Tuesday, November 26, 2019

A Comparison of EVA and NPV Essays

A Comparison of EVA and NPV Essays A Comparison of EVA and NPV Essay A Comparison of EVA and NPV Essay Finance executives are required not only to crunch numbers and generate forecast but to think critically, not Just seeing the numbers but understanding their implications. This is what Melon (1994) refers to as conducting a financial assessment which often involves; the comparisons of the firms profitability in elation to its competitor, a determination of the magnitude of its investment, estimating the likelihood of premiums, and projecting the impact stockholders may sustain. (Melon, 1994, p. 454) While all sectors of an organization contribute to its success, it is the finance department that often drives major decisions. Do we invest, can we afford to invest, and if so, how much? This is a basic example of the type of questions asked frequently of a finance executive. Through analysis of the numbers generated by the accounting department, or by conducting a financial assessment of the organization, enhance executives are often able to guide the decision making process, and in ideal situations, generate revenues and growth for their company. This of course, is not to imply that the finance department has the final say, according to Melon (1994), decision making at the organizational level involves integration, considering all the issues raised by executives in various roles, considering all the lines of reasoning that might be generated, and deciding how best to combine the collective knowledge and beliefs (Melon, 1994, p. 439). This informative paper will review academic literature to draw a comparison between woo financial theories, EVA (Economic Value Added) and NAP (Net Present Value). Arranged in four sections, this paper will: (1) define EVA and NAP highlighting their similarities and differences; (2) explain why companies choose to adopt EVA; (3) discuss some of the issues faced when implementing EVA; (4) and finally chronicling McKee Foods Corporations experience while implementing EVA. Similarities and Differences between EVA (Economic Value Added), and NAP (Net Present Value).

Friday, November 22, 2019

Learn German by Listening to German Golden Oldies

Learn German by Listening to German Golden Oldies Do you know who these people are? Roy Black, Lale Andersen, Freddy Quinn, Peter Alexander, Heintje, Peggy March, Udo Jà ¼rgens, Reinhard Mey, Nana Mouskouri, Rex Gildo, Heino, and Katja Ebstein. If those names sound familiar, you were probably in Germany during the 1960s (or early 70s). Each of those people had one or more hit songs in German during that era, and some of them are still musically active today! Its true that deutsche Schlager are not really â€Å"in† these days, especially the old, sentimental ones from the 60s and 70s sung by the people mentioned above and other German pop stars. But despite their lack of coolness and the distain of todays music generation in Germany, such German golden oldies are actually ideal for German-learners in many ways. First, they usually have simple, uncomplicated lyrics suited for beginners: â€Å"Memories of Heidelberg sind Memories of You / und von dieser schà ¶nen Zeit da trum ich immerzu. / Memories of Heidelberg sind Memories vom Glà ¼ck / doch die Zeit von Heidelberg, die kommt nie mehr zurà ¼ck† (Peggy March, an American from Pennsylvania, had several 60s hits in Germany). Even many of Reinhard Meys folk ballads are not that difficult to follow: â€Å"Komm, giess mein Glas noch einmal ein / Mit jenem billgen roten Wein, / In dem ist jene Zeit noch wach, / Heut trink ich meinen Freunden nach..† (CD album Aus meinem Tagebuch). German songs can be a very enjoyable way to learn German- both vocabulary and grammar. The title alone of another Peggy March song, â€Å"Male nicht den Teufel an die Wand!,† is also a German saying that means something like â€Å"dont tempt fate† (literally, â€Å"dont paint the devil on the wall†). â€Å"Seemann, deine Heimat ist das Meer† (â€Å"Sailor, your home is the sea†) was a big German hit by the Austrian singer Lolita in 1960. (Diese à ¶sterreichische Sngerin hiess eigentlich Ditta Zuza Einzinger.) Other top tunes in Germany that year were: â€Å"Unter fremden Sternen† (Freddy Quinn), â€Å"Ich zhle tglich meine Sorgen† (Peter Alexander), â€Å"Irgendwann gibts ein Wiedersehen† (Freddy Q.), â€Å"Ein Schiff wird kommen† (Lale Andersen), and â€Å"Wooden Heart† (Elvis Presleys version of â€Å"Muss i denn†). By 1967, American and British rock and pop was already edging German Schlager out, but besides Penny Lane (Beatles), Lets Spend the Night Together (Rolling Stones), and Good Vibrations (Beach Boys), you could still hear German hits on the radio (unlike today!). â€Å"Memories of Heidelberg† (Peggy March), â€Å"Meine Liebe zu dir† (Roy Black) and â€Å"Verbotene Trume† (Peter Alexander) are just a few oldies from 1967. But if you werent even around in the 1960s/70s or youve forgotten what those classic German oldies sound like, you can listen to them online! Several sites, including iTunes and Amazon.de, offer digital audio clips of these and other German songs. If you want the real thing, there are German â€Å"Hits of the...† and â€Å"Best of...† CD collections available from iTunes and other online sources, both in Europe and in North America. (I even found one online source in South Africa!) Popular German Singers of the '60s and '70s Roy Black Gerd Hà ¶llerich (1943-1991) DeutschlandLale Andersen Liselotte Helene Berta Bunnenberg (1913-1972)Freddy Quinn Manfred Nidl-Petz (1931- ) Ãâ€"sterreichPeter Alexander Peter Alexander Neumayer (1926- ) Ãâ€"sterreichHeintje Hein Simons (1955- ) NiederlandePeggy March Margaret Annemarie Batavio (1948- ) USAUdo Jà ¼rgens Udo Jà ¼rgen Bockelmann (1934- ) Ãâ€"sterreichRex Gildo Alexander Ludwig Hirtreiter (1936- ) DeutschlandJoy Fleming Erna Strube (1944- ) DeutschlandLolita Ditta Zuza Einzinger (1931- ) Ãâ€"sterreichHeino Heinz-Georg Kramm (1938- ) DeutschlandKatja Ebstein Karin Witkiewicz (1945- ) Polen Besides Peggy March, there were several other U.S.-born singers who either recorded exclusively in German or had several German-language hits in the 1960s or 70s. Even the Beatles recorded a few of their hits in German (Komm gib mir deine Hand and Sie liebt dich). Here are a few of the Amis, along with the names of some of their hit songs (most of them fairly forgettable): Amis in Deutschland Gus Backus  (Donald Edgar Backus) Der Mann im Mond, Da sprach der alte Huptling der Indianer, Die Prrie ist so groß, Schà ¶n ist ein Zylinderhut. Sauerkraut-PolkaConnie Francis  (Concetta Franconero) Eine Insel fà ¼r zwei, Die Liebe ist ein seltsames Spiel, Bacarole in der Nacht, Lass mich gehen, Schà ¶ner fremder Mann, Sternenmelodie, Jedes Boot hat einen HafenPeggy March  (Margaret Annemarie Batavio) Male nicht den Teufel an die Wand, Memories of HeidelbergBill Ramsey  Zuckerpuppe Schokoladeneisverkufer, Souvenirs, Pigalle, Ohne Krimi geht die Mimi nie ins Bett. Now lets move on to those  Evergreens  and the  Grand Prix  for music! â€Å"Grand Prix Eurovision† Since 1956 there has been an annual European popular song contest, broadcast all across Europe. In all that time the Germans have only won once: Nicole sang â€Å"Ein bisschen Frieden† (A Little Peace) in 1982 to win the number one spot that year. Germany won second place three times in the 1980s. In 2002, Corinna May from Germany placed a very disappointing 21st! (ARD - Grand Prix Eurovision) Evergreens The German word  Evergreen  has nothing to do with trees and everything to do with classic popular songs by people like Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett,  Marlene Dietrich, and  Hildegard Knef  (more about her below). An example is the  Botho Lucas Chor  (which had a sort of Ray Conniff choral sound). They recorded a few LPs by Capitol Records of classic  Evergreens  in German: In meinen Trumen (Out of my Dreams) and Du kamst als zauberhafter Frà ¼hling (All the Things You Are). Hildegard Knef  (1925-2002) has been called the German answer to Kim Novak and the thinking mans Marlene Dietrich. She wrote several books and had a career that included Broadway, Hollywood (briefly) and performing as a sultry, smoky-voiced singer. One of my Knef song favorites goes: â€Å"Eins und eins, das macht zwei / Drum kà ¼ss und denk nicht dabei / Denn denken schadet der Illusion...† (words by Knef, music by Charly Niessen). She also sings a great version of Macky-Messer (Mack the Knife). On her Große Erfolge CD, she also produces a wonderful version of Cole Porters I Get a Kick Out of You (Nichts haut mich um - aber du) and Lets Do It (Sei mal verliebt). See our  Hildegard Knef  page for more lyrics and information about her. German Instrumentalists In closing, we need to at least mention a couple of famous German instrumentalists. They almost always worked without words, but  Bert Kaempfert  and the  James Last Band  (real name: Hans Last) offered a sound that crossed the Atlantic and produced a few hits outside of Germany. Frank Sinatras huge hit Strangers in the Night was originally a German song composed by Bert Kaempfert.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

International Business Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

International Business Strategy - Essay Example It is a fashion house established by Thomas Burberry in 1856, which became iconic for its check pattern and its outdoor line of clothing, particularly its trench coats. Its long years of existence and ties with the British historical narrative since the 1900s, established Burberry as a heritage brand. At present, it is a holder of Royal Warrants, which is a form of recognition that the establishment provides goods to a member or members of the royal family. These variables are inherent in Burberry’s branding and figure prominently in its competitive strategies. But during the 1980s, the company has experienced poor performance and this persisted way until the latter part of the 1990s. This changed in the past decade and the company is considered to be one of the best global brands in its category and is operating with record profit. Currently, Burberry has more than 500 stores in over 50 countries. This report will explore Burberry’s strategies, which allowed it to gain competitive advantage in the luxury market and achieve successful expansion overseas. The Luxury Fashion Market: An Analysis The luxury fashion market is composed of several categories but these are mostly dominated by apparel and footwear. It can also include leather goods, accessories and jewelries. While each of these can very well be considered a separate industry, companies tend to sell them all given the fact that they do overlap, mainly because they have the same consumer demographics and consumer demand profile. The fashion luxury industry – mature industry - caters to a specific group of consumers: the wealthy. These are those who need practical (since clothing and footwear are, of course, necessities) but prestigious products; and those who are fashion conscious. This variable explains why the industry emphasizes intensive marketing and advertising campaigns. The consumer demographics and demand profile, wrote Wagle (2003), also underpins how the overall industry d emand is driven by â€Å"general economic trends, including changes in disposable personal income, consumer confidence, and consumer spending.† What this means is that in times of economic growth, the market’s demand is driven by the consumers’ need and impulse, whereas, during economic downturn, caution permeates the market. This is demonstrated in the poor performance of luxury fashion companies during the recent financial crises. The financial crunch, based on several empirical evidences, is proven to put pressure on the luxury market. The Global Economic Crisis Resource (2009, p.27), for instance, stated in one of its findings that â€Å"much activity in the luxury market has been driven by easy credit and perceived wealth† and that the crisis has significantly reduced the net worth of the rich, forcing them to cut consumption significantly. Today, the luxury fashion industry is a lucrative business due to globalization. The robust development of emer ging economies such as China, India, Russia, and other countries, has led to an expanded demand for luxury goods. In addition, it also provided the opportunity to source cheaper materials and labor abroad. The integration of the international market has facilitated these trends and companies like Chanel, Gucci, Hermes, Louis Vuitton and Burberry effectively seized the opportunity to their advantage. However, it also increased competition and changed the dynamics by which products are made and sold to consumers. Competition As previously

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Georgia State Flag Issue Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

Georgia State Flag Issue - Research Paper Example This essay discusses that the state of Georgia has had the greatest number of flags in the United States’ history. Controversies over the design of the Georgian State Flag have existed for a long time. Recently, Georgia’s flag was changed thrice between January 2001 and May 2003. The reason for these changes was the presence of the Confederate Battle symbol on the flag. The inclusion of the Confederate Battle Flag on the Georgian flag in 1956 has caused the greatest controversy in the history of Georgia’s flags. Criticisms of the flag began as soon as the flag was authorized and continued until the design was changed in 2001. The announcement by Governor Zell Miller of Georgia in 1992 that he would support the removal of the Confederate Battle symbol from the Georgian flag aroused renewed arguments. Governor Zell Miller attempted to redesign the Georgian flag but his efforts were thwarted by intense debates by the state’s elected representatives. Efforts t o redesign the flag were revived in 2000 when some black leaders from Atlanta pushed for the removal of the Confederate stars and bars from the flag or else they would boycott events such as the NCAA basketball tournament. A new flag design was revealed to the public and legislators. The new flag was meant to unite all Georgians and it minimized the prominence of the Confederate Battle flag from the Georgian flag. However, the Georgians were not satisfied with this flag and another one was designed in 2003. Currently, the Georgians use the 2003 flag design that they voted for in a referendum in 2004. This paper explores the controversy surrounding the Georgian flag and the reasons for changing the flag design numerous times. The legislators who championed the change of the flag are also discussed. Causes of Georgia’s Flag Controversy The main source of controversy was the inclusion of the Confederate Battle Flag in the Georgian flag. This flag was used by the Confederate Stat es of America during the Civil War. The Confederate States of America consisted of Southern American States that had broken away from the Union. The Confederate Battle Flag, also referred to as the Southern Cross, consisted of a blue St. Andrews cross on a red square background1. Thirteen white stars were enclosed on the blue cross representing the number of the states of the Confederacy. The blue cross was enclosed in thin white borders. This flag was widely accepted by the members of the public and the soldiers. The Confederate Battle symbol was incorporated into Georgia’s flag in 1956. There was a proposal to include the Confederate Battle Flag in Georgia’s state flag in 1955. Senate Bill No. 98 was introduced by Senators Willis Harden and Jefferson Lee Davis to change the design of Georgia’s state flag. The law authorizing the use of the new flag design was signed in 1956 by Governor Marvin Griffin. This was a sign of defiance to the Federal government for i nterfering with the rights of the state. One of the contentious issues at that time was racial integration in schools. The legislators were fighting the move by the Supreme Court to allow integration of races in public schools. The symbol was widely used in entertainment, books, and clothes and was used to show opposition to the Federal government. This flag was used in the state of Georgia as from 1956 to 2001. However, during this period, there were protests from Georgians because of the inclusion of the Confederate Battle Flag. Many people were dissatisfied with the design2. In the 1980s and 1990s, several Bills were introduced in an attempt to change the flag to the previous design3. Since the inclusion of the confederate battle flag in Georgia’s flag, there have been several attempts to change it. However, the controversy that occurred between 1990 to the present was the most intense, leading to the change of the

Sunday, November 17, 2019

English Legal System Essay Example for Free

English Legal System Essay 1. The Sources of English Law What we are concerned about in this regard is the JUSTIFICATION for the decisions reached by our various courts of law, and the principles of law applied by lawyers in relation to commercial and business practices. Laws are created by lawyers, commercial and business law is created by commercial lawyers, but it is business men and women who must abide by, apply and work within it. There are a number of sources of English law, and this is markedly different from some other jurisdictions, eg China and parts of continental Europe. In the UK, the legal system is a COMMON LAW LEGAL SYSTEM, as opposed to a CIVIL LAW SYSTEM. It is perhaps easier to define a civil law system first, in that a civil law system is a written and accessible set of laws that cover all aspects of activity through codified legal principles and rules. These codified rules are usually created through the political apparatus, the court system is usually inquisitorial, not bound by precedent, and the law is administered by a specially trained judiciary with a limited authority. The judicial role is to INTERPRET the law. Roman law was one of the first major civil law systems, and the Germanic codes that had developed from the 6th and 7th centuries in Germany were adopted by developing Asian nations from the 19th century onwards. The German Civil Code became the basis for the legal systems of countries such as Japan and South Korea, and in China, the German Civil Code was introduced in the later years of the Qing Dynasty and formed the basis of the law of the Republic of China. So in China, in simplistic terms, the law is created by the Legislative Branch of government, the National Peoples Congress and is applied and interpreted by the Judicial Branch of government, the Supreme Peoples Court being at the top of this hierarchy, and Basic Peoples Court at the bottom. In the Common Law legal system of the UK there are a number of primary sources: (i) Common Law (ii) Statute (iii) European Legislation (i)Common Law Sometimes also referred to as CASE LAW, this is judge-made law, a body of legal principles that are made by our judges on a case by case basis. This practice has developed over the centuries in England from the time of the Norman Conquest (1066). Local customary law was gradually brought together as the government and administration of the various parts of England and Wales was centralised in London in one parliament and one supreme court. Knights originally, then judges would travel around the country from London, hearing cases and recording their decisions so establishing a set of PRECEDENTS and a unified system of law. This became known as the COMMON LAW – a law that was common to all, applied to all men in all parts of the country. An area of law that still to this day remains based in principles of common law is the law of contract, and this will be one area of law we will be considering in our studies this semester. While there is some statute law in the law of contract, most of the fundamental principles of how we create interpret and administer contracts at law in England, are to be found in common law, judge-made case law. For example, it is a rule in the law of contract that, in general, only the parties to a contract can sue for breach of contract. A third party, C, cannot sue for a breach of a contract made between A and B. This is known as the COMMON LAW DOCTRINE OF PRIVITY, and as discussed in the case of Tweddle v Atkinson (1861). In this case, the father of the bride and the bridegroom entered into an agreement to pay the groom certain sums when he had married the daughter. On the marriage, one father refused to pay the groom and the court decided that the groom could not sue for breach of contract because he was not a party to the contract even though he was obviously mentioned in it and had benefits under it. (ii)Statute Law or Legislation As judges are making laws in the court room, so our Parliament makes law by way of statute, or Act of Parliament. More and more our law is developed in this codified form, particularly in areas where the principles are complicated and complex eg company law, social security law and tax law. As these fields developed rapidly, it was not feasible to wait for a particular point to be raised by parties to an action in a courtroom, and for clarity and certainty, particularly in the commercial field, rules needed to be established and applied to keep pace with developments. So, for example, as business resorted more and more to conducting commercial ventures through the corporation, it became clear that we needed regulation in codified form to govern the incorporation and ongoing operations of that entity. Hence, most of our company law is contained in statutory form, under the Companies Act 2006. It is the biggest piece of legislation ever passed by a UK parliament and has over 1300 sections. It took 10 years to draft and introduce, and only fully came into force in 2009. Cases on the points of law in the Act are only just now starting to take place in the companies courts. So, in semester 2, in the module Commercial Law, we will be concentrating our focus on statute law, unlike this semesters focus on the common law, as it contains the fundamentals of the law relating to contracts in England. Finally, it should be noted here that if there is a conflict between the common law and statute law, STATUTE WILL PREVAIL. (iii) European law On Britain’s entry into the European Community in 1972, our parliament enacted a piece of legislation called the European Communities Act 1972, under which Britain made an undertaking to be bound by COMMUNITY LAW, that is, laws made by the European Parliament. Section 3 of the ECA 1972 binds our courts to accept the supremacy of community law. It is not however strictly correct to say that EU law automatically applies in the UK and that domestic UK law is therefore redundant. Rather, if there is conflict between the two, in a given area, then EU law is paramount in this instance. Where there is a gap in the UK law, and there is EU law on that point, then again, EU law will apply, to create a certain right or an obligation. A very significant case on the issue of EU supremacy was Factorame Ltd v Secretary of State for Transport (No 2) [1991]. In this case, the EU had made laws to govern the accessibility of all member states of the EU to fish each others waters, setting limits and restrictions on this, but nevertheless granting equal rights to all members to fish each others waters. To fish in UK waters and in this manner, a ship had to be registered under the merchant shipping regulations of the state in whose waters it intends to fish. In response to this, the UK passed an Act of Parliament which required that registration would only be granted if there was a genuine and substantial connection with the UK. As a result of this, a Spanish vessel, the Factorame, could not gain the necessary registration to fish in British waters, and legally challenged the provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act 1988 on the basis that it was incompatible with EU law, and that it had been discriminated against on the grounds of nationality. After protracted court battles, eventually, our highest court at the time, the House of Lords, ruled that indeed that these provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act should be suspended (and in due course amended) as it was incompatible with the EU provisions. In the UK, a DUALIST approach is taken which means that certain types of EU law do not generally become part of the UK law, until they have been brought into effect through the passing of a piece of UK legislation, through the British parliament. This type of law is often brought into effect as an EU DIRECTIVE. Some types of EU law do however have direct effect and do not need domestic national enactment. These are commonly referred to as EU REGULATIONS, made by the EU Commission and the Council of Ministers. Finally, another important provision of EU law in the UK, is based in the European Convention on Human Rights. The UK passed an Act of Parliament, the Human Rights Act 1988, which allows UK courts to declare a provision of statutory law incompatible, if it violates the Convention on Human Rights. 2. The Courts and the Doctrine of Precedent (i)The Courts Today A basic distinction must be made between the CRIMINAL LAW, and the CIVIL LAW. The criminal law is accusatorial, and is applied through the trial mechanism, between the community, here in the UK this is the Queen, and the person accused of the crime, the accused. The case is brought on behalf of the Queen, as the representative of the community, and so this party is referred to as â€Å"R†, and the other party is referred to by name. So for example a case will be cited as R v Brown, and will be followed by the date in brackets (1993). There is also then a citation as to where and in what law report the case can be found. The civil law is concerned with disputes between individuals. The claimant commences proceedings against another, the defendant, who defends the claim, and may also counter-claim against the claimant. So, for example, as we will see, a civil claim may be brought for a breach of contract between the parties to that contract. An example would be the case of Mitchell Ltd v George Finney Lock Seeds Ltd (1983). We will discuss the facts. We will now look in brief at the court systems with reference to the text, Smith and Keenan, at pages 19 and 20. The Courts today have the Supreme Court at the top of the hierarchy, which under the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, creates a new independent Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. Previously, the highest court in the legal hierarchy was the House of Lords, and it enjoyed the jurisdiction as the final court of appellate jurisdiction But again we must remember that in relation to a point in European law, the European Court of Justice has supremacy, and any court may, and in the case of the Supreme Court, must, seek a preliminary ruling on a relevant point of European law from the ECJ. We should also mention the European Court of Human Rights, which sits in Strasbourg. It was set up by the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, to ensure that those of the member states that choose to engage, observe the terms of their engagement. The UK is one of the states which have accepted the courts jurisdiction. The ECHR can now be approached directly by the person alleging a human rights violation, by bringing an action against the state responsible. So, for example in the case of Lustig-Prean and Beckett v United Kingdom (1999), the court decided that certain members of the UK armed forces who were discharged because of their homosexuality had been subjected to a violation of their human rights under the European Convention. The decision of the court meant that the armed forces had to revise their policy on homosexuality, but the case has no binding effect on private business, because it only relates to the state, in this case the UK.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Existence of Crime Culture Among Certain Social Groups Essay exampl

Albert Cohen’s thesis is that class based status frustration is the origin of subcultures. Crime culture existed in certain social groups and the individuals learned the value of the delinquent subculture through participation in gangs. Delinquent subcultures have values that are in opposition to those of the dominant culture. The strain is rooted by low economical conditions, poor parental relations, and low school standards, with no chance of succeeding in the future. The anti social structure of cities also affects the why a boy and or girl joins a gang. The formation of gangs in cities, and most recently in suburbs, is assisted by the same lack of community among parents. While almost half of high seniors used marijuana at least once, thirty-seven percent said they had used it in the past year, and twenty-three percent said they had used it in the previous month. Strain Theory, posits the disjuncture between socially and sub culturally sanctioned mean and goods as the cause of criminal behavior. Albert Cohen’s thesis is that class based status frustration is the origin of subcultures. Cohen's focus is on school based achievement status. The institution of the school symbolizes middle class values for honesty, courtesy, personality, responsibility, and the middle class measuring rod. It is this environment where competition takes place for status, approval, or respect. Strain is interpersonal, located at the level of group interaction. There are many problems facing today's society. One of the problems is the violent condition that surrounds the lives of children in America. We are awarded of the violence among our juveniles because we read, hear and see it. The newspapers, magazines, news media, and our neighborhoods testify the living proof of the chaos. What can we do to influence these kids to stay out off trouble? First of all, we have to realize this is a very serious problem. And it has to be stopped. The second step is to figure out what causes children to be violent and become juvenile delinquents. This negative attitude causes them to lead a life of delinquency and a life isolated from society's idealistic world. When we ask this question, many others come in mind. Do these problems begin in the family? Are parents good role models or are they condoning the violence? How can we prevent parents from destroying the minds and future o... ...ephan C., Understanding Criminal Justice. Boston: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1999. Lyman, Michael D. and Gary W. Potter, Drugs in Society: Causes, Concepts and Control. 3rd ed. Cincinnati, Ohio: Anderson Publishing Company, 1998. Nisbet, Merton, Contemporary Social Problems. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1971. Regoli, Robert M. and John D. Hewitt, Delinquency in Society. 4th ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2000. Schmalleger, Frank, Criminology Today: An Integrative Introduction. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc., 1999. United States of America, National Drug and Safety League, Leading the Fight Against Gangs in the United States. GPO, 1996 ---. National Center for Juvenile Justice, Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 1999 National Report. GPO, 1999. Dukes 17 ---. National Center for Juvenile Justice, 1998 National Youth Gang Survey. GPO, 1999. Void, George B., Thomas J. Bernand and Jeffery b. Snipes, Theoretical Criminology. 5th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002. Williams, Frank P. and Marilyn D. McShane, Criminal Theory: Selected Classic Readings. 2nd ed. Cincinnati, Ohio: Anderson Publishing Company, 1998.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Directional Imbalances in Supply Chain

Imbalance is a concept that suggests a lack of stability, and in relation to supply chain it is one type of instability that if occurs would have substantial costs on organizations. It is a mismatch that happens along the same corridor causing large numbers of empty containers to be shipped back to the source. That means â€Å"large surplus of containers at one side and a deficit of containers on another. †1 Studies show that â€Å"the situation is the worst in the corridor between Asia and USA, there is almost three times more maritime freight going from Asia to USA that the other way around. 1 This phenomenon has several outcomes, from forgone revenue to the change of prices to the competition between modes of transport. On the other hand there are several factors that affect it. Seasonal variations for instance, that comes about due to the lack of demand for certain seasonal goods. Let’s take oil transport as an example; the oil tankers are specifically made for the transport of oil. These containers cannot be refilled with any other type of good. The shipping industry regarding containerized goods has to deal with several types of cargo which makes it easier to deal with imbalances by creating solutions and routes to outcome this imbalance. It is a different thing with oil shipping as it is imported from oil rich countries to industrial countries who consume oil. That means that the oil containers goes one way full and comes back empty. Shipment companies have to cope with these imbalances by looking at the situation as a whole. The solution comes from the fact that they deal with several ports and more than one industry of goods. Adjusting prices is one strategy, making exports from a surplus port less costly than imports to the same port and vice versa. Another is creating collapsible shipping container. This ingenious idea developed by a Dutch shipping container manufacturer, Cargoshell. It is an â€Å"energy-saving solution to empty shipping container. † 2 Its benefits outgrow the financial aspect as â€Å"CO2 emission is reduced drastically as each is made of a composite material that weighs 25% less than standard shipping containers. 2 In the late 1960’s, shipping giant Sealand responded with the introduction of a round the world liner service which was not very successful. The collapsible containers, although as they may seem to solve a lot of this problem, has not yet been introduced commercially and they render some issues with transport and handling aspects. This means that it is inevitable to have some ships leave ports empty and it is just the concern of reducing that number as much as possible that matters.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Life Support Essay

The issue of sustaining life by medical technology is complicated by uncertainty as to when death actually occurs. Is it when breathing ceases, the heart stops beating, or brain activity is no longer evident? Medical support can keep a body breathing after meaningful signs of human life have ceased. There are individuals who seemingly have died, only to be resuscitated within minutes of interrupted heartbeat or breathing. Some who have been so resuscitated and kept alive with life support have recovered and returned to live normal lives. Others have not. Questions arise in these instances: How long should one try to hold on to life, especially when suffering persists and the quality of life is at question? When is our appointed time to die? Although most people may think of ventilators when they hear the words â€Å"life support machine,† there are many other types of machines used to sustain one’s life. The type of life support machine used depends on the medical condition of the patient and the reasons for the use of life support machines. Patients with life threatening illnesses may make the choice to use life support machines while they are still of sound mind and capable of making their own decisions. There are four main types of life support machines. The first is a ventilator, which forces air into the lungs of a patient who cannot breathe on her own. The second type is a pacemaker which is used for those who have irregular heartbeats, or for those who suffer from an abnormality of the blood vessels. Next, there are dialysis machines, which are most commonly used for patients who suffer from renal (kidney) failure. A ventilator works by forcing warm, oxygenated air into the lungs while removing carbon dioxide. A plastic tube is inserted through the mouth and into the trachea, and is then hooked up to the ventilator which monitors every breath of the patient while regulating the air pressure at which the patient receives the air. Pacemakers are used most frequently for those who suffer from an irregular heartbeat or rhythm. They are surgically inserted below the skin, and emit electrical impulses that remind the heart to beat normally. Dialysis machines are used for both short and long term use, sometimes as a temporary measure to maintain the patient’s health until they can receive a kidney transplant or to prolong and provide a quality of life for people who are not transplant candidates. Hemodialysis is often used three times a week to help cleanse the blood and remove the build-up of deadly toxins. Hemodialysis machines work by removing the patients blood, running it through the machine to cleanse it, and then pumping it back into the patient. This process happens simultaneously with the use of a shunt. Life support machines enable patients to survive for a period of time while their body is recovering from a specific illness or injury. They benefit patients who only need them for a short time as well as people who are attempting to maintain quality of life for the long term. Life support machines are also beneficial in the event that the patient is deemed â€Å"brain dead. † In these circumstances, the organs continue to receive oxygen-rich blood flow to keep them functioning until they can be removed for transplantation. Many believe that life support machines are used only for those who are comatose or critically ill. They are however, also used for those who have a life threatening disease or injury, such as paralysis, who are attempting to maintain a normal life. A perfect example of this is Christopher Reeve. He relied on a ventilator to breathe for him a majority of the time, and before his death, was still able to lead a productive life. Many also believe that life support systems are used only in a hospital. Again, this is not true. The use of noninvasive ventilators are becoming more popular for those who wish to live at home. Patients who receive dialysis are able to reside at home while visiting a dialysis treatment center on scheduled days.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Procedural Audio Sound Design For Video Games

Procedural Audio Sound Design For Video Games !! !Procedural Audio Sound Design for Video Games ! ! ! ! ! à ¢Ã‚€Â ¨ à ¢Ã‚€Â ¨ à ¢Ã‚€Â ¨ à ¢Ã‚€Â ¨ à ¢Ã‚€Â ¨ ! Adrian Furdui Date : 15/08/2014 Word Count: 3312 ! !!Declaration ! I hereby declare that I wrote this written assignment on my own and without the use of any other than the cited sources and tools and all explanations that I copied directly or in theirsense are marked as such, as well as that the dissertation has not yet been handed in neither in this nor in equal form at any other official commission. !! ! ! ! ! ! à ¢Ã‚€Â ¨ à ¢Ã‚€Â ¨ à ¢Ã‚€Â ¨ à ¢Ã‚€Â ¨ à ¢Ã‚€Â ¨ à ¢Ã‚€Â ¨ à ¢Ã‚€Â ¨ à ¢Ã‚€Â ¨ à ¢Ã‚€Â ¨ à ¢Ã‚€Â ¨ à ¢Ã‚€Â ¨ à ¢Ã‚€Â ¨ à ¢Ã‚€Â ¨ à ¢Ã‚€Â ¨ à ¢Ã‚€Â ¨ à ¢Ã‚€Â ¨ à ¢Ã‚€Â ¨ à ¢Ã‚€Â ¨ à ¢Ã‚€Â ¨ à ¢Ã‚€Â ¨ à ¢Ã‚€Â ¨!IAbstract ! This paper explains what Procedural Audio is and its applications, it contains a brief introduction to Pure Data which is one of the softwar es with which it is possible to program audio within. The process of designing sound is explained, pointing out the main differences between the traditional way of doing it and doing it using procedural audio. This approach has been criticised for many years and the reasons have not changed much in time, in this paper its limitations and advantages will be explained. Examples of procedural audio used in video games will be provided in order to understand how the industry is reacting to it. The goal of this research is to find out whether Procedural Audio is going to become a standard, at least for game audio, or if it is going to remain in the shadows because of its complexity and all the problems it presents.! ! ! !!!!!!!!!!!!!IITable of contents ! ! Introductionà ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦. 1What is Pure Dataà ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã‚€Â ¦ 2Limitations of Procedural...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Biography of Richard Hamilton, English Pop Art Pioneer

Biography of Richard Hamilton, English Pop Art Pioneer Richard William Hamilton (February 24, 1922 - September 13, 2011) was an English painter and collage artist best-known as the father of the Pop Art movement. He started the crucial elements that defined the style and laid the groundwork for future significant figures like Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol. Fast Facts: Richard Hamilton Occupation: Painter and collage artistBorn: February 24, 1922 in London, EnglandDied: September 13, 2011 in London, EnglandSpouses: Terry OReilly (died 1962), Rita DonaghChildren: Dominy and RodericSelected Works: Just what is it that makes todays homes so different, so appealing? (1956), Towards a definitive statement on the coming trends in menswear and accessories (1962), Swingeing London (1969)Notable Quote: Its not so easy to create a memorable image. Art is made through the sensibilities of an artist, and the kind of ambitions and intelligence, curiosity and inner direction that role requires. Early Life and Education Born into a working-class family in London, England, Richard Hamilton began attending evening art classes at age 12 and received encouragement to apply to the Royal Academy of the Arts. The academy accepted him into its programs at age 16, but he had to withdraw when the school shut down in 1940 due to World War II. Hamilton was too young to enlist in the military and spent the war years executing technical drawings. Richard Hamilton returned to the Royal Academy when it reopened in 1946. Soon the school expelled him for not profiting from the instruction and failing to follow regulations. After acceptance into the Slade School of Art in 1948, Hamilton studied painting with artist William Coldstream. Less than two years later, he exhibited his work at the Institute for Contemporary Arts in London. His new friendships with fellow artists allowed him to be present at the 1952 meeting of the Independent Group where Eduardo Paolozzi showed collages with images from American magazine advertisements. They inspired Richard Hamilton to explore what soon became known as Pop Art. Chris Morphet / Getty Images British Pop Art In the 1950s, Richard Hamilton began teaching art in various locations around London. In 1956, he helped define the This Is Tomorrow exhibit at the Whitechapel Gallery. Many consider the event the beginning of the British Pop Art movement. It included Hamiltons landmark piece Just what is it that makes todays homes so different, so appealing? Following the acclaim surrounding This Is Tomorrow, Hamilton accepted a teaching position at the Royal College of Art in London. David Hockney was among his students. In a 1957 letter, Hamilton stated that Pop art is: popular, transient, expendable, low-cost, mass-produced, young, witty, sexy, gimmicky, glamorous, and Big Business. China Photos / Getty Images A personal tragedy took place in 1962 when Richard Hamiltons wife, Terry, died in a car accident. While mourning, he traveled to the U.S. and developed an interest in the work of conceptual art pioneer Marcel Duchamp. Hamilton met the legendary artist at a Pasadena retrospective, and they became friends. Art and Music In the 1960s, Richard Hamilton straddled the gap between pop music and contemporary art. Bryan Ferry, founder and lead vocalist of Roxy Music, was one of his dedicated students. Through his agent, Robert Fraser, Hamilton encountered other rock musicians like the Rolling Stones. A drug arrest of Fraser and Rolling Stones lead vocalist, Mick Jagger, is the subject of a series of 1969 Richard Hamilton prints titled Swingeing London. Hamilton also developed a friendship with Paul McCartney of The Beatles and designed the cover for the White Album in 1968. Swingeing London 67 (1969). Dan Kitwood / Getty Images Late in his career, Hamilton explored working with new technology. He used television and computers. After the BBC asked him to take part in a television series titled Painting With Light, he used Quantel Paintbox software to develop new works of art. It wasnt his first exploration of the interaction of modern technology and art. He used a stereophonic soundtrack and Polaroid camera demonstration as elements of his art lectures as early as 1959. Legacy Richard Hamilton is often credited as the father of Pop Art. His concepts and works influenced the movement in both the U.K. and the U.S. The piece Just what is it that makes todays homes so different, so appealing from 1956 is usually identified as the first true Pop Art piece. It is a collage using images cut out of American magazines. A contemporary muscleman and a female underwear model are perched in a modern living room surrounded by state-of-the-art technology and luxury items. The word Pop on a lollipop held by the muscleman like a tennis racket gave the title to the movement. Hamiltons first work of Pop Art also includes elements that predict major directions in the movement. A painting on the back wall showing comic book art anticipates Roy Lichtenstein. A canned ham points toward the consumer art of Andy Warhol, and the oversized lollipop is reminiscent of the sculptures of Claes Oldenburg. Sources Sylvester, David. Richard Hamilton. Distributed Art, 1991.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Burger King's Position on Ethics Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Burger King's Position on Ethics - Term Paper Example Guiding Documents First, Burger King has ethics policy documents guiding aspects of the firm’s operations. One of the four documents is the Code of Business Ethics and Conduct which guides the overall firm operations. Through this policy, Burger King commits to â€Å"†¦taking no ethical shortcuts of any kind. Integrity and honesty are simply not optional† (Burger King Corporation, 2009). The other one is the Code of Business Ethics and Conduct for Vendors that guides vendors on internal and customer relations to ensure ethical practices. The Code of Conduct for Directors is Burger Kings third ethical policy document. This document details the ethical execution of the directors’ roles in the firm. The last document the Code of Ethics for Executive Officers (Appendix 1) also explains how the senior management at Burger King ought to execute their functions in an ethical manner. The document acknowledge the special challenges posed by occupying leadership posit ions and the ethical dilemmas faced, and then details the steps that ensure ethical carriage of duties. Together, these four policy documents exhaustively establish Burger King’s position on ethics in all the firm’s operations (Investor Relations, 2009). ... Burger King’s budget on Lobbying is considerably high- $135,289 in 2010- from which we can discern maintenance of a public position on ethics through the connection of the Vice President heading ethics and being a lobbyist. However, Burger King concentrates on internal mechanisms to ensure ethical operations and does little on a public ethics position. This is a major fail on the part of the firm as issues on ethics are largely swayed by the public’s perception. Internal Guidelines The internal guidelines on ethics revolve around guiding matters of inclusion and diversity, conflicting interests, data privacy, financial reporting, food and drink safety and quality, hiring practices, communicating with the outside world and protecting the environment among other important aspects. The internal guidelines aim at ensuring ethics forms an important part of Burger King’s company culture and hence are exhaustive, covering all possible aspects at which ethical considerat ions and dilemmas may arise. These Codes of Ethics policy documents for the different levels of workforce- employees, vendors, directors and executive officers- effectively cover aspects of employee-employee and employee-public interactions. Defined Process The Burger King Corporation (2009) details the internal process to follow in case of a breach of ethics; first, each employee has to understand the firm’s ethical policies. In cases where an employee discerns a breach of the firm’s ethical policy, he/she should report to the chief of ethics, compliance officer, human resource representative or attorney from the law department. Such information will only be disclosed to the relevant parties, with the reports taken seriously and promptly investigated. However,