Saturday, August 31, 2019

Forensic Science in the 21st Century Essay

Science in the 21st Century Gertrude West Forensic Science and Psychological Profiling /CJA590 May 30, 2011 Edward Baker Forensic Science in the 21st Century Forensic science has various influences on crime, investigation and the people that are involved. Forensic science has a connection with the courts to ensure crimes are getting solved and justice is being served to those that commit crimes. With the help of forensic science, crimes are being solved from a human and technological aspect. This paper highlights numerous discussions on how forensic science plays a role in criminal justices system, security, media and the law. Forensic science is a separate entity from the police; although a large portion of the work is obtains through law enforcement. Forensic science is a recognizable component of policing during criminal investigation. The successful resolution from a crime scene involves preventing the site from being contaminated. This helps assures a great deal of gathering and interpreting evidence that could lead to an accurate interpretation of the event. The advances in technology are being applied to forensic science; a field in which technical is achieved by many factors such as including training, experience, continued education, and scientific methodology (NYSP, 2007). Forensic Science continues to develop in the 21st Century. It blends science and technology that has been useful for law enforcement to solve crimes and prosecute criminals. Forensic sciences in criminal investigations include but are not limited to: bioscience, trace evidence, toxicology, photography, documentation, forensic imagery, forensic ID and SAFIS, evidence receiving, drug chemistry and ballistics. In addition, private forensic laboratories, such as Applied Forensics, are contracted and employed to assist in the judicial process in the analysis of documents in question and handwriting analysis (Davis, 2006). One of the biggest things that criminal investigators and officers will look for at a crime scene is DNA. DNA can be gathered not just only through blood but through any type of fluids as well. According to Blackman (2011), â€Å"DNA analysis is one of the main tools used in forensic science to identify individuals. Crime laboratories undertaking DNA typing are typically concerned with comparing DNA evidence with known standards. The evidence is DNA samples collected from a crime scene and these are cross-matched against DNA swabs taken from anyone connected to that scene, be that victims, defendants or elimination ‘known’s’. The elimination known’s can come from the victims’ relatives, for example, or, if it’s a shared house, from tenants. The comparisons are made, not only to generate and compile evidence against suspects, but also to exclude people from the investigation. The development and applications of forensic scince suppors operation aimed at prevention, disruption, and prosecution of terrorism. The discipline helps support intelligence and investigation. Thiss component is now incorporated into homeland Security, A pattern of legal instances benefiting from this type of scientific study would be medical malpractice litigation, probate proceedings, complex and commercial legal action and contract lawsuits. According to Shelton (2010), â€Å"Forensic Science in Court explores the legal implications of forensic science–an increasingly important and complex part of the justice system. Judge Donald Shelton provides an accessible overview of the legal issues, from the history of evidence in court, to gatekeeper judges determining what evidence can be allowed, to the CSI effect in juries. † The media has the potential of affecting the way people think. People disregard their perception based on scenarios presented. Popular media representation of forensic science and influential presence on the public’s opinion on justice-related issues, the effect that impeccable synchronicity of the investigator and successful outcomes portrayed in fictional arenas are contemporaneous with the public’s feelings. Dissatisfied with the criminal justice system not solving cases fast enough, the public then places astronomical expectations on medical examiners. Real life investigators believing that a lack of competency may be at play when in reality, society has been provided a distorted view of the lengthy, painstaking process involved. According to Nurse Advocacy (2007), â€Å"People disregard all messages in advertising, since ads commonly present actors and models, but that is simply not how the human mind works. Despite being fiction, media products like this can still influence: our views of the vehicle in question (as the advertiser fervently hopes); the ability of women today to become authoritative, powerful professionals, yet to still have a family (presumably this ad was directed mainly at women who would identify with the surgeon); the basic set-up of OR’s, the kinds of professionals who participate, how they dress, and what tools they use; and of course, the relative power, knowledge and professional roles of physicians and nurses. Some of this may be unintended, but all of it sells the minivan to the target demographic. All of the elements above contribute to the high credibility of the surgeon, who is, after all, doing the selling. † In this manner media also increase the knowledge of those that are committing crimes, what they may not have been doing before they are doing it now. For example if they were not wearing gloves and using cell phones that cannot be trace, paying for things in cash instead of electronically, they are sure doing this now. Television crime shows gives potential jurors the expectation of more cateforical proof than that which forensic scine is capable of produciing. â€Å"The most obvious symptom of the CSI effect is that jurors think they have a thorough understanding of science they have seen presented on television, when they do not† (Economist, 2010 ). Scientist deals more with probability than certainty. The process of calculating the probability is complex. During a court preceding a finger print expert may acknowledge a 90% chance of obtaining a match if a defendant left a print. On the other hand it could be one in several billion chance of a match if someone other than the defendant left the mark. DNA in general provides evidence of a higher quality than other forms of proof; therefore, experts may be more confident to link results to a specific individual. The probabilities and not certainties still lie within the DNA findings. As a result, trials are longer and cases that previously might have offer quick convictions are now ending in acquittals. The CSI effect can also be positive. In one case in Virginia jurors asked the judge if a cigarette butt had been tested for possible DNA matches to the defendant in a murder trial. It had, but the defense lawyers had failed to introduce the DNA test results as evidence. When they did, those results exonerated the defendant, who was acquitted† (Economist, 2010 ). In the study of forensic science, there are so many things that people do not know. The intelligence of this subject is becoming more and more prominent. In this manner people are becoming more educated in a good way (knowledge) and also in a bad way (committing crimes with the less possibility of getting caught). This subject matter is very prominent because it also increasing the knowledge of different crimes that may have not been prominent before the use of technology to now. The creation computers were for those to store office files and important information, but now computers are being used in so many different aspect as far as pornography, the promotion of sex, and so many other things. Technology has not become a door way to so many things. This makes forensic science become more and more prominent in this day in age, because there are computers hackers trying to access files to find out what is Americas next move and sometimes just the simple things of stealing others identification. In this manner that forensic has a connection with the courts, it is very important that this type of connection stays going due to the drive that it connects to ensure crimes are getting solved and justice is being served to those that are committing these crimes.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Measuring Customer Satisfaction

In the wake of current economic decline, organizations clearly understand the need for good customer relations. Consumers are paying strict attention to the quality, cost and availability of the products they desire. Moreover, consumers are watching the business practices of the organizations that provide them with goods and services. Organizations understand that in order to be profitable they need to create and maintain a wholesome customer base and in order to do this the customer has to be satisfied. When measuring the quality of an organization’s goods and services, customer satisfaction predicts whether they retain their current customer base. At the very least organizations want to maintain current customers because adding new ones can be costly. Organizations need to know what expectations their customers have of their services and products, the effectiveness of their marketing strategies, the strength of their company's image, as well as the key elements that most heavily influence customer retention for their business (Importance of Customer Feedback, 2011). This paper will explore what best practices such as customer feedback and evaluations, customer satisfaction, market analysis, service analysis and marketing strategic planning organizations are using to measure customer satisfaction in order to keep their loyal customers while adding new ones. Customer Feedback and Evaluations Organizations are listening to and acting on what their customers are saying by using customer feedback and evaluations tools to improve their company’s success. They using this to stay in sync with their customers’ wants and demands of the goods and services they provide. Companies understand by tailoring their goods and services to meet the customers desires will lead to higher business success (Bosma Research International, 2011). Customer Satisfaction Companies are realizing that for them to maintain a high level of success customer satisfaction is the key. They understand to achieve this, they have to know who their customers are, what’s important to them, how satisfied they are with their goods and services, what keeps them coming back or why are they leaving, what are their needs and expectations of the goods and services provided and are those needs and expectations being met (Bosma Research International, 2011). Market Analysis Market analysis is another important tool that organizations are using to measure customer satisfaction. During this analysis, companies are looking at who are their competitors, how do customers compare them to their competitors, what can they do to increase their competitive edge and how do they compare to industry standards and benchmarks (Bosma Research International, 2011). Service Analysis Organizations rely heavily on their internal analysis and they understand the importance of this tool. In this analysis, companies are looking at what goods and services they provide are most important to their customers, what elements drive customer satisfaction and what is it about the goods and services they provide affects customer retention the most (Bosma Research International, 2011). Marketing and Strategic Planning Finally, businesses are using marketing and strategic planning techniques to measure customer satisfaction. Organizations are looking at the changes needed to their goods and services, how to prioritize the changes and how to implement the changes (Bosma Research International, 2011). Companies understand that this tool is probably one of the most important; however, all the aforementioned customer satisfaction measurements are closely interlinked. Types of Industries Compiled below are a list of industries I think would benefit from the customer satisfaction tools discussed in this paper: Chemical; Consumer Products; Electronics; Consulting; Retail; Publishing; Media; Health Care; Professional Services; Telecommunications; Financial Services; Banking; Computer Software; and Utilities. Each of these industries has a customer ase that they provide goods and services to; moreover, they each have a large number of competitors that their customers can choose. Linkage to My Organization’s Practices This is a challenge linking these customer satisfaction tools to my former organization (US Army) because the Army does not sell products or services. However, I will go out on a limb to say that the US Army sells itself to the American people to gain recruits, trust and support. The US Army uses internal feedback and evaluations to improve training, food, housing, medical services, weapon systems and other equipment to retain current force levels. They understand that if Soldiers are not satisfied they will leave the service in rapid numbers. The US Army does have competitors (i. e. US Air Force, Marines, Navy, Coast Guard and Civilian Industries) and they look at what their competitors are offering that is equivalent. The US Army spends millions of dollars on marketing and strategic planning to attract new recruits as well keeping their current personnel. Recommendations for My Organizational Improvements I would recommend improving the quality of pay and benefits, recreational services, medical services, and assignment rotations. Summary  In conclusion, customer satisfaction is an important factor for the bottom line. Statistics show that the typical company gets 65 percent of its business from existing customers and it costs five times more to find a new customer than to keep an existing one happy. One study found that businesses with 98 percent customer retention rate are twice as profitable as those at 94 percent (Evans & Lindsay, 2009, p. 193). This research shows the importance of creating and implementing best practice tools to measure customer satisfaction, in doing so businesses will not only retain their current loyal customers but also in return add new ones.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Bm 3614 Professional Selling ; Sales Management Product

BMW 3614 Professional Selling & Sales Management Product Features & Benefits Deconstruction and Creation of a ‘Silent Seller' You are required to do this assignment if you failed assignment 1 Briefing Sheet for Assignment 1 Analytical Step 1 . Select any single tangible product OR intangible service of your choice. 2. Secure a brochure or download other product information from the web. 3. Make a list of what you consider to be the most important product features. In this context the ‘cutting ; pasting of narrative information from your source material is allowed. 4.Link your list of features each with a corresponding benefit to form feature / benefit pairs. This analysis and listing will be captured in a Powering slide (refer to slide templates). 5. Perform a ‘benchmark comparison between your selected product and either a named single competitor or with similar competitor products in general. Be sure to provide a clear notation of your selected product's benchmark ing as either ‘o' (equivalent), ‘+' (better than), or ‘-‘ (worse than)you comparator. Your benchmarking comparison will also be captured in a Powering slide (refer to slide templates).Silent Seller Narrative 6. Create a general equivalence statement based on your ‘co's. 7. Create a specific recommendations statement based on your ‘+g's. 8. Highlight which potential objections have been identified based on your ‘-g's. 9. Create statement/s as to how you intend to deal with potential objections. Collectively, your silent seller narrative will be captured reprint slide (rater to Source Material 10. Examples of your source material should be submitted along with your Assignment. So WSDL I Buy one? 1 1 . The overall level of convincingness of your rationale and recommendation will also be assessed.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Psychology experiement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Psychology experiement - Essay Example Their reaction to the picture will be measured by the effects of holding hot or iced tea. At the end of the experiment, they will fill out a questionnaire to measure their reaction to the weather in the picture while holding the tea. The sample size for the current study will be 12 people. The population has been selected due to the perception of weather by males and females. The questionnaire will include gender, race and questions that determine the perception of the weather in the picture while holding a hot and cold object. With that, the Iced tea group answered it was summer in the picture while the Hot tea group answered it was winter. The picture doesn't have anything that indicates weather such as people or trees. My hypothesis is that people who hold the tea would answer that the picture was taken in fall or winter because of the tea that they hold. However, the result is different. They thought it was the sea in summer when holding iced tea while the hot tea group answered it was winter. They thought it was the sea in winter except one. From there, people have different experience about sea, and weather, therefore I could not control it.

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Bentonite Processing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Bentonite Processing - Assignment Example Drying operation reduces the moisture content in bentonite rock to the required percentage. Different driers can be used in the moisture reduction. Drying effectively vaporizes the liquid level contain in the rocks. The vaporization is achieved through heat supply to the wet bentonite rock feedstock. The heat from the burner is supplied either through convention, radiation or conduction. The convection method is applied when direct driers are used while conduction method is applied when contact or indirect dryers are used. Most of the driers use hot air as the drying medium. This moisture removal process is an energy-intensive operation since the amount of latent heat of vaporization required is depended on the intensity of the heating (Gillson & Bances,   87).Drying curve  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A representation curve is required so as to describe the various drying properties for different product at different specific temperature, pressure and velocit y conditions. The drying curve for bentonite rock has three different phases. These phases are useful in the energy saving process and are independent. The products are passed through these phases in shifts. After passing from one phase, the product is moved to the next phase.First phase  Ã‚  This phase is also called initial period. In this phase, there is transfer of heat from the dryer to the products and the contained moisture. Inlet condition from the dryer heats up the products and this condition further enable subsequent processes to occur. This phase can be substituted by pre-processing. Pre-processing is achieved through preheating the bentonite rock with energy from the waste material. The amount of energy from the waste material would be able to cause dislodgement of moisture contents from the bentonite surface. Second phase This phase is also called constant rate period. In this phase, free moisture attaches themselves on the surfaces. Alteration of the rate of evaporation reduces the moisture content. In this period, high drying rates are achieved through increase in the temperature of the inlet air. This phase accords the product with very little temperature increase. However, this little temperature increase is enough to cause some kinetic energy rise within the rock particles. Third phase This phase is also known as the falling rate period. Intrinsically attached moisture evaporates from the product. The product drying rate is limited by the outer surface. The outer surface provides a barrier that prevents successive evaporation rate. The evaporated moisture would be accumulated within the dryer. Moisture content The drying process employed is control by the moisture content of the bentonite rock. The dryer in this case is required to reduce the moisture content from 11% to 4%. The exact moisture content required is measured by the electrical resistance meter. However, this meter is limited to moisture content in grains, woods, food and

Monday, August 26, 2019

Criminal profiling Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Criminal profiling - Term Paper Example hat the â€Å"religious† aspect brings to the equation of profiling of terrorists prompted me to investigate further on how criminal profiling practices and theories, learnt in the class are applicable to such multi-dimensional problems. These complexities include deconstructing political motives from extreme religious beliefs, interpreting historical feuds with a neutral outlook, understanding whether profiling should be conducted for a person (the terrorist), a sect (terrorist group), a religion or a process (training camps). United Nations Conventions targeting Terrorism have been occurring since the 60s, and national anti-terrorism laws have been conceptualized since 1970s-80s. UN and other international conventions have focused their responsiveness to protection of civil aviation and embassies’ staff, protection against abuse of nuclear weapons or weapons of mass destructions, rigid monitoring and control on trans-national terrorist acts, restrictions and control of money directed towards financing terrorism. Following the terrorist attacks in numerous parts of the globe, each country (and collectively as International bodies) has developed anti-terrorism laws, policies and practices to combat terrorism. However, it is interesting to note that UN and nation-states are still struggling to gain consensus on â€Å"defining† terrorism (or justification of violence), especially religious in nature. The geopolitical nature of â€Å"religious† terrorism acts as a double-edged sword that on one hand provokes the risk that such behavior is criminalized, while on the other hand falls under the protection of fundamental rights (or freedom of expression). This paper would look into the sociological, neurobiological, and psychological theories of crime and build parallels, hypothesis and conclusions in context to acts of religious terrorism. Understanding such parallels would highlight the similarities (relevance) and deviations between criminal profiling and terrorism

Research paper on radiation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

On radiation - Research Paper Example Unstable atoms produce the ionizing radiation. Unstable atoms are the atoms with either excess mass or excess energy or both unlike the stable atoms. The unstable nuclei of the atoms provide them with the radioactive properties. These atoms release excess mass or energy in an attempt to gain stability. It is this excess mass or energy that is called as radiation. High voltage devices like the x-ray machines are used to produce radiation. Measurement of radiation is complicated and involves use of different kinds of units. The amount of the emitted radiation is conventionally measured in the curie (Ci). The SI unit for the measurement of radiation is the Becquerel (Bq). â€Å"These units express the number of disintegrations (or breakdowns in the nucleus of an element) per second as the element tries to reach a stable or nonradioactive state. One Bq is equal to one disintegration per second and one Ci is equal to 37 billion Bq† (Crosta). To measure the amount of radiation absorbed by the tissues in the human body, the SI unit gray (Gy) or the conventional unit Roentgen absorbed dose (rad) is used. Radiation finds multiple uses in the field of medicine. Ways in which radiation is employed in the medical imaging include but are not limited to projectional radiography, fluoroscopy, computed tomography, ultrasound, bone densitometry, medical resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Depending upon the way radiation is generated for the clinical purposes, radiation therapies can be classified into grenz-ray therapy, contact therapy, superficial therapy, deep therapy or orthovoltage therapy, supervoltage therapy, and megavoltage therapy (Khan 35-37). â€Å"Medical uses of radiation, particularly diagnostic X rays, result in the largest average annual effective dose from man-made sources† (Turner 12). Ionizing radiation is used in radiotherapy for the treatment of

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Business Research Report Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Report - Research Paper Example Harvey Norman barely survived with impending lawsuits and losses experienced from giving out very high discounts to attract customers. The Reject Shop on the other hand posted a good increase in profits and sales in that year. The company opened 18 new stores in that year and was able to repay much of its debts (Roth, 2013). The Reject Shop can sustain a downturn in the economy because its average unit price is A$9.00 (in 2011). As of today, the unit price is A$10.04. Even if the domestic market failed, The Reject Shop would probably survive (Greenblat, 2011). In an attempt to avoid losses and survive in the industry, the Harvey Norman Holdings Limited misled their customers by false advertisements. The federal court hit the company with a $1.25 million fine. The judge ruled in favor of the Australian Competition and Consumer commission saying that the company deliberately and blatantly disregarded the truth while conducting a calculated and misleading campaign (Appliance Retailer, 2012, p.4). The Reject Shop has not been involved in such bad publicity. When the industry domestic market was low in 2012, The Reject Shop suffered some loss like all the other retail companies but did not do illegal stuff to make more money. Metrics is the first thing looked at with any investment. The Reject Shop has a return on equity of more than 40 per cent for every year in its corporate life (Greenblat, 2011). Its debt is little or none existent and it is maintaining its return on equity despite its equity growing. This means that The Reject Shop is a good investment. The return on equity combined with little or no debt signals that the company has a strong competitive advantage. Moreover, a poll showed that 90 per cent of consumers knew about The Reject Shop. This means that the market’s place strong position and the brand awareness support the return in equity. In the recent years, its equity has risen threefold while its profits have

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Sexuality and Health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sexuality and Health - Essay Example Upon realising that he won’t be able to have sex anytime soon due to his condition, the patient decided to elicit assistance from the staff regarding procuring the services of a prostitute. In response, the request was escalated to the hospice ethics committee, as well as the legal department (The Independent 2008). Gorin and Arnold (2006) described the complex relationship between human sexuality and health. The term sexual health encompasses a number of phenomena mainly focusing on the health-related outcomes of sexual behaviour. A common perception regarding sexual health is that it is a quality or capability of an individual to avoid committing sexual acts which produce negative consequences such as the spread of diseases or unwanted pregnancies. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the term sexual health is defined as a state of physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being in relation to sexuality, not just confined to the absence of disease, disability , or affliction. As such, sexual health should be positively viewed as a way of ensuring that individuals are able to create and maintain safe and pleasurable sexual experiences. In addition, sexual health advocates that a person’s sexual rights should be respected, protected, and fulfilled (Gorin & Arnold 2006). Healey and Zimmerman (2010) described the term disability as a frequently used term to denote an individual’s inability to perform tasks which are attainable for a normal human being. However, its definition depends on how it is used. For example, in terms of public health, disability may be perceived on how it affects the general population. In contrast, disability in the public welfare viewpoint may be seen in terms of the provision of services for persons with disabilities. For reasons of clarity, the following terms – impairment, disability, and handicap – are defined as per WHO guidelines. Impairment is defined as a physiological disorder or injury. On the other hand, having a disability is being unable to do a task due to one’s impairment. Meanwhile, possessing a handicap is a social result of being disabled (Healey & Zimmerman 2010). 1.0 The role of health promotion Kirch (2008) maintained that there is no standard definition of the term health prom otion and its definition would depend on the activity it is attributed to. As a generalized term however, health promotion is defined as a process or activity with the aim of encouraging people to take action regarding personal health behaviour and compliance to existing health policies and programs. There are four main components of individual health, three of which involves health promotion. These components are: (1) lifestyle and behaviour; (2) health, social, and other service provision; and (3) socio-economic and physical environment. In relation to the determination of health, health promotion encompasses activities which encourage individuals to act on certain internal and external aspects which influence overall health. Internal aspects refer to determinants of health which individuals have most control such as personal health behaviours. On the other hand, external aspects refer to health determinants in which individuals have very little control such as social, economic, a nd environmental conditions (Kirch 2008). The concept of sexual

Friday, August 23, 2019

Shadowing experience Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Shadowing experience - Assignment Example Developmental aspect includes the school curriculum, individual students and the society development. In most cases, they act as change agents in the schools. They provide feedback to the students on the progress of their children. Also, she acts as the consultation head by working with the teachers and the administrators to meet the students needs at all levels of education (Wicks 56). They help students in different areas including ensuring that the students are more productive adults of tomorrow. They help students to achieve their academic goals and also their career and social development. They enhance the students learning processes in academic, personal and social development. Students get desired competencies that provide all students with the skills, right attitudes and knowledge appropriate for the students development. Most of the developmental needs are developed alongside the school programs (Patterson 88). The counselor was able to handle people from different societies and background. The most interesting thing is that she was able to advise a student who was infected with HIV/AIDS. He was able to train and bring back the student to the right attitude. The students were positive about life. It was my first time to get an HIV/AIDS individual being able to appreciate their status. One of the impressive things is that the counselor was able to impact the students with the right attitude. All the students had a positive attitude towards mathematics and science subject unlike other schools in the same locality. Also, she spent most of her time with the students to impact them with the right morals. There was an interactive forum that ensured students aired out their issues. This acted as a basis of identifying the students challenges in school. The challenges identified enabled the parents and teachers to manage the school (Patterson 88). Most of the issues that I need to learn about includes different ways and techniques of changing the

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Business, a Practical Introduction Essay Example for Free

Business, a Practical Introduction Essay 1. Scarcity increases the demand for a product, and increases the price that consumers are willing to pay for it. Scarcity of an item allows a seller to raise prices, while a surplus of an item means prices will decrease. 2. Macroeconomists would be concerned with issues such as job growth and unemployment, growth in industrial production, and the consumer price index. 3. Under a socialist economic system, businesses and industries can be state-owned or privately owned, depending on the country. 4. A downside to capitalism is the issue of income inequality. There is a considerable difference between the highest and lowest incomes, as indicated by the 2010 income information reported in the textbook for this course. Median pay for a chief executive of a company whose stock was listed on Standard and Poor’s index was $9 million. Median pay for private sector workers was $40,500. 5. The model of perfect competition was created by Adam Smith. According to Smith, in perfect competition, the market has many small sellers who sell interchangeable products to many informed buyers, and no seller is large enough to dictate the price of the product. 6. The term consumer sovereignty is the idea that consumers influence the marketplace through the decisions of which products they choose to buy or not to buy. 7. The business cycle runs through a pattern of expansion, peak, contraction, and trough. Expansion, when economic activity speeds up, is triggered by a rise in investment spending, government spending, or exports. 8. Deflation is defined as a general decline in the prices of most goods and services. 9. An economic bubble is a situation in which prices for securities, especially stocks, rise far above their actual value. 10. TARP is the Troubled Assets Relief Program, signed into law in October 2008. This $700 billion program was created to purchase bank assets in order to strengthen the financial sector. This was outgoing President Bush’s last â€Å"screw you† to the people of America. It might have worked to stabilize the banks if the amount was double, and if it offered relief to businesses as well.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Talking Styles Essay Example for Free

Talking Styles Essay Research has been conducted to determine if communication skills play a role in determining just how long a friendship or relationship will last. If we use the same types of communication or communication skills in our interpersonal relationships, do we stand a better chance at a life-long friendship, or a lasting marriage? The studies have shown that how we communicate with others can have an effect on how long our interpersonal relationships can last. In his article, Bower (2010) explains when persons converse with one another and use the same type of function words in their conversations, that they are on their way to building a lasting and stable friendship or romantic relationship. These function words refer to the different parts of speech, such as the conjunctions and prepositions, which each person uses when he communicates. When we use them in the same way or with the same meaning as others do, it is believed that we are in sync with one another; in a sense, we are also more compatible as well. The author does not believe that using particular function words or parts of speech makes us more or less compatible with others. We simply use the language and words we have learned during our youth, or based upon the experiences we have had in our past. We may be drawn to those who speak the same way that we do, complementing one another, but it is not the only way that we should match our compatibility with others. Being compatible with others is based upon more than just the way each person speaks, or the words that one uses when speaking. For example, we are compatible with others based upon the hobbies that we enjoy participating in, the books that we enjoy reading, or the foods that we like to eat. We are also compatible based upon the experiences that we have in common, such as being a part of a military family. â€Å"Unconscious verbal coordination signifies not how much people like each other but how much each is paying attention to what the other says† (Bower, 2010, para. 3). This unconscious verbal coordination is also known as language-style matching. The author submitted a sample conversation of text messages between a co-worker and herself for an analysis of our language-style match. The analysis showed that our score was a 0.61, with the average being approximately .84. â€Å"Compared to other IMs that we have analyzed, your LSM score is below average† (Pennebaker Conglomerates, Inc., n.d., para. 1). The author believes the results signify that she and her co-worker may not pay close enough attention to one another when we are speaking to one another. The author does not believe that anyone should rely heavily on the results of the Language-Style Matching website. The analysis was given based upon a small conversation between two people. The conversation provided is just a brief picture of the different types of conversations that the two of us engage in with one another. She feels that the results were based upon the abbreviations, or text lingo, that was used in the conversation of her co-worker. The author does not use abbreviations or misspell words when she is texting, which would make it appear that we are not compatible and will not have a lasting friendship. Is this analysis by the website accurate? She does not feel that it is, since it was a glimpse of the conversations that took place between two people. Does the author feel she and her co-worker will be life-long friends? Only time will tell; she is not able to predict the future. Does she believe they did not pay close enough attention to one another? Absolutely not – each question and statement was answered by each person. She feels the messages we were sending one another were understood, which make us effective in communicating with one another (Sole, 2011). Studies have shown that how we communicate with others can have an effect on how long our interpersonal relationships can last. How long friendships and romantic relationships last depend upon the persons involved, as well as how compatible they are on many different levels. Communicating is not about using the same words or phrases; the importance is making sure the person with whom you are speaking with understands what it is you are trying to say.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Why People Commit Suicide Essay

Why People Commit Suicide Essay Suicide is a very complex subject triggered by various multifaceted factors. The failure to meet ones expectations which may have been instilled as early as childhood may bring about a wide variety of emotions leading to people committing suicide for various reasons. Depression, physical or sexual abuse, horrible disappointments, severe financial loss, mental or emotional disorders, all trigger feelings of emptiness and hopelessness and are just some of the few psychological factors which may influence an individuals final and distorted decision of committing suicide as a means to put an end to these insufferable emotions. The foregoing, however, is just a superficial analysis touching merely upon the surface of the deep-seated source of suicide. This paper will thus attempt to provide a more in depth analysis of why people commit suicide by looking primarily at the sociological factors and in particular in relation to Durkheims work. Durkheim defines suicide as a general state of extreme depression and exaggerated sadness, causing the patient no longer to realize sanely the bonds which connect him with the people and things about him -pleasures no longer attract [Durkheim, 1951:63]. Durkheim further stated that man cannot become attached to higher aims and submit to a rule if he sees nothing above him to which he belongs to free him from allsocial pressure is to abandon him to himself and demoralize him [Durkheim,1951:110]. In Durkheims Interdiction To Suicide: A Study in Sociology, Durkheim expresses his concern in developing the conduct of sociology. He sees the main problem to be that sociology is mostly constructed on philosophical overviews, and does not answer the exact social questions. He suggests a methodology that will give the science of sociology strong baselines and real results. In his book, Durkheim applies these propositions and shows how sociology should be conducted, and firmly draws conclusions that expose to us the way in which we should be able to approach the difficulties of society. This study has been presented in such a way that it is probable to assess the relevance and accuracy of its meanings and deductions. Durkheim gives the importance of sociology far more than being just a tool to fix the world, but it is a lens, through which we see reality as a shared reality, one included of individuals who are determined by their realities.In this introductory chapter he investigates the act of suicide and explores its social roots by examining suicide rates in different social classes and correlating that with the characteristics of the society.(Durkheim, 1970) A differentiation is made between two types of suicide, positive and negative. In Durkheims words suicide is thus described as all cases of death resulting directly or indirectly from a positive or negative act of the victim himself, which he knows will produce this result [Durkheim, 1986:64]. A positive performance would be to discharge or to suspend an act. In this case, death comes as a straight product of the action. A negative act would be the scenario of remaining in a burning house or to refuse eating to the point of hunger. Death in this case is the indirect result of an individuals act. Durkheim believed that the areas with the highest rates of mental illnesses and alcoholism are not necessarily the areas with the highest suicide rates. Esquirol wrote that suicide may be seen to be for us only a phenomenon resulting from many different causes and appearing under many different forms; and it is clear that this phenomenon is not characteristic of a disease. [Esquirol, 1838:528]. Durkheim believed that suicide is not an individual act nor a personal achievement. It is produced by some power which is over and above the individual. Durkheim studied suicide vis a vis the relationship between individuals and society affirmed that suicide is a social phenomenon as well as establishing that there are no societies in which suicide does not occur. He asserted that what most people regard as an individual act is, in reality, the result of the social world. The evidence supporting this view are numerous. In addition to the stark differentiation made between positive and negative acts of suicide, Durkheims research concluded that the institution of marriage protects against suicide making the observation that suicide rates are higher among people that have lost their spouse and those who are divorced. Furthermore, Durkheim observes that suicide rates are higher among couples who have no children than couples who do, concluding that a human being needs to be loved and have a purpose in life. People who do not experience love in their life are the ones more susceptible to suicide. (Durkheim, 1951). The institution of marriage may thus play a vital role in ones decision to commit suicide. Whether marriage should be viewed positively in relation to suicide is however debatable. While on the one hand marriage may play a role in protecting against suicide by providing love, purpose, and stability in ones life it may, on the other hand, be a volatile institution that once shattered may inste ad be an instigator of suicide. Durkheim interestingly further observed that suicide rates are higher during times of peace than times of war because during the war people need to be unified in defending their country (Durkheim, 1951). This observation may, therefore, suggest that feelings of patriotism, honour as well as purpose tends to distant an individual from suicide. Furthermore, suicide rates also tend to be higher during rapid economic changes than in economic crises as rapid economic changes are sudden and difficult to endure. (Durkheim, 1951). This observation made by Durkheim may suggest that people are required to work harder in such economic times constantly being pushed to their limits in order to keep up with such rapid changes bringing about feelings of despair, restlessness and being under appreciated. According to Durkheims research, religion may also have an affect on suicide rates. Durkheims collected data suggested that Protestants are more likely to commit suicide than Catholics, due to the fact that Protestants are more idiosyncratic while Catholics are more communitarian (Durkheim, 1951). In other words, Catholics tend to have more social support. According to Durkheim people connecting and validating each other within a community plays an important role in preventing suicide making this kind of social integration important. Without this type of connection, people may experience feelings of depression and isolation pushing them towards suicide. Durkheim, however, seemed to identify two sides of the coin in relation to social integration, pointing out that where social integration is high people are more likely to commit suicide in order to avoid becoming burdens to society. Two distinct features are therefore identified by Durkheim; namely, social regulation and social integ ration. Integration is described as the degree to which collective sentiments are shared and regulation refers to the degree of external constraint on people[Ritzer, 1992:90]. Based on these two social forces, four types of suicide have been proposed by Durkheim. Durkheim differentiated between four types of suicide, the first being egoistic suicide. Egoistic suicide is viewed as stemming from an absence of social integration and is committed by people who are outcast by society and are insufficiently integrated into social groups and societies, they depend more on themselves than on a group of objectives and instructions. They are not socially combined or not socially tied to a community or group. These types of individuals find themselves powerless in finding their own individual place in society and experience problems adjusting to other groups and are given little or no social care. Suicide is therefore perceived as a solution to free themselves of the loneliness or excessive isolation. Durkheim points out that this type of suicide is mostly prevalent amongst those who are unmarried, widowed, divorced, have no children as well as those without any strong attachments to religious, social or community groups.(Durkheim,1951) The second type of suicide identified by Durkheim is anomic suicide. Anomic suicide is viewed by Durkheim as disillusionment and disappointment occurring when a person goes through extreme changes in wealth and is ultimately caused by a lack of social regulation. This type of suicide is most notable at times when society is rapidly changing leading to uncertainty. It is a type of suicide that stems from sudden and unexpected changes which Durkheim found mostly occurs during rapid economic changes than in economic crises. Durkheim interestingly points out that suicide is more evident in crisis that brings out disturbances in ones life rather than being attributed to poverty[Durkheim,1951:245]. Altruistic suicide is the third type of suicide that has been identified and according to Durkheim, this type of suicide occurs when individuals or a group are too close and intimate and stems from being overly integrated into society. It is the other side of the spectrum in social integration when an individual is so well integrated into society that they choose to sacrifice their own life in order to fulfil some obligation. Altruistic suicide, being a complex concept, can further be broken down into three types: optional, acute and obligatory altruistic suicide. Optional altruistic suicide is brought about by societal pressures that may, in fact, be well-intentioned. This can be seen in Japan where there is a high level of suicide amongst students because of stress and high expectations from others and the constant pressure to excel at school exams. Often the accompanying stress and anxiety push them to commit suicide; suicide in the victims perspective becomes the answer to freedo m of oppression from what society expects individuals to be. Acute altruistic suicide occurs when an individual kills himself in order to save another life. For example when a fire-fighter saves a person from a burning fire but the fire-fighter dies as a result. This is an act of heroism and self-sacrifice. It could be argued that it may by flawed to categories this as a type of suicide because suicide is mainly associated with a troublesome and stressed life, when in fact such an act may be a form of the righteous act. Obligatory altruistic suicidal refers to a type of suicidal where respect and honour plays an important factor. For example in India, Hindu women should kill themselves during their husbands funeral as an act of honour expressing that life after the death of their spouse was not worth living. If women from these communities insisted on living the y would lose public respect; in some cases, the usual funeral honours are denied, in another a life of horror is supposed to await him beyond the grave (Durkheim,1951).Connect these two paragraphs. Durkheim points out that altruistic suicide is part of the collective spirit (Durkheim,1970). For example, when the spirit inquires you to do something you are obliged to do so and which we, therefore, see in environments where society places a substantial amount of pressure and expectations on individuals which may, in turn, push an individual towards suicide as a means of escape. The final type of suicide is fatalistic suicide. Durkheim discussed this type briefly because it was seen as a rare phenomenon in the real world. Fatalistic suicide occurs in social conditions where an individual experiences universal persecution resulting from excessive regulation whose passions [were] violently choked by oppressive discipline(Durkheim,1970). Slavery and persecution are examples of fatalistic suicide in which an individual may feel that they are destined by fate to be in such conditions and choose suicide as the only means to escape such conditions These four types of suicide are categorised by the degree of integration and regulation of individuals in their surrounding society. According to Durkheim people commit suicide because of either too high or too low integration or regulation, Suicide is a social fact and is due to social forces. Individuals are more likely to commit suicide each time the condition of society leaves from a state of stability. Society preserves stability by integration and regulation Durkheims work has been critiqued on many grounds, for example, his emphasis on consensus and morality , thanhis positivist method and negligence of the individual as an actor, his description of suicide rates. Durkheims concept of suicide is thought to be more reinforced by argument than by fact. However, he is contributed to the growth of sociology and over a difficult theoretical framework To conclude suicide is not an individual act it is a social act. People commit suicide because they are not supported by society or they do not feel loved by their own family. If a person has no support in his life and no one to care about thenthey can feel valueless and this will lead to depression which may lead to suicide. Suicide rates are correlated with how well a person is integrated into society and the degree to which society regulates individual behavior. In general, suicide has some connection with social rules or standards and the individual.

The Use of Coal as an Energy Source in the United States Essay examples

Energy from Coal: The Nation’s Dirty Secret Abstract While technology has led the world into such an advanced setting with intelligent machinery and automated devices, coal has remained a loyal contributor of the energy needed by these various types of equipment to function properly. Almost half of the electricity in the United States is produced in coal plants where coal is burnt to produce this energy [1]. Both beneficial and detrimental factors come with this alternative source of energy, known by the world for centuries. Background Information Even with the quantity of fossil fuels dwindling due to human consumption, coal has remained one of the cheapest, reliable sources of electricity, natural gas, diesel fuel, and steel production. It is one of the main sources of energy for the United States particularly because one-quarter of the world’s coal reserves are found there [2]. Typically, coal mines are found throughout many different regions of the United States, depending on what type of coal is being mined. The types of coal used in the industry are anthracite, bituminous, sub-bituminous, and lignite [3]. Anthracite is the hardest of the four because it contains the most carbon and the least ash and moisture. It is used as a heating fuel for homes since it burns slowly over a lengthy period of time. Bituminous is medium-hard in comparison to the others and is the most common type of coal found in the United States. It generates electricity and produces coke, used to make steel. Sub-bituminous is medium-soft, meaning that it contains a lot of moisture. This type of coal is used mainly in producing steam for electricity generation for the industry. Lastly, there is lignite, the softest of the four. It contains the m... ...R.H. Fossil Fuels and Their Utilization. 26 Nov 1996. World of Chemistry. 28 July 2008. . 6. Unknown. Eco-Logical. Unknown. Grinning Planet. 27 July 2008. . 7. Unknown. BTU Conversion Liquefaction – Peabody Energy. Unknown. Peabody. 27 July 2008. . 8. Macintyre, Stacy. Coal Energy. Feb 2007. Energy Kid’s Page. 20 July 2008. . 9. Trimble, Tyghe. Clean Coal: How to Make Rock into Biofuel. 21 June 2007. Popular Mechanics. 21 July 2008. . 10. Unknown. Energy Production. 2008. HowStuffWorks. 26 July 2008. .

Monday, August 19, 2019

Aztec Economy and Beliefs :: essays research papers

Aztec economy flourished so well mainly because of their intricate religious beliefs. Their belief in many different gods, complex rituals, and an odd brand of warfare, all lead up to an flourishing economy because they all required so many different artisans and materials. In Aztec society, a merchant was a man above everyone else. By the 1500’s they rivaled the wealth of nobility. The Aztecs believed that in order to keep the gods happy, they had to build great pyramids, do many rituals, and sacrifice people to appease the gods. The building of these enormous pyramids took thousands of thousands of men and supplies. Those supplies had to be dug up and bought from every person possible. The building of such pyramids also employed skilled artisans to carve the temples into shape, and to carve words and symbols inside the pyramid. The temples also required skilled painters and recorders to paint and inscribe inside the temple. The employment of these artisans ensured that they would have work to do and money in their pocket. Aztec merchants were called pochtecas. They served not only as merchants, but as spies for the priests and king. This required them to go very far to spy on other tribes. When they came back they could come with things and idea’s the people had never imagined. This brought the edges of the world that much closer to the Aztecs simply because believed that their merchants should spy on other tribes to see what kinds of gods they are worshiping. The Aztecs religiously used a great amount of obsidian, a volcanic rock that looked like dark glass, for all walks of life. They used it in warfare to weaken the opponents rather then kill them, so their opponent could then be offered to the gods. They used it for priests as religious necklaces. Finally the used it for knives to cut open their sacrificial victims to offer their hearts to the gods. Obsidian was considered very rare at first but the mass usage of it gave hundreds of skilled artisans the jobs to make things out of it. Aztec Economy and Beliefs :: essays research papers Aztec economy flourished so well mainly because of their intricate religious beliefs. Their belief in many different gods, complex rituals, and an odd brand of warfare, all lead up to an flourishing economy because they all required so many different artisans and materials. In Aztec society, a merchant was a man above everyone else. By the 1500’s they rivaled the wealth of nobility. The Aztecs believed that in order to keep the gods happy, they had to build great pyramids, do many rituals, and sacrifice people to appease the gods. The building of these enormous pyramids took thousands of thousands of men and supplies. Those supplies had to be dug up and bought from every person possible. The building of such pyramids also employed skilled artisans to carve the temples into shape, and to carve words and symbols inside the pyramid. The temples also required skilled painters and recorders to paint and inscribe inside the temple. The employment of these artisans ensured that they would have work to do and money in their pocket. Aztec merchants were called pochtecas. They served not only as merchants, but as spies for the priests and king. This required them to go very far to spy on other tribes. When they came back they could come with things and idea’s the people had never imagined. This brought the edges of the world that much closer to the Aztecs simply because believed that their merchants should spy on other tribes to see what kinds of gods they are worshiping. The Aztecs religiously used a great amount of obsidian, a volcanic rock that looked like dark glass, for all walks of life. They used it in warfare to weaken the opponents rather then kill them, so their opponent could then be offered to the gods. They used it for priests as religious necklaces. Finally the used it for knives to cut open their sacrificial victims to offer their hearts to the gods. Obsidian was considered very rare at first but the mass usage of it gave hundreds of skilled artisans the jobs to make things out of it.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

The Eightfold Path is a treatment :: essays research papers

The Eightfold Path is a treatment, a treatment by training (smith 104). Buddha taught that man is a slave to his ego (smith 108). That man wishes happiness, security, success, long life, and many other things for himself and his loved ones. However, pain, frustration, sickness and death are all impossible to avoid and the only way to eliminate these evils is to overcome desire. In Buddhism, the Eightfold Path is meant as a guideline, to be considered, to be contemplated, and to be taken on when, and only when each step is fully accepted as part of the life you seek. Buddhism never asks for blind faith, it seeks to promote learning and a process of self-discovery. The First step of the Eightfold Path is Right View. This is a significant step on the path as it relates to seeing the world and everything in it as it really is, not as we believe it to be or want it to be. Knowing reality is of very little value if we don’t put it to personal use in our lives. The second step on th e Eightfold Path is Right Intent. This is the step where you become committed to the path. Right Views shows us what life really is and what life’s problems are composed of. Right Intent must come from the heart and involves recognizing the equality of all life and compassion for all that life, beginning with you. Right Speech is the next step of the Path. Our speech reflects our character. We must avoid speaking falsely, obscene, slanderous, and belittling words. Right Conduct recognizes the need to take the ethical approach in life, to consider others and the world we live in. This includes not taking what is not given to us, and having respect for the agreements we make both in our private and business lives. Right Conduct also encompasses the five precepts, which were given by the Buddha, not to kill, steal, and lie, to avoid sexual misconduct, and not to take drugs or other intoxicants (smith 107-108). The next on the Eightfold Path follows on from Right Conduct, and thi s is Right Livelihood. If your work has a lack of respect for life, then it will be a barrier to progress on the spiritual path. Buddhism promotes the principle of equality of all living beings and respect for all life. Certain types of work were discouraged by the Buddha, in particular those where you deal in harmful drugs and intoxicants, those dealing in weapons, and those harmful to animal or human life.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Mindset Case Study Essay

I read the Mindset book by Carol S, Dweck. This book really made me think and reflect about what kind of person I am. It focuses mostly on the benefits of having a growth mindset and the downside of having a fixed mindset. I learned a lot about how you can grow as a person instead of failing and giving up. Most of the most successful people are people with the growth mindset who learn from their mistakes and apply it to their career or everyday life. I use to believe that some peoples born talents are better than those who work harder but are not as naturally good. For example Michael Jordan got cut from his high school basketball team. Instead of giving up after he was told he wasn’t good enough that motivated him more and he worked hard and improved and eventually became one of the most talented basketball players in NBA history. One thing that I disliked was that the writer focused on the positive of the growth mindset when sometimes the fixed mindset can be useful. It sounds like common-sense but it is in how it carefully uses both biographical data and scientific research to strengthen the reader’s understanding of the true implications of this finding. After I read ‘Mindset’, I understood much better why John McEnroe was famous for his tantrums (he had a very fixed mindset, a tennis loss meant that he was inherently worthless, that he was, permanently and in all aspects of life, a ‘loser’), as well as why a four-star chef like Bernard Loiseau committed suicide. I learned that Chinese students who think that intelligence is unalterable don’t follow remedial English courses, but also that American medical students who believe in innate ability flunk chemistry much more often than students who consider early failure as a sign that they haven’t worked hard enough or that they should try other learning strategies. I also learned some things that are counterintuitive, such that you should never praise children for being smart or talented. I knew I liked the book from the beginning because it had situations I could relate to and made me actually think about my life and how I can become the best I can be.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Everyone responds to conflict according to their values Essay

People react to conflict due to their values. In the novel ‘Every Man In This Village Is a Liar’ Megan Stack has allies who make an oath to protect her at all cost. A person’s values may also include, they would never physically hurt another person and they are against it then in times of conflict due to their values despite whether it is a physical conflict or something else they wouldn’t resort to physical harm. Another major conflict issue is honestly within war and everyday life. Stack is offered protection for when entering The Middle East by her friend Zaman because Stack will be experiencing a lot of external conflict upon entering Afghanistan. â€Å"He was solemn. â€Å"I take your life on my honor,† he said from the heights of his mountainous nose. â€Å"They will have to kill me before they can harm you.† Zaman wants to help Stack be safe when in Afghanistan so she can successfully do her reporting. Even though Zamans cultural backg round does not emphasise equality due to females being disadvantaged, Zaman chose to be careless as he would rather let the enemies hurt him before they could get the chance to hurt Stack, with Zamans values being highly depicted in this situation. Although there was a curfew Stack was not harmed for being outside, instead Stack was reminded by a marine to avoid being outside during curfew times. â€Å"There’s a curfew,† a marine warned me as I moved past a check-point.† Stack was most likely not harmed due to the marine realising that Stack is a journalist and had trouble getting back to her hotel before the curfew had begun. The Marine’s values would have been different if the person instead of Stack was a Middle East Arab. People’s values may not change even if they are experiencing conflict. As an election was going on Stack wanted to report on what is happening during the election however Stacks camera is taken off her. Stack resists and fight back to retrieve her stolen camera. â€Å"Sahafiyeh!† I yelled, digging around in my jeans pocket for a press credential.† Journalists! Give us the camera back!† Due to Stack being in a sticky situation with her camera being taken off her she tries to attack back to obtain her camera, but really this is not a value that Stack would often preach. Sometimes when people fear for their life they will change their values to survive without even thinking about it. For an example when Stack and Nora were in a storekeepers shop a man was getting beaten up by the storekeeper man, because the guy getting bashed committed a  crime of some sort. â€Å"Somebody was shouting and we turned to see a shopkeeper holding a demonstrator by the collar, punching in the face, over and over. â€Å"Get out of my store!† This external conflict responds to the storekeeper’s value because he feared for his life and demanded that the man leave the store, why is why he responded to that conflict due to his values. Stack explains to the audience that the Americans honestly are not fully truthful. The US government created a myth that they are the good people and all the people in the Middle East are evil and deserve to have havoc wreck upon them. â€Å"American officials talked about ‘the enemy† and â€Å"the evildoers† and it sounded odd, empty, like a legend.† This is trying to show that nobody can always tell the truth as individuals or as a nation hence is why Megan Stack named her book â€Å"Every Man In This Village Is a Liar.† Once American civilians learnt that everyone in the Middle East was corrupt and evil the way they responded to conflict was changed due to their values being covered with lies. It is more likely that people’s values will change according to the different type of conflicts they face. Stack’s friend’s values changed due to wanting her to survive being in the Middle East, some people did not want to physically harm others however some people did only when they felt like their life was in threat. People are likely to agree that everybody acts differently to conflict based on their values.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Marketing Strategies of Newspapers Essay

The newspaper market, like other markets have become competitive to the extent that survival requires a lot of creativity and innovation in the way the business is conducted. This is the situation in which the three major newspapers on the Zambian market, i.e the Post, the Times of Zambia, and the Zambia Daily Mail newspapers find themselves. Currently, the Post newspaper is the market leader with a market share of eighty percent (80%), the Times of Zambia newspaper and the Zambia Daily Mail, together with the rest of the other newspapers share the remaining twenty percent (20%). For this study, the focus is on three newspapers, The Post which is a privately owned newspaper and the Times of Zambia and the Zambia Daily Mail which are stated owned newspapers. The difference in performance amongst these three newspapers has also been reflected in the differences in the readership of the three (3) newspapers which is indicated below. Source: Synovate Research Center 2005 For any of these papers to gain competitive advantage and long term profitability, there is need to come up with a proper business approach. One such approach is a proper understanding and management of the common business parameters like the quality of the product, the pricing of the product, the distribution of the product, and the promotion of the product. A newspaper firm can then formulate appropriate differentiation strategies based on the above parameters which are commonly known as the four ‘Ps’ of the marketing mix (Kotler, 2003:15). The discrepancies in the market share prompted the researcher to look at the business management aspect of the three newspapers, i.e.how they were applying and using the four ‘Ps’ of the marketing mix. The aim was to determine how the three newspapers were utilizing the elements of the marketing mix in order to gain competitive advantage on the Zambian market. Essentially, this is a comparative study which looks into how the three newspapers were utilizing the marketing mix to increase their market shares. The study was expected to reveal the differences in the usage of the marketing mix and show whether this had a significant impact on the market shares of the three papers. This is not withstanding the fact that the performance of an entity is dependent on the various functional areas of business management. However, in this particular case, what was being put to test was the functional area of marketing, and in this case the application of the elements of the marketing mix. The liberalization of the Zambian economy in 1991 saw the emergence of various entities on the Zambian market. This included the print media. The Post newspaper is one such paper that emerged as a private owned newspaper. Prior to 1991, there were mainly two dominant papers, i.e. the Times of Zambia, and the Zambia Daily Mail newspapers. For this study, the focus was on one private newspaper, i.e the Post newspaper, and the state owned newspapers, i.e. The Times of Zambia and the Zambia Daily Mail newspapers. Currently, on the Zambian market, the Post newspaper is the market leader with a market share of eighty (80%) percent by far surpassing the Times of Zambia and the Zambia Daily Mail which fall into the remaining twenty (20%) percent. This poses the question of why should a newly born newspaper, i.e the Post Newspaper, out match the old newspapers like the Times of Zambia and the Zambia Daily Mail newspapers. Obviously, the market share has to do with the acceptability of the paper. And from a business management point of view, this acceptability is dependent on the paper’s marketing strategies which are based on the marketing mix. Hence the reason for the research in this area. The history of each of the above stated newspapers is as follows: †¢The Times of Zambia newspaper The Times of Zambia is a national daily newspaper published in Zambia. During the colonial period this newspaper was known as The Northern News. It was founded in 1944 as a twice-weekly newspaper aimed at a European readership, owned first by Roy Welensky and then by the South African newspaper chain Argus. Argus then sold the paper to Lonhro, under which it was renamed the Times of Zambia on 1 July 1965. Lonhro had just bought out Heinrich Brewery which had briefly operated a daily, The Zambia Times and weekly Zambia News. Criticism of the government under the editorship of Dunston Kamana in the early 1970s and the change of the government to a one party state led to the purchase of Times of Zambia by the United National Independence Party (UNIP) government who then appointed its own editor, Vernon Mwaanga, in 1972. When the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) came to power in November 1991, it went to court claiming UNIP had illegally taken over the newspapers. The courts found in favour of the MMD, and ruled that the papers’ ownership be transferred to the Zambian Government. The Times of Zambia is now owned by the Zambian Government. After the independence of Zambia in 1964, the print media was run by the private sector with Times of Zambia then been published by Lonrho and the name Daily then Central African Mail was run by Scott and Astor. In 1969 it was purchased by the ruling United National Party (UNIP) (Banda, 2004). In 1983, the newspaper industries along with most other industries were nationalized as part of government’s humanism. The two newspapers were then turned into government companies and heavily subsidized by the government. In 1990, there was the introduction of multiparty government and an open, market –driven economy. Privately owned newspapers were reintroduced and according to the National Archives (2003) 137 publications, both newspapers and magazines, were registered between 1991 and 2002. Most of the registered newspapers were either aborted or died soon after the first few issues. The cover price of the newspapers has remained the same in Zambia at K3000.00 with new newspapers coming in and offering a lower price and then failing to survive all together. The other sources of income for newspapers are through the advertising which has grown with newspapers getting more and more expensive. This case research is intended at studying the various marketing strategies used by newspaper companies in Zambia and how they can increase competiveness. My aim is to find out the current marketing strategies of the major newspapers in Zambia, namely The Post, Daily Mail, Times of Zambia, The Guardian and The Mirror. The purpose of the study is to understand the current marketing strategies and come up with recommendations to increase competitiveness in this sector. 1.2 Background to the study After the introduction of the multi-party system and the subsequent liberalization of the economy, in Zambia, in 1991, the country saw the emergence of various types of privately owned newspapers in addition to the two regular newspapers, i.e The Times of Zambia and the Zambia Daily Mail. In all, the mid 1990s, there were several privately owned newspapers in addition to the two regular state owned newspapers stated above. What transpired is that some private newspapers came and went, whilst the two state owned newspapers have failed to be competitive and increase their market shares, but they have survived through Government subsidies. However, one privately owned newspaper, the Post Newspaper, has continued to grow its market share and today it is the market leader in its relevant market. The question of interest to the researcher is to determine the type and effectiveness of the marketing strategies that the Newspapers are using to increase their market share in the relevant markets. 1.3 Research Problem  Since the Liberalization of Zambia’s economy in 1991, several private newspapers have emerged to join the already existing state owned ones. However, most of the privately owned newspapers have collapsed, and the two state owned ones are failing to increase their market, but are surviving on Government subsidies. But one private newspaper, the Post, has continued to thrive to become the market leader. There is still very little competition in this industry with only a few as newspapers surviving and one major newspaper The Post is getting 80% of the market share (Banda 2004). Given this background, the researcher wants to determine the type of marketing strategies newspapers use, and the extent to which these marketing strategies are effective. Consequently, this will help the managements of the newspapers to improve their marketing strategies so as to provide quality services to their customers, and thereby increase their market share and competitivene ss.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

The Computer Crime Law in Ireland

Criminal law varies in different countries and temp to deal with computer–related crime. Due to the ever-changing and the sophisticated form of information technology, new type of computer crime surfaces everyday and is threatening the functionality of the system as an asset of a borderless information society. In order to manage and protect this vibrant digital age, new legislation is also put in place to combat these crimes. The existing laws might have been suitable for the old traditional computer crime; the use of a mobile device to denial your keylogg access to your car may have no legal reference in any formal computer crime law. This paper will point out some of the known legislations that exist in Ireland and the EU relating to computer crime, and the awareness in a computer forensic discipline. Introduction With the vast amount of business documents being written on computers, the popular use of email, transaction of business on the internet, computer keep most civil litigation evidence that exist in our present day. It is unimaginable for any business of a sizable scale to function properly, these days, without the use of computer or any form of computing device. Unfortunately, what was designed to help solve almost all problem that exist, (being social networking, e-commerce, entertainment, personal dairy, communication), is posing a great threat to the society that should benefit from it. Imagine a company that buys used cars online and re-sell them to make profits, provides its employees with fast internet access. An employer search through the usual websites and found an interesting car at cheap price, instead of doing the transaction unbehalf of the company, he bought the car for himself. The manager saw him with the car the next day and raised suspicion. He then consulted a forensic investigator to handle the case. Special procedures may have to be carried out during a computer forensic investigation in order that any information gathered is eligible for use in a court of law. The investigation revealed that he used his account to log on to the work computer for the deal during working hours. The investigator found something else, a child pornographic material on his computer. Is this a computer crime? r an abuse of company’s policy? , or something else?. Would the evidence found by an investigator contracted to do one job but did more be accepted in the court, if indicted? Would the Irish Data Protection Act of 1988 protect his secret from prosecution? or face Child Traffic and Pornographic Act 1998? Due to the fact that computer crime is generally new, specialized legislation is in place for some computer and digital specific criminal behaviour, and forensic investigators should be aware of this. The Irish Computer Crime Law The Irish Legislations that are relevant in the area of computer crime are the Criminal Damage Act, 1991, and the recent Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act, 2001. The Criminal Damage Act, 1991, Section 2(1) introduced the offence of damage to property, defined as – â€Å"a person who without lawful excuse damages any property belonging to another intending to damage any such property or being reckless as to whether any such property should be damaged is guilty of an offence†. Property includes data and damage to data includes the addition, alteration, corruption, erasure, or movement thereof, or introduction of a virus therein, which causes damage. It shall be noted that the offence requires the absence of â€Å"lawful excuse† and, in addition, requires the accused to act with intent or recklessness. Summary conviction or on indictment carries different penalties. On summary conviction the penalties are a fine of up to â‚ ¬1,270 or imprisonment for up to 12 months, while on indictment; the penalties are a fine of up to â‚ ¬12,700 or imprisonment for up to 10 years, or both. The 1991 Act introduced a range of offences. Section 3 of the 1991 Act introduced the offence of threatening to damage property and Section 4 introduced the offence of possession of any thing with intent to damage property. Both carry the same penalties as a Section 2 offence Section 5 then introduced the offence of operation of a computer with intent to access data without lawful excuse. The offence is efined as – â€Å"a person who without lawful excuse operates a computer within the State with intent to access any data kept either within or outside the State, or outside the State with intent to access any data within the State, shall whether or not he accesses any data, be guilty of an offence†. The penalties on a conviction offender are a fine of up to â‚ ¬634, or imprisonment for up to 3 months. The recent update in Irish legislation, regarding computer-related crime in Ireland extends the previous Act and introduced the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud) Offenc es Act, 2001. The 2001 Act introduced various new offences into Irish law, most importantly, the Act which appear under Section 9. Section 9 states – â€Å"a person who dishonestly, whether within or outside the State, operates or causes to be operated a computer within the State with the intention of making a gain for himself or herself or another, or of causing loss to another, is guilty of an offence†. This section introduced the concept of â€Å"dishonesty† into Irish computer related crime. The offender can be located either inside or outside the State and is required to act dishonestly, meaning â€Å"without a claim of right made in good faith†. The operation of a â€Å"computer† is required. The ever-increasing development of technology available to commit crime over the internet requires international co-operation beyond ordinary domestic legislation. Section 9 of the 2001 Act, which aim at a person, â€Å"whether within or outside the State†, point out the possibility of jurisdictional issues that comes up, and has allowed the courts to try an offender irrespective of their location at the relevant time. operates† physical machine must be operated from the state or cause to be operated; doesn’t require physical control of the machine, can be remotely controlled outside of the state. Section 9 of the 2001 Act, the presence of intent is required, that could relate to the unauthorised access of another’s computer or, alternative ly, authorised access of a computer for unauthorised purposes bad faith use e. g. DOS. The intention must be to make a gain, whether for himself, or herself, or another, or, alternatively, to cause a loss to another. This carries a more severe offence than existed law under the 1991 Act. An indictable offence that carries a potential fine of unspecified amount, or maximum of 10 years in prison, or both. Privacy and Data Protection Even if the Irish Constitution of 1937 does not clearly state the right to privacy, in the Kennedy & Arnold v Ireland [1987] IR 587, the Irish court recognised the existence of this law. Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights provides that: †¢ Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and correspondence. †¢ There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except such as is in accordance with the law and is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well being of the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others. The Irish Data Protection Act 1988 was passed on 13 July 1988, and implemented on 19 April 1989. This Act established the Irish Data Protection Commission. The Irish legislation was updated in 2003 by the Data Protection (Amendment) Act, which incorporates Directive 95/46/EC into Irish law. The law means Data protection is about your fundamental right to privacy. You may access and correct data about yourself, but those who keep data about you have to comply with Data Protection Act. An individual or an organisation that collects stores or processes any data about living people on any type of computer or in a structured filing digital system, found guilty of an offence under the Acts can be fined amounts up to â‚ ¬100,000, on conviction on indictment and/or may be ordered to delete all or part of the database. There are two major sections in 2003 Data Protection amendment; (1) Manual data which are held in filing systems, that is data that is recorded as part of a relevant filing system or with the intention that it should form part of a relevant filing system. (2) Relevant filing system means that the set is structured in such a way that specific information relating to a particular individual is readily accessible

Should liquor ads be allowed on television Essay

Should liquor ads be allowed on television - Essay Example Firstly, most liquor advertisements downplay the factual attributes of the product by focusing on the generation of images and contexts that connote camaraderie, escape, refreshment, and relaxation. Secondly, the youth’s exposure to liquor advertisements often lead to the youth’s heightened interest, trial at young age or increase in frequency and volume of consumption. From a business perspective, advertising is meant to stir the awareness, induce purchase, develop the consumption habit, and build loyalty of the target consumers on the company’s products and services. In the U.S. alone, companies spend nearly $2billion yearly for advertising on both mainstream and digital media, according to a position paper entitled Alcohol Advertising and the Youth. Furthermore, almost 2 million advertising placements on television have been made between 2001 and 2006. Approximately 20% of television alcohol advertisements were on programming that the youth age 12 to 20 were m ore likely to watch than adults of legal drinking age. This finding reinforces the assumption that the companies deem the youth as primary target market of their advertisements. In a similar vein, a briefing paper entitled The Advertising of Alcohol, in support of Increased Restrictions stated that the broadening of communication venues for liquor advertisements through the addition of sponsorship, competition, and special promotions in the brands’ campaign plan underscore the companies’ goal of communicating the relevance of liquor products to the youth.

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Small Groups Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Small Groups - Essay Example The norms that surround the group are very healthy for the group as well as for the organization. Members who have just entered the organization have various creative ideas, which help in looking at a problem from different perspectives and these perspectives help in the stage of obtaining various solutions of the decision making process. Work never stops within the group as group members are ready to replace and help each other if a particular group member has to take a leave or doesn’t have enough knowledge, skills and abilities to perform a particular job. My own role within the group is that of a leader, my main task is to influence other group members to ensure that they work for the well being of the company and others working within the group. My secondary task involves allocation of resources and ensuring that the right resources are available to the right members at the right time so they can continue working and there is not obstacle while they perform their task. I even act as a mediator between the group members and the members of the organization that are situated in the top most level of the organization. The group members have considerable amount of influence on my behavior, their awareness and experience power have made me and the group dependant on them. Their understanding and know-how is very important for the achievement of the tasks and accomplishment of the tasks is important for my status within the organization. Due to this I behave in a very considerate manner with the followers, I allow them to be creative and to come up with different opinions which may help me in decision making process. The pride and high opinion they have for me and other group members help me follow the ethical code of conduct. I as a leader am very emotionally intelligent; I continuously look for emotional issues faced by the members of the groups which help me in dealing with their issues. Due to

Monday, August 12, 2019

The Advancement of Technology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Advancement of Technology - Research Paper Example On the other hand, at the present, Internet tools and techniques are transforming and modernizing the ways through which business operations are performed. In addition, these tools and techniques are also modernizing the basic technical frameworks on which various corporations are developing their domestic or internal business structures. This paper presents an overview of the developments in technology. This paper outlines the advancement of technology that has been playing a significant role in today’s world. Introduction New advancements in technology are brought through the knowledge of crafts, tools, methods and techniques or special scientific and technology systems. In addition, the technological developments play a significant role in resolving diverse kinds of issues and problems. Basically, these technological developments can be seen different areas such as in information technology, construction technology, space technology, medical technology, communication techno logy, art technology and so on. Moreover, the advancement in the technology refers to the development of all the areas connected with technology. The technology normally influences animal species, human and society. In fact, a lot of researches have been carried out on this subject shown that the advancement in technology plays a significant role in the improvement of human life. Before the 20th century this idea was rare in English. In this scenario, the earlier technology was taken as the explanation of art that was helpful. However, the description of â€Å"technology† has been changed with the development of technology (Advancements in Technology, 2012; Turban, Leidner, McLean, & Wetherbe, 2005). This paper will discuss the advancements in technology. In this scenario, this paper will discuss some of the important developments in the technology that helped the human race to become much faster, competent and more developed. Advancement in Technology in Different Sectors De velopment in technology performs a significant role in a number of areas/fields. In this scenario, one of the main technology based developments is seen in political sectors. With the advancement of technology a wide variety of war tools, guns, bombs are made. Though, they are bad for mass people who are not concerned with the war. On the other hand, the communication technology has narrowed the issues and barriers to the human communication. In fact, the history of developments in technology is both rich and long. Additionally, many researchers have made technology based development in space technology (astronomy), science and mathematics. In addition, the traditional herbal medicine, medicine and acupuncture are at the present replaced by the modern technology. With the improvement of technology shadow clock was created by the scientists, which was the first progress in technology. With the passage of time inventors invented a lot of scientific tools that are extremely large in nu mber and cannot be counted (Advancements in Technology, 2012; Turban, Aronson, & Liang, Decision Support Systems and Intelligent Systems, 7th Edition, 2004; Laudon & Laudon, 1999). The majority of business organizations are at the present making use of the Internet tools and techniques to develop a private internal network which is acknowledged as the

Sunday, August 11, 2019

Environmental Effects of Global Warming in Florida Research Paper

Environmental Effects of Global Warming in Florida - Research Paper Example This paper talks about the phenomenon of the global warming and its effects in Florida. Through undertaking this research the various environmental effects of global warming within the state become clearly understood. The experiences within other are reviewed through the research. The research will become essential in seeking to provide solutions to the adverse effects presented to the environment by global warming, upon the state of Florida. This exploratory research will seek to gather information regarding environmental effects of global warming in Florida. The information is gathered through review of existing environmental publication, exploration of the region and interviews with some interest group members. The average temperatures across the world have been observed to rise over a long period of time. These rising temperatures have continuously presented various effects upon the environment and other social systems across the world. Greenhouse gasses have been identified as presenting the biggest challenge in contributing towards global warming. Physical effects include the increased occurrence of extreme weather cases, which have been observed. These include hurricanes, which have been associated with global warming. Oceans have also been identified as becoming more acidified by the absorption of gases causing global warming. The temperature rise has also been observed within the oceans. The state of Florida has an extensive coastline, and the global warming effects from the oceans could be available.

Saturday, August 10, 2019

Strategic Management and Leadership (2) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Strategic Management and Leadership (2) - Essay Example The company also has a wide portfolio of brands which are primarily designed for the EU markets like Saab, Opel and Vauxhall. GM also sold its US brands like Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and Hummer in these markets. The shrinking consumer market as well as tougher credit situations worsened the situations for GM, and it had to seek the US government’s aid for bailout. As a part of the emergency aid, GM had agreed to a string of efficiency measures, which included selling off loss making units like its Europe division and closing down some other brands. GM initiated the sell off process of GM Europe, but backed out later as Opel, its marquee European car brand, is a critical component of its global development strategy (Vlasic, 2009). GM was heavily influenced by political factors both in the US and also in Europe. As it filed for bankruptcy protection in US and for government aid, it had to succumb to government pressure and accept a string of harsh measures that resulted in a major worldwide restructuring of its operations. In case of its European unit, it faced stiff opposition when it tried to close it manufacturing facilities in Germany and UK. Going forward, GM had to take into account political factors when it shortlisted possible suitors for the European unit. The world recession brought GM to its knees to the extent that it had to file for bankruptcy protection in US courts on June 1, 2009. In the year ending 2008, GM absorbed a 21% decrease in sales in its strongest market, North America and a relatively modest decrease of about 6.5% in the European market. However, these shrinks were partially offset by the growing markets of South America and Asia. The recession had a cyclical and vicious effect on GM’s US sales. With decreased availability of credit, there was a reduced off take of vehicles from dealers. In addition, increasing job losses due to recession meant lesser number potential

Friday, August 9, 2019

Critical Analysis of Mary Wollstonecraft's Vindication Essay

Critical Analysis of Mary Wollstonecraft's Vindication - Essay Example Fragile in the sense that the look up to any man for any comfort. In most cases, women cling to their support like a parasite, desperately demanding for help. Men, therefore, extend their arms or lift up their voices to guard the lovely woman from the jump of a rat, or the frown of a wizened cow; a mousewould be a serious threat. A Vindication of the rights of women is about fighting for the rights of women and their education. Throughout the book, it is evident that the weaker sex of mankind also has natural talents and should not be placed into competition with men and their abilities. Human nature is essentially good and is able to change its attitude towards prevailing situations on women. One of the main points in the book states that marriage should not be based on desire (Wollstonecraft, 1992). On degradation, the book is critical in blaming the male point of view and their conception of the society. Women should not be viewed as wives or sensible mothers but pleasing mistresses instead. Wollstonecraft was aware that could not instill a culture of independence from women the same way she was, she was determined to develop wiser and more independent women. Tyranny: To put forward the tyranny of man. Arguments have been put forward that are aimed at proving that men are superior to women. The two sexes are seen as being different from each other and that women are inferior. Women are not expected to possess enough strength of mind so as to be able to have virtue. From birth, women are told to take advice from their mothers (Wollstonecraft, 2009). On degradation, Wollstonecraft says that the society views women as being naturally weak women need rational education before they can be judged moral beings; if they were regarded primarily as sexual, they could not be fully human. Discrimination against women can only be remedied by the cultivation of female intellect, however, intellectual equality still need to be proven.

Computers Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Computers Systems - Essay Example The PMS software provides for reservations, guest accounting, sales and catering applications, travel agent accounting, engineering management, and interfaces to central reservation and global distribution systems. The S&C software enables hotel sales staff to evaluate, reserve and invoice meetings and related events for a property. The CRS software allows hotels to coordinate, process, track, and analyze hotel room reservations at a central facility for electronic distribution to the appropriate lodging site. The CIS software allows hotels to efficiently capture and track relevant information of guests. The RMS software allows hotels to manage room rates, occupancy, and the mix of business between corporate and transient customers. The software systems run on PCs. MICROS also offers an Internet based hotel reservation service through its subsidiary called myfidelio.net. This subsidiary's service enables corporations, tourist representation services and consumers to create room reservations directly with Rydges hotel thereby bypassing third party reservation systems. MICROS market its hotel products under the MICROS-Fidelio brand name. The systems run on industry standard Intel-based PCs. The adoption of a complete software suite called Opera has led ... Opera is designed to run on PCs and large PC based servers. All the products are designed to share a common Oracle database. Opera will run under these three operating systems: Microsoft Windows(NT, 2000 and XP), IBM AIX, and Sun Solaris. The Opera software suite is deemed an important product line for Micro's continued growth in the hotel information systems market. The next generation product for European users of Fidelio Version 6.0 and 7.0 is Version 8.0, which is currently being developed in Hamburg, Germany. This product contains certain Internet based features and utilizes the Windows operating system with an Oracle database. Advantages Of GenaRes Engine: Rydges web site is "Powered by GenaRes," thus gaining seamless access to the hotel's central reservation system, providing real-time rates, availability and reservation booking capabilities to web site visitors. GenaRes' Internet booking engine system enables hotel companies to quickly and effectively implement Internet booking capabilities into their web sites without making expensive technology investments. Internet Booking Engine (Companies) are not all the Same Besides the obvious differences in the actual look and feel of the booking engine, there are many things to consider when selecting a company to provide this technology. Every hotelier wants to see GDS reservations move from expensive travel agent driven, airline system bookings to their own hotel web site and that is evident with Rydges Five Star Hotel. However, for the foreseeable future, they will continue to play a dominant role in online travel bookings. GenaRes not only provides great hotel booking engine technology, but also provides a single, easy-to-use, browser-based system that gets you into the GDS travel channel, and lets you