Aristotle s Argument For Formal And Final Causes

In this paper, I will refute Aristotle’s argument in the Physics in showing the need for formal and final causes in explaining natural things, by showing that his theories do not allow for any ‘chance’. Aristotle claims we observe order in the presence of ‘nature’ and ‘forms’. Accordingly, final and formal causes give structure and regularity to the natural world. I will argue, especially from the stance of materialism and Empedocles’ theories that chance can lead to order. In Physics II, particularly parts 4-6, Aristotle asserts that all of nature is ultimately teleological: everything is organized towards some final end. The four main elements, earth, fire, water, and air, hold a natural purpose to move towards the center of planet earth. For example, the natural place for water is the surface of planet earth. These elements move and change the way they do, due to their forms. This is how their natural places in the world have been determined. Aristotle believes that change occurs through four different kinds of causes: material, formal, efficient, and final. In brief, the material cause is what X is made of. For example, when building a house, the material cause is the house’s materials like bricks and wood. The formal cause is its form or pattern, or the architect’s plan. The efficient cause is its original source of change, or the process of building said house. The final cause is its intended purpose, or the house’s purpose to provide shelter and comfort. I willShow MoreRelatedAristotle s Understanding Of The Four Causes1448 Words   |  6 Pagesunderstanding of the four causes Aristotle explains that anything which changes is subject to causes giving it potentiality. Potentiality means that something has a purpose to fulfil when it is enabled to, this potentiality becomes actuality when it achieves that purpose which Aristotle called ‘Telos’. Therefore in order to go from cause to effect an object must change and Aristotle understood this process in four different ways called the four causes. He understood that each of the four causes was necessaryRead MoreAristotle s Theory Of Nature Essay1635 Words   |  7 Pagessubject of discussion is through finding its primary causes and principles, and then stem back to the root, its elements(Physics 84a. 14-15). To exhibit we have knowledge of a specific subject matter we have to display and vocalize the contributing components that describe the subject. Aristotle titles these principles, causes and elements as previously listed.Therefore, the knowledge of nature must arise with questioning principle s. Aristotle contends that only the elements and principles can beRead MorePhilosophy C100 Quiz 121572 Words   |  7 PagesX | True |    | False | 2.    Which of the following is a philosophical question:    | Is there a God? |    | Does the end justify the means? |    | What form of government is best? |    | What is Time? |   X | All of the above. | 3.   An argument is a reason for accepting a position.    X | True |    | False | 4.    The area of philosophy concerned with values includes    | Ethics |    | Aesthetics |    | Social/political philosophy |   X | All of the above |    | None of the aboveRead MoreThe View Of The Nature Of Reality2159 Words   |  9 Pages 1. Explain (the main ideas and views) and evaluate (by giving arguments) the view of Heraclitus regarding the nature of reality? A: Heraclitus nature of reality was based on the fact that the universe was always changing. He thought that there was no reality, according to Heraclitus everything was based on fire because like our lives fire also changes every single second. His famous quote â€Å"You can’t step in the same river twice† represents the change that we sometimes don’t see, because in hisRead MoreThe Soul Is An Essential Aspect Of Being A Human Being2723 Words   |  11 Pagesbut also animals, plants, and all living things. The soul, also referred to as the psyche, has been the topic of philosophical, scientific, and religious inquiries for thousands of years. Through their texts, three influential philosophers, Plato, Aristotle, and Augustine, shared their views on the soul and what they perceive it to be. Throughout this examination of their findings, the reader will better understand what the soul is, in respect to these philosophers perspectives. In Classical GreeceRead MoreThe Beliefs of Plato vs Aristotle Essay3789 Words   |  16 Pageshim as a pupil. When Plato was sixty years old, the seventeen-year-old Aristotle presented himself, joining the Teachers group of Friends, as the members of the Academy called themselves. Aristotle was a youth of gentle birth and breeding, his father occupying the position of physician to King Philip of Macedon. Possessed of a strong character, a penetrating intellect, apparent sincerity, but great personal ambition. Aristotle was a student in the Academy during the twenty years he remained in AthensRead MoreEssay on Plato on the Existence of Negative Forms4235 Words   |  17 Pagesaccording to Plato?s system, there must be one negative form. For the purpose of analyzing Aristotle?s criticism of Plato, David Ross outlines three distinct respects in which a term can be considered negative.[3] The first category of negative terms that Ross identifies are those which are ?purely negative in their meaning? such as the ?not-good? or ?not-beautiful.? What the many not-good have in common is the absence of being good. The second class of negative terms in Ross?s division encompassesRead MoreThe Church in the Middle Ages Essay2025 Words   |  9 PagesThe Church in the Middle Ages By The Middle Ages, one understands a relatively long historical period extending from the end of the Roman Empire to the 1500s. The conquest of The Roman Empire by Germanic tribes, and synthesis of Germanic and Roman ways of life formed the civilization which we call medieval (medieval-from Latin words; medium (middle) and aevum (age)). Medieval civilization was greatly influenced by the Muslims in Spain and The Middle East, and by Byzantine Empire and ChristiansRead MoreThank You for Arguing Reading Logs Essay6613 Words   |  27 Pagesperspective on the human condition. After it awakens you to the argument all around, the world will never seem the same.† (6) In chapter one, â€Å"Open Your Eyes,† Heinrichs states that argument is an important social element that surrounds everyday life. People who uses rhetoric, the art of argument, tends to succeed in persuading others to do their bidding. Many powerful politicians today mastered this tool. The most toughest arguments can be won with this art. Rhetoric has helped mankind developRead MoreBranches of Philosophy8343 Words   |  34 Pagesto true conclusions, originally developed in Ancient Greece. Beginning in the late 19th century, mathematicians such as Frege focused on a mathematical treatment of logic, and today the subject of logic has two broad divisions: mathematical logic (formal symbolic logic) and what is now called philosophical logic. †¢ Philosophy of mind deals with the nature of the mind and its relationship to the body, and is typified by disputes between dualism and materialism. In recent years there have been increasing

American Bureaucracy and Its Budgetary Decisions Free Essays

A Budget is a management tool that is an expression of planned expenditures and revenues. â€Å"Budgets serve many important functions in government. In one sense, budgets are contracts annually agreed on by the executive and legislative branches that allow executive agencies and departments to raise and spend public funds in specified ways for the coming fiscal year, as stated by Stillman in â€Å"The American Bureaucracy† He also says that budgets impose a mutual set of legal obligations between the elected and appointed officers of public organizations with regard to taxation and expenditure policies, therefore, is a legal contract that provides a vehicle for fiscal controls over subordinate units of government by the politically elected representatives of the people. We will write a custom essay sample on American Bureaucracy and Its Budgetary Decisions or any similar topic only for you Order Now Budgetary decisions are made, according to Rubin in her book The Politics of Public Budgeting, by envisioning governments as â€Å"not merely technical managerial documents† but rather â€Å"they are also intrinsically and irreducibly political. † Her ideas are similar to that of general budget concepts over balancing expenditures and revenues, but differ in fundamental ways according to Stillman. The open environments within which budgets are developed, the variety of actors involved, the constraints imposed as well as the emphasis on public accountability, give budgets special and distinctive features in the public sector. † The differences between microbudgeting and macrobudgeting are just what their prefaces imply. â€Å"On the one hand there are a number budget actors, who have all individual motivations, who strategize to get what they want from the budget. The focus on the actors and their strategies is called microbudgeting. They do not bargain with one another over the budget. They are assigned budget roles by the budget process, the issues they examine are often framed by the budget process, and the timing and coordination of their decisions are often regulated by the budget process, according to Rubin. She goes on to say that actors are not free to come to budget agreements alone. They are bound by the environmental constraints. There are decisions that they are not permitted to make because they are either against the law, the courts disagree, or previous decision makers have bound their hands. Budgetary decision making has to account not just for budgetary actors but also for budget process and the environment. This more top-down and systematic perspective on budgeting is called macrobudgeting. † Budget strategies are affected by environment, budget process, and individual strategies, all of which influence the outcomes. The level of certainty of funding influences strategies as well. â€Å"Attention will focus on what is available now, and going after whatever it is, whether it is what you want or not, because what you really want may never show up and hence is not worth waiting for. â€Å"The effect of different strategies on the outcomes is hard to gauge. It seems obvious, however, that strategies that ignore the process or the environment are doomed to failure. Budget actors have to figure out where the flexibility is before they can influence how that flexibility will be used. Strategies that try to bypass superiors or fool legislators generally do not work; strategies that involve careful documentation of need and appear to save money are generally more successful. † There are four phases of a budget cycle; environment, process, individual strategies, and outcomes. In this causal model, or schema, the environment, budget process, and individuals† strategies all affect the outcomes. â€Å"The environment influences budgetary outcomes directly and indirectly, through process and individual strategies. The environment influences outcomes directly, without going through either budget process or individual strategies, when it imposes emergencies that reorder priorities. † The environment influences the budget process in several ways, including the level of resources available, the format of the budget, and the degree of centralization of decision making. â€Å"Environment in the sense of the results of prior decisions may also influence process. † â€Å"Changes in process take place in response to individuals, committees, and branches of government jockeying for power; in response to changes in the environment from rich to lean, or vice versa; in response to changes in the power of interest groups; and in response to scandals or excesses of various kinds. â€Å" How to cite American Bureaucracy and Its Budgetary Decisions, Essay examples

Professional Identity A Registered Nursing â€Myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss About The Professional Identity A Registered Nursing? Answer: Introducation Nursing is a profession that stands as the pillar in the health care industry holding all the different components together like the proverbial glue, ever since the introduction of this profession by Florence Nightingale. It has to be understood that nurses are those healthcare professionals who act not only in caring for the patient but It is also the medium of communication between the patient and the medical practitioner ensuring optimal treatment and care for the patients (Johnson, Cowin, Wilson, Young, 2012). accounting to Andrew, patients have a much more respectful and interactive relationship with the nurses as they spend most of the time while being in the healthcare facilities in the care of the nursing professionals, hence the patients find nurses to be much more approachable when it comes to sharing their grievances and feedback (Andrew, 2012). However sadly, despite nursing being one of the noblest professions available, it has still not achieved its due recognition in the society. The profession of nursing is in dire need of respect and recognition in the society which can only be provided to them by developing a respectful professional identity for them. This essay will explore the above mentioned thesis statement taking the example of the blog by Caitlin Brassington, where the author expresses her grievances at being belittled in the society for being just a nurse in profession. Nursing as a profession represents a lot of different attributes, starting from courage compassion, selflessness, patience, perseverance and most of all kindness. A profession that has as many moral attributes associated with it demands a level of emotional investment from the professional that no other profession can even attempt to demand. Nurses have to complete a diverse range of activities and responsibilities on a daily basis, designing a patient centered care, carrying out the care plan, monitoring the response of the patient to the care plan, educating the patient and engaging him into the care plan, and communicating with the patient regarding any grievances that the patient might have with the care plan, and lastly providing compassionate psychological support and counseling to the patients in order to help him attain faster recovery (Hoeve, Jansen, Roodbol, 2014). In order to complete all these activities at the same time for different patients on a daily basis the nurses straw just need to put in long hours, they need to invest emotional attachment and extreme effort from their end for restoring the health of the society. However despite all of the contributions of the nurses to the society, it is a profession that is seriously be result even in this current age. Many of the health care research writers have hinted at the importance of the nursing professionals in the health care industry for it to sustain, there is still lack of respect for the nursing professionals, and there are two prime contributing factors behind, the lack of a respectful professional identity in the society for the nurses, and the lack of knowledge and awareness in the mass about the contribution of the nursing profession in the present day health care (Hallam, 2012). Drawing references from the article written by Caitlin Brassington, a registered nurse, who had been extremely angered and disheartened at being called just a nurse by one of her acquaintances, and her reaction had been more than justified (Brassington, 2017). As a registered nurse practicing in the Australia, there are a multitude of responsibilities to complete. A few of the roles and responsibilities that a registered nurse include performing physical assessment and taking health history, providing promotional and educational help experience along with counseling, medication administration and management and other patient-centered interventions, interpretation of patient information and critical decision making, coordination and collaboration of care within multidisciplinary healthcare team, directing and supervising care, and lastly conducting overall research to incorporate evidence based best practice (Maran Pera, 2015). However, there is very little knowledge in the mass rega rding the responsibilities that a registered nurse has or the daily health care related activities that a RN partakes in. this extreme lack of knowledge and normal respect is reflected in the response you are Just a Nurse of the acquaintance to Caitlin. However, it had to be understood within this context that this lack of knowledge is a direct result of the conspicuous lack of a respectful professional identity for the nurses in the society bringing us to the other contributing factor mentioned above. While the blame for this consequence like a professional identity in the nursing profession can be bestowed upon the faulty designation structure and stereotyping within the healthcare industry and lack of recognizing the nothing works as an integral part of healthcare industry as of now, there is a basic lack of self respect and professional identity within the nursing professionals as well (Hood, et al., 2014). There are a lot of nursing individuals who fail to recognize and respect the contribution of their own profession due to either extreme work pressure and stress or unsatisfactory pay, their lack of respect was there on profession is reflected in the standing the society has given to the nursing profession. Therefore nursing h as been and continues to suffer in extreme lack of understanding in the general public, and these stereotypes feeds on the lack of respectful professional identity for the nurses. Therefore there is need for the nursing professionals to understand the contribution they are making for the society, and the indispensable role they play in the Healthcare industry restoring the health and wellbeing the entire society (Willetts Clarke, 2014). The term professional identity can be defined as an individual on perception on the attributes believes values motives and professional experiences in the context of the job roles and responsibilities that the individual has to partake in. In the blog by Caitlin Brassington, she has described bits and pieces of daily responsibilities as a registered nurse and has provided a beautiful contrast between the belittlement she received operations acquaintance and the magnitude of contribution as a nurse to the society by her (Sims, 2011). She has explained in this article how she had helped mothers deliver babies into the world, how to restore the dignity of the patients, counseled grieving patients after losing a child, perform CPR bringing patients back alive from the very brink of death, educated patients and junior nurses, etc. She had also mentioned how she has sacrificed holidays, memorable days of her children, in order to fulfill her responsibilities as a registered nurse. Like a t rue professional Caitlin has successfully showcased all the professional attributes, delete values and opinions she has about her profession and has contradicted the belittlement acquaintance provided her calling her just a nurse. She has expressed grief at being called just a nurse, in spite of the fact that she contributed and sacrificed so much for her profession and in order to fulfill her job responsibilities. Hence it can be concluded that Caitlin but successfully demonstrate a respectful and morally adequate professional identity as a registered nurse in her blog. In my own opinion the block written by Caitlin Brassington had been an eye opener for all the nursing professionals sacrificing a lot in order to contribute to the society and fulfill the job responsibilities of a nurse. Kids in very beautifully outlined the responsibilities of a registered nurse however she missed out on a lot of details that a registered nurse has to go through on a daily basis. However her I think has been expressive along with been crucially truthful reflecting her pride at being a part of the nursing workforce. And I would like to follow her footsteps to develop selfless professionalism and compassionate kindness for my patience, all the while being extremely proud of my profession. Caitlin provides a glorious example of how a nursing profession and should be, and hence writing received a significant response in the social media. There are challenges in following her ideologies, face the extreme work pressure, stress, and lack of recognition (Vaismoradi, Salsali , Ahmadi, 2011). However with a little support and willful effort it is not impossible to achieve, and as social media provides a great platform for connecting with other nursing professionals and gaining along with providing support, the standard set by Caitlin can be achieved easily. References Andrew, N. (2012). Professional identity in nursing: are we there yet?. Nurse Education Today. Brassington, C. (2017, september 11). 'Am I just a nurse?'. Retrieved from ABC News: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-11/just-a-nurse-queensland-woman-writes-open-letter/7919422 Hallam, J. (2012). Nursing the image: media, culture and professional identity. Routledge. Hoeve, Y. T., Jansen, G., Roodbol, P. (2014). The nursing profession: public image, self?concept and professional identity. . A discussion paper. Journal of advanced nursing, 295-309. Hood, K., Cant, R., Baulch, J., Gilbee, A., Leech, M., Anderson, A., Davies, K. (2014). Prior experience of interprofessional learning enhances undergraduate nursing and healthcare students' professional identity and attitudes to teamwork. Nurse Education in Practice,. Johnson, M., Cowin, L. S., Wilson, I., Young, H. (2012). Professional identity and nursing: contemporary theoretical developments and future research challenges. International nursing review. Maran, A. A., Pera, M. P. (2015). Theory and practice in the construction of professional identity in nursing students: a qualitative study. . Nurse education today,. Sims, D. (2011). Reconstructing professional identity for professional and interprofessional practice: A mixed methods study of joint training programmes in learning disability nursing and social work. Journal of interprofessional management care. Vaismoradi, M., Salsali, M., Ahmadi, F. (2011). Perspectives of Iranian male nursing students regarding the role of nursing education in developing a professional identity: a content analysis study. Japan Journal of Nursing Science, 174-183. Willetts, G., Clarke, D. (2014). Constructing nurses professional identity through social identity theory. International journal of nursing practice, 164-169.

Thats What Essay Example

Thats What Essay People will commit crimes or die 6. How do most . What conclusion can you draw from the fact that every new unnecessary. Com/ / what-conclusion-can-you-draw-from-the-fact-that-e When realized that, it was a real eureka moment for me; how you learn and apply martial arts is the same process as In music. After that, so many other things and Corporeal punishment, harsh scolding Cite some examples of the grim games played by the Puritan children. Fight with the Indians, scourging the Quakers, practice witch craft What was the first object pearl seemed to be aware of as an infant? The scarlet letter Hawthorne states the following paradox: How strange, Indeed! Man had marked this womans sin by a scarlet letter, which had such potent and disastrous efficacy that no human sympathy could reach her God, as a direct consequence of the sin which man thus punished, had given her a lovely should in heaven. Does the birth of a lovely child born out of an adulterous relationship prove that the strict puritan moral code is wrong? We will write a custom essay sample on Thats What specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Thats What specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Thats What specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Explain you answer. Yes, they are too strict. In describing the harsh disciplinary practices of the Puritan family, Hawthorne observed that these practices were enjoined by scriptural authority. He is referring o Provo. 13:24: he who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him takes care to chases him. Does Hester follow this practice of not sparing the rod? Do you think that Pearl would have been more obedient and docile If Hester had taken a different approach to discipline? No she does not punish Pearl. Pearl may have been different If she had been punished severely. Prison and a cemetery under whose footsteps was the rose-bush outside the prison supposed to have sprung up? Sainted Anne Hutchinson What kind of spectacle have the townspeople of Boston gathered to witness? The What is the significance of the scarlet letter A which is embroidered on Hester gown? Show that she was an adulteress prison and cemetery at once? People will commit crimes or die How do most of the townspeople regard Hester punishment as too severe, too lenient, or appropriate? Too lenient and that she should be hanged Do you agree that the harshest aspect of punishment by pillory was that it prevented the confined person from hiding his or her face? No, because the crime was not severe enough to merit humiliation Yes, because it was harsh enough to stop others room doing it again Hester thinks of her childhood home as she stands on the scaffold. What does this glimpse of her past suggest about her family background? They started off with money and her family became poor. She married someone with money and her husband sent here (America). Husband is older, he marries her. Hester first crime is married for the wrong reasons (money). Married for her (Hester) own self-gratification. Hawthorne says the Puritan townspeople were stern enough to look upon her (Hester) death, had that been the sentence but not fearless enough to mock and ridicule her. Do you agree that scornful mockery would be crueler than the attitudes Hawthorne describes here? Yes, it is like rubbing salt in the wound too be mean to her would be too much. To mock her would be to ruin her entire life. Chapter Ill The stranger who appears at the outskirt of the crowd while Hester stands on the scaffold is slightly deformed. In what way? One of his shoulders was higher than the other. He is a white man but he has native garb on. He is raggedy and old. What explanation does the stranger make to the townsman he speaks with that accounts for his combination of civilized and savage costume? He was captured by the Indians The townsman tells the stranger that the Judges have been lenient with Hester because of her youth because she is probably a widow. What was the severest possible penalty for adultery in the Massachusetts Colony? How long does Hester have to stand on the scaffold? How long must she wear the scarlet letter? She could have been sentenced to death. She has to stand on the stand for 3 hours. She has to wear the A for life. What seems to particularly disturb the stranger after he has learned of the sentence imposed on Hester? Why isnt the dad standing on the stand o? What clues to the identity of the stranger does Hawthorn provide in the first three paragraphs of Chapter Ill? Maybe he could be the father or Her missing husband. After hearing of Hester crime and punishment, the stranger vows that her lovers identity will be known. How important do you think this vow of his will be in the rest of the novel? It will be important because he made a vow and it is considered important. It will move the story forward. It will impose the conflict, the adventure, and the mystery. In what way, according to the reverend Timescale, can Hester alp her unknown lover atone for his sin? Telling everyone who he is How does the Reverend Wilson interpret the babys response to Dalliances entreaty? What significance do you think the babys response may have? The baby The reverend Timescale awaited the result of his appeal to Hester to reveal her lovers name leaning over the balcony, with his hand over his heart On hearing her refusal, he draws back With a long respiration. Why do you suppose he was holding his breath until he heard her answer? How would you describe what the young minister is probably feeling at this moment? Because he was nervous because he might say the name (that he is the father) Chapter IV Where is Roger Chlorinating, the stranger of Chapter Ill, to lodge while the authorities work out his ransom with the Indians? Prison What two kinds of experience equip Chlorinating to be a physician? His previous studies in alchemy (changing one thing to another) and what he has learned from the natives when he has been captured Why does Hester at first resist Clownishnesss attempts to give the baby medicine? That he was going to poison the baby. What promise does Chlorinating exact from Hester? That she wont tell the towns people that he is her husband. At what point are you certain that Chlorinating is Hester husband? Cite the passage that confirms your suspicions. They talk about their wedding day. Pages 24 and 25 Why does Chlorinating say that he seeks no vengeance against Hester? Because he knows that she is young and pretty and without a husband for years and she is already being punished. What do you think Chlorinating means when he says of the father of her child l shall read (the letter of infamy) on his heart? The lie will eat away at you. Your disposition changes At the end of the chapter, Chlorinating says, Not thy soul No not thin! Which words would he have emphasized as he said this? What do you think he means? He would emphasize the words thy and thin. He is after the fathers soul. Chapter V What reasons does Hawthorne give for Hester remaining in Boston, where she is an outcast? That is where the crime happened and she didnt want to run and hide. This is where she was from and where the father is from. Hawthorne mentions three main occasions for which the people of Boston made use of Hester sewing skill. Officials robes and funeral garb and christening gowns What does Hester do with any spare money she might have? Donates it to charity Hawthorne describes Hester as lonely and without a friend on earth who dared to show himself. Who might be one friend who shares not show himself? The secret lover The people of Boston are willing to hire Hester to make clothing for public ceremonies, funeral apparel, and baby linen but not bridal veils. Why do you suppose they make this exception? It is supposed to show purity and love and Hester is not pure. Describing how Hester is able to support herself and her child, Hawthorne says, She posses sed an art that sufficed O supply food for her thriving infant and herself. It was the art then, as now, almost the only one within a womans grasp needlework. What does he mean by the only (art) within a Hawthorne also makes this observation: Woman derive a pleasure, incomprehensible to the other sex, from delicate told of the needle. Do you agree that this is true now? Do you think it was true in Hawthorns day? Explain you answer. Sailors and physicians Explain whose human eye it is that Hawthorne is referring to in this passage: But sometimes, once in many days, or perchance in many moths, she felt an eye -a unman eye- upon the ignominious brand that seemed to give a momentary relief, as if half of her agony was shared. The next instant, back it all rushed again For in that brief interval, she had sinned anew. Had Hester sinned alone? In what way has Hester sinned anew? She doesnt reveal the father because she still loves him. Chapter VI How does Hester account for the aspects of Pearls character that trouble her? The stress that she had during the pregnancy How does Hawthorne characterize the disciplining of children in the early days of the Boston Colony?

Assignment 14 Essay

Assignment 14 Essay Assignment 14 Essay Deanna Zito Dr. Reilly ECON 152 October 11, 2014 Assignment 14.1 Is poverty on the rise or on the decline? Go to the U.S. Census Bureau Web site, www.census.gov/, and select "Poverty" (under People). Use the data provided to answer the following questions: a. Is the number of people living below the official government poverty level higher or lower than it was in the preceding year? Than it was a decade earlier? b. Is the poverty rate (in percent) higher or lower than it was in the preceding year for the general population, children under 18, blacks, Asians, Pacific Islanders, and whites? c. How many states had increases in the poverty rate compared to the preceding year? The number of people living in the poverty rate in 2010 was around 46.2 (15.1 percent of population) million. This is a rise from the 2009 figure of around 44.8 (14.6 percent of the population) million people living in the poverty rate. The 2010 figure is also greater then the 2000 figure which is around 31(11.5 percent of the population) million people. For the general population the percent in poverty for 2010 was 15.1 percent and increase from the preceding year by 0.5 percent. 2009 figure is 14.6 percent poverty. For children under 18 in 2010 the rate was 22.0 percent and increase of around 1.5 percent from the preceding year. 2009 rate was around 20.5 percent. For Blacks the poverty rate in 2010 was 27.4 percent an increase of 1.6 from the 2009 figure of 25.8. For Asians the poverty rate in

7 Warning Signs Youre Unhappy at Work

7 Warning Signs Youre Unhappy at Work Just like in your car, where there are alerts to let you know when important systems are not performing as they should, there should be alerts for when you aren’t either. We are all guilty of being on autopilot now and then on the job. But sometimes we don’t realize just how much of our attention has been diverted away from our work- until it’s too late to make necessary corrections. Here are 7 good signs that you’re unhappy at work and might want to rethink your situation and either re-engage with what you’re doing, or start looking for something else.1. Not CaringIf you’ve started to be the one with the â€Å"I don’t care† attitude, who just shows up and does the bare minimum and doesn’t take initiative or pitch in? That’s a problem. Getting your job done well is just as important as getting it done well enough. Besides, this probably means you’re not thinking enough about your future there and setting the necessary career goals for yourself.2. Lateness/Not Coming InIf you’re flagging, you might tend to be late or absent more than you realize- just from a lack of interest and engagement. Or worse- you’re getting sick more often because you’re miserable at work. Either way, it is a warning sign.3. Quality SlipDo you remember when you first started and you were so eager to dot your ‘i’s and cross your ‘t’s? Remember your attention to detail? Your go-get’em attitude? If those days are so far gone that you can’t remember trying so hard or performing so well at work, then you should take stock.4. MoodinessIf your moods are swingier than usual, and your emotions seem to be that much more out on your sleeve, this might be a symptom of being â€Å"over it† at work. Particularly if you no longer care who knows how grumpy you are at any given time.5. Isolating YourselfDo you notice that you are physically pulling back? Using s tandoffish body language, like leading away from the table with your arms crossed during meetings? Or standing apart from the group? Not accepting happy hour invites? Or maybe you feel overlooked or invisible? Whether your isolation is physical or mental, it’s not a very good sign about your level of engagement.6. Not Raising Your HandYou used to be all about collaborating, making creative suggestions, giving your input. Now? You’re basically silent, and speak only when spoken to- even in brainstorming sessions. If you’ve stopped generating new ideas as well†¦ time to rethink things.7. Being MehGeneral lethargy- or a noticeable lack of energy over a sustained period of time- is one of your biggest warning signs. If you’re showing up to work, but not really showing up anymore, then you might want to see what needs to change. It’s either going to be you, or the job. Either way, better to know and be proactive!

The Concept of a Trial by a Jury Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Concept of a Trial by a Jury - Essay Example In the early case of William Penn and William Mead in 1670, this concept was challenged. William Penn and William Mead had been arrested, charged and tried at the Old Bailey for â€Å"tumultuous assembly† on a Sunday afternoon in London. (Randle, 2001) The jury had refused to convict and the judge in response had ordered the jury sequestered without food or drink or â€Å"so much as a chamber pot, though desired.† (Randle, 2001) Despite this kind of pressure the jurors continued to hold out with the result that they were fined and imprisoned. (Randle, 2001) A juror applied for a writ of habeas corpus and a judge of the King’s Bench ruled that no jury could be penalized for its verdict. (Knight, 1881, 211) Penn and Mead’s trial reflected some of the limitations and constraints on the fundamental concept of a fair and impartial jury as envisaged by the Magna Carta’s mandate for a trial by a jury of one’s peers. If a judge could put pressure on a jury or sanction the jury if it did not decide a case one way, there was no barrier between the government and the ordinary citizen. It is a fundamental concept of jury trials that the individual on trial is judged by the ordinary citizen. It was during the time of Penn’s trial that the American jury system began to establish itself as a protective barrier between the government and the accused man. (American Bar Association) This was particularly popular at a time when Americans regarded British laws as too harsh. In the final analysis, the perpetuation of such a jury is inconsistent with an element of fairness to both the accused and the victim which is an extension of the community at large. Modern jury selection techniques in America today ensure that both sides are well represented by the jury panel. The underlying goal is the selection of a panel that is impartial to both sides. For instance,   the common practice today is for the selection of jurors based on an assessment of their ability to determine the facts and issues objectively,   as opposed to partially or in favour of one side over another.  Ã‚  

SPEACKER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

SPEACKER - Essay Example According to the speaker, entrepreneurship is governed by huge risks and we can observe from the history that most of the startup companies fail. This primarily happens because people jump into the entrepreneurship without prior experience and knowledge of the changing market trends. Moreover, the fail entrepreneurs do not have a very clear mission and vision for their companies or their managerial operations are not consistent with the strategic decisions (Feinleib). All these factors play a vital role in the failure of any start-up business. However, this also gives entrepreneurs the insight knowledge of their business and hence failure is also important for the betterment of future decisions. Entrepreneurial failure discloses the basic methodologies through which an individual can refrain from significant losses. The speaker has identified the basic principles which can actually save people from instant business failures. For example, diligent planning is necessary especially in t erms of finances because start-up companies usually go out of cash if the inflows and outflows are not managed thoroughly. Additionally, there was an emphasis upon the significance of peculiar business details which are often ignored by the new entrepreneurs and hence they face immediate failure. For instance, entrepreneurs are required to be extra sensitive towards the changing market trends and overall consumer behavior. With the advent of modern technology customers have altering choices and hence there is a possibility that they might get product substitutes very soon. Another important aspect which requires greater attention from the entrepreneurs is their attitude after entering into the market. They must maintain profound behavior while analyzing business opportunities. They need to have a very soft and calm attitude to deal with different situations. This is further connected with the fear of business failure. People who initially fear the financial loss actually make more p roductive decisions which foster their future progress and development. Leadership and entrepreneurship are interconnected with one another. For instance, strong leadership is one of the major contributors of successful business startups. Moreover, leadership based on hard work, passion and integrity actually ensures the long term sustenance of business. This is subsequently correlated with organizational culture and employee involvement. The failure of startup businesses was a more interesting topic for me because I have personally suffered from such experience. I entered into the market without developing a diligent plan, business forecast or an outline of consumer demands. My plan was to introduce fragrance soap particularly, for women which can perform as a regular soap and an attractive fragrance at the same time. I was supposed to target middle class working women whose professional expenses could be reduced with an integration of perfumes and soaps. However, my business plan failed within three years of its operations because the product positioning was very wrong. I had to face immense competition from soap manufacturers and perfume producers whereas I got out of cash just after two years of setting up the business. Hence one of the most interesting perspectives which I have identified after experiencing a failed enterprise is the perfect market segmentation and product positionin

Minerals and Energy Resources Essay Example for Free

Minerals and Energy Resources Essay We require metals for making machines, sands and gravels for making roads and buildings,  sand for making computer chips, limestone and gypsum for making concrete, clays for making ceramics, gold, silver, copper and aluminum for making electric circuits, and diamonds  and corundum (sapphire, ruby, emerald) for abrasives and jewelry. A mineral deposit is a volume of rock enriched in one or more materials. In this sense a mineral refers to a useful material, a definition that is different from the way we defined a mineral back in Chapter Here the word mineral can be any substance that comes from the Earth. Finding and exploiting mineral deposits requires the application of the principles of geology that you have learned throughout this course. Some minerals are used as they are found in the ground, i. e. they require no further processing or very little processing. For example gemstones, sand, gravel, and  salt (halite). Most minerals must be processed before they are used. For example: * Iron is the found in abundance in minerals, but the process of extracting iron from different minerals varies in cost depending on the mineral. It is least costly to extract the iron from oxide minerals like hematite (Fe2O3), magnetite (Fe3O4), or limonite [Fe(OH)]. Although iron also occurs in olivines, pyroxenes, amphiboles, and biotite, the concentration of iron in these minerals is less, and cost of extraction is increased because strong bonds between iron, silicon, and oxygen must be broken. * Aluminum is the third most abundant mineral in the Earths crust. It occurs in the most common minerals of the crust the feldspars (NaAlSi3O8, KalSi3O8, ; CaAl2Si2O8, but the cost of extracting the Aluminum from these minerals is high. Thus, deposits containing the mineral gibbsite [Al(OH)3], are usually sought. This explains why recycling of Aluminum is cost effective, since the Aluminum does not have to be separated from oxygen or silicon. Because such things as extraction costs, manpower costs, and energy costs vary with time and from country to country, what constitutes an  economically viable deposit  of minerals varies considerably in time and place. In general, the higher the concentration of the substance, the more economical it is to mine. Thus we define an ore as a mineral deposit from which one or more valuable substances can be extracted economically. Extraction of this oil also requires heating the rock and is therefore energy intensive and not currently cost effective Coal Coal  is a sedimentary/metanorphic rock produced in swamps where there is a large-scale accumulation of organic matter from plants. As the plants die they accumulate to first become peat. Compaction of the peat due to burial drives off   volatile components like water and methane, eventually producing a black- colored organic- rich coal called lignite. Further compaction and heating results in a more carbon- rich coal called bituminous coal. If the rock becomes metamorphosed, a high grade coal called anthracite is produced. However, if temperatures and pressures become extremely high, all of the carbon is converted to graphite. Graphite will burn only at high temperatures and is therefore not useful as an energy source. Anthracite coal produces the most energy when burned, with less energy produced by bituminous coal and lignite. Coal is found in beds called seams, usually ranging in thickness from 0. 5 to 3m, although some seams reach 30 m. Two major coal producing periods are known in geologic history. During the Carboniferous and Permian Periods, the continents were apparently located near the equator and covered by shallow seas. This type of environment favored the growth of vegetation and rapid burial to produce coal. Known reserves of coal far exceed those of other fossil fuels, and may be our best bet for an energy source of the future. Still, burning of the lower grades of coal, like lignite and bituminous coal produces large amounts of waste products that pollute the atmosphere. This problem needs to be overcome before we can further exploit this source of energy. Bottom of Form

Personal Communication Equipment (PCE) Expansion To The U.K. - Politic :: essays research papers

This document will address two questions: The first is whether the political organization of the United Kingdom is similar enough to the United States that Americans would adapt and work comfortably there, and secondly, if the United Kingdom has a history of political stability (how long), and is likely to continue for at least 10 years in the future. The answers to these questions will be used to determine marketing potential for the introduction of personal computing products to include a network infrastructure, manufacturing facility, and a personnel staff of 250 employees. Preliminary U.K. information indicates the following: * 186 Personal computers * 503 Telephone lines * 612 Televisions * 1433 Radios These indicate a good market share for potential customer base. ----------------------------------------------------------------------  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Parliamentary Democracy with 2 party system  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  High Adult literacy (99%)  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rising annual growth rate of GNP since 1995  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Major Language is English  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Adequate ship and air commerce facilities These address stable political and economic presence, and will require further study to determine future stability in ten years. The initial information above made the United Kingdom a choice candidate for this research. The detailed answers to the 2 main questions are addressed in this report. Question A: Is the political organization of the United Kingdom similar enough to the United States that Americans would adapt and work comfortably there? The United Kingdom is a Parliamentary Democracy based on a two-chamber system. The House of Lords (the upper House) and the House of Commons (the lower house) sit separately and are constituted on different principles. The legislative process involves both Houses, with the House of Commons being the legislative branch, and House of Lords revising legislation and keeping a check on Government by scrutinizing its activities. Parliament has a maximum duration of five years, and at any time up to the end of this period, a general election can be held for a new House of Commons. The Executive power is that of Prime Minister who is the leader of the party that wins the most seats at a General Election. The Prime Minister has powers to appoint judges such as the Lord Chancellor , create Life Peers and make appointments to senior positions in the Church of England. There is also a Constitutional Monarchy, which for the most part is symbolic as a result of the â€Å"Bloodless Revolution of 1688 . There are currently three political parties in the United Kingdom. Of these three, the Labour and Conservative are the major parties, while the Liberal Democrats (center party) are a minor party.

Representation and Stuart Hall’s the Other

Representation connects meaning and language to culture. Theories about how LANGUAGE is used to represent the world: * the reflective, Does language simply reflect a meaning which already exists out there in the world of objects, people and events? * the intentional Does language express only what the speaker or writer or painter wants to say, his or her personally intended meaning? * the constructionist Or is meaning constructed in and through language? this perspective has had the most significant impact on cultural studies in recent years.Two major variants or models of the constructionist approach – the semiotic approach (Ferdinand de Saussure) and the discursive approach (Michel Foucault). It is simple enough to see how we might form concepts for things we can perceive -people or material objects, like chairs, tables and desks. But we also form concepts of rather obscure and abstract things, which we can't in any simple way see, feel or touch. Think, for example, of our c oncepts of war, or death, or friendship or love.And, as we have remarked, we also form concepts about things we never have seen, and possibly can't or won't ever see, and about people and places we have plainly made up. We may have a clear concept of, say, angels, mermaids, God, the Devil, or of Heaven and Hell. Culture Now it could be the case that the conceptual map which I carry around in my head is totally different from yours, in which case you and I would interpret or make sense of the world in totally different ways. We would be incapable of sharing our thoughts or expressing ideas about the world to each other.In fact, each of us probably does understand and interpret the world in a unique and individual way. However, we are able to communicate because we share broadly the same conceptual maps and thus make sense of or interpret the world in roughly similar ways. That is indeed what it means when we say we ‘belong to the same culture'. Because we interpret the world in roughly similar ways, we are able to build up a shared culture of meanings and thus construct a social world which we inhabit together. That is why ‘culture' is sometimes defined in terms of ‘SHARED MEANINGS/CONCEPTUAL MAPS'.However, a shared conceptual map is not enough. We must also be able to represent or exchange meanings and concepts, and we can only do that when we also have access to a shared language. LANGUAGE is therefore the second system of representation involved in the overall process of constructing meaning. At the heart of the meaning process in culture, then, are two related ‘systems of representation'. The first enables us to give meaning to the world by constructing a set of correspondences or a chain of equivalences between things -people, objects, events, abstract ideas, etc. and our system of concepts, our conceptual maps. The second depends on constructing a set of correspondences between our conceptual map and a set of signs, arranged or org anized into various languages which stand for or represent those concepts. The relation between ‘things', concepts and signs lies at the heart of the production of meaning in language. The process which links these three elements together is what we call ‘representation'. 1. 2 Language and representation Sheep, cartoon and abstract painting. Visual signs are what are called iconic signs.That is, they bear, in their form, a certain resemblance to the object, person or event to which they refer. Written or spoken signs, on the other hand, are what is called indexical. 1. 3 Sharing the codes The question, then, is: how do people who belong to the same culture, who share the same conceptual map and who speak or write the same language (English) know that the arbitrary combination of letters and sounds that makes up the word, TREE, will stand for or represent the concept ‘a large plant that grows in nature'? The meaning is not in the object or person or thing, nor is it in the word.It is we who fix the meaning so firmly that, after a while, it comes to seem natural and inevitable. It is constructed and fixed by the CODE, which sets up the correlation between our conceptual system and our language system. Codes fix the relationships between concepts and signs. They stabilize meaning within different languages and cultures. One way of thinking about ‘CULTURE' is in terms of these†¦ shared conceptual maps, shared language systems and the codes which govern the relationships of translation between them.This translatability is not given by nature or fixed by the gods. It is the result of a set of social conventions. To belong to a culture is to belong to roughly the same conceptual and linguistic universe, to know how concepts and ideas translate into different languages, and how language can be interpreted to refer to or reference the world. To share these things is to see the world from within the same conceptual map and to make sense of i t through the same language systems. [Inuit and English terms of snowy weather] Does this necessarily mean they experience the snow differently? . 4 Theories of representation Reflective approach meaning is thought to lie in the object, person, idea or event in the real world, and language functions like a mirror, to reflect the true meaning as it already exists in the world. As the poet Gertrude Stein once said, ‘A rose is a rose is a rose'. In the fourth century BC, the Greeks used the notion of mimesis to explain how language, even drawing and painting, mirrored or imitated Nature; they thought of Homer's great poem, The Iliad, as ‘imitating' a heroic series of events.So the theory which says that language works by simply reflecting or imitating the truth that is already there and fixed in the world, is sometimes called ‘mimetic'. And if someone says to me that there is no such word as ‘rose' for a plant in her culture, the actual plant in the garden canno t resolve the failure of communication between us. Within the conventions of the different language codes we are using, we are both right -and for us to understand each other, one of us must learn the code linking the flower with the word for it in the other's culture.Intentional approach. (the opposite case. ) It holds that it is the speaker, the author, who imposes his or her unique meaning on the world through language. Words mean what the author intends they should mean. Again, there is some point to this argument since we all, as individuals, do use language to convey or communicate things which are special or unique to us, to our way of seeing the world. However, as a general theory of representation through language, the intentional approach is also flawed.We cannot be the sole or unique source of meanings in language, since that would mean that we could express ourselves in entirely private languages. But the essence of language is communication and that, in turn, depends on shared linguistic conventions and shared codes. Language can never be wholly a private game. Our private intended meanings, however personal to us, have to enter into the rules, codes and conventions of language to be shared and understood. Language is a social system through and through.This means that our private thoughts have to negotiate with all the other meanings for words or images which have been stored in language which our use of the language system will inevitably trigger into action. Constructivist approach The third approach recognizes this public, social character of language. It acknowledges that neither things in themselves nor the individual users of language can fix meaning in language. Things don't mean: we construct meaning, using representational systems – concepts and signs.We must not confuse the material world, where things and people exist, and the symbolic practices and processes through which representation, meaning and language operate. Constructi vists do not deny the existence of the material world. However, it is not the material world which conveys meaning: it is the language system or whatever system we are using to represent our concepts. It is social actors who use the conceptual systems of their culture and the linguistic and other representational systems to construct meaning, to make the world meaningful and to communicate about that world meaningfully to others.Representation is a practice, a kind of ‘work', which uses material objects and effects. But the meaning depends, not on the material quality of the sign, but on its symbolic function. It is because a particular sound or word stands for, symbolizes or represents a concept that it can function, in language, as a sign and convey meaning – or, as the constructionists say, signify (sign-i-fy) 1. 5 The language of traffic lights We represent or symbolize the different colours and classify them according to different colour-concepts.This is the concep tual colour system of our culture. We say ‘our culture' because, of course, other cultures may divide the colour spectrum differently. What's more, they certainly use different actual words or letters to identify different colours: what we call ‘red', the French call ‘rouge' and so on. This is the linguistic code -the one which correlates certain words (signs) with certain colours (concepts), and thus enables us to communicate about colours to other people, using ‘the language of colours'.But how do we use this representational or symbolic system to regulate the traffic? Colours do not have any ‘true' or fixed meaning in that sense. Red does not mean ‘Stop' in nature, any more than Green means ‘Go'. In other settings, Red may stand for, symbolize or represent ‘Blood' or ‘Danger' or ‘Communism'; and Green may represent ‘Ireland' or ‘The Countryside' or ‘Environmentalism'. Even these meanings can change. In the ‘language of electric plugs', Red used to mean ‘the connection with the positive charge’ but this was arbitrarily and without explanation changed to Brown!But then for many years the producers of plugs had to attach a s1ip:of paper telling people that the code or convention had changed, otherwise how would they know? Red and Green work in the language of traffic lights because ‘Stop' and ‘Go' are the meanings which have been assigned to them in our culture by the code or conventions governing this language, and this code is widely known and almost universally obeyed in our culture and ‘cultures like ours –though we can well imagine other cultures which did not possess the code, in which this language would be a complete mystery.Does it matter which colours we use? No, the constructivists argue. This is because what signifies is not the colours themselves but (a) the fact that they are different and can be distinguished from one another ; and (b) the fact that they are organized into a particular sequence. What signifies, what carries meaning is not each colour in itself nor even the concept or word for it. It is the difference between Red and Green which signifies. If you couldn't differentiate between Red and Green, you couldn't use one to mean ‘Stop' and the other to mean ‘Go'. The simplest way of marking difference is, of course, by means of a binary opposition. Saussure’s revolutionary proposition =: a language consists of signifiers, but in order to produce meaning, the signifiers have to be organized into ‘a system of differences'. It is the differences between signifiers which signify. ) In principle, any combination of colours – like any collection of letters in written language or of sounds in spoken language – would do, provided they are sufficiently different not to be confused.Constructionists express this idea by saying that all signs are ‘arbitrary'. †˜Arbitrary' means that there is no natural relationship between the sign and its meaning or concept. Signs are arbitrary. Their meanings are fixed by codes. Since Red only means ‘Stop' because that is how the code works, in principle any colour would do, including Green. It is the code that fixes the meaning, not the colour itself. This also has wider implications for the theory of representation and meaning in language. It means that signs themselves cannot fix meaning.Instead, meaning depends on the relation between a sign and a concept which is fixed by a code. Meaning is ‘relational'. 1. 6 Summary Representation is the production of meaning through language. Constructionists argue we use signs, organized into languages of different kinds, to communicate meaningfully with others. Languages can use signs to symbolize, stand for or reference objects, people and events in the so-called ‘real' world. But they can also reference imaginary things and fantasy worlds o r abstract ideas which are not in any obvious sense part of our material world.There is no simple relationship of reflection, imitation or one-to-one correspondence between language and the real world. The world is not accurately or otherwise reflected in the mirror of language. Language does not work like a mirror. Meaning is produced within language, in and through various representational systems which, for convenience, we call ‘languages'. Meaning is produced by the practice of representation. It is constructed through signifying – i. e. meaning-producing- practices. How does this take place? In fact, it depends on two different but related systems of representation.First, the concepts which are formed in the mind function as a system of mental representation which classifies and organizes the world into meaningful categories. If we have a concept for something, we can say we know its ‘meaning'. But we cannot communicate this meaning without a second system of representation, a language. Language consists of signs organized into various relationships. But signs can only convey meaning if we possess CODES which allow us to translate our concepts into language -and vice versa. These codes are crucial for meaning and representation.They do not exist in nature but are the result of social conventions. They are a crucial part of our culture – our shared ‘maps of meaning' -which we learn and unconsciously internalize as we become members of our culture. Meaning is not fixed. For many centuries, western societies have associated the word BLACK with everything that is dark, evil, forbidding, devilish, dangerous and sinful. Yet perception of black people in America in the 1960s changed after the phrase ‘Black is Beautiful' became a popular slogan -where the signifier, BLACK, was made to signify the exact opposite meaning (signified) to its previous associations.In Saussure's terms, ‘Language sets up an arbitrary relation between signifiers of its own choosing on the one hand, and signifieds of its own choosing on the other. Not only does each language produce a different set of signifiers, articulating and dividing the continuum of sound (or writing or drawing or photography) in a distinctive way; each language produces a different set of signifieds; it has a distinctive and thus arbitrary way of organizing the world into concepts and categories' (Culler, 1976, p. 23).

The Demographic and Psycho-graphic Market Segmentation

The criteria used to develop the market segment for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.†s new brand of cigarette called â€Å"Dakota† is mainly that of demographics, and psyhcographics. The target market in this case appears to be poorly educated, virile white females age 18-20, who enjoy being around their boyfriends and doing whatever their boyfriends are doing, for example going to â€Å"Hot Rod shows, Tractor Pulls, cruising, and going to parties†. This target market was most likely selected for two main reasons. The first is because of the enormous profits to be gained from this particular group and the second is because of this group†s lack of education and low self-regard. The marketing strategies used in this article clearly define demographic and psychographic market segmentation. Demographic segmentation consists of gender, age, income, family size, family life cycle, occupation, and education. The target market in this article consists of females, age 18-20, single, with no more education than high school. This matches most of the criteria for demographic segmentation. Psychographic segmentation consists of identifying certain lifestyles based on the consumer†s values, activities, interests, opinions, and demographics. This article conveys that these women are Strivers, which means they are unsure of self and need approval from others. This group also seems to be search of some type of relief from their current lives (relief seekers). All of this data provides an idea of this groups values as well its activities and interests. Which makes this targeted group so vulnerable to tobacco companies marketing efforts. This market was selected because of its size and growth, and also probably because of this group†s lack of education. This group of females† aged 18-20 are the only group of Americans whose rate of smoking continues to increase. The reason why this group†s rate continues to grow is because they really don†t know better and if they do they really don†t care. This creats a wonderful opportunity for lucrative profits from the tobacco companies. This form of marketing is called concentrated marketing, which focuses on one segment of the market. Marketing companies perform market research by collecting and analyzing data and turning this data into usable information. This Information includes demographics as well as phycographics. These young women already have the desire to consume cigarettes and R.J. Reynolds is making sure they consume their particular brand of cigarettes instead of others.

Mexicos 31 States and Single Federal District

Mexico's 31 States and Single Federal District Mexico, officially called the United Mexican States, is a federal republic located in North America. It is south of the United States and north of Guatemala and Belize. It is also bordered by the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. It has a total area of 758,450 square miles (1,964,375 sq km), which makes it the fifth-largest country by area in the Americas and the 14th largest in the world. Mexico has a population of 124,574,7957  (July 2017 estimate). Its capital and largest city is Mexico City. Its the 10th-largest country in the world by population, and Mexico City, when you take the entire metro areas population into account, is fifth in the list of the most populous of the world. Its in the top 25 when you use just the city proper. How Is Mexico Broken Up? Mexico is divided into 32 federal entities, of which 31 are states and one is a federal district. The following is a list of Mexicos states and federal district arranged by area. The population (as of 2015) and capital of each have also been included for reference. Federal District Mexico City (Ciudad de Mexico or formerly, Mexico, D.F.) Area: 573 square miles (1,485 sq km) Population: 8.9 million (21.581 million  in the greater metropolitan area) This is a separate city from the 31 states, similar to Washington, D.C. in the United States. Chihuahua Area: 95,543 square miles (247,455 sq km) Population: 3,569,000 Capital: Chihuahua Sonora Area: 69,306 square miles (179,503 sq km) Population: 2,874,000 Capital: Hermosillo Coahuila de Zaragoza Area: 58,519 square miles (151,503 sq km) Population: 2,300,000 Capital: Saltillo Durango Area: 47,665 square miles (123,451 sq km) Population: 1,760,000 Capital: Victoria de Durango Oaxaca Area: 36,214 square miles (93,793 sq km) Population: 3,976,000 Capital: Oaxaca de Jurez Tamaulipas Area: 30,956 square miles (80,175 sq km) Population: 3,454,000 Capital: Ciudad Victoria Jalisco Area: 30,347 square miles (78,599 sq km) Population: 7,881,000 Capital: Guadalajara Zacatecas Area: 29,166 square miles (75,539 sq km) Population: 1,582,000 Capital: Zacatecas Baja California Sur Area: 28,541 square miles (73,922 sq km) Population: 718,000 Capital: La Paz Chiapas Area: 28,297 square miles (73,289 sq km) Population: 5,229,000 Capital: Tuxtla Gutià ©rrez Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave Area: 27,730 square miles (71,820 sq km) Population: 8,128,000 Capital: Xalapa-Enriquez Baja California Area: 27,585 square miles (71,446 sq km) Population: 3,349,000 Capital: Mexicali Nuevo Leà ³n Area: 24,795 square miles (64,220 sq km) Population: 5,132,000 Capital: Monterrey Guerrero Area: 24,564 square miles (63,621 sq km) Population: 3,542,000 Capital: Chilpancingo de los Bravo San Luis Potosà ­ Area: 23,545 square miles (60,983 sq km) Population: 2,724 Capital: San Luis Potosà ­ Michoacn Area: 22,642 square miles (58,643 sq km) Population: 4,599,000 Capital: Morelia Campeche Area: 22,365 square miles (57,924 sq km) Population: 902,000 Capital: San Francisco de Campeche Sinaloa Area: 22,153 square miles (57,377 sq km) Population: 2,977,000 Capital: Culiacan Rosales Quintana Roo Area: 16,356 square miles (42,361 sq km) Population: 1,506,000 Capital: Chetumal Yucatn Area: 15,294 square miles (39,612 sq km) Population: 2,102,000 Capital: Mà ©rida Puebla Area: 13,239 square miles (34,290 sq km) Population: 6,183,000 Capital: Puebla de Zaragoza Guanajuato Area: 11,818 square miles (30,608 sq km) Population: 5,865,000 Capital: Guanajuato Nayarit Area: 10,739 square miles (27,815 sq km) Population: 1,189,000 Capital: Tepic Tabasco Area: 9551 square miles (24,738 sq km) Population: 2,401,000 Capital: Villahermosa Mà ©xico Area: 8,632 square miles (22,357 sq km) Population: 16,225,000 Capital: Toluca de Lerdo Hidalgo Area: 8,049 square miles (20,846 sq km) Population: 2,863,000 Capital: Pachuca de Soto Querà ©taro Area: 4,511 square miles (11,684 sq km) Population: 2,044,000 Capital: Santiago de Querà ©taro Colima Area: 2,172 square miles (5,625 sq km) Population: 715,000 Capital: Colima Aguascalientes Area: 2,169 square miles (5,618 sq km) Population: 1,316,000 Capital: Aguascalientes Morelos Area: 1,889 square miles (4,893 sq km) Population: 1,912,000 Capital: Cuernavaca Tlaxcala Area: 1,541 square miles (3,991 sq km) Population: 1,274,000 Capital: Tlaxcala de Xicohtà ©ncatl Sources North America:: Mexico. The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, July 24, 2019.

Accounting Analysis of the 2011 Annual Report for Bank of Queensland Limited Essay Example for Free (#2011)

Accounting Analysis of the 2011 Annual Report for Bank of Queensland Limited Essay ? The aim of this report is to provide an accounting analysis of the 2011 annual report for Bank of Queensland Limited (BOQ), and a critique of the reporting of their performance. The report discusses the choice of accounting policies and the flexibility of these policies. The main objective of this report is to evaluate and recognise the possibility of using creative accounting within the company, recognise and questionable accounting numbers within items listed previously. A number of items have been selected from Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Cash Flow Statement. Bank of Queensland Limited (BOQ), has history of 137 years with network of over 280 branches operating in Queensland. It offers core banking (commercial/retail), equipment finance, wealth management and insuranceservices. BOQ is listed on the ASX and uses its unique concept of the Owner-Managed Branch (OMB),a partnership between the Bank of Queensland (franchisor) and experienced bank managers (franchisees) to provide banking services. 3. Description of key accounting policies and standards 3.1 Loans and advances at amortised cost (Asset) As shown on BOQ’s Balance sheet in FY11, loans and advances at amortised cost are big-ticket itemsin its assets accounting for approximately 98 per cent. According to the significant accounting policies explored by BOQ annual report 2011, loans and advances are originated by the bank and are recognised upon cash being advanced to the borrower. Based on AASB13, loans and advances are initially recognised at fair value plus incremental direct transaction cost using the effective interest method. 3.2 Deposits and borrowing (Liability) Deposits, as the one of the most important cash inflows of the bank, follow ruleAASB13 as well. They are initially recognised at fair value plus transaction costs and thenby using the effective interest method, they are measured at amortised cost. It is classified in two concentrations: retail deposits and wholesale deposits. This item follows AASB119Employee Benefits which has been amended in its accounting rules affecting the measurement of its obligations and the timing of recognition of termination benefits. Employee benefits can be classified to four categories: wages, salaries and annual leave; long service leave; superannuation plan and share based payments. 4. Flexibility of Management in Selecting the Key Accounting Policies It is undeniable that having flexiblemanagement can exert positive effects on the presentation of company’s annual financial report. Specifically, from the Bank of Queensland ´s perspective, if mangers have considerable adaptability in selecting the key accounting policies, the financial performance of Bank of Queensland Ltd can be improved; therefore more investors and customers would give priority to cooperating with them in the future. 4.1 Loan and Advances at Amortized Cost 4.1.1 Flexibility Analysis The measurement of loans and advances at amortized cost is extremelyfavourable to commercial banks. From BOQ’s consolidated financial annual report, the loan and advances at amortized cost accounted for around 83.3% of total assets in 2011, it had increased from 31,736,5 million to 33,276,1 million during 2010 to 2011. This change in $1539, 6 million was caused by impairment charges made by managers of the bank. The increase of loans and advances at amortized cost could enhance the customers trust in the bank. Sincefinancial funds, credit business and debts are the core business transaction of the banking industry, this itemappears to increase receivable accounts. Also, as banks could charge a reasonable rate of interest on such future loans/advances, they are able utilizethis income to pay current liabilities, wage and salaries of employees, and also the tax liability of business. Consequently, the BOQ’s managers have selected a flexible accounting policy in this item. Being dominant in the assets, loans and advances at amortized cost carries the burden of generating cash. The way that Bank of Queensland recognizes loans and advances at amortized cost can be separated to two phases. Initially, loans are recognized at fair value plus incremental direct transaction costs. Secondly, BOQ uses effective interest method to measure the amortized cost at each reporting date. The advantage of this accounting policy is that including direct transaction cost in the loan price can offset the actual transaction cost occurred and maximize the profit for the bank. Additionally, the effective interest method is considered as one of the prior methods for amortizing a bond discount. Theoretically, investors require a discount on bonds because the market interest rate at the time of issue is higher than the coupon payments on the bond. Therefore, by amortizing the discount at the market interest rate, accounting statement of Bank of Queensland will exactly reveal the economic reality of the bond issue and its true cost of debt. 4.2.1 Flexibility Analysis Due to the characteristics of banking industry, there is a high flexibility for management in these two liabilities. It is noticeable that deposits and borrowing accounted for about 97% of total liabilities on the balance sheet. Occupying 69% of total deposits, managers pay more attention to Retail Banking Services because of itsattractiveness to customers compared to other types of deposits. This policy states that securitization set-up costs relating to on-balance sheet assets are included with securitization borrowings, and amortization is recorded as interest expense. Initially, excluding off-balance sheet costs makes the liability much smaller and enlarges their net assets. Likewise, interest on debt is a tax-deductible expense and creates a tax shield benefiting Bank of Queensland. The major function for this policy is to save cash flows for BOQ. 4.3.1 Flexibility Analysis Employee expenses mainly consist of share based payments and employee benefits. All of these kinds of financial activities are beneficialto BOQ.The result from increasing incentives to employees applies as it encourages them to performenthusiasticallywhicheventuallyleads to higher profits for the firm. Among Employee Benefits, shared based payments are distinguished. The accounting policy demonstrates that Bank of Queensland allows employees to acquire its shares, options and rights sold recognized in the Employee Benefits Reserve. This expense could be reversed if the loss is not due to a market condition. This is highly beneficial as it encourages employees to purchase shares of their own company but, on the other hand, as more shares are sold, the higher price rises in the stock exchange. 5. Quality of Disclosure Made in BOQ Accounts The quality of disclosure in the BOQ ´s policies, strategy, performance and financial statements and reports is satisfactory as it provides accessible, transparent and fairly justified information. As the BOQ is a listed company, it has to comply with all ASX disclosure policies and reporting but in addition it also complies with the ASX Corporate Governance Recommendations as well as the Australian Prudential Standards (APS) (Profit Announcement 2011). In the profit announcement report for 2011, BOQ discloses a number of disclosure principles which include management, board structure, ethical and responsible decision making, financial reporting, timely and balanced disclosure, respect rights of shareholders, recognize and manage risk, remuneration. 5.1 Business Strategy and Economic Consequences The business strategy and economic consequences are disclosed in the notes to the annual report in terms of the risk management of the company. As it explains in these notes the bank approach is to manage its risk in terms of credit risk, market risk, liquidity, operational risk, compliance policies and capital management. As it states in the annual report there is a high level of assessment and monitoring of these risks in order to follow the company ´s strategy. 5.2 Notes to the Financial Statements – Explanation of Policies The notes to the financial statements and reports do provide an explanation to the bank ´s management policies. According to the 2011 Annual Report these policies provide effectiveness and efficiency in terms of managing the risks described above as well as creating controls to support growth and competitive advantage. An example of these policies in 2011 was a strong expense management which lead them to reduce their cost-to-income ratio from 45.8% to 44.5%. Moreover, these policies provide regulatory compliance as well as performance management. 5.3 Explanation of Current Performance BOQ through its yearly Profit Announcement Report clearly explains its current performance in terms of its principal activities. It states its current level of profitability and the main reasons for any losses. As well as these profit or losses explanations the report shows explanations for changes in expenses, asset growth, retail deposit growth, branch network expansion and capital management. In terms of financial conventions that restrict the firm as a banking institution, the main one is the Basel II Accord in which the bank is obligated to maintain capital adequacy requirements. In the 2011 Annual report is mentioned that Tier 1 capital made up of equity capital and disclosed reserves was higher than required by Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA). Moreover, AASB 124 Related Party Disclosures is additionally disclosed in order to understand the impact on the firm. Moreover it discloses all its consolidated statements for all subsidiaries of the group following all consolidation standards. The quality of the segment disclosure for BOQ is sufficient as it discloses its two operating segments, and since the bank operates only in Queensland, it does not need geographical segmentation. It discloses the high level metrics for both of the banking and insurance segments as well as consolidated totals (Annual Report 2011 pg. 89). Also, following consolidation requirements it eliminates inter-company transactions (Annual Report 2011 pg. 89). The most important and questionable numbers can be seen in the yearly Profit Announcement where BOQ announced a net loss after tax of 90.6 million AUD. The explanation for this loss was attributed to significant impairment charges. As the income analysis shows that the company made a reasonable operating income loss, but the large part of the loss was due to a revision of their commercial loans and provisioning approach. They decided to increase these specific commercial loan provisions more than close to 90 million due to the continuous decline in commercial property in Queensland. Along with loan impairments, the bank also impaired a substantial amount of assets, also because of the decline if commercial property. Furthermore in the Directors Report in 2011 there were some potential red flags regarding remuneration. As the bank went through a restructure last year there were a number of high level managerial positions that changed in this period. During this transition there were a number of payments classified as  ´others` that did not have a clear explanation. An example of this includes a payment of half a million dollars to the previous CEO to  ´ensure a smooth transition` between him and the newly appointed CEO. While taking into account the Director ´s report is audited by KPMG, this payment seemed excessive. Based on previous parts, the conclusion has arrived that BOQ suffered net loss of $90.6 million because of the tremendous growth in impairment loss. The footnote disclosures in the Profit Announcement provide the composition of the impairment loss. According to note 11, loan impairment expenses totalled $327.7 million. $165.7 million of this amount is specific provision impairment and the rest $162 million relates to collective provision. Moreover, impairment loss for assets also amounts to $578.7 million. Note 4suggests that BOQ ´s management increase its impairment loss based on their estimates of dropping commercial property market. However, this estimate comes from historical experience and professional judgment. In contrast, the estimate might be different from actual results. Therefore, distortions may arise resulting from overstated impairment loss. In order to undo the distortion, the impairment loss should have been adjusted to a lower level with fewer provisions. Even before the Profit Announcement of BOQ came out, many financial reporters foresaw the net loss of BOQ resulting from increasing impairment loss. The downturns in tourism and recent natural disasters impacted Queensland’s economy negatively, and the conditions in Queensland were expected to remain challenging in the future because of strong Australian dollar. As a result, for BOQ— a company that is highly exposed to Queensland housing market, the current poor performance of might not change in short term.Following by the poor performance, BOQ isnow struggling to keep regulators happy and keep its capital at acceptable level. On 26 March 2012, BOQ announced aequity rising of $450 million. However, by doing this, the existing shareholders of BOQ will be heavily diluted and it will cause its share price to drop significantly. Accounting Analysis of the 2011 Annual Report for Bank of Queensland Limited. (2017, Feb 07).

Physical properties of transparent optical polymers Dissertation

Physical properties of transparent optical polymers - Dissertation Example substituted ethylenic) copolymer (Weber, 2003). Structural units of most of these polymers are given in the figure 5.2. Fig. 5.2: Structural units of common optical polymers (Martienssen and Warlimont, 2006). Because of the variations in structure, the properties such as refractive index, thermal stability, etc. vary among the different polymers (Losch et al., 1992). The properties of certain optical polymers (PC, PMMA, and ADC in comparison to glass are shown in figure 5.3. Fig. 5.3: Comparison of physical properties of glass and optical polymeric plastics – PC, PMMA and ADC (Optical Polymers International, 2010). This chapter describes and compares the physical properties of common optical polymers. The following physical properties will be discussed further: 1. ... The scattering loss of these materials is low and their refractive indices are controllable (Jones, 1997). This allows their fabrication into waveguide structures. 5.2.1. Comparison of Refractive Index The refractive index of most transparent polymeric materials is around 1.5. As these are carbon based, their refractive indices and dispersion are very different from crystals and glasses (Weber, 2003). Polyetherimide (PEI) has a refractive index higher than most other optical polymers. Other polymers with high refractive indices include polyarylsulfone, polyarylate, PC, and PS. PMMA has a refractive index of 1.491. The refractive indices of some common polymers are shown in table 5.1. The refractive index of ADC is 1.50, which compares well with that of glass. Polymer Refractive index PEI 1.658 Polyarylsulfone 1.651 Polyarylate 1.61 PS 1.590 PC 1.586 SAN 1.579 CR-39 1.504 PMMA 1.491 TPX 1.466 Table 5.1: Refractive indices of common polymeric materials. The refractive index of a polyme r is influenced by the polarizability, free volume and the difference between the maximum absorption wavelength and optical wavelength of the material (Ma et al., 2002). The higher the density and the polarizability of the material, the higher will be its refractive index. Various other polymeric materials have been used in optical focusing mechanisms. These include polyimides (PI), fluoropolymers (FP) such as Tedlar ® PVF, Tefzel ® ETFE, and Teflon ® FEP, and hydrocarbon polymers (HCP) like polyvinylbutyral (PVB). Among the fluoropolymers, the lowest index of refraction is that of Teflon FEP, which is completely fluorinated (French et al., 2011). It is observed that as the amount of