this was all limited until the advent of e-Banking. Even though, banks are commonly condemned for construing a customer as various account units, they lucidly comprehend to the fact that it is the customer who is the focus of everything they do. The retail banks which can easily make out the significance of an efficacious customer relationship approach and the requirement to be more customer-centralized for making sure they settle on long-term success. Chronologically, retail and investment banks have been managed along the tracks of business which has resulted in silo vicinity that inhibits banks from turning into customer-centric hubs. The retail and investment banks manage customer information in an efficacious manner by eradicating the storage authorities of the customer information by means of incorporating statistic systems and procedures across various product lines, which has helped in providing the sharing of modern information with the employees. This has helped the banks in comprehending to their customers in a better way, keeping in mind their future fundamentals as well. There is a devastating agreement regarding the

This World of Faltland Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

This World of Faltland - Essay Example The three ideas satirized most fiercely are classism, sexism, and the treatment of the handicapped and mentally ill. In Flatland, class is determined by the number of angles a shape possesses. The shapes go to great lengths and even risk injury to determine one another’s shape by feel. The higher classes of shapes even learn how to determine shape by sight through the science of optics, which the lower class shapes are not permitted to learn. They are considered to be unintelligent, and therefore incapable of learning. Ironically, the triangles with the narrowest angles, and therefore the lowest class and least intelligent, are forced to become teachers, showing that they in fact are intelligent, despite what their society says. Determining class and maintaining class distinctions was of the utmost importance to the people of Flatland, just as it was to the people of Victorian England. Instead of using angles, Victorians had many ways to determine one’s rank in society, including accents, clothing, and titles (Mitchell 151). Even though in modern American society we claim to be above those distinctions, people still go out of their way to have the most expensive brand-name clothing, live in the most prestigious neighborhoods, and keep people seen as undesirable out of exclusive clubs. Things haven’t changed all that much since Edwin Abbot’s time.

Retail Banking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Retail Banking - Essay Example The process of such redefinition is by means of strategic relocation in the economic service sector. Augmented competition, expansion, innovative services, and new-fangled geographic markets construe to the fact that both the gamut of stakes or risks and the stake profile for the banks are considerably transforming. Banks are transforming with the incorporation of economic markets, thereby, facilitating with tremendous opportunities for expansion. The Western banks have accounted for generation of around 90 per cent of the revenue from the interest income which has depreciated to 60 per cent, and sometimes, as low as 40 per cent (Penza and Bansal, 2000). As viewed by Miller, Fee-based income by means of the investment services as well as derivatives are some new-fangled sources of income which are becoming increasingly pertinent for the income statements of commercial banks (Miller, 1988). ... Nearly, every nation, until the commencement of the twentieth century, possessed a domestic retail banking sector which was set apart from its fellow citizens, thereby, being dominated by a handful of developed banks (Ream, 1998). The core assets of retail banks are widespread branch networks where each branch is equal to the others, along with a manager and extensive back-offices. However, this was all limited until the advent of e-Banking. Even though, banks are commonly condemned for construing a customer as various account units, they lucidly comprehend to the fact that it is the customer who is the focus of everything they do. The retail banks which can easily make out the significance of an efficacious customer relationship approach and the requirement to be more customer-centralized for making sure they settle on long-term success. Chronologically, retail and investment banks have been managed along the tracks of business which has resulted in silo vicinity that inhibits banks from turning into customer-centric hubs. The retail and investment banks manage customer information in an efficacious manner by eradicating the storage authorities of the customer information by means of incorporating statistic systems and procedures across various product lines, which has helped in providing the sharing of modern information with the employees. This has helped the banks in comprehending to their customers in a better way, keeping in mind their future fundamentals as well. There is a devastating agreement regarding the

Assignment for my course International Accounting and Consultancy Essay

Assignment for my course International Accounting and Consultancy. Writer MUST be ON TIME. Writer needs to send me somethinganything on the 13thMarch UK tim - Essay Example The IFRS make the entities achieve this purpose by enabling them to provide segment wise information. However the entities do not incur any excessive cost for such reporting; they are able to make only at a little extra cost. IFRS 8 arises from the IASB's comparison of International Accounting Standard 14 (IAS 14) 'Segment Reporting' with the US standard SFAS 131 'Disclosures about segments of an Enterprise and Related Information'. IFRS 8 replaces IAS 14 and aligns Segment reporting with the requirement of SFAS 131. This paper envisages a critical analysis of the impact and usage of the introduction of IFRS 8 and the extent to which this standard aids in achieving the convergence between national accounting standards and IFRS to deliver high-quality solutions. that files, or is in the process of filing, its (consolidated) financial statements with a securities commission or other regulatory organisation for the purpose of issuing any class of instruments in a public market. However, when both separate and consolidated financial statements for the parent are presented in a single financial report, segment information need be presented only on the basis of the consolidated financial statements. (Deloitte Paper) International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) based in London represented and funded by major accounting firms, industrial companies, financial institutions, central banks and other international and professional organizations throughout the world is committed in developing, in the public interest, a single set of high quality global accounting standards that require transparent and comparable information in general purpose financial statements. According to the IASB Paper on IFRS 8 (2006), the prime objective of the IASB is to achieve the convergence of accounting standards in all the countries around the world. With this objective in view, the IASB and the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) in the United States have undertaken a joint short term project with the objective of reducing the difference between the IFRSs and US GAAP that are capable of resolution in a relatively shorter period of time. The other consideration was that the differences to be addressed must be outside the major projects. With a view to adopting high quality financial reporting solutions, both the Boards considered the standards prescribed by them recently and evolved the new standard as the best combination of existing standards. In order to decide on the new IFRS 8 standard the IASB compared the IAS 14 Segment Reporting and SFAS 131 Disclosures about Segments of an Enterprise Related Information. It is worth noting that the IAS 14 was adopted substantially from the earlier standard issued by the International Accounting Standards Committee (IASC) in the year 1997. Hence the main reason for the issue of a revised standard in IFRS 8 is to increase the convergence of different standards as well as to present the best of the standards available in respect of Segment Reporting. 4.0

Memorable Experience Essay Example for Free

Memorable Experience Essay There has been many good and many bad things in my life. Although it was only at the age of five, I will always remember when my godfather David passed away. My mom dad and I lived together with David in Mathews, Virginia. I was always with him and would never leave his side; I was more attached to him than I was to my father. We did everything together we went to the playground, he took me to work with him, and we would take our dog on walks. He was the most special person to me, and I will always have a burning hole in my heart without him by my side. It was my birthday, May 18th, 2002 and my family would always take me out to dinner on my birthday. The whole day I couldn’t wait for David to get home so we could get ready together for dinner, I hadn’t seen him all day because he had work, and I had school. When he arrived at our house as usual he came to my room and gave me the biggest bear hug, David said, â€Å"Are you ready for our dinner sweetheart.† I said, â€Å"Yes, I’ve been waiting all day I’m so excited to go.† So we both got ready for dinner, I chose to eat a Ruby Tuesdays because when I was that age it was my favorite restaurant. Before we went to dinner mom, dad, and David gave me the presents that they had gotten me, of course I was thankful for everything I had gotten. Mom, dad, and I drove separately from David; he rode his motorcycle. We had the best time at dinner, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I loved eating out away from home, and it was always a big treat to me. Since it was my birthday I ordered a steak, the staff surprised me by singing Happy Birthday and bringing me a free piece of delicious chocolate lava cake. Chocolate lava cake happened to be my favorite dessert so you could not imagine the happiness it brought me for them to surprise me with it. Afterward, we all went to Walmart and David told me I could pick out one toy from the toy isle, and he would buy it for me. This treatment was nothing out of the ordinary David always treated me like a princess and bought me little gifts just because. Once we checked out at Walmart, we all decided we would meet back at the house. David wouldn’t be home until a little after us because he was some plans to take care of, but he told me he loved me and would see me in the morning before he went to work. Later that night my mom woke me up and said David had lost control of his motorcycle going around a turn and had gotten split in half by a road sign. I couldn’t believe what happened I was astonished, I was in doubt. It just couldn’t be true that someone that I loved so much was tooken from me  on what is supposed to be the best day each year for me. I cried and cried. At his funeral, the preacher spoke of me, how special of a person I was to him and that I was the light of his eyes. Anywhere David was I was strolling right behind him with the biggest smile on my face. The preacher said, â€Å"If any of you lose hope that he is not on this earth anymore, look at that little girl because he will always be watching over her.† Each birthday I start my day off with going to see my Guardian Angel at his resting place. He has always been and forever will be a part of my heart. In life, this has taught me anything can change in a matter of seconds people come and go, even people who mean the world to you. Sadly you can’t change what has happened but you have to move forward and grow from the experience because I know that he continually watches over me and will never leave my side.

Opening Day :: essays research papers

The sun shines radiantly upon the towering stadium at the corners of Michigan and Trumball. Spring has arrived and erased the dreary, grey weather of winter. The old dilapidated stadium will come to life in a couple of hours to mark the beginning of an anticipated season.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Brringg! The bell signals the end of class and I anxiously wait for my mother to arrive. I find myself impatiently glancing at the clock every two minutes; finally the car pulls up. I jump into the back seat and throw off my heavy backpack. As my mom pulls away, the same old raspy voice can be heard over the radio. I try to block out the blaring AM station, but the word â€Å"opening day† grabs my attention. The weatherman forecasts a sunny day with a cool breeze. A smile erupts on my face, which my mom can’t help but notice through the reflection of the rearview mirror.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I arrive home and hurriedly run up the steps. Stacks of baseball cards and other memorabilia blanket the floor beneath me. I throw off my grade school uniform and find my clothes nicely folded on top of the dresser. I slip on a pair of jeans, but can’t figure out which shirt to wear. I take a seat on my bed and slowly contemplate which Tiger’s T-shirt I should wear. Looking at them brings back memories of past visits to Tiger games. I begin to reminisce, however my daydreaming is short-lived and terminated by the ringing chimes that signal the arrival of my other fifth-grade friends. I quickly grab any shirt and put on my broken-in baseball cap while running downstairs. My friends and I load the car and we pull away from my house. At last we’re on our way.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We arrive at the stadium among a frenzy of other fans. As I step out of the car, my body shakes with a chilling flash of excitement. I rub down the goose bumps that graze my arms and nervously reach into my pocket to find my ticket. It’s still there, but a light film of sweat still covers my palms. Even though we are a few blocks from the stadium, a buzz penetrates the air. Judging by the deafening cheers of the crowd, we know the game has already started. As I glance at the shaking stadium during each wild wave of applause, my steps increase ever so slightly in anticipation.

Fall of Constantinople :: World History

Fall of Constantinople By 350 A.D., Constantinople was one of the world's greatest capitals. The city was located between Asia and Europe, making it a very diverse and strategic place. The many bodies of water surrounding the peninsula gave Constantinople many trade routes as well as protection. The famous walls were also built to further strengthen security. Constantinople eventually rose to a beautiful city of strength and wealth. Its Greek heritage separated itself from the West with their religion of Eastern Orthodoxy. Despite the power of Constantinople, unending attacks and problems would eventually weaken the city. The first major catastrophe took place in 542, when a plague struck and killed massive amounts of people. The recovery was very slow, and it allowed for countless attacks. For Constantinople, however, it was just the beginning. Justinian ruled the Byzantine Empire during its height. His military faced strength from the East that greatly endangered his people. The Sassanian Empire of Persia was one threat that Byzantines needed to conquer. The Persians endangered eastern lands, so Justinian's military prevented any conquest. The Sassanians were defeated and security was briefly gained. After his success, Justinian wanted to regain lands the Roman Empire once lost to invaders. Byzantine armies began a reconquest of Spain, Italy, and North Africa. Battles against various Germanic groups took place, and western lands were conquered by the Byzantines. The wars were expensive, and resources were low. Defense became weak and territories were lost increasingly after Justinian's death. During the early 700s, the Byzantine Empire was in turmoil and chaos. As Leo III took power, Constantinople was being attacked by Avars, Bulgarians, and Arabs. The Arabs from the Middle East were a main concern for Leo III because of their large conquests in the Asia Minor. The Arabs advanced to spread their faith of Islam and control resources. The Arabs slowly acquired land until their siege on Constantinople itself. Leo III made brilliant defense moves to stop the invaders. His military forces attacked the Arabs from the rear successfully while naval forces were repelled with Greek Fire. Greek Fire was the empire's secret weapon that may have saved them from the Arab siege. Arab ships would burst into flames from contact with the "liquid fire." Fighting continued for a year until the Arabs retreated. Constantinople was defended successfully, but the empire suffered heavy losses and continued to loose land. The era from about 1025 to 1453 witnessed the Byzantine Empire in its ultimate destruction.

Accounting Cycle Paper

When making decisions, businesses must provide and be able to gather relevant and accurate financial information. Being able to gather and understand this information helps companies make the best informed decisions for business operations, which can only benefit the company. When it comes to gathering the information needed, it is pertinent that companies fully understand each step of the accounting cycle. Averkamp (2010) defines the accounting cycle as: â€Å"a process that includes the following steps: identifying, collecting and analyzing documents and transactions, recording the transactions in journals, posting the journalized amounts to accounts in the general and subsidiary ledgers, preparing an unadjusted trial balance, perhaps preparing a worksheet, determining and recording adjusting entries, preparing an adjusted trial balance, preparing the financial statements, recording and posting closing entries, preparing a post-closing trial balance, and perhaps recording reversing entries† (p. ). The accounting cycle is made op of eight basic steps witch include The basic steps in the accounting cycle are (1) identifying and measuring transactions and other events; (2) journalizing; (3) posting; (4) preparing an unadjusted trial balance; (5) making adjusting entries; (6) preparing an adjusted trial balance; (7) preparing financial statements; and (8) closing. Identifying and measuring transactions and other events The first step in the accounting cycle is determining what information that should be recorded. Kieso, Weygandt & Warfield (2007) explain that items should be recognized if, â€Å"it is an element, is measurable, and is relevant and reliable† (p 68). Companies are able to recognize as many dealings as they wish, especially if they feel that these dealings will affect the financial position of the company. Journalizing Journalizing includes entering the financial transactions and events into a journal. As part of the journalizing process general ledger, t-accounts, and general journals are used. Kieso, Weygandt & Warfield (2007) explain that the general ledger â€Å"contains all the assets, liability, stockholders’ equity, revenue, and expense accounts† (p 69). T-accounts are used to visualize the affects of the debit and credit on more then one account. A â€Å"general journal chronologically lists transactions and other events, expressed in terms of debits and credits to accounts† (Kieso, Weygandt & Warfield, 2007, p 69). Posting Posting, defined by Kieso, Weygandt & Warfield (2007) is the process of transferring journal entries to the ledger accounts. The general ledger provides information for the Balance Sheet . Trial Balance The trial balance step in the accounting cycle is the process of totaling the debits and credits and making sure that the sum of all debits equals the sum of all credits. Kieso, Weygandt & Warfield (2007), state that the procedures for preparing a trial balance includes, â€Å"listing the account titles and their balances; totaling the debit and credit columns; and providing the equality of the two columns† (p. 74). Adjusting Entries Adjusting Entries are journal entries that are made at the end of the accounting period, to adjust expenses and revenues to the accounting period where they actually occurred† (Cram, 2011, p 1). Adjusting entries are required every time the company prepares financial statements. Adjusting entries can be classified as prepayments or accruals. The purpose for this step in the accounting cycle is to determine the net income for the current period and to achieve an accurate statement of the end-of-the-period balance in assets, liabilities, and owners’ equity (Kieso, Weygandt & Warfield, 2007). Adjusted trial balance The next step in the accounting cycle is the step adjusted trial balance. This step is important because it is where companies make sure that the debits still equal the credits after making the adjustments in the previous step. Kieso, Weygandt & Warfield (2007) explain that, â€Å"It shows the balance of all accounts, including those adjusted, at the end of the accounting period† (p. 84). Preparing Financial Statements The seventh step in the accounting cycle is where the company would prepare the financial statements from the second trial balance. Closing The last step in the accounting cycle is closing entries. This is where companies prepare and post closing entries in order to transfer balances from temporary accounts to owner’s equity on the balance sheet. This step reduces the balance of normal accounts to zero to prepare the accounts for the next period’s transactions (Kieso, Weygandt & Warfield, 2007). References http://www.college-cram.com/study/accounting/accounting-cycle/adjusting-entries-in-accounting/

Democratic Education Essay

Democratic Education should be a mainstream style of teaching, and should be taught specifically to anyone aspiring to become any type of successful instructor. Everywhere you go the world is constantly changing, people adapt, time ticks away, and the days come and go, every waking moment is progression to the future. Why is the one thing that we as a society depend on for survival going backwards? Our education system and the way we educate children is the only tool we as a society use to ensure our existence, think of the world as a well oiled machine. If you neglect certain parts, yes maybe it will keep working for a short while. Eventually the machine will fall apart because of the mistreating and lack of or poor maintenance, if we keep neglecting our education system by turning a blind eye to the type of educators we give teaching credentials to or the way our current teachers or professors are instruction our future, then our existence is headed for an abrupt halt. Schools need to embrace interesting, interactive-learning environments throughout the curriculum. â€Å"If you do not want to do something, you will not, period.† This thought means if someone is in a place that does not at least entertain the senses, let alone stimulate the mind then why even waste the time to just be physically be present? By doing that it wastes money, and more importantly the teacher and the students time. Democratic education as a teaching style is based on â€Å"affirmative authority without disrespect of freedom†; Democratic Education, by bell hooks. Authoritative guidance with inspiring, limitless, encouragement should be the goal of every type of educational course offered in the United States. We need to input this style of teaching into our aspiring teachers required classes to graduate at any institution or university across the country. We need democratic education because this type of teaching inspires the students, just because someone passes a test or any kind of written exam does not determine someones intelligence. The definition of the term intelligence, according to www.google.com, means the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills. This applies to institutions and their instructors because if a pupil is not taught how to apply these skills he or she has been taught how does this apply to the fast-pace times that we live in today? The answer is, it does not. Democratic education benefits the entire classroom rather than just a select few because of the more upbeat style of teaching. The beauty of democratic education is that it can also be incorporated with the old style of a more text-geared curriculum as well. It has the potential to improve teaching as a profession because it would lengthen the required courses to become a teacher, therefore narrowing the number of instructors produced. With that being said, the teaching salaries can improve because of the new demand for this productive style of teaching that K-12 schools would require the employed instructors to have completed during their college career(s). Our future generations upbringing needs to be updated according to the new age that we live in today. Democratic education needs to be a mainstream style of teaching, not for our benefit, but for the future of the precious world that you and I share. This is not a type of thing to be organized and implemented to help certain individuals succeed but for everyone, we need to teach our children that as a country we are a collective, and as individuals we are our own. Democratic education be used as another tool to help us educate the country and create a more successful tomorrow.

Newton the Empiricist

Sir Isaac Newton’s discoveries are truly relevant in our world today. His contributions to Physics are nonetheless substantial, especially the Laws of Motion which he established. However, the debate on whether Isaac Newton was a nativist or an empiricist has aroused. Some question Newton’s way of thinking where it breaks down to the belief of being any of nativism or empiricism. Firstly, nativism is the belief which states that people’s skills are natural to them that at birth, everything they need to learn are already coded in their brains, just waiting to be explored and be utilized. Nativists believe that we have brains which are hard wired with the talents and skills. It is more on how we uncover these things that we learn the things around us. The process of acquiring knowledge is just actually relearning what has already been coded in our brains. On the other hand, Empiricism claims that we have been born with a blank slate – tabula rasa, needing to be filled up by learning. We learn through experience in this concept, unlike that of Nativism where we already have the knowledge in the brain, all we need is to gather it and add it up to our knowledge. It emphasizes greatly on experience, where perceiving with our senses play a great role when we form various ideas. This discards the notion of having innate or inborn characteristics which is presented by Nativism. The debate regarding Isaac Newton’s line of thinking arose because of the way he came up with his ideas, the brilliant laws he established which are of great use in our society today. It is not merely being able to come up with the right ideas, but people though that Isaac Newton already knows the things he supposedly has established. But it was Empiricism that Newton believed more. He was more on the philosophy of science which gives a direct association to experiences, which derives data and information by means of experiments. Isaac Newton, as a person of science, underwent every necessary step in order to affirm his ideas. He tested through experiments in order to prove the knowledge he wishes to impart to the people. Theories and hypothesis were tested and some were proven through the use of observations and reasoning (Ess, 2007). Newton has established his own programs in science which he himself used in order to remove the doubts from the hypothesis. His goal as a scientist was to uncover something certain, and not to linger into the uncertainty of things. His principles were established and were drawn from the experiments he conducted and the observations he made for these experiments. This is just a manifestation that he abides in the Empiricist English tradition, just like Francis Bacon, where he comes up with ideas conceived from extensive experimentation and observation. As a man of science, he has always backed his ideas with relevant findings from the experiments that he conducted. He is not contended by assuming something as â€Å"ideally,† instead, he strived to prove such things using his own sets of experiments. Sir Isaac Newton’s findings posed great importance in explaining various things in the human world. Even though there are still some people who question his way of thinking, it is undeniable that what he has conceived were all products of extensive research, of the scientific method which he himself has pioneered and is still being used today. Reference: Ess, D. (2007). Isaac Newton Retrieved September 25, 2007, from http://www.drury.edu/ess/philsci/newton.html      

The Elements of Poetry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Elements of Poetry - Essay Example Both the poets talks about their childhood experiences in a different mood. Sharon Olds Born was born in San Francisco on November 19, 1942, and she earned a BA at Stanford University and a PhD at Columbia University. Her poetry talks about life and acceptance and one of the reviewer for New York Times writes’ "Her work has a robust sensuality, a delight in the physical that is almost Whitmanesque. She has made the minutiae of a woman's everyday life as valid a subject for poetry as the grand abstract themes that have preoccupied other poets" (Olds). Robert Hayden was born on August 4, 1913 and he was a celebrated American poet and an educator. The poems â€Å"Late Poem to My Father† by Sharon Olds and â€Å"Those Winter Sundays† by Robert Hayden portrays their childhood life and takes the readers on an emotional journey. Sharon Olds’ poem â€Å"Late Poem to My Father† illustrates the effect of a childhood trauma and how it can effect adulthood. The tone of the poem is sad and it evoke the traumatic childhood of her father. The narrator gives her childhood a voice and she experienced an epiphany in which she tries to understand her father’s abusive behavior and even forgive him for all the heartache.

CRITICALLY DISCUSS ANY THREE THEORIES OF INSPIRATION OF THE BIBLE, AND Essay

CRITICALLY DISCUSS ANY THREE THEORIES OF INSPIRATION OF THE BIBLE, AND WHAT ARE THEIR IMPLICATIONS IN THE LIFE OF CHRISTIANS - Essay Example The main reason as to why Christians value the Bible so much, to the extent that is the foundation of their faith is found in 2nd Timothy Chapter 3 verses 16-17. This verse of the Bible denotes that all scriptures are under the inspiration of God, for purposes of correcting, teaching, reproofing and training Christians to live in a righteous life (Hogue, 2010). This will help mankind to be equipped for performing every good work. There are five main theories of inspiration; The intuition theory denies the role of a super natural authority in the creation of the scriptures. According to this theory, the scriptures were written by religious men who had a unique spiritual insight. On this basis, there writings on spiritual and moral matters were far much ahead of their contemporaries. On this basis, they wrote the bible, in a similar manner in which other books are written. The religious ideas that these writers present are their own. This theory only lays emphasis on the role of human beings in the writing of scriptures. This view is wrong, and unacceptable amongst Christians. This is because most Christians believe in the human and the supernatural efforts in the writing of scriptures (Anderson, 2010, p. 44). This is because God used man to reveal His truths, and thoughts. The Bible is not just any book, but it is a Supreme book, that identifies the character of God, and his will. This can only be revealed through inspiration, and not religious insight, nor human genius. This view also directly contradicts the scriptures, found in 1st Thessalonians Chapter 2 verse 13. According to this scripture, the Bible is a word of God, and it is not brought forth according to the understanding of humans. The implication of this theory is that it advocates for the notion that God does not exist. This therefore helps to propagate the theories of evolution, which denotes that the world existed through the evolution process, and not through

Reading assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reading - Assignment Example Raustilia and Sprigman discount statistical provisions by proponents of Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA) who are poignant that the US economy forfeits at least 200 billion dollars and 750,000 US job vacancies every year. Raustilia and Sprigman argue that there is no lucidity in these figures, since the job vacancy figures double the number of employees who got enrolled in the filming industry in 2010. Raustilia and Sprigman also quote Tim Lee who argues that it is not unusual for statistics to be punctuated with estimations, double and triple counting. The same duo continues that at times, piracy can substitute for legitimate transactions, and may therefore not be bad. The same also contend that piracy may also trigger the saving of more money, and the economic relevance of increased savings may not be sidestepped (Raustilia and Sprigman, 1). However, on a personal standpoint, the opinions that Raustilia and Sprigman advance seem less plausible, logically and e thically sound, as shall be seen in the discussion that ensue forthwith. In the first place, piracy in itself is a crime, being a form of copyright infringement. This is because, like any other form of piracy, P2P file sharing program infringes copyright laws by copying and distributing a recording company and an artiste’s work without the consent of both. In this light, the Copyright Act of 1909 exists and is in force, even though more strictness is attributed to written work. Conversely, had piracy been attributed as a less injurious crime or as a tolerable and beneficial undertaking as Raustilia and Sprigman opine, then there would be no need of forming institutions and agencies which guard against piracy. Of particular concern is the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) as a powerful lobby group which represents the recording industry and favors stricter laws and heavier punishments for those who pirate music. RIAA is poignant that since 2002, music revenue ha s plummeted by 7% as the sales of CDs receded from 882 million to 803 million units. RIAA is also specific that the information immediately above showed that three times as more CDs were shared via P2P than the CDs that had been bought. It is obvious that this trend must have cost music producers and artistes. Furthermore, Gorski points out that doing away with the provisions and enforcement of Title 17 of Sections 501 and 506 of the United States Code is bound to create a very confused and lawless situation which may override the gains that Raustilia and Sprigman taut as reasons that legitimize music piracy. Title 17 of Sections 501 and 506 of the United States Code states that it is illegal to create copies of another person’s creative work. It is at this point that gives the federal law the mandate to protect artistes from unlawful and unauthorized reproduction, distribution and transmission of copyrighted material. It is against this backdrop that several people and compa nies have in times past been subjected to legal suits because of music piracy through the use of P2P file sharing. The same has also led to five year jail terms and an imposition of fines totaling 250,000 US dollars (Gorski, 161). As if all the above is not enough, the No Electronic Theft Law (NET Act) prescribes copyright violations which

Introduce what the Hurricane is to element school students Essay

Introduce what the Hurricane is to element school students - Essay Example to 600 miles across and have strong winds spiraling inward and upward at speeds of 75 to 200 mph.† This kind of weather usually enters what is called an Area of Responsibility and lasts sometimes for more than a week because it is passing over the open ocean at the slow speed of 10-20 miles per hour. It usually moves in a counter-clockwise direction over the warm ocean waters in the Northern Hemisphere, but then moves clockwise when it is in the Southern Hemisphere. While the hurricane is passing over the warm water, it starts to gather heat and energy with the help of water evaporation which also increases the power of the storm. Remember our grandparents often telling us that there is a â€Å"lull before the storm†? That is exactly what happens before a hurricane unleashes its deadly winds and water over the population of an area. The â€Å"eye† of the storm is what our grandparents normally describe to us which is known to have light winds and fair weather. But the minute the storm hits land, this calm is replaced by heavy rain, strong winds, and large waves that come crashing onto land. This is what destroys our surroundings. The hurricane, which is known as a typhoon in the Western Pacific, tends to dissipate or disappear by weakening and drying up once it passes over large and long bodies of land. It dies because the storm feeds on warmth and water, without it, the storm will not be able to exist. Not all hurricanes are created equally though. That is why the Saffir Simpson Hurricane Scale helps our weather professionals determine the strength of the hurrican before it hits land. the warnings range from the lowest wind speed of Category 1 all the way to the destructive Category 5 hurricane. However, a hurricane is destructive regardless of the category because the destruction will rely mostly upon the areas hit and what hazards exist in that area (What is a Hurricane?). In the United States, we have what is called a Hurricane Season that lasts from May

Evolution of the Use of Wool Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Evolution of the Use of Wool - Term Paper Example Since then, man has made efforts to improve and maximize on it by selective breeding of excess wool producing sheep and also incorporating other qualities into the wool fabric, including mothproofing, stain-proofing, durable creasing and pleating, shrink resistance and shower-proofing (Guthrie 145). Science and technology came in to improve the quality of wool and maximize the products keeping it in the fabrics forefront making it suitable for the modern requirements without affecting its virtues. After man started domesticating sheep, he used to milk it, and whenever it would shed its fleece, it would be collected, spun, and used to weave clothes. It then dawned on a man that killing sheep for meat only was a waste of resources, material, and food. He then resorted to becoming a shepherd and later on came up with a method of producing clothes from the fleece. He used to spin the wool to produce a thread by taking it in one hand and drawing it out twisting it using the fingers of the other hand. This then resulted in a thick yarn that was uneven. Later on, man developed a crude spindle, where he fitted a clay ring or a stone to a short wooden stick end. The ring made it possible to wound the drawn-out yarn on the spindle. This spinning method was later used for thousands of years. The threads were woven to produce clothes, and the first products were made up of a beam from which warps were hung before being weighted by the stones at the lower end. The yarn was then threaded across the warp in such an act of over and under. This system was also used for thousands of years just like spinning (Gleason 185). After the two implements for spinning and weaving spun wool, the first improvement to be done was on the loom. Instead of the vertical suspension of the warp threads from the beam, they were horizontally laid across the frame. Sticks were then tied to with  alternate warp threads, and they would be lowered and raised in turn.  

War on Terror Facts Essay Example for Free

War on Terror Facts Essay Terrorists, by definition, fight an entirely different type of war. Acts of terrorism are not perpetrated by soldiers, they are carried out by individuals, or groups of individuals, who have no other recourse but to lash out at the nations that they perceive as their oppressors with whatever tools they have available. They strap bombs on their backs, walk into areas crowded with people, and strike a blow for the cause. Car bombs, snipers, hijacked airplanes, it makes no difference how the terrorist act is accomplished, as long as it has the desired effect. There are no rules of warfare, no governments to be held accountable, and no moral standards to be upheld. Now we find ourselves, as Americans, waging war against an army of individuals that have no common country, government, or ethical measure to which they can be held accountable. Their numbers increase exponentially as we drop smart bombs, and roll tanks over the very people that the terrorists fight to liberate from oppression, further fueling the fire of hatred that burns for us and what we stand for. Whether the U. S. s seen as a liberator, freeing the people from oppressive Fundamentalists, or the Fundamentalists are seen as Freedom Fighters liberating the people from an occupying force, the reason for the conflict is irrelevant. This article is meant only to bring about discussion as to how to end it. The fact is that we are currently fighting a war under terms in which we cannot possibly win, our enemies know it, and they are emboldened by it. Since the beginning of America’s War on Global Terrorism, the number of terrorists in has increased, as have the bombings and casualties, and not just in Iraq. The increase of terrorist activities has increased worldwide, and despite what our leaders tell us, there is no end in sight. If we continue on this course, we will lose this fight. You can win a war against an opposing country or government, but you can’t win a war against an enemy that has no boundaries, no limits, no leader to concede defeat, or an enemy army that gains 10 new recruits for every casualty inflicted. At least not by using conventional methods and abiding by any type of moral code or rules of warfare. The importance of this cliched expression cannot be underestimated. Victories on the battlefield or in the interrogation rooms are meaningless if terror networks can continue to recruit from a large wellspring of discontented youth. And that is exactly what is happening. The wave of horror and sympathy for the victims that spread across much of the Arab and Muslim world after 11 September has long ago changed to something else. America is seen as having capitalised on those attacks by trying to conquer Muslim countries Afghanistan and Iraq. The war on Saddam was seen by many as an unwarranted attack on a largely defenceless civilian population, already emaciated by 12 years of UN sanctions. Washingtons military and diplomatic support for Israel still the bete noire for most Arabs is undiminished. Unfairly, many young Arabs blame their unemployment and lack of a political voice on a US-Zionist conspiracy aimed at somehow suppressing Muslims. But there is also now a growing conviction that the Bush administration has acquired a taste for regime change and will not stop at Baghdad. Threats to Syria and Iran to change their policies only confirm that view. Against this backdrop it is hardly surprising that the US and its close ally Britain are losing the battle for Arab and Muslim hearts and minds