Pleasant Co. Essay

Pleasant Co. manufactures specialty bike accessories. The company is known for product quality, and it has offered one of the best warranties in the industry on its higher-priced products—a lifetime guarantee, performing all the warranty work in its own shops. The warranty on these products is included in the sales price. Due to the recent introduction and growth in sales of some products targeted to the low price market, Pleasant is considering partnering with another company to do the warranty work on this line of products, if customers purchase a service contract at the time of original product purchase. Pleasant has called you to advise the company on the accounting for this new warranty arrangement. Instructions If your school has a subscription to the FASB Codification, go to log in and prepare responses to the following. Provide Codification references for your responses. (a) Identify the accounting literature that addresses the accounting for the type of separately priced warranty that Pleasant is considering. (b) When are warranty contracts considered separately priced? (c) What are incremental direct acquisition costs and how should they be treated? SOLUTION (a)FASB ASC 605-20-25 addresses how revenue and costs from a separately priced extended warranty or product maintenance contract should be recognized. (b)An Extended Warranty is an agreement to provide warranty protection in addition to the scope of coverage of the manufacturer’s original warranty, if any, or to extend the period of coverage provided by the manufacturer’s original warranty. Product Maintenance Contracts are agreements to perform certain agreed-upon services to maintain a product for a specified period of time. The terms of the contract may take different forms, such as an agreement to periodically perform a particular service a specified number of times over a specified period of time, or an agreement to perform a particular service as the need arises over the term of the contract. Separately Priced Contracts are agreements under which the customer has the option to purchase an extended warranty or a product maintenance contract for an expressly stated amount separate from the price of the product. FASB ASC 605-20-20-20 (Glossary) (c)Costs that are directly related to the acquisition of a contract and that would have not been incurred but for the acquisition of that contract (incremental direct acquisition costs) shall be deferred and charged to expense in proportion to the revenue recognized. All other costs, such as costs of services performed under the contract, general and administrative expenses, advertising expenses, and costs associated with the negotiation of a contract that is not consummated, shall be charged to expense as incurred. FASB ASC 605-20-25-4

First 48 vs. Cold Case Files

First 48 vs. Cold Case Files There are many different types of murder shows. I have two that are my favorite shows to watch. Both are reality shows, because I lose interest quickly when it is not about things that are really happening. As you know the news never tells you everything about what happens. First 48 is the name of the first one. It focuses on the present murders and the detectives that work the crime scene. It is set in the first forty-eight hours after the crime has been committed.The second show, Cold Case Files is a show that focuses on old murder case, that have went on for years without being solved. They both deal in murders though differently. Both shows have the detectives, and they both give details the news would not release. My most favorite is the First 48 this show follows homicide detectives in real life investigations. The main idea behind naming the show First 48 is, after the first forty eight hours the chances of solving a murder are cut in half. First 4 8 focuses on the perpetrator of the crime, witnesses, the discovery of the bodies as it happens, and with real footage.With First 48 unfortunately not all the cases get solved by the end of the show. The show goes to the top police departments in the United States, such as Miami, Birmingham, Vegas, and Memphis just to name a few. The detectives show you how the case develops as the hours tick down. At the bottom of the screen the views are notified with a clock counting down. You get to see the arrest and the interrogation of the perpetrator as it happens. They also show the viewer interviews as they happen with the witness, families, and friends of the victim.Most of the crime on First 48 happens in bad neighborhoods, so sometimes the detectives run into obstacles because the witnesses are scared for their life. Occasionally in better neighborhoods witnesses are more willing to help detectives, and the case gets solved quickly. The viewer gets to see the pain, anger and loss from f amily and friends of the victim as if you were there. It can be hard to watch some of the cases because they are so sad to see such young people lose their lives to gang and drug violence. I remember an episode where there was a little girl that was nine years old and she was a witness to her parent murder.The offender walked into the house, and shot everyone in the house. There were four kids and two adults and the nine year was the only was the only survivor. It was so disturbing at the end to find out that it was her uncle that was the perpetrator. In contrast to First 48, Cold Case Files is about cases that have â€Å"gone coldâ€Å". A case that has gone cold is a case that has been unsolved for years. Cold Case Files also takes you through the investigation process, they do cases from everywhere in the United States.They use new technology and old-fashion police work to find the killers who think the hunt is off, but what they don’t know is that just because a case go es cold that doesn’t mean it is closed. The show takes you step by step to see-through the methods used to catch the murders. They investigate each piece of existing evidence, the witnesses, and all the old leads with modern technology. Cold Case Files also has interviews with the family, police officers, some from when the crime happened, and some from now about what happened then.They have interviews with the new detectives on the case that have solved the cases. It also does reenactments of the crimes, and some may be a little graphic for some people. I watched an episode where was a lady and her boyfriend who were in their back yard getting ready for a vacation. She left her ex-boyfriend because he was an abusive man. As they were gathering their belongings up, her ex snuck up on them and shot them both in the face at close range. Her boyfriend died on the scene, but she survived. Her ex was on the run for thirty years.This episode showed pictures of her face before, imme diately after, and thirty years later after his conviction. The cold cases always get solved before the end of the show. The cases range from crimes of passion, murder for money, to serial murders. The narrator helps fill in gaps of information and helps to move the viewer along with the cases, his name is Bill Kurtis. The show was also nominated for prime time Emmy’s in 2004 and 2005. As you can see they are both great show with many similarities and big differences which I will go into detail for you now. First, both shows are about solving murders.Although, each does it in totally different ways, with the First 48 the crimes are murders that have happened in the last few years. Whereas, Cold Case Files, it is totally about cases that have gone cold for several years. They both have homicide detectives that solve and work the cases. Though in First 48 you get to know the detectives personally, with Cold Case Files they do not get personal with their detectives. With Cold Ca se Files they deal with murders around the United States. They have both been nominated for awards, and have wonderful narrators, such as Bill Kurtis for Cold Case Files.As you can see both First 4and Cold Case Files can easily catch a viewer attention because they are very suspenseful. On First 48 it really sad to me to know there are so many murders that happen from day to day. Whereas, for Cold Case Files it is remarkable how many murders go unsolved. See how long some murderers’ walk around free in our world not having to pay for their crimes, which they have committed. All of the things that are different and alike about First 48 and Cold Case Files are the reason I like them so much.

Marketing Strategy of Samsung in India

Section B Submitted by –Harsh Golan About Samsung: The Samsung Group is a multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea. It is the world's largest conglomerate by revenue. The Samsung Group is composed of numerous international affiliated businesses, most of them united under the Samsung brand including Samsung Electronics, the world's largest electronics company, Samsung Heavy Industries, the world's second largest shipbuilder and Samsung C, a major global construction company. Samsung has been the world's most popular consumer electronics brand since 2005 and is the best known South Korean brand in the world. Samsung Group accounts for more than 20% of South Korea's total exports and is the leader in many domestic industries, such as the financial, chemical, retail and entertainment industries. Samsung India Electronics Private Limited (SIEL) is the Indian subsidiary of the US $55. 2 billion Samsung Electronics Corporation (SEC) headquartered in Seoul, Korea. Headquartered in New Delhi, SAMSUNG India has widespread network of sales offices all over the country. SAMSUNG India is the hub for SAMSUNG’s South West Asia Regional operations. The South West Asia Headquarters looks after the SAMSUNG business in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives and Bhutan besides India. SAMSUNG India which commenced its operations in India in December 1995 enjoys a sales turnover of over US$ 1Bn in just a decade of operations in the country. From being a virtually unknown entity in the Year 1995, brand SAMSUNG today enjoys an awareness level of over 65% and a positive opinion of over 80% in the country today (source: BAS 2007). Initially, a player only in the Color Televisions segment, it later diversified into color monitors (1999) and refrigerators (2003). Today, it is recognized as one of the fastest growing brands in the sphere of digital technology. SIEL is the market leader in high end digital television (Plasma, LCD). STP APPROACH OF SAMSUNG: Segmentation: Segmenting is the process of dividing the market into segment based on customer characteristics & needs. Segmenting consists of: 1. Geographic segmentationation: it is nearly present in 14 countries but has maintained a nearly same price and quality tag worldwide. 2. Demographic segmentation: it has motto of ‘everyone’s invited’ so it produces goods for nearly every segment, from tech-savvy to gamers to middle class family. It has something in sort for you. Targeting: Is the process of focusing on a particular market with a particular product . ?LOCAL MARKET ?TEIR 1 CITIES ?TEIR 2 CITIES NICHE MARKET. Samsung produces goods for both tier1 and tier 2 cities and its nearly all electronic goods are available in both cities. The differences can be seen is the in tier1 cities it has exclusive Samsung showrooms while in tier2 and below cities it usually shares counter with other competitors . Also goods like smart phones and android phones, expensive models of TVs like 3d etc are found in tier1 cities . in tier2 and below cities it becomes a mass producer of electronic items at reasonable cost. Positioning: Samsung has positioned itself as â€Å"Digital technology leader†. In 1990 group chairman, Kun-Hee Lee(Lee), initiated transformation from a low-end OEM into a world-class electronics company and now Samsung came to be perceived as a company with exciting product portfolio. TOP Olympic Sponsor for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and Olympic Partner for the 2008 Olympic Torch Relay. Manavjit Singh Sandhu was its Olympic Brand Ambassador and launched the program ‘Spread the Olympic Flame' ? APPOINTS OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST ABHINAV BINDRA AS BRAND AMBASSADOR FOR ITS CONSUMER ELECTRONICS BUSINESS ? APPOINTS AAMIR KHAN AS ITS BRAND AMBASSADOR FOR MOBILE PHONES ? New, spunky, tagline – ‘Next is What? ’ It is being used in all of ‘Samsung Mobiles' communication material. Product Strategy: Samsung Electronics India manufactures a wide range of consumer electronics and home appliances. These products include: 1)Mobile phones with the accessories, )Television, Audio player, Video player, 3)Camera, Camcorder, 4)Home appliances, 5)PC, Peripherals and Printers. In the mobile phone industry, Samsung has the second largest share in the market with 19. 6% as per November 2010 consensus. The mobile phone market share is shown in Annexure 1. In the Indian mobile market, Samsung is the second largest player after Nokia with product line extending to over fifty products. The product line includes some of the most preferred mobile phones like Samsung Guru series, Corby series and many more. Recently Samsung has launched its Samsung galaxy series in the Indian market. Samsung is also into manufacturing televisions, audio players, video players, blu-ray players, home theatres and multimedia players. In India, Samsung is the first to bring the concept of LED technology in televisions. Samsung’s products, in this category, are known for their innovativeness and technology . These products are the first preference of the consumers who seek technology at an affordable cost. Samsung also manufactures digital cameras and camcorders. This product category includes world class products like Samsung NX series. Samsung digital cameras offer a diverse product line equipped with the most sought after features. Samsung cameras have always been recognized for their fine technology and optical innovations in such things as auto focus and â€Å"optical zoom† capabilities. These products, though, high on technology are an affordable option for those who have an edge for their photography hobbies. In the home appliances segment, Samsung manufactures refrigerators, microwave ovens, smart ovens, air conditioners and washing machines. All of these products define Samsung’s competitiveness and vision in terms of product innovations like silver nanotechnology, twin cooling etc. At present, Samsung is the leading home appliances manufacturer and many of products are the best in their respective sub-segments. Personal computers, peripherals and printers are also the part of Samsung’s innovative and high-end technology product line. These include laptop notebooks, VDAs, music speakers, Internal and external hard drives, optical disc drives and printers. Though, Samsung is not yet a leader in this segment but its inclination of high end technology shows into these products also. For Samsung, there is still scope for improving their products quality in the Indian market. The products sometimes develop technical flaws like display in the mobiles, gas kit leakages in frost-free refrigerators etc which are to be improved. Since, Samsung competes on the basis of the innovation and technology in the current market scenario; this plays a very important role in their major sales not only in India but in the whole world as a whole. As far as the after product service of Samsung is concerned, it needs major improvement in terms of contacting with customers. Since service is intangible, it needs to be provided as quickly as possible. Reducing the retention time in providing value to the customers can add to big advantage for Samsung considering the current market conditions. Place strategy: Samsung electronics employs different place strategies for different products. When we talked to marketing representative he said the whole of Samsung electronics India has divided its distribution systems into various regions on basis of demand and number of dealers per region for example we visited what he called the vidharba region. Samsung uses supply chain to enhance differentiation, increase sales and penetrate new markets and channels. It efficient supply chain is transparent, so that all the players in the supply chain have the right information at the right time about the movement of the products within the chain. This means lower inventories, elimination of waste, and reductions of costs. In addition to the intangible benefits like quick feedback from customers help in launching new products. Samsung has 24 state-level distribution offices and a direct dealer interface. The direct dealer interface helps the company to get quick feedback from dealers, and enables it to launch products according to consumer needs. Samsung also believes in JIT (Just-in-Time) concept to its dealers. To minimize time overruns, Samsung delivered its products directly from its factories to its Regional Dispatch Centers (RDCs) and from there to dealers. SIEL is having three types of distribution system: 1)A one-level channel contains one selling intermediary, such as retailer. 2)A two-level channel contains two intermediaries. In consumer markets, these are a wholesaler and a retailer. 3)A three-level channel contains three intermediaries. Other strategies: †¢Shop-in-shop: Samsung is ensuring a presence in most big malls and multiplexes; even in the multi-brand outlets, as the focus there is to create a shop-in-shop atmosphere. In the shops where we conducted studies we found around 30-50% of counter share was of Samsung. Thus Samsung believes in â€Å"jo dikhta he vo bikta he†. †¢The exclusive showrooms: Samsung India has set up a widespread network of over 80 exclusive showrooms comprising Samsung Digital home (focusing on high-end digital audio-video products such as MP3 players, camcorders and LCD/plasma/3D TVs). The Samsung Digital home goes beyond the concept of a Digital Plaza or a Brand Shop because in it, they are trying to create a more interactive environment and providing a more lifestyle orientation to the display, so that the customer can visualize the products in his/her own home settings. Samsung will add another 30 showrooms to its existing 100-odd this year. Over the next few months, the existing Samsung Digitall Homes will all be rebranded Samsung Plaza, in keeping with the global practice. Until now, India was the only market where Samsung followed a dual showroom strategy – larger (2,500 sq ft and more) outlets were dubbed Samsung Digitall Home, while smaller showrooms were called Samsung Plaza. It is not just about a name change, though. Samsung India also wants uniformity in appearance and sales experience at each of these showrooms – that means an emphasis on product demonstration, not just display. Pricing Strategy: Samsung believes in providing good products at reasonable prices to its customers. Samsung’s technology plank communications helped the company to gain market share, even though it did not offers any discounts or exchange scheme when it entered India. Samsung focuses on cost-cutting measures to keep its price low which helps to combat the discount schemes of the local companies. Samsung drastically reduced its operational costs which enabled the company to keep low prices for certain products and extract higher profit margin from premium products. Samsung India posted revenue of $2. 2 billion last year and this is expected to go up to $3. 5 billion this calendar year. Samsung’s global revenue is $116. 8 billion. The focus of its competitors is to penetrate in the rural and semi-urban mass markets. But Samsung insists that it's a high end technology driven player. That's why the urban areas are still a focus area for it and only 30 per cent of revenue comes from rural and semi-urban India. Howsoever in past few years samsung India.. Deputy Managing Director, Ravinder Zutshi says â€Å"Still, focusing on the premium customer will get you only so far – India is still a market powered by volume-growth the current strategy is to gain greater reach among the masses – not through pricing, but through product innovation†. he vehemently rejects the price warrior tag, though. â€Å"Samsung is not a price warrior but today we are as competitively priced as our rivals. The focus is on expansion and deeper market penetration,† he adds â€Å"We are aiming at market leadership not only in the premium category of products but also mass categories like flat televisions† It is difficult to achieve the ambitious targets keeping in mind the pricing strategy of Samsung. But, they believe that it takes time to ensure your supremacy in market share. Once you get your brand perception right in the minds of the consumers as a brand that delivers the best technology and gives you value for money, then ultimately market share goes up. Now Samsung has changed its policy a bit and instead of just remaining a high-end technology driven brand it tried to change its image to sell products to the huge number of middle income families in India. It started pricing its products on the â€Å"value for money† concept, keeping in mind the price sensitivity of Indian consumers. But still Samsung has the repute of being a premium brand, aggressive in launching newer models with the latest technology and at economic costs throughout the world. Promotion Strategy: â€Å"Turn on Tomorrow† â€Å"We are investing aggressively in marketing to transform our company to be truly market driven and to establish our Samsung brand as the most trusted and preferred brand in the market. † – Vice-chairman & CEO, Samsung Electronics Promotion stands for various activities the company undertakes to communicate and promote its products to the target market. The Making of a Global Brand When Samsung decided to become globalized, it acquired a new corporate identity by changing its logo and that of the group. In the new logo, the words Samsung Electronics were written in white color on a blue color background to represent stability, reliability and warmth. The words Samsung Electronics were written in English in process of globalization drive. The logo was shaped elliptical representing a moving world – symbolizing advancement and change†¦ To capture the retail market for consumer electronic goods, such as TVs, washing machines and microwave ovens, it formed partnerships with retailing giants like Best Buy. Advertising and Promotional Strategies To promote the ideas, goods or services advertising is important and in this course it launched promotion depicting product transformation into more advanced models, in course of time. This depicts the importance that they give to the research and development and making people understand that they are not just trend followers but are trend setters. Samsung launched corporate advertisements highlighting its technologically superior goods as they entered into the Indian market, and positioned itself in the mindset of consumer as the products are known for its quality like: †¢Samsung branded its products as superior technology and environment friendly ones with refrigerators and ACs incorporate with revolutionary new technology called Silver Nano Health System that ensures freshness and bacteria free environment. Also, it launched the â€Å"Bio† range of products. †¢Launched a special marketing campaign for Flat Tvs including a focused advertising campaign â€Å"Duniya Hai Gol, TV Flat† and attractive exchange offers. Adding to these, Samsung launches an extensive ad campaign in all sorts of media (like print, electronic) whenever a new product is being launched. These create public awareness and add to these media hoarding at major junctions and displays at point of purchases are done. Also, it offers special incentives like price off, patronage rewards, etc during festival season in order to create an incentive to buy the product, and a special ambience is created during the festive offers at the point of purchases to give the feel of Indian nativity of the company. Samsung built trust and confidence by their active promotion and advertising. Associations with various others across the world made the globally known and built its image on its association. †¢The partnership between Samsung mobile and SSAFW (Sanlam South African Fashion Week) shows the fusion of art, fashion and technology. It radiates technological elegance and stylish panache, by joining forces off SSAFW and enhances techno-fashion centered brand. †¢Samsung India associated itself with the ruling passion of Indian consciousness: Cricket. It launched a Team Samsung campaign, which caught the imagination of the entire campaign. Also, in 2004 it bought biggest spectacle debate of this decade to India vs Pakistan cricket series – â€Å"The Samsung Cup†. †¢Not confining itself to cricket, Samsung sponsors the Indian contingent to the Olympics and the Asian Games. It also ran training programmes for deserving Indian athletes under the Olympic Ratna banner. Samsung also helped India to bring the Olympic torch relay to India. †¢Samsung also brings the World Cyber Games, which is regarded as the Olympics of the Cyber World to India every year. †¢In mobile phones, Samsung tied up with a noted painter Satish Gujral for his paintings to be available as downloads on Samsung mobile phones. †¢Product placements were done in movies and popular television serials where Samsung products were set in lifestyle environments. For microwaves, Samsung ran a Kitchen-on-Wheels programme where mobile kitchens with microwave ovens went to various localities demonstrating the advantage of microwave cooking. Sports Partnership (Globally): †¢Samsung sponsored Olympic Winter Games in 1998 and will officially sponsor bOlympic Games and Olympic movements for the next 8 years and this would only enhance their global image. Samsung was official sponsor of telecommunications equipment category from 1998 to 2010. †¢Sponsors of English premiership club Chelsea FC, the premiership known globally and attract a good number of audiences all across the globe. Samsung also signed a partnership deal with Mexican football Team Club Deportivo Guadalajara for six years in 2008 and provides plasma and LCD screens for team’s new stadium Estadio Chivas, indirectly promoting the brand. †¢ In 2009, signed a 3 year deal with Brazillian Football Team Palmeiras, having their logo on shirts and products to the club. †¢Samsung Super League with International Federation for Equestrain Sports and FEI Nations Cup, the world’s oldest and best renowned equestrian series. †¢Also sponsors rugby league team Sydney Roosters in Australian National Rugby League. It is the sponsor of Essendon Football club in A – League. †¢Sponsor of NASCAR Nextel Cup, French People’s Baseball Team, running festival in Taiwan, and professional StarCraft team (Samsung Khan). †¢Official HDTV sponsor of the National Football League (NFL). †¢Official IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) partner of 2009 (Berlin, Germany) and 2011 (Daegu, South Korea), IAAF World Championships in Athletics and 2010 IAAF world Indoor Championships. Brand Ambassador: Samsung in India have various brand ambassadors for various divisions. Aamir Khan for mobiles, Priyanka Chopra has been recently chosen as brand ambassador for home appliances, Olympic Gold Medalist Abhinav Bindra for consumer electronic business. Aamir Khan was apart a various ad campaigns like Next is What, Wave, Galaxy series and so on. He is known in the industry as Mr. Perfect and they are using that indirectly to show that their mobiles are perfect. Also as Samsung is sponsor for Olympics the image of Abhinav Bindra, who is the first Indian individual Gold Medallist at Olympics. Annexure 1: Annexure 2: Samsung Product Line Samsung India product line as on the Samsung India website: The product line has been divided into five main categories as shown in the above figure. The mobile phone category has been divided into eight different sub-categories: The Tv/Audio/Video category is divided into five sub-categories: The Camera/Camcorder category contains: The Home appliances category has five main sub-categories: The PC/Peripherals category includes:

Revolt of the masses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Revolt of the masses - Essay Example According to the Revolt of the Masses by Jose Ortega the masses has been described in detailed to mean a multitude that is considered through the numbers. He accounts for the masses as a collection of numbers that are discriminative against the minority. He depicts on a new sociological order that he referred to as the masses, which he also says is not a just an ordinary person and is not associated with any particular caste or class. The description he gives to the masses is that they are those people who are products of historical development of the European nations, those who were born for the first time in Europe.According to the description of Ortega to the masses is not enjoyable as he describes them as those who cannot be described by any discipline.The description Ortega gives to the masses is that they posses no quality that can be related to excellence and as he borrows from Goethe, he describes them as ‘to live as one pleases is plebian’.He assets that the mas s man demands more than what is suppose to be accorded to them and have a feeling that it is their right to have it when only a century ago,a group of people considered minority considered that a privilege. The contribution of Ortega in this case shows that he concluded that the nineteenths century provided grounds for the development of a unique lot that would constitutes a dominant social force come the twentieth century.This he said was not going to be a conduit for the development of aristocratic culture that had been the culture for a number the entire millennium. Who are the minorities? Contrary to the masses, Ortega had a different consideration for the minorities whom he described as those with qualifications unlike the masses whom he considered not to be qualified. Ortega considers the minorities to be the most progressive people in the society and who endeavors to create stability in the way socio-political issues are managed. Whereas the masses are ignorant about what the y should demand for, the minorities consider those that are demanded by the masses to be privileges (Gasset 111). The minorities are conscious of very many things in the societal set up and are perceived to be progressive in their dealings, which is pure contrary to the masses. The minority are considered to be better that the masses because they are more qualified, they use their qualification to rationalize issues and are involved in transcending the culture of totalitarianism and authoritarianism. The minority have dedicated their efforts to ensure that there is ne order in the society that allows for justice for all, a system that will provide a level field for dealing with all people irrelevant of the societal status. These qualities were depicted by Ortega and decided to consider the minority as the most preferred people against the masses that seems to be mindful about themselves. Conclusion and assessment of Ortega’s View A careful read of Ortega’s literature w ould give one a sense of understanding of what the mass man is, Ortega describes the mass man as one who is self centered and do not have a feeling of the rest, they do not want to appreciates other culture or see them prosper and knowledgeable on anything. They are very discriminative on everything the minority does; a classical example that can be related in this case is the presence of the Jews in Germany, the Jews were considered the minorities in and faced the most brutal discrimination in the world. Under the leadership of Adolf Hitler who also was a staunch Nazi sympathizer, most of the Jews in Germany were persecuted in millions and one incidence that can be quoted in this case is the holocaust incidence in which million of the people were killed. Ortega’s views in the Revolt of the Masses clearly explained the aggression tendency of the masses towards the minority. Ortega explanation of the masses was later manifested in Europe when the minorities were discriminated against,

HIS-102-Western Civ Post 1689 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

HIS-102-Western Civ Post 1689 - Assignment Example It is also important to note that parliamentary monarchy is bound to constructional provisions of the state, but there are power exceptions in the event of constitutional crisis (Witmer 42). United Kingdom is a good example of a parliamentary monarch. Political absolutism is organized like a monarchy, but political power is unlimited and centralized to the ruler. In other words, the political leader has authority over the state. Absolutism lacks constitutional provisions, thereby directing governance and leadership to the discretion of the political leader. Examples of absolutism include Nazi Germany and North Korea’s political system. In most cases, political absolutism exhibits critical practices of dictatorship. In a parliamentary monarchy, one family could dominate the monarch for centuries while elective positions are shared by the legislature. On the other hand, political absolutism is likely to result in the violation of human rights. In this respect, a parliamentary monarchy is better than political absolutism because it is constitutional in

1st Warren Buffet and 2nd Hershey Foods Case Study

1st Warren Buffet and 2nd Hershey Foods - Case Study Example Value investors like Buffet target such companies because they have been undervalued in the market. This causes unusual shift of stock investment in the company. When this happens, the values of such companies are deflated and that is when a value investor strikes. The intrinsic value is a company’s stocks, assets and product value. This value may or may not be the same as the current market value. Intrinsic value is different from stock price in the sense that stock price is not used to determine the intrinsic value of a company. A company’s stock price in the stock market might be high or low when analyzed based on intrinsic value. Despite the benefits of acquiring undervalued companies, Value investors, so much consumed in finding ‘value’ in the stock market generally fail to notice some big risks that misguide in making judgments. Such risks include â€Å"value traps† where stocks of a company continue to fall. The other risk is the fact that the returns may be lower that the investment growth. Apart from that, determining the intrinsic value is subjective and varies. This is due to the fact that there are no standard criteria to determine it. Decision can be made based on findings from one analyst and this might turn out to be wrong. Through his multinational holding company Berkshire Hathaway, Buffet has invested in major corporations all over the world. These include; GEICO insurance, National Indemnity Company, Justin Brands, Nebraska Furniture Mart , American Express, The Coca Cola Company, Wells Fargo and Company among others. American Express is one of America’s leading credit card service providers. Buffet owns 14.8% of this finance corporation. Over the past months, the company lost partnership with Costco wholesale that opted to start working with Visa. The loss at Costco is more substantial, but the partnership contract is valid till early 2016. Berkshire has increased its equity share

Business law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business law - Essay Example However, the Council may not be held liable for the losses of 50,000 pounds that Burton is trying to claim in the form of lost profits. The original neighbor principle mandating a general duty of care towards others on the basis of owing consideration to one’s neighbor, was set out in the case of Donaghue v Stevenson.1 This was later refined in the case of Caparo v Dickman2 where the scope of the duty of care was refined on the basis of three principles: (a) was there a relationship of sufficient proximity between the plaintiff and the defendant? (b) Was the damage caused to the plaintiff reasonably foreseeable? (c) Is it just and reasonable to impose a duty of care? This may be applied in the case of both Abi and Burton, who have suffered damages in the form of repairs needed for their homes, with Abi also sustaining injuries. Abi is a local resident of the area and Burton’s is a local business, therefore the Council is responsible for ensuring their safety by maintaining the flood barrier. Secondly, the damage caused is likely to be held to be reasonably foreseeable because Hanby Borough Council is responsible for maintaining flood defenses along the river and were told to improve the defenses. Since a flood had occurred before, it is reasonable to assume that such damages occurring in the future would have been a foreseeable event and therefore the Council may be held to be negligent in failing to complete repairs quickly. Lastly, the Court may indeed deem it just and reasonable to impose a duty of care in this case, since the negligence of the Council has resulted in damages caused to the premises of both Abi and Burton, as well as fu rther injuries to Abi while she was being rescued which required hospitalization. The underlying core for the establishment of the principles wherein negligence has been held to be legally liable under the principles spelt out in the cases above, is the sentiment of moral wrong doing for which the offender is to be held

How technology, with particular emphasis on the internet and Essay

How technology, with particular emphasis on the internet and computers, has changed world culture - Essay Example However after the introduction of automobiles it can be seen that even the third world countries of Pakistan and Bangladesh have started using them. People nowadays prefer travelling in automobiles than travelling in these carriages. Computers and internet similarly have had a huge impact on the cultural values of people. Previously people believed in interacting with each other through different means but never was it known that these people would interact through the digital world soon. After the introduction of computers, internet has evolved as a massive force controlling a group of the society. People interact through internet so easily that many prefer using it as a medium for interacting other than anything. Previously the culture of meeting in real was common for people however as times have changed it can be seen that the culture has also changed. With the evolvement of internet social networking websites have been given a way to change the culture previously prevalent. Face book, MySpace and Twitter are some examples of these networking sites which allow people to interact through the digital world. People usually prefer sitting at their homes and interacting with their friends and family members through these networking sites. It is here that a conflict arises between the new culture and the old culture.

Swallows and Amazons Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Swallows and Amazons - Essay Example Most of these works discuss the sensitive and controversial themes such as drugs, teenage pregnancy, political events and physical attack and abandoned children. â€Å"An inevitable consequence of the way that children’s literature came in to being was that a certain restraint has been imposed on children’s writers in the realist condition when it comes to topics such as terror, politics and sex† ( Hunt, 1990). Middle of the nineteenth century is often regarded the golden age of children’s literature in English. During this period most of the children’s literary works gave emphasis to children’s happiness and imagination. Child adventures and wanderings were an inevitable part of child life in most of the European countries during 18th and 19th centuries. In this paper the researcher makes a comparative study about the use of realism and fantastic in three novels. Swallows and Amazons is the first book in a series of children’s books written by Arthur Ransom. In his novel Arthur Ransom demonstrates the world of adventure by the Walker and Blacket children. Analyzing the novel Swallows and Amazons a reader can find that the author depicts the most realistic dishonesty of childhood and the conflict between youthful imagination and reality. Critics notice that a reader can see the extensive features of both the characters and the events can be traced back to the events in the author’s life. Most of the places mentioned in the novel are the places where Ransom spent his childhood. The novelist has succeeded in creating a sense of reality and authenticity in his work. Middle part of the novel novelist gives the image of an unknown island and also a series of adventures which symbolizes the geographical explorations which happened in 15th and 16th century. The children reach an unknown island and they call it Wild Cat Island. Events of sailing, camping, fishing,

Jesus and Mary Essay Example for Free

Jesus and Mary Essay During the last forty years, there has been an increased desire between Catholics and other Christians to discuss the theological positions that have separated us. The Catholic Church’s teachings on Mary have been a crucial element in the discussions that have taken place. There are many hopeful signs of mutual understanding, including a new appreciation for the Scriptural and Patristic presentations of Mary, as well as the writings, homilies and hymns of the Reformers on Mary. There is a better understanding of what the Catholic Church actually teaches about Mary as well as a better appreciation by Catholics of the theological questions that are raised by other Christians regarding Mary. In this environment, scholars from different traditions have reflected upon Mary’s role as a collaborator of God in salvation history as well as her role in the Communion of Saints. One very significant effort has been that of four Lutheran, four non-Lutheran Protestants and four Catholic Biblical Scholars, which produced the book, Mary in the New Testament, (New York: Paulist, 1978). Other noteworthy ecumenical works on Mary have been: Mary for All Christians by the Anglican theologian, John Macquarrie (1990); Mary through the Centuries, lectures of the noted scholar Jaroslav Pelikan, at Yale University (1996); Mary is for Everyone, papers given at four International Congresses of the Ecumenical Society of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1997); and Blessed One, Protestant Perspectives on Mary, edited by Beverly Roberts Gaventa and Cynthia L. Rigby. In reexamining the writings of the original Reformers, scholars have uncovered more sympathy among the Reformers regarding Mary than succeeding generations may have had, as the divisions hardened between what was Catholic and what was Protestant. Catholics and Protestants might be surprised to learn of Martin Luther’s reverence for Mary, as can be seen in his Commentary on the Magnificat, written in 1521. Between 1983 and 1990, Catholics and Lutheran theologians met to discuss the issues related to intercession, the saints and Mary. The summary of these discussions was published inThe One Mediator, the Saints, and Mary: Lutherans and Catholics in Dialogue VII (1992); Since 1937, Protestant pastors and Catholic priests from France and Switzerland have conducted an ongoing dialogue on ecumenical issues. Initially, they first met at the Cistercian abbey of Notre Dame des Dombes, twenty miles north of Lyons, from which came the name of the group. Presently the group consists of twenty Lutheran or Reformed pastors and twenty Catholic priests. They are a private association, which meets yearly. Over the years, they have issued a number of documents on various theological issues. Between 1991 and 1997, they reflected on Mary’s role in salvation. The English edition of their reflections, Mary in the Plan of God and in the Communion of Saints, was printed in 2002. On February 2, 2004, a document was signed by the members of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC), entitled Mary: Grace and Hope in Christ as a statement of the commission which was then submitted to the Pontifical Commission for Promoting Christian Unity and to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Anglican Consultative Council for further study and evaluation. The document was issued on May 12, 2005, to be used for further study by the churches. It is available on the Vatican website (www.vatican.va) through the Pontifical Council for promoting Christian Unity. While much progress has been made, the efforts at dialogue need to continue. Pope John Paul II, in his Encyclical, Ut Unum Sint, has included the Church’s beliefs about Mary among the five areas where fuller study is needed before there can be consensus in faith.[1] Two of the other areas, which the Pope identifies as principle issues, also relate to Marian dogma: the relationship between Scripture and tradition as well as the role of the Magisterium in teaching and safeguarding the faith.[2] We may ask what we intend to achieve by ecumenism. Is it negotiation by which each group agrees to give up something for the good of accommodating each other? Although some people may assume that this might be the process of ecumenism, the better approach is to strive to seek God’s truth together, wanting to have â€Å"the mind of Christ.† Christian unity will come through humbly seeking the unity that already is in God.[3] Christians who accept the truths of the Trinity and Incarnation must recognize that the Eternal Word was united with human nature in Mary. Mary was the location of the union of the divine and human in the one Person, Jesus. Underlying theological issues related to Marian beliefs: The concerns of non-Catholic Christians about Mary are not related simply to the person of Mary in herself but are related to other fundamental theological truths that served as the basis for the break at the time of the Reformation. Just as there were differences among the reformers there also are differences in the theologies of the various Protestant denominations. There are several key theological concerns which enter into the discussion of Mary. Luther’s approach to the â€Å"Justification† of Mary: Luther views Mary from the perspective of his theological principles by which the human person can never be said to possess any virtuous quality other than faith in the saving power of Jesus. Luther’s teachings on Mary are part of his understanding of the role of the saints in general for him, in which the saints and Mary are examples of what God can do with weak humanity. Luther explains his understanding of Mary within his theology of justification, emphasizing grace: â€Å"Mary also freely ascribes all to Gods grace, not to her merit. For though she was without sin, yet that grace was far too great for her to deserve it in any way. How could a creature deserve to become the Mother of God?†[4] It is noteworthy that Luther speaks of her as being â€Å"without sin.† Luther rejects the notion of merit since he emphasizes that our justification is completely the work of grace. He criticizes Catholic veneration of her as exalting her and so lowering the power of grace. He stresses that Mary does not want us to make an idol of her, stressing her merit, or looking for good things from her but to honor God and have confidence in His grace. [5] The Lutherans in the Lutheran-Catholic Dialogue questioned the practice of attributing virtues other than faith to holy persons based on their conviction that faith alone justifies and that Christ alone makes a person holy: â€Å"In Luthers exposition of the Magnificat, he exalts Mary because she faces her situation by faith alone. An attempt to use Mary or another Christian to extol any other virtue than faith raises the question of undermining living only by faith in Christ.†[6] Luther wrote: â€Å"I say Mary does not desire to be an idol; she does nothing, God does all.†[7] Luthers caution that our attention on Mary should not end with her but be directed to having more confidence in Gods grace may also be understood in a Catholic position. However, Catholics also ascribe all good to God, yet there is a difference in that we believe that God’s grace really changes us and enables to be cooperators with Him in doing good, always relying on His grace. The Catholic position on the way that grace works in our lives was brought out by the Council of Trent: â€Å"Justification consists not only in the forgiveness of sins but also in the sanctification and renewal of the inward being by a willing acceptance of the grace and gifts.† [8] The Council states that while God’s grace initiates and supports any good action, the person can either accept or refuse grace. [9] In 1998, Lutheran and Catholic leaders signed a Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification seeking a greater convergence on the issues of justification. In the Lutheran tradition, God’s initiative is emphasized in justifying us while our response is that of our human freedom moved by grace.[10] If  the acceptance of justification is the first phase, a second phase follows, which is the carrying out of salvation.[11] Luther’s reflection on Mary’s purification in the temple is used by the Dombes Group to locate Mary’s good actions within the experience of being already ‘justified.’ Luther wrote: She was purified†¦although she was not bound by that law and did not need to be purified†¦. She was not justified by this work, but being righteous she did it freely and willingly. So also our works should be done, not that we may be justified by them, since, being justified beforehand by faith, we ought to so all things freely and joyfully for the sake of others.†[12] The Dombes Group seems willing to recognize Mary’s ‘cooperation,’ if it is seen within the perspective of justification by faith. It was because Mary had been justified by grace alone and in faith, that she could be associated with God’s work in Christ. Her ‘cooperation’ was unique in regard to the nature of what she did, for she was the mother of Jesus and raised him. She cooperated in the unique and universal event of salvation. But from the point of view of structure of her status, her ‘cooperation’ was not different from that of every person justified by grace. It was entirely the fruit of the grace of God.[13] As Catholics, we would emphasize both the grace of God in a good action as well as human freedom acting as it is aided by grace. Our cooperation is never separate from God’s help. Issue of human cooperation with God: Karl Barth, from the Reformed or Calvinist perspective, identifies the Catholic teachings on Mary as the prime example of Catholic principle on which â€Å"all their important positions are to be regarded and by which they stand and fall.† Reformed theology emphasizes the principle, sola gratia. According to  Barth, the Catholic teaching on Mary exalts human cooperation: In the doctrine and worship of Mary there is disclosed the one heresy of the Roman Catholic Church which explains all the rest. The mother of God of Roman Catholic Marian dogma is quite simply the principle, type, and essence of the human creature co-operating servantlike (ministerialiter) in its own redemption on the basis of prevenient grace, and to that extent the principle, type and essence of the Church. [14] Barth has accurately noted the relationship Catholics affirm in comparing Mary and the Church, since both the Church and Mary demonstrate creaturely co-operation with grace. He criticizes these Catholic positions on â€Å"creaturely co-operation† which is also related to the role of the church in cooperating with God: Not only does it need Christ, but in all seriousness Christ also needs it. As Mary inevitably co-operates in mans redemption as an intercessory power so does the Church in consummating the sacraments. the Church of the man who co-operates with grace on the basis of grace.[15] In fact, Barth has very accurately identified a fundamental Catholic principle that we cooperate with God. Barth objects to the notion not only of cooperation in good works but also of merit. Actually, the Catholic position is nuanced, taking human cooperation seriously enough to consider that our works are meritorious. Nevertheless, human cooperation has to be seen within the context of the Church’s teachings on the importance of grace in every good work, as Thomas Aquinas explains: â€Å"Man obtains from God as a reward of his operation, what God gave him the power of operation for†[16] John Macquarrie, an Anglican theologian, questions Barths objections by noting that even though ultimately salvation is the work of God, the human person is not a puppet or clay to be molded. As Macquarrie points out, the Marian teaching on the Immaculate Conception, is a clear illustration of salvation as a work of God’s grace since the one being conceived can only receive. Macquarrie points out that during her life Mary had the freedom to respond or not respond to God’s grace: Now it is the human consent and co-operation with God in the work of salvation that come to expression in the career of Mary. Not for a moment can one deny (or would one want to deny) that salvation is from God and is a work of grace, but God does not force His gifts upon us and we can become His covenant partners only if we give our glad and willing assent. [17] As Catholics, we believe, that a woman was preserved from sin by grace, and responded by faith and obedience aided by grace in co-operating in the birth and upbringing of the Son of God. She was made holy by grace but she also freely responded to that grace. As the analogy of Eve/Mary illustrates, Mary’s cooperation was not passive but active. The Dombes Group identified ‘human co-operation’ as an important theological issue. They saw Mary’s cooperation within her relation with the Three Persons of the Trinity: Mary’s ‘cooperation’ is the fruit of an initiative of the Father who looks upon the lowliness of his servant’ (Luke 1:48). It also the fruit of the ‘kenosis’ of the Son who ‘emptied himself†¦and humbled himself’ (Phil 2:7-8). Finally, it is the fruit of the action of the Spirit, who disposes Mary’s heart to be obedient. That is what happened at the moment of her fiat. Mary’s humility is the fruit of the Son’s humility.[18] Intercession: Luther recognizes intercession made to Mary: We ought to call upon her, that for her sake God may grant and do what we request. Thus also all other saints are to be invoked, so that the work may be every way Gods alone.[19] In fact, Luther begins the same homily, asking God to grant him a right understanding: â€Å"†¦through the intercession and for the sake of His dear Mother Mary!†[20] Nevertheless, Luther asserts that we cannot rely on the intercession of another person, â€Å"base your salvation on no other works than those God works in you alone, as you see the Virgin Mary do here. To let the intercessions of others assist you in this is right and proper; we ought all to pray and work for one another. But no one should depend on the works of others, without the works of God in himself.†[21] The Lutheran theologians who took part in the Lutheran-Catholic Dialogue expressed their concern regarding the invocations of the saints and of Mary, which they see as a challenge to the sole mediatorship of Christ, through whom God pours out grace in the Holy Spirit and the â€Å"justifying faith† of the believer.[22] The Lutheran members could accept the saints as examples of Christian life and faith. The Lutherans believe that angels and saints pray for us within the context of Jesus as the one mediator. [23] The Catholic participants in the Lutheran-Catholic Dialogue asserted that the mediation of Mary does not mean that Mary is a source of grace in herself but rather her merciful love is an â€Å"expression and reflection of the mercy of Christ himself.† [24] The Catholic members addressed the question of intercession by saying that Jesus â€Å"is never alone† but is always in the company of His friends, living and dead. Saints illustrate how God’s grace can work in us, they are patterns of holiness and they pray for us. In the Catholic view, we are bonded with millions of other believers throughout the world and throughout time. Those who have preceded us in faith are still connected with us.[25] Catholics see the practice of invoking the saints as an extension of the New Testament practice of intercession (Rom 15:30-32; 2 Cor 1:11; Eph 4:19; Col 4:3) and of the prayer of the righteous (Jas 5:16). Those in heaven have a heightened charity towards those on earth. Marys intercession has exception power because of her divine motherhood. It was recognized that â€Å"prayer† was being used in a broad sense when  directed to Mary and the saints. Protestants had no difficulty with â€Å"praise’ directed to God for the works God has done in Mary. This could even be seen as being done with Mary. For Catholics, intercession was seen as a form of communion. Catholics recognized there have been excesses in Marian piety, which have not been curbed by the Church’s leaders. Nevertheless, the most frequent invocation is to ask Mary to â€Å"pray for us, † in a similar way as the saints are asked to pray for us.[26] Catholics and Protestants agreed that Mary should be honored and God should be praised for the graces given to her. She should be imitated and we should unite ourselves in praising the Father through her. The Protestants were reluctant to invoke her whereas Catholics entrust themselves to her prayers.[27] The Anglican-Catholic Dialogue acknowledged that the English Reformers rejected the notion of the invocation of saints yet the Council of Trent reaffirmed it, emphasizing as it did so that such requests were made to God, â€Å"through his Son our Lord Jesus Christ, who is our sole redeemer and savior† (DS 1821).[28] The Anglican-Catholic document recognized that all ministries in the church, especially those of word and sacrament, mediate the grace of God through human beings. These ministries serve the mediation of Christ and have their power in it. Asking prayers of our brothers and sisters does not diminish the mediatorship of Christ but shows its power through the Spirit.[29] In the experience of communion of prayer, we are aware of the support of those living and dead. With this understanding, it seems that asking saints for prayers is not to be seen as â€Å"unscriptural,† although not directly taught by the scriptures as a required element. Our prayers are not addressed to the saints, but they are asked to pray for us, though this should not be done in a manner that blurs the Trinitarian economy of grace.[30] The authors of the Anglican-Catholic document state: â€Å"Affirming  together unambiguously Christ’s unique mediation, which bears fruit in the life of the Church, we do not consider the practice of asking Mary and the saints to pray for us as communion dividing.†[31]

Dangers of Using Cell Phones while Driving

Dangers of Using Cell Phones while Driving Michael D. Stripling Rationale: The rate at which road carnages are reported have increased significantly especially within the 21st century. Many people have been involved in accidents because of recklessness and inattentiveness in the roads as motorists. Statistics on these establishments creates the need of effective address before further harm and deaths are experienced. Many aspects in life have contributed recklessness relative to phone use by motorists. Theories relative to multitasking, movies, and ideologies devised by cell phone companies are among major contributors to phone use in cars. The young members of society bare the harm of using phones in cars because of misinformation, lack of information or ignorance to road safety measures. The youth are among the population most affected by road carnages and effects. There is need to give information to the youth on the dangers of using cell phones in cars before they engage in driving lessons and eventually driving. The information to the young people is important as it would help inculcate good cultures in driving and being considerate while on roads. The significance of the dangers of using cell phones by motorist is addressing recklessness that contributes to the death of road users through unjustified ways. Through addressing such an issue the importance of road safety will be illuminated. Road carnages have been for long related to vices like drinking and the use of drugs that interfere with cognitive abilities while on the road. This aspect will contribute an understanding of the relationship between using cell phones and using drugs while driving. Therefore, the presentation seeks to enable positive contribution in saving humanity through knowledge on ways to reduce and prevent road accidents. Outline of the Presentation Introduction The changes that have been experienced in the modern society prompting the need for the constant use of cell phones The oblivious nature and ignorance involving drivers of the dangers on road ways. The use of cell phone on own and other people’s lives Insurance Institute of Highway safety stipulates higher chances of motorist indulging car accident based on two reasons. The motorists have to divert attention to the phone’s interface. The motorist gets immersed in the conversation and attention is limited. According to Virginia Tech Transportation Institute and National Highway Traffic Safety. Use of hand-free phones are dangerous compared to hand held phones while driving The excuse of not holding phones while driving to avoid accidents is unjustified. Motorists that use hand-free phones while driving are 18% slower when braking. This stipulates that multitasking is an inconsiderate myth while driving in major roads. Young people are mostly oblivious of the recklessness and are involved in car accidents unjustifiably. Conclusion Cell phones contribute positively and immensely to people’s lives. There is need for care to avoid unjustifiable death on the roads. Introduction The modern society comprises of businessmen, students, lawyers, doctors and people of different occupations. These people have to ensure that they are constantly connected to clients, family and other people of significance in their lives. The popularity of cell phones has ensured a constant connection and updates in the lives of such people. However, most people tend to indulge in the wrong use of cell phones. This is because some people are either forgetful, oblivious or ignorant of the dangers of using cell phones while driving. The chart above stipulates how drastic accident levels are among the young people in the United States of America; which have highest cell phones popularity and usage. The popularity of cell phones has contributed to a culture which is costly to the society based on the number of deaths on roads because of recklessness. Regardless of the urgency of a call, it is not justified to put other people’s lives at risk because of own neglect and perceptions . The prohibition of using cell phones while driving is based on the imminent threats to people lives. According to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, motorists are four times likely to get injured while driving and using their cell phones (Violanti Marshall, 1996). The high possibility of indulging in a car accident while using of cell phones is based on two factors. While dialing, most people have to look at the phone interface. This establishes a distraction from the incoming vehicles or objects, which increases the risk to crashing into an oncoming car or object. Another evident aspect that transpires in the use of cell phones is that people can be absorbed in the cell phone conversation to the extent that their thinking is impaired. This effect is similar to driving while drunk as the driver is not within proper reasonableness to make decisions while on the road. According to the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the use of hand-free phones is also dangerous compared to hand held phones (Rosenboom, 2006). In a study conducted in 2004, the motorists that used hands free phones have to redial approximately 40% of the time compared to the hand held phones by motorists (Rosenboom, 2006). This postulates the unjustified arguments which most people tend to engage as the excuse to use cell phones while driving. According to this research, the use of hand-free phones by motorists is more dangerous compared to the hand held phones. In the cases of near accident experiences, motorists that are on hands free phones are 18% slower in braking compared to those using hand-held phones (Lamble, et al, 1999). This statistic is similar to that of a person driving while intoxicated. These statistics support the ideology that is formed against the conventional knowledge of multitasking. Multitasking is a simple myth which does not suffice on the dangerous roads as truth or wisdom. Talking and driving are both activities that require attention. Therefore, performing both tasks at the same time is subjecting the brain to impossibilities and endangering other road users’ lives. The culture has grown popular especially among the youth who make statistics as they also suffer from road carnages due to recklessness. Conclusion Cell phones are vital gadgets to people’s lives especially in the 21st century where people have the need to be connected constantly. However, despite the convenience they offer, people have to consider the relative negative attributes. In the United States, it is reported that 6.4% of all crashes are because of inattentive driving (Strayer, Et al, 2003). Driving on any road, especially highways, is a matter that should not be taken lightly. This is because many people’s lives including unaware bystanders are dependent on the attentive level of motorist. Responsibility on the roads is a matter that requires the strictest rules against offenders to avoid road carnages. Potential Questions: Q: What are the best and most effective policies that can be implemented during cell phone usage in cars to reduce road accidents? A: Yes, more comprehensive driver education and technology and just 2 ways to improve driver safety. Q: The multitasking myth is commonly associated to females, therefore, are there narrower statistics of cell phones and car accidents relative to victim’s sex? A: There is no conclusive data to suggest that female drivers are any more likely to have an accident than males due to multitasking. Q: Is the level of road accidents set to get higher in the coming future and if so, what is the best way of creating awareness at both national and international levels? A: As the population increases in the coming decades, it is logical to say that road accidents will increase proportionally. One possible way to create awareness is a national campaign akin to the DARE drug awareness program of the 90’s. References Lamble, D., Kauranen, T., Laakso, M., Summala, H. (1999). Cognitive load and detection thresholds in car following situations: safety implications for using mobile (cellular) telephones while driving.Accident Analysis Prevention,31(6), 617-623. Rosenbloom, T. (2006). Driving performance while using cell phones: an observational study.Journal of Safety Research,37(2), 207-212. Strayer, D. L., Drews, F. A., Johnston, W. A. (2003). Cell phone-induced failures of visual attention during simulated driving.Journal of experimental psychology: Applied,9(1), 23. Violanti, J. M., Marshall, J. R. (1996). Cellular phones and traffic accidents: an epidemiological approach.Accident Analysis Prevention,28(2),

Ordinary Control Freaks in Judith Guests Ordinary People Essay

Ordinary Control Freaks in Ordinary People The Most interesting form of Literature is American Literature. Usually dealing with a struggle that must be overcome, American literature deals with real-life situations which one can empathize with. One of the most interesting novels written by an American author is Ordinary People, by Judith Guest. Ordinary People tells the story of an ordinary family struggling to cope with the loss of a family member following a boating accident. Brilliantly written, the novel consists of two narrators- Conrad, the Jarrett family's only son left after the boating accident, and Calvin, Conrad's father. By using two narrators, both Calvin and Conrad's thoughts are revealed. In the novel, Calvin struggles to cope with the loss of his son Buck in the boating accident, and, afterward, Conrad's attempt to commit suicide. Calvin's personality conflicts with his wife's and his peers'. He desires control and order, but, to his dislike, doesn't always have it. Calvin's history was eventful, growing up in a foster home without a father and a mother he scarcely saw, which plays a critical role in his need for control. Growing up in a foster home, Calvin's childhood provided little opportunity to control his life. As a grownup, Calvin desires the control he never had. A good example of Calvin's desire for control is evident in the scene, during breakfast, when Calvin is talking to Conrad about Dr. Berger, a psychiatrist recommended by Conrad's former psychiatrist, Dr. Crawford. Also identifying Calvin's desire for control is Calvin's ambition to be a good father. His desire to be a good father stems from his childhood, where he never had a father. His career was no... .... Calvin's mindset at work has rubbed off on him in his personal life. Many examples can support this claim. A good example of Calvin's work mindset effecting his personal life can be found by his thoughts about Conrad's orthodontist trips in the quote "Strive, strive. Correct all defects" (9). In short, Calvin's desire for control is a trait which is easily identifiable in his personality. Evidence supporting the claim that Calvin desires control and order, but, to his dislike, doesn't always have it is numerous in the novel Ordinary People. Calvin's struggle to overcome his obstacles, including his foster home childhood, the death of his son Buck, and Conrad's suicide attempt, along with the challenges faced by Conrad and Beth allow for very complex and dynamic characters in this excellent example of American literature at its finest.

Critical Analysis Of Young Goodman Brown :: Free Essay Writer

Critical Analysis of Young Goodman Brown   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story of Young Goodman Brown is a reflection of the Puritan faith as well as man’s conflict between good and evil. This analysis will emphasize on the theme of Young Goodman Brown as well Hawthorne’s usage of symbolism and allegories throughout the story.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Literary critic D.M. McKeithan says that the theme of the story is sin and the terrible effect sin has on mankind. McKeithan also believes that the theme to Hawthorne’s; Young Goodman Brown, is based on the ability that evil has to persuade man to do wrong and the falseness of man’s virtues. The protagonist in the story, Brown, journeyed in the woods where he discovered that his Puritan community is not virtuous. Brown discovered that the entire community including his wife, whom is portrayed as being pure, indulges in sin and therefore Brown’s life turns dark due to his loss of hope. Literary critic Mark Van Doren states: “Young Goodman Brown'; means exactly what it says, namely that its hero left his pretty young wife one evening … to walk by himself in a primitive New England woods, the Devil’s territory,…and either to dream or actually to experience (Hawthorne will not say) the discovery that evil exist in every human heart…Brown is changed. He thinks there is no good on earth…Brown, waking from his dream, if it was a dream,…sees evil even where it is not…He had stumbled upon that “mystery of sin'; which, rightly understood, provides the only sane and cheerful view of life there is. Understand in Brown’s fashion, if darkens and sours the world, withering hope and charity, and perverting whatever is truly good until it looks like evil at its worst: like blasphemy and hypocrisy. (Van Doren 234) McKeithan says that Hawthorne is saying that in every human heart there is sin, but the story does not emphasize on sin alone, it emphasizes on the effects of sin. McKeithan states that to interpret Young Goodman Brown, the reader must make the distinction between sin and the effects of sin. Literary critic David Levin says that Brown allows the Devil’s statements about the persecution of Indians and the Quakers allows him to accept the false statements of the Devil. Therefore Brown fails to distinguish the difference between a single person and actions of people as a whole. Levin says that Hawthorne’s way of writing Young Goodman Brown gives a clear interpretation of the meaning.

Walden Two Essay -- essays research papers

Book Title: Walden Two Author: B.F. Skinner Pages: 301 I. SETTING: A. Time: mid 1940’s (after the end of WWII) B. Place: Walden Two, R.D. I, Canton C. Detailed description of the opening scene: Rogers and Steve just returning from war, and looking for a new beginning read an article on a man named Frazier who was planning to begin an experimental utopian society. They immediately become intrigued by the idea. Their interest brought them to the office of Professor Burris, one their former teachers to ask if he knew anything about Frazier, or about the new society Frazier is trying to build. Burris remembers Frazier as a classmate at his graduate school; he recalls his extremist ideas and his dislike for the institution. He also recalls discussions the two had shared about this "Utopian society." Reluctantly Burris agrees to contact Frazier, and sends him a letter. Immediately and enthusiastically he replies inviting Burris’ and his friends to visit the new community he has developed. Burris meets with the two men to inform them of the invitation, and agrees to take time off, to accomp any Rogers and Steve on a visit to "Walden Two," Frazier’s community. Rodger’s girlfriend Barbara, Steve’s girlfriend Mary, and Burris's colleague Castle also accompany them on the visit. II. THEME: a one-sentence statement of the theme of your novel Walden Two was Skinner’s attempt to portray what would occur if behaviorism were used to curve our society, he depicted a solution to the problems of modern life that involved a new beginning, an flee from our current society, and a dismissal of our political and econo... ...cters visiting the Utopian society of Walden Two engage in an abundance of dialogue, in order to discover the spirit and the principles behind this new community of Walden Two. Set speeches by main characters illustrate the points that Skinner wishes to make to the reader. Don't get me wrong, the ideas are challenging and the reading is not painful; there is even some dramatic tension. The thought of a society like Walden Two is intriguing, and the detail used by Skinner gives the reader a clear picture of what this society may look like, and how it operates. Overall the book was good, it was an enjoyable read, and wasn’t like other novels, it was individual. I would recommend this book to anyone who is open- minded, and is intrigued by the operations and possibility of alternate societies. Walden Two Essay -- essays research papers Book Title: Walden Two Author: B.F. Skinner Pages: 301 I. SETTING: A. Time: mid 1940’s (after the end of WWII) B. Place: Walden Two, R.D. I, Canton C. Detailed description of the opening scene: Rogers and Steve just returning from war, and looking for a new beginning read an article on a man named Frazier who was planning to begin an experimental utopian society. They immediately become intrigued by the idea. Their interest brought them to the office of Professor Burris, one their former teachers to ask if he knew anything about Frazier, or about the new society Frazier is trying to build. Burris remembers Frazier as a classmate at his graduate school; he recalls his extremist ideas and his dislike for the institution. He also recalls discussions the two had shared about this "Utopian society." Reluctantly Burris agrees to contact Frazier, and sends him a letter. Immediately and enthusiastically he replies inviting Burris’ and his friends to visit the new community he has developed. Burris meets with the two men to inform them of the invitation, and agrees to take time off, to accomp any Rogers and Steve on a visit to "Walden Two," Frazier’s community. Rodger’s girlfriend Barbara, Steve’s girlfriend Mary, and Burris's colleague Castle also accompany them on the visit. II. THEME: a one-sentence statement of the theme of your novel Walden Two was Skinner’s attempt to portray what would occur if behaviorism were used to curve our society, he depicted a solution to the problems of modern life that involved a new beginning, an flee from our current society, and a dismissal of our political and econo... ...cters visiting the Utopian society of Walden Two engage in an abundance of dialogue, in order to discover the spirit and the principles behind this new community of Walden Two. Set speeches by main characters illustrate the points that Skinner wishes to make to the reader. Don't get me wrong, the ideas are challenging and the reading is not painful; there is even some dramatic tension. The thought of a society like Walden Two is intriguing, and the detail used by Skinner gives the reader a clear picture of what this society may look like, and how it operates. Overall the book was good, it was an enjoyable read, and wasn’t like other novels, it was individual. I would recommend this book to anyone who is open- minded, and is intrigued by the operations and possibility of alternate societies.

Sam Sheppard

Sam Sheppard trials On July 4, 1954, the wife of a handsome young doctor, Sam Sheppard, was brutally murdered in the bedroom of their home in Bay Village, Ohio, on the shore of Lake Erie. Sheppard denied any involvement in the murder and described his own battle with the killer he described as â€Å"bushy-haired. † Starting on the day of the murder, the media began to attack Sheppard on any occasion they could. Stories were obtained in unethical, and nearly unlawful ways. Even though they were permitted to do so by the courts, going into Sheppard's house and looking through his belongings was not the most ethical practice.Also, though the courts also allowed them to witness the testimony of Sheppard about his wife's death, they really shouldn't have agreed. Stories were written in an unscrupulous manner. The â€Å"trial before the trial† was a meeting between the coroner, Samuel Gerber, and Sheppard, in which Gerber fired questions at Sheppard in front of the entire com munity – without Sheppard’s lawyer present. The media was allowed to sit in on this hearing and wrote stories about Sheppard being unfairly given too much leeway as a murder suspect (law2).Finally, the amount of stories written about the trial and murder was higher than had been printed in Cleveland about a single murder. Cleveland newspapers printed stories almost every single day for the duration of the situation. Most of these were speculation only, however, or editorials that were run on the front page and believed to be actual articles. Because of the way these stories were run, the jury and most of Cleveland believed that Sheppard was, in fact, guilty (384 U. S. 333, 363). The stories written through the duration of the murder case were one of the main things that were detrimental to Sheppard’s case.The jury’s view of Sheppard was adversely affected by the news stories such as the most famous one of all: â€Å"Somebody Is Getting Away With Murderâ € . They printed biased stories that the jury members were allowed to read, which gave them a negative view of Sheppard even before he testified. News articles run by local papers also distorted the evidence in the case. An important piece of information that was published dealt with the blood evidence. Dr. Mohammed Tahir, a renowned forensic scientist in Indianapolis, will compare DNA from the samples with a blood stain recovered from a closet door of the Sheppard edroom. Tahir will use a process known as DNA amplification, often used to study decomposed samples. Sir Alec Jeffreys, the British forensic scientist who invented DNA fingerprinting in the mid-1980s, describes the procedure as â€Å"taking a small amount of material and making copies and recopies in a test tube until you've got enough to type. † Out of four blood samples tested, all have matched Eberling's. â€Å"It gets very complicated scientifically, but essentially we have a match on the porch of Eberling, which cuts down to 0. 5 percent, or even less, that it could be anybody else,† he said (Affleck, A3).One of the detectives investigating the case was quoted by a newspaper stating that â€Å"scientific tests at the Sheppard home have definitely established that the killer washed off a trail of blood from the murder bedroom to the downstairs section†. This led the public to believe that Sheppard was lying during his testimony, and believe it, they did. However, over ten years later, the Supreme Court ruled that Sheppard’s trial had been unfair due to the Fourteenth Amendment – that everyone shall have the right to a fair trial with an impartial jury.This, of course, was something that Sheppard had not gotten, due to the media. The court saw that, and believed it was true. So, because of the media’s influence over the jury before and during the trial, Sheppard was released from prison. Sam Sheppard was attacked by the media’s unethical practic es so much during his trial that journalism had set new boundaries to limit the power of the press following the final verdict. Because of the way that the media went about getting stories for their papers and the way stories were written, Sheppard was released from prison.Journalism then set up new boundaries to assure that every person accused of a crime got a fair and just trial. Even though he set precedent for new practices that the media still follows, it is a shame that it took something as horrific as his wife’s murder to allow the media to see just how much power they had over justice. Work cited Affleck, John. â€Å"Doctors Exhume Sam Sheppard's Body as Son Seeks to Clear Fathers Name†. Associated Press. 18 September 1997: A3. . Sheppard v. Maxwell, 384 U. S. 333 (United States Supreme Court 1966). http://law2. umkc. edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/sheppard/Sheppard. htm

Dick Spencer Case Analysis Essay

Dick Spencer In this case Dick Spencer, a well-known employee of an aluminum producing company worked his way up the ranks from being a successful salesman to a plant manager. However through his transition of roles Dick experienced some pitfalls. In the following paragraphs I will discuss the main contributing factors to Dick’s success as a salesman and the issues he faced as a plant manager and provide informed alternative solutions. Dick knew the business well which played a vital role in his success as a salesman. Fresh out of college and with a Master’s degree in Business Administration attributed to his knowledge of the business world. According to Foster-Pedley (2013), individuals with a MBA apply their new expertise and fresh talents in their jobs and towards the advancement of the organization. â€Å"They use resources better, applying their imagination and creativity more effectively, and dare to transform and make progress† (Foster-Pedley, 2013, p. 13). Individuals who attained a MBA credit their promotion, field change or pay increase to the degree (Ainsworth, 1995). We’ve all heard the adage,† knowledge is power† and Dick certainly had the potential and prevailed as a salesman. Dick had the ability to sale and according to his coworkers he was personable which amplified his sales ability. Effectively communicating and connecting with customers is an important aspect of the buyer-seller relationship (Hung, Lin, 2013). Whether it’s on a personal level or professional level making that relation is the key. Through his easy to talk to personality, Dick built relationships and gained trust. Research indicates â€Å"higher levels of trust are expected to result in more positive attitudes, higher levels of cooperation and other forms of workplace behavior, and superior levels of performance† (Dirks, Ferrin, 2001). Additionally in order to sale a product you have to know your product. Product knowledge directly correlates with how customers will respond to your product (Sangtani, Murshed, 2013). Once you’ve established a connection with the customer you want to listen and understand your customer’s needs. Having product knowledge is important so you can identify what your product(s) can do to serve your customer’s needs. According to Feiertag (2006), â€Å"It is just not enough to simply mention the feature; it needs to be presented as a value to the prospective buyer.† Successful individuals working in sales are enthusiastic and highly motived about  se lling their product (Stevenson, 2004). Dick was able to signed several large contracts by applying these fundamental sales skills. Dick was confident in his abilities to get the job done. Shortly after being employed Dick secured a single, large contract deal, placing him high on the sales leader board. Dick was confident in his abilities and took pride in getting the job done. It’s important to have confidence at work to professionally grow and advance your career. Dick’s confidence as a salesman later helped him get a management position. Dick enjoyed being a salesman and was pretty good at it. The study performed by Gyllensten and Palmer (2014), found participates were happier on the job and outside of work when their confidence levels increased. They also reported improvements in employees completing their work duties and a willingness to make decisions (Gyllensten and Palmer, 2014). Again we can also give credit to Dick’s MBA degree as providing self-assurance in his job performance abilities (Simpson, 2005). Confidence gives you the courage to do things you normally wouldn’t feel comfortable doing. In sales there are plenty of circumstances where the ordinary sales pitch just won’t seal the deal. Dick was also very committed to the job which reflected in his sales volume. In a review of the research on organization commitment and job performance, researchers identified there is a direct correlation in commitment to the job and achieving favorable results (Myer, Paunonen, Gellatly, Goffin, Jackson, 1989). Consistent with this prospective, Shore and M artin (1989) found that â€Å"better performance was shown by employees with higher commitments.† Dick was so committed to the job that it cost him his first marriage. He was serious about reaching his sales goals and each of these factors previously described played a part in his success as a salesman. However after a few years as a salesman, Dick wasn’t getting the satisfaction from the job as he had in the past. Therefore he requested a transfer out of the sales department and into a management role. Dick was named plant manager at Modrow. He came in at a hectic time when a lot of changes were being implemented. In his efforts to familiarize himself with the daily operations, Dick first struggle as a manager was micro-managing. He had his hand in everything possible which made his employees feel very un-easy. According to Dr. White, Dick possessed many symptoms of a Micromanager. For example, Dick interest in cutting costs required the expert knowledge of the accounting group. Knowing that  accounting wasn’t his strongest subject he still spent numerous hours burying himself in details that he just could not understand. Micromanagers don’t allow any decisions be made with their approval (White, 2010). Dick had also taken on too many tasks at once making it almost impossible for any of them to be implemented successfully. Being the micromanager that he was, Dick didn’t delegate tasks very well, another symptom of a micromanager (White, 2010). Another example of Dick’s micromanaging is when he insisted on changing the disposal process of scraps. When discussing this change with his foremen, Dick didn’t listen to the foreman’s thoughts as to why the change wouldn’t work. Micromanagers tend to have the mentality; it’s my way or the highway. Traditional micromanagers will completely disregard new concepts offered by their subordinates (Weyand, 1996). Work-related stress affected Dick’s job performance. It also was creating issues with his family as they felt abandoned while he spent countless hours at the office. Through trying to prove himself to leadership and to his new employees, Dick lost focus on other important matters. His management position required him to take on more responsibilities which demanded more of his time. â€Å"In order for supervisors and managers to excel and be a dynamic force in organizational life, job stress must be harnessed† (Stanley, 2014). As Dick noticed processes that needed to be changed he was unsuccessful in communicating those changes. As a manager being able to successfully communication is essential. Communication failure could potentially become a serious problem in an organization. Information is lost causing confusion reducing productivity and increases costs. In an article published by Jost (2006), he discusses several situations where failure to communicate resulted in some hefty financial costs to many companies. Dick was so focused on cutting costs that he forgot to look at the big picture. If he had effectively communicated his interest to cut costs with his supervisors and foreman, he could have potentially found a solution. Additionally, his relationships with his employees weren’t the best, which is another consequence of ineffective communication (Tunk, 2014). Now I’d like to focus on the following recommendations that could resolve Dick’s  micro-managing style, work-related s tress, and ineffective communication. To address Dick’s micro-managing style, he needs to be flexible in how the job gets done. Dick can delegate tasks that can be handled without his supervision and give them ample time to complete each task. He can do this by building trust, empowering his employees to be a part of the decision making process (White, 2010). Making rounds within the plant had a negative impact on employees. They were worried about what he was up to and why he kept coming around. There was a lack of trust. His presence caused everyone to be less productive in their jobs. The second recommendation is time management to address Dick’s work-related stress. It’s important for Dick to find a balance between work and family for the sake of his marriage and kids but also for his well-being. If Dick continues operating this way it could potentially lead to some serious health problems (Heikkia et al., 2013). To help him find this balance he needs to reevaluate what’s most important to him. Review his job duties that need to be completed and prioritize them. Identify the tasks that can be done by someone else and delegate those tasks (McDonald & Hucheson, 1998). Dick should also try to engage in outside activity that requires his complete attention. Research supports â€Å"that a psychological detachment from work effectively mitigates some of the negative effects of work-family conflict† (Moreno et al., 2009). My last recommendation is improving his communication skills. Dick was not successful in trying to implement a change in the process to discard scrap siding. The keys to effective communication is listening and learning. Effective communication improves work performance and productivity within the business. It also builds trust and creates transparency which is something Dick is currently lacking within the Modrow plant. Communication promotes collaborative work where everyone has an opportunity to share information (Tunk, 2014). If Dick were to implement these few changes I believe he would start reaping the benefits of his management role and overall increase morale at the plant. References Ainsworth, M., & Morley, C. (1995). The Value of Management Education: Views of Graduates on the Benefits of Doing a MBA. Higher Education, 30(2), 175-87. Dirks, K. T., & Ferrin, D. L. (2001). The Role of Trust in Organizational Settings. Organization Science, (4), 450. doi:10.2307/3085982. Feiertag, H. (2006). Product knowledge is key to improving group sales. Hotel & Motel Management, 221(8), 10. Foster-Pedley, J. (2013). Older and maybe just a little bit wiser.. Finweek, 12-13. Gyllensten, K., & Palmer, S. (2014). Increased employee confidence: A benefit of coaching. Coaching Psychologist, 10(1), 36-39. Heikkilà ¤, K., Fransson, E. I., Nyberg, S. T., Zins, M., Westerlund, H., Westerholm, P., & †¦ Kivimà ¤ki, M. (2013). Job strain and health-related lifestyle: Findings from an individual-participant meta-analysis of 118,000 working adults. American Journal Of Public Health, 103(11), 2090-2097. Hung, K., & Lin, C. (2013). More communication is not always better? The interplay between effective communication and interpersonal conflict in influencing satisfaction. Industrial Marketing Management, 42(8), 1223-1232. doi:10.1016/j.indmarman.2013.05.002. Jost, A. C. (2006). What We’ve Got Here Is†¦ FAILURE to Communicate. (cover story). Journal Of The Quality Assurance Institute, 20(4), 2-5. McDonald, B. D., & Hutcheson, D. (1998). Balancing work, family, work, self and work hurts employees. Business Press, 10(48), 29. Meyer, J. P., Paunonen, S. V., Gellatly, I. R., Goffin, R. D., & Jackson, D. N. (1989). Organizational Commitment and Job Performance: It’s the Nature of the Commitment That Counts. Journal Of Applied Psychology, 74(1), 152. Moreno-Jimà ©nez, B., Mayo, M., Sanz-Vergel, A., Geurts, S., Rodrà ­guez-Muà ±oz, A., & Garrosa, E. (2009). Effects of work-family conflict on employees’ well-being: The moderating role of recovery strategies. Journal Of Occupational Health Psychology, 14(4), 427-440. doi:10.1037/a0016739. Shore, L. M., & Martin, H. J. (1989). Job satisfaction and organizational commitment in relation to work performance and turnover intentions. Human Relations, 42(7), 625. Simpson, R., Sturges, J., Woods, A., & Altman, Y. (2005). Gender, Age, and the MBA: An Analysis of Extrinsic and Intrinsic Career Benefits. Journal of Management Education, 29(2), 218-247. Stanley, T. L. (2014). stress management for high achievers. Supervision, 75(5), 17. Stevenson, B. (2004). 4 Reasons Why Sales Fail. NZ Marketing Magazine, 23(1), 32-33. Tuck, P. (2014). A failure to communicate. Training Journal, 43-47. Weyand, J. (1996). Micromanagement: Outmoded or alive and well?. Management Review, 85(11), 62. White Jr., R. D. (2010). The Micromanagement Disease: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Cure. Public Personnel Management, 39(1), 71-76.

Disadvantage of Bilingualism Essay

I have to admit that bilingualism has several advantages. Nonetheless, tackling this issue, the lingual conditions in which children are raised to be able to speak two languages equally well should be also taken into consideration. Many linguists underline that while introducing the second language to learner, his/her exposure to a given linguistic system is crucial. Thusly, parents striving for teaching their children a secod language/a non-native language often rely on commercial language materials such as books, videos, television programs, etc. Nevertheless, researchers (Kendall King and Lyn Fogle, Georgetown University) have found that live, human interaction such as reading or talking to a child is more effective than presentation of recored sounds (e.g., in television) and, therefore, the best method for fostering both first and second language development. What is more, Other studies have found that, for older children, being read aloud to in the second language increases second language vocabulary much more than watching television in that language (patterson, 2002). I would like to concentrate now on this parent-child communication and its effect on language abilities of minors. There is some evidence that infants can hear even in the womb. After their birth, as they are growing, they try to imitate the ‘noises’ they hear. According to Deborah D.K. Ruuskanen, Professor of English Linguistics at the University of Vaasa in Finland, and mother of three bilingual children, it is significant to expose babies to native-speaker sounds, in order to facilitate them acquisition, and eventually execution, of native-speaker/that sounds. Generally, there is no problem when children are raised bilingual in families where the parents are completely bilingual themselves, that is to say, they use two native languages (each parent speaks separate mother-tongue) or they speak the non-native language exceptionally well. In other cases/Otherwise, introducing a second language to children since their infancy is not advisable. It is not only because babies might learn parents’ mispronunciation or faulty accent, but also because it might confuse them unnecessarily. The parents who are not comfortable or fluent in second language should be dissuaded from doing that so as not to affect harmfully their children’s linguistic abilities.

Defining Capitalism and Command Economies

Defining Capitalism and Command Economies of Economics â€Å"Economics is the study of how wealth is created and distributed† which, includes â€Å"the products produced and sold by business† (Pride, Hughes, & Kapoor, 2011, p. 10). When studied, it is the science or the financial considerations of the buying, selling, and the production of goods and services that are consumed by our world and its people. There are two different perspectives when studying economics.Microeconomics and macroeconomics are different in that microeconomics is the study of the individual and business decisions that affect the economy, whereas macroeconomics is the study of national and global economy (Pride et al, 2011, p. 10). Together, micro and macroeconomics examine the decisions of individuals, businesses, the government, and society and how all of these people deal with making and distributing the money that is derived from the production of services and goods. These decisions combin ed with the prosperity of the nation, determine the economy.There are two different economic systems in today’s world. Capitalistic nations and those nations that are run under command economies are the two systems that can be found across the globe. The two systems differ in two major ways. First, they vary in the ownership of the factors of production. These factors are the land and natural resources, labor, capital, and entrepreneurship (Pride et al, 2011, pp. 10-11). Second, the way that particular nations system answers four questions listed by Pride, Hughes, and Kapoor (2011), determines a nation’s economy (p. 11).Those four questions listed are concerning what products, how the products, for whom the products are produced and who owns and controls the major factors of production as aforementioned. One major understanding on the impact a nation’s economic system has on all the economic activities of its citizens is when there is a consideration that a coun try’s system determines how the factors of production are used to meet the needs of the society it supports (Pride et al, 2011, p. 11). An eighteenth century Scottish economist, Adam Smith published a book in 1776, called Wealth of Nations.Smith argued that a â€Å"society’s interests are best served when the individuals within that society are allowed to pursue their own self-interest† (Pride et al, 2011, p. 11). Smith came up with a term called the â€Å"invisible hand† which describes how people work hard when they know they can benefit financially from the goods or services they can provide and as a result, these personal financial gains benefit others and that nation’s economy. Pride et al (2011), discusses how the success of people in the community and therefore the success of the nation, can be tied indirectly to the success of the individual small business owners (p. 1).Smith’s ideas promote individuals should have the ability to suc ceed and create wealth by owning property and resources. The government should not be involved in the market and should be limited to government duties owed to the nation. This system Smith describes, is known as laissez faire, declares the government should have no interference in the economy and solely provide defense against enemies, ensure internal order, and furnish public works and education (Pride et al, 2011, p. 2). Smith also believes in the concept of market economy, where the producers and buyers of good and services determine the amount produced and the selling price. As stated earlier, resources should be owned by individuals and they should be entitled to use and sell their goods as they choose, in addition to enjoying the benefits from ownership of these resources (Pride et al, 2011, p. 12). Very different from that of a capitalistic nation, is the economic system, called a command economy.Whereas capitalism suggests individuals own and operate the majority of busines ses that provide goods and services; the government decides what goods and services, how they are produced, for whom will they be available to, and who owns and controls those four major factors of production discussed earlier in command economies (Pride et al, 2011, p. 14). In essence, the government is the controlling and deciding entity of how the resources are used and produced and by whom they are controlled by.Today, most countries that fall within a command economy are considered to be a socialistic economy. Key industries such as transportation, communications, utilities, banking, and important industries that produce material such as steel are owned by the government (Pride et al, 2011, p. 14-15). Although small private businesses may be allowed to certain degrees, many citizens work in state-owned industries. Communism is another example of a command economy.This is a â€Å"classless society whose citizens together owned all economic resources† (Pride et al, 2011, p . 15). These citizens would then contribute to the economy as they could and would receive benefits that were needed back from the distributions by the government. Different than a socialist economy, workers do not have much of any choice when given a job, but those who had special skills or talents were often viewed as being compensated more than that of an average citizen.Often citizens of command economies go without the essential needs or the wants of society because the supply of good and services is determined by the government and not the consumers themselves. Today, many traditional countries that were though of socialist nations are transitioning to a free-market economy. According to Pride et al (2011), this is also considered a market economy where businesses and individuals decide what to produce and buy, and the market determines prices and quantities sold. Communism is fading out and these economies are now similar to what was considered socialist.Northern Korea and Cu ba are probably two countries that are the best examples of today’s communist economies whereas those that once were thought of communist countries are now considered socialist or even capitalist nations. The United States falls under what is considered a mixed economy, where there is both capitalism and socialism. Free market economies, which fall under capitalism, are those nations currently transitioning such as France, Sweden, and India (Pride et al, 2011, pp. 10-15).References Pride, W. M. , Hughes, R. J. , & Kapoor, J. R. (2011). Foundations of business (2nd ed. ). Mason, OH: South-Western.