Fahrenheit 451 “Comparison” Essay

Ray Bradbury’s novel, Fahrenheit 451, differentiates from the cinematic form of the novel directed by Franà §ois Truffaut in numerous ways. Bradbury states, â€Å"The movie was a mixed blessing. It didn’t follow the novel as completely as it should have. â€Å"It’s a good movie: it has a wonderful ending; it has a great score by Bernard Hermann. Oskar Werner is wonderful in the lead. But Truffaut made the mistake of putting Julie Christie in two roles in the same film, which was very confusing, and he eliminated some of the other characters: Clarisse McClellan and Faber the Philosopher and the Mechanical Hound.I mean, you can’t do without those! † Other than the characters in the story, including the score and alternate ending of the film, the movie was superlative. The characters in the story have precise roles and by leaving them out/altering them from the movie hinders the characterization and the originality of Bradbury’s novel. The maj or alterations in Truffaut’s film deals with the characters and their significance to the novel and movie. A change in his film was getting rid of the Mechanical Hound. In the 1950’s, Bradbury wrote the book in a futuristic perspective.Therefore, the Mechanical Hound could have been a little too high-tech for Truffaut’s 1960’s film and the reasoning for it being left out. However, Montag may have felt it necessary to have Mechanical Hound in the movie because it contributes to the futuristic look being portrayed in the novel. Another character that was totally left out of the film was Faber the philosopher. In the novel, Faber was basically a physical conscious of Montag’s. Some may see how Faber could have been left out of the film due to the little impact that he would have created in the movie.Although, Bradbury would consider him essential for the cinematic version of Fahrenheit 451 because certain events in the novel, such as reciting the poem s to Mildred’s/Linda’s friends, would’ve caused more trouble if Montag didn’t have Faber’s voice in his ear through the green bullet. Bradbury’s main concern about the movie involved Julie Christie playing the roles of Linda and Clarisse McClellan. In the movie, Truffaut casted Julie Christie as two completely different individuals, who in the book were different based on their age and personality.Truffaut possibly casted her in these two polar opposite roles to portray Montag’s feelings towards both of them. When Montag met these ladies, he saw that they were both energetic and lively, although, Linda had lost this trait after their marriage while Clarisse had still possessed it. Bradbury would find it necessary to cast two different ladies as these characters because of how opposite they were in their age, personality and style according to the book. While being interviewed, Bradbury mentions, â€Å"Oskar Werner is wonderful in the lead.†Werner did do Montag justice due to his impressive acting skills and his ability to play the role. Therefore, I can understand how Truffaut had casted these characters and the importance of the roles they play. Some of the positives things occurring in the movie were the effects of the film score and the alternate ending. Film score is original music written to specifically accompany a film. There is a distinct relationship between the mood and setting and the score of the movie.In the movie, whether it was a dramatic event or an action, such as the scene where the Salamander is racing to its destination, there is a soundtrack of sound effects or music that enhances the dramatic event or action. In the film, the ending didn’t completely match up to the book as Bradbury thought it would have. In the book, Clarisse was not a part of the ending of the book at all, but was rather killed off in the beginning of the book. The alternate ending in the film showed Clariss e meeting up with the book people also and not being killed off at any time.I find this alternate ending a pleasure rather than Bradbury’s ending because I don’t think Clarisse, the young, beautiful lady who questioned everything and actually took time to stop and look at her surroundings, should have just ended at the beginning. I liked the fact that Truffaut allowed her character to continue onto the ending of the movie. The alternate ending and the effects of the film score contained in Truffaut’s film added up with the initial plot of Bradbury’s novel conclude in a magnificent dramatic story that many would find interesting.The cinematic version of Fahrenheit 451, directed by Franà §ois Truffaut, and the written novel by Ray Bradbury are dissimilar in plenty of ways. Factors of the movie that Bradbury found enjoyable included the alternate ending, the great score, and Oskar Werner as Montag. Some aspects of the movie that he didn’t find pleasu re in were putting Julie Christie in two roles in the same film and the elimination of Clarisse McClellan, Faber, and the Mechanical Hound. Although Bradbury found various flaws in the film, I can conclude that considering the time the film was created and the point of view of the director, the film was an enormous success.

Fables

Common type of story is the fable, which presents a moral, or lesson about human behavior. Fables usually feature animals behaving and speaking as humans. Among the most widely known are those from the ancient Sanskrit Pancatantra (Five Chapters), which was first written down in India perhaps 2,000 years ago. Known in Europe as The Fables of Bidpai, this collection presents animal characters in entertaining stories and poetry. Many European animal fables have at least in part descended from the Pancatantra. Among the most renowned Western fables are those attributed to Aesop, a (probably fictitious) slave from ancient Greece.One of the best-known of Aesop's stories is â€Å"The Ant and the Grasshopper,† which teaches the need to be industrious and save for the future during times of plenty. Stories that point out lessons are called fables. Nearly everyone knows the fable about the three little pigs. They leave home and go out into the world to make their fortunes. Of course, t hey have to build places in which to live. The first little pig makes his house of straw. The second little pig also takes things easily, building his house of sticks. The third little pig works hard and long to make a house of bricks—a good, sturdy house.Along comes a wolf who blows down the houses of straw and sticks and eats the two lazy little pigs. All his huffing and puffing, however, cannot blow down the house of bricks. In this fable the three little pigs show human characteristics. Two little pigs are shiftless and meet an unhappy end through their own fault. The hard-working little pig earns the reward of a good life. History of fables In very early times people told stories in which animals talk. By their actions the animals show how foolish or wise people can be. Folklore scholars think that fables probably originated among the Semitic peoples of the Middle East.The tales spread to India and then west to Greece. Many fables go back to an ancient Sanskrit collectio n from India called ‘Pancatantra' (Five Chapters). These stories were told and retold through many generations. Eventually they reached Greece. The Greeks added detail and action and made Aesop master of all the fables. The Romans translated Aesop's fables into Latin. They were translated into French in the 13th century. The first of many versions of the folktale of â€Å"Reynard the Fox† appeared in about the 12th century. Fables of Aesop’s The greatest teller of fables was Aesop (see Aesop).He was believed to be a slave in ancient Greece. His stories are simple moral lessons illustrated usually by the actions and speech of animals. Some of his best-known fables are â€Å"The Lion and the Mouse,† â€Å"The Fox and the Stork,† â€Å"The Hare and the Tortoise,† â€Å"The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing,† â€Å"The Fox and the Grapes,† â€Å"The Frogs Desiring a King,† and â€Å"The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf. † In Aesop's à ¢â‚¬Å"The Lion and the Mouse† the great, strong lion is tired of hunting. He lies down to sleep under a shady tree. A mouse runs over his face and awakens him.The angry lion is about to crush the tiny mouse with his huge paw, but the mouse begs so hard to live that the lion lets him go. Some time later the lion is caught in a hunter's trap. He roars with surprise and fury. The little mouse recognizes the roar and races to the trap. He gnaws the ropes and sets the lion free. The powerful lion is grateful for the help that his tiny friend gave him. The king of beasts thinks to himself â€Å"Sometimes the weakest can help the strongest. † Aesop's â€Å"The Fox and the Stork† shows that a tricky person does not always win. A fox invites a stork to dinner.The fox serves soup in a shallow dish. The poor stork can wet only the end of his long narrow bill in the soup. The sly fox makes false apologies and laps up all the food. The stork pretends to be satisfied and invit es the fox to dinner. When the fox comes a few days later, he finds the food served in a tall jar with a narrow neck. Down in the jar goes the stork's long bill. All the fox can do is lick his chops. This fable may have suggested the old proverb â€Å"he who laughs last laughs best. † Many proverbs and maxims are expressions of the wisdom found in fables.Some of these sayings and the fables from which they come are listed after the â€Å"History of Fables† section. Fables by La Fontaine Another great teller of fables was Jean de La Fontaine (see La Fontaine). He wrote in France in the 17th century. La Fontaine based many of his fables on those of Aesop. In the writings of both men are â€Å"The Fox and the Crow,† â€Å"The Dove and the Ant,† â€Å"The Fox and the Grapes,† â€Å"The Maid and the Pail of Milk,† and â€Å"The Fox and the Stork. † Some of La Fontaine's titles vary slightly from Aesop's. â€Å"The Fox and the Crow† tells that a fox sees a crow ith a piece of cheese in her beak settle in a tree. The fox wants the cheese. He looks up at the crow and says, â€Å"Good day, Mistress Crow. How well you look today! I feel sure that your voice must surpass that of other birds, just as your figure does. Let me hear you sing but one song so I may greet you as queen of the birds. † The crow begins to caw her best.As soon as she opens her mouth, the piece of cheese falls to the ground and is snapped up by the fox. â€Å"That will do,† he says. â€Å"That was all I wanted. In exchange for your cheese, I'll give you a piece of advice for the future. Do not trust flatterers. Another of La Fontaine's fables is â€Å"The Animals Sick of the Plague. † The lion, who is king of the beasts, asks all the animals to confess their sins. The guiltiest will be sacrificed to save the rest. The lion begins by confessing that he has â€Å"devoured an appalling number of sheep† and â€Å"the s hepherd, too. † Reynard the Fox defends the king. His plea is applauded by the lion's flatterers. Finally a poor donkey is sacrificed after he confesses that he has eaten grass on the monastery grounds. The moral of the tale is: â€Å"Thus do the courts acquit the strong and doom the weak as therefore wrong. †

Causes of American Revolution

The main point of the revolution was so that the American people can gain the respect and freedom that was rightfully theirs. The British were in high debt and decided that a fast and easy way to make revenue was by taxiing Americans and having them provide housing for British troops in America out of their own pocket. Some of the taxes put up against Americans were the sugar act of set higher duties ion sugar and lower on molasses. The tea act of 1773 which reduced the price of tea yet gave monopoly to companies in eastern India.Not all of the new laws from Britain were allowed one of which was the stamp act 1766 which placed a large variety of taxes on certain legal documents. Shortly after while British were facing a small depression they passed the town shed acts of 1767 which had placed taxes on everything from clothes to paper to tea. They American people were not very pleased with all of these new taxes. American citizens started protesting against British laws and doing whatever they could to not have to follow them.As Americans started rebelling against the British, battles were rising all over the nation. First was the rebellion in Boston, as we know the Boston tea party, where Americans snack onto ships and dumped many boxes of tea into the harbor. Now, around this time everyone could say that Americans had been irritated a great deal because they were being pushed around as if they were babies. They started circulating letters and newspapers on how what the British were doing was unfair and that something should be done, and something definitely was.Thomas had written and circulated a pamphlet titled common sense and provided a thoughtful set of reasons on why for our Independence. The next step was taken Into the hands of congress which ordered a committee to write a more formal document t on our reasons for Independence. Writers chosen were Benjamin Franklin; John Adams; Roger : and also had thoughts offered by Robert . Though the document was fully written by Thomas Jefferson everyones ideas were equally expressed shortly and explicitly.The British were not very happy with the Declaration of Independence, which eventually started the war. Through out the beginning of the war the British seemed to be winning until the battle of Saratoga where it had important results. The French now saw that the British were now trying to negotiate with Americans to return to the status of 1763(what they originally asked for). Yet the victory at Saratoga showed the French that Americans a chance of winning the war. Another Important battle was the battle of valley forge where about 2500 soldier side of poor clothing, starvation and disease.Shortly after American troops receives fighting, all of the deaths and all of the lands through all of that a small and new country known as united States of America fought to gain the respect and united colonies are, and of Right ought to be, FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES. so in the end they showed that if you put your heart into something and pursue something you believe in than anything is possible no matter what, such as gaining independence from one of the strongest countries in the world.

SCHOOL LAW STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES CASES AND LEGAL JURISDICTIONS Essay

SCHOOL LAW STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES CASES AND LEGAL JURISDICTIONS - Essay Example related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for employment and independent living;† (2) ensure the rights of such children and their parents are protected; and (3) assist states and localities in providing educational services to meet these legal requirements. Meeting these requirements has imposed signal burdens over the years on states, municipalities, and local school districts. Likewise, providing specific definition to those requirements has fallen to Congress, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Courts. This report describes the IDEA in its most recent configuration, discusses certain salient issues relating to state, municipal, and local responsibility, reviews applicable court cases, and suggests problem areas still in need of resolution. IDEA is the successor to the Education of All Handicapped Children Act (or EAHCA, Public Law 94-142, November 29, 1975). In its ‘statement of findings and purpose,’ the Act established â€Å"that all children [shall] have available to them †¦ a free appropriate public education which emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs†¦ [PL 94-142].† The Act was not sui generis. According to Apling, PL 94-142) was enacted in 1975 in response â€Å"to increased awareness of the need to educate children with disabilities and to judicial decisions requiring that states provide education for children with disabilities if they provided an education for children without disabilities [pp 1-2].† The most commonly cited antecedent cases were PARC v. State of Pennsylvania, 343 F.Supp. 279 (E.D. Pa. 1972) and Mills v. Board of Education of the District of Columbia, 348 F.Supp. 866 (D.D.C. 1972), both decisions having been rendered in Federal district court. However, In Smith v. Robinson [468 U.S. 992, 1984], the Supreme Court described the statute as â€Å"a comprehensive scheme set up by Congress to aid the States in complying with the constitutional

Research Paper on Native Son by Richard wright Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

On Native Son by Richard wright - Research Paper Example Many middle aged adults are content with how they have lived their lives, and others want to change theirs (Shepard, 2013). Middle adulthood presents the reality to folks that there is little time to transform their life configuration. These are times in a person’s life that they can really look back on the aspirations and goals they laid down when they were growing. Growing into middle adulthood can go either way of being pleased and satisfied or being full of uncertainty and distress. The middle age phase serves as a time for reevaluation, a chance to put new choices into consideration. Many individuals feel they need to take their livelihood in a new path or do something they’ve wanted to do their whole life. After such reflection, a person either concludes that he or she is contented with the life structure choices made or quickly plans to made changes while they are still possible (Balswick, 2005) Brian knows that his physiological functioning is weary, and his bio logical clock tells him he is reaching middle adulthood. Since many athletes participate sports over a long period (from adolescence straight to middle adulthood), a lot of wear and tear happens. To most athletes like Brian, their social clocks commence before middle adulthood. At the time, Brian was enjoying playing football; he missed his teenage years and early adulthood. Now that, he is approaching middle adulthood he looks back on what he has missed out on in the last twenty years of his life and most importantly his achievements. Attaining middle adulthood is worthwhile because he now gets to do things he longed to do with his family. This according to Zgourides fulfils the primary psychosocial task of middle adulthood, which is to, develop generativity, or the desire to expand one’s influence and commitment to family, society, and future generations (Zgourides, 2001). Women sometimes sacrifice their ambitions and career plans for their families. Their desire is to be t he best mothers to their kids and good wives to their partners. For women, middle adulthood may bring the feeling of loneliness since those who have children are worried that their children are going to leave them. One woman realized that her children were growing older and were to go away to college. She developed a sense of incompletion inside of her and knew she had to go back to college to further her career. She gave her marriage and raising children her best, unfortunately, her marriage succumbed in divorce, and her children went away to college. The woman managed to earn her degree and went ahead with her life (Miller, 2010). Perhaps middle adulthood is best known for its infamous midlife crisis: a time of reevaluation that leads to questioning long-held beliefs and values (Zgourides, 2001). Many people may feel that they did not live the life they planned for themselves when they were younger, and their lives tend restart when they reach middle adulthood. There are a lot of aspects in a person’s life that may either take a good or bad twist. By the time, adults reach middle adulthood age many of them differ in the opinion on how they have lived their life so far. This is a time when a person reflects on where they came from as opposed to where they are going from the middle of their life. Sometimes during this stage, choices are made to either continue the path already taken or establish somewhat different path of live (Whitbourne, 2005). Many adults

Colour and Culture Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Colour and Culture - Assignment Example he color is considered powerful and forbidding especially when not accompanied by another color, when black is accompanied by other colors such as white, it symbolizes elegance and formality. For as much as the Japanese culture has existed, the white color has been used to represent purity and cleanliness and in their religion it is considered as a blessed color (Addiss, Rimer, & Groemer, 2006). The white color is used in happy events such as weddings and other joyful life events. The color is even used in the Japanese national flag due to their respect for culture. According to the Japanese culture, the red color represents powerful ideas and energy. The color is also used to symbolize love and sexual desires. It is used in their national flag to show that their country is rich in ideas and has power. The blue color symbolizes a state of purity and cleanliness and this belief was drawn from the blue waters surrounding the islands in japan. Blue color also shows calmness and stability (Addiss, Rimer, & Groemer, 2006). The color is majorly worn by females to represent purity and cleanliness especially in unmarried women. Green color symbolizes fertility and progression of the culture. It is mainly associated with the youth to show their vitality and energy to grow. The green color also symbolizes eternity and most of the things to be preserved for many years are painted green (Addiss, Rimer, & Groemer,

Request to Conduct research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Request to Conduct research - Essay Example In addition, cigarette smoking harms secondhand smokers. Around 438,000 Americans die every year from inhaling secondhand smoke (Webber 13). The workplace is one of the most frequent places of smoking because of the time people spend in working and due to work-related stress. Hence, it is critical for the company to implement a comprehensive workplace smoking program that will benefit its employees and the organization. DECISION-MAKER The authority, who can implement the program, is the Human Resource Department (HRD) Manager. He is in charge of approving policies and solutions that impact the welfare of the employees. He will need the approval of the Finance Department and the support of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Board of Directors. The HRD Manager should grant this solution because it will improve the health of the people, which will impact their performance and reduce the long-term healthcare costs of the company. PROPOSED SOLUTION The solution is embodied in a compreh ensive â€Å"Workplace Smoking Cessation Program.† The title does not emphasize banning smoking or anti-smoking because some smokers have aversive attitudes to such language. To launch this program, an ad hoc committee will be formed, consisting of at least six people, two from HR and four employee representatives, wherein two are smokers and two are non-smokers. The goal is to promote employee participation and enhance the legitimacy of the program as a pro-employee effort. These people will brainstorm on the policies and procedures regarding the program. The program will be composed of its benefits and communications strategy. It will offer health benefits support for tobacco cessation, while communicating tobacco-free worksite policies (Webber 14). The company will play a large role in educating employees and their families about the health impact of tobacco use and the programs and services that are accessible for employees, so that they can quit smoking (Webber 14). In o rder to save money, existing resources for motivating smoking cessation behaviors will be used, as well as public measures for assessing the success of the program. The HR will employ multiple communication tools and techniques to promote smoking cessation practices. These tools will emphasize the social, health, economic, and ethical reasons of stopping smoking habits. Several elements will be underscored: 1) Employ a value-based benefit design that promotes screening, counseling, and over-the-counter and prescription medications that will support tobacco cessation. 2) Emphasize the various benefits of smoking. 3) Give information about programs and services that help employees quit, such as telephone counseling quit lines, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) resources, and other public resources. 4) Promote a general health philosophy in the worksite (Webber 14). BENEFITS The benefits of the program to the organization are: 1) Better employee and organizational perfor mance because of less smoking-related absences and illnesses. 2) Lower healthcare costs. 3) Decrease of instances of sudden workforce problems because of deaths and illnesses caused by smoking. 4) Higher morale due to emphasis on health and welfare. The benefits of the program to the employees are: 1) Better understanding of the benefits of quitting smoking. 2) Improved health and stamina. 3) Increase in morale because of the attention given to their health and welfare

Hagia Sophia and Pantheon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Hagia Sophia and Pantheon - Essay Example However, I was pleasantly surprised by the Apse mosaics within the building that depicted Biblical scenes. Mosaic art gained appreciation in my mind when I observed the Apse mosaics closely when previously mosaic art held no beauty for me. The most important feature in the interior of the building that appealed to my eye was the dome that rests on four concave triangular pendentives. It is because of these pendentives that the rectangular base is transformed to a circular dome as the building rises. One would expect the pendentives to serve only the practical purpose but when I observed the structure of these pendentives, it allowed me to appreciate the beauty of the architecture. The pendentives are both awe-inspiring as well as practical. Even without the pendentives, the beauty of the dome will still be maintained due to the presence of the forty windows that the architects of the original dome envisioned when creating the dome. The presence of these windows has allowed for a good play of light within the internal structure. I feel that without the dome, Hagia Sophia would not have gained such popularity among modern artists and architects. Pantheon is a building located in Rome, Italy that recounts the brilliance of Roman art and architecture in this age. The Pantheon served as a temple for the Romans and featured all the Roman Gods at different points of the building. The building is a treat in itself and observing the building from the front, with its Corinthian columns, I failed to envision the dome within the building despite having read extensive literature on the building. However, the east of side of the building prominently displays the rotunda. When entering into the building through the Corinthian columns, I felt that I was entering history. The high columns further strengthened these feelings as I realized that I was entering something majestic. This was a place where our ancestors prayed for successful lives, healthy sons and good produce. Howev er, looking at the building, I did not believe that this building was as old as the Roman age, given its condition despite the years. The most beautiful aspect of the building for me was the dome and the oculus in the interior of the building. Standing directly beneath the oculus and looking up gives one a feeling of being engulfed in the majesty of Roman architecture. Pantheon for me was Roman architecture in its prime. The vaulted arches of the dome have inspired many architects since they have been created but none have been able to match the brilliance of the Pantheon. It is not just the arches that catch the eye of the viewer. The architects of Pantheon have also been able to play with light using the circular structure of the dome. However, they have done this by using the top of the dome. The oculus allows light to shine on part of the vaulted arches and through the direction of the light, the Romans were also able to tell time. Combining the practical aspect with the beauty of the building is one of the most beautiful arts of the Romans . Reflection Assignment: Islamic Advancements and Achievements Muslim advancement in mathematics and architecture inspired many other cultures that came in contact with it. One of them was Renaissance culture that took good advantage of the Muslim presence in Spain to learn from one the most developed cultures of that

Describing three examples of activities in health care organizations Assignment

Describing three examples of activities in health care organizations - Assignment Example The immunization activities entail giving children BCG, DPT, polio, and measles immunization (Stahl, 2004). There is also epidemic preparedness and response to epidemics which is crucial to the health care organization employees because they have to start isolation of the people with the epidemic. When there is an epidemic outbreak for example the Ebola outbreak, people-centered management should be applied to give employees chances to suggest on the way forward on whether to isolate the infected people or whether to let them live with the other people. When giving an employee a chance to give a solution, it opens up their minds and makes them think. Supervisors and managers should award employees that show bravery during a difficult time of responding to an outbreak, for example an employee who saves a patient’s life. The reward will be a motivation to the individual and to the other employees who will work hard and be fully dedicated to their work. Fully participation of the employees can also earn their organization world awards. Communication between the supervisors and the employees is important for the growth of a health care organization. Where there is communication, people understand each other’s needs. When an employee’s opinion is taken into consideration, such an employee is motivated to keep on being committed to their work because they feel appreciated and respected. Moreover, meetings help employees to pass their complains and the supervisors and managers’ compliment and critic on the employees work (Carroll, 2001). The managers and supervisors encourage the employees on teamwork. In epidemic preparedness, the employees in different departments should be able to know where their teammates are, to make the daily routine surveillance for the epidemic easier. Furthermore, this aids the teammates to avoid losing a colleague to the outbreak without the knowledge of

Ethanol Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Ethanol - Essay Example It was mostly used industrially and for lamps until 1862, when the U.S. Congress placed a $2 per gallon tax on it to help fund the Civil War. In 1896, Henry Ford built his first vehicle, a Quadricycle, which ran entirely on pure ethanol. The first hybrid flexible engine was also built by him for his Ford Model T; made from 1908 until 1927. It could run on ethanol, gasoline or kerosene. As World War I and the depression created a need for more fuel, more research was done to provide the necessary means for energy when gasoline was not readily available. During the prohibition years, extensive taxation made it impractical to produce alcohol, although in the 1920's, the Standard Oil company started using ethanol as a fuel additive to reduce engine knocking and raise the octane of the fuel to enhance performance issues with automobiles. As the advancement of the combustion engine progressed, so did the need for ethanol research. It was also at this time that Brazil discovered a way to us e the ethanol made from sugar cane in their automobiles. It was in the 1930's that gasohol; fuel comprised of 6-12% ethanol was first used. Brazil passed a war time law in 1943 requiring automobile fuel to contain 50% ethanol, in order to reserve petroleum resources for the military use. They have continued to develop that technology into a world class economy today. Due to the oil embargo, in 1974, the U.S. began doing extensive research regarding turning organic materials into ethanol. In 1980, the U.S. placed foreign excise tax on all foreign made ethanol in an attempt to stimulate the domestic economy and reduce flooding the market with cheap imported ethanol. That tariff remains in place today, securing the place for the U.S. as the number one ethanol producer in the world. By that time, Brazil was considering fuel rationing, when Fiat built the first, ethanol only, modern car; within three years, 90% of the cars in Brazil were ethanol vehicles. Today, Brazil continues to be th e leading sugar cane ethanol producer, refining more than 40% of that country’s domestic ethanol. By 1992, the Energy Policy Act passed, requiring automakers to create and sell cars capable of using alternative fuels; also giving tax deductions to those selling those cars or ones capable of being converted with a special conversion kit. This kit made adjustments to the fuel-to-air ratio through the use of fuel sensors that determined how much ethanol was in the system to prevent engine damage. Ethanol as a fuel additive can be derived from many organic sources, such as corn, wheat, sugar cane, sugar beets, sweet sorghum, sweet potatoes, switch grass, and miscanthus. There is research constantly being conducted to search for new sources of feedstocks to produce this valuable renewable source of energy. Potential non-corn feedstocks include cotton stalks, and trees as well as certain forms of algae. This would require a special and complicated process to separate cellulose from the sugars for the fermentation process and much more research is needed in this area. There are many other uses of ethanol than just for car fuel. It is also used to make industrial compounds and solvents, antifreeze, vinegar, perfume, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, paint, and alcohol wipes and antibacterial hand sanitizers. The grain alcohol that is used for human consumption is of a much higher quality and therefore a different product entirely. One

Why Teens Cant Sleep Essay Example for Free

Why Teens Cant Sleep Essay Warren Zevon, American songwriter and musician, once said, â€Å"I’ll sleep when I’m dead.† Ironically, sleep is one of the basic functions of life we need to survive. Teenagers take a good night’s sleep for granite, often skipping it for a variety of reasons. However, the body will never be at its peak performance without a good night’s rest. Due to other after school activities, responsibilities, or habits teenagers find themselves in circumstances where they are up late at night missing out on hours sleep. Some of these circumstances that cause sleep deprivation are out of a teen’s control, while others are not. When sports coaches schedule practices late in the evening this often means teens are not going to get a good night’s sleep. This situation is clearly out of a teen’s control as they must respect their coach’s decision. In the beginning of November, the Middletown Football team held a meeting to talk about our practice in preparation for the last game of the season. Because the last football game stretches two weeks into the winter sport season those playing a winter sport and football, such as myself, had to attend both of their practices. Coach Donahue, the football coach, arranged for me to attend wrestling at 2:30pm to 5:30pm then go to football practice 6pm to 8pm. I would not get home until 8:30pm. After eating dinner and finishing homework I was in bed by 11pm. It was then my responsibility to wake up at 5:30am to prepare for school and do it all over again. Having practice scheduled late in the evening deprived me of hours of sleep and it showed as I woul d find myself a sleep during my classes. In addition to late sports practices, a teenager’s part-time job also can lead to sleep deprivation. Some teenagers rely on their job to help support their family or save to support themselves later in college. My best friend, Ylexis, has a part-time job at the Middletown Galleria AMC. She took this job because she needs the money for college. On a regular basis her shift adviser will schedule her to work after school at 4pm to 8pm. She complains to me all the time in the most vitreous tone that she does not get enough sleep because when she gets home she is responsible for preparing dinner for her younger siblings. After completing her homework she is normally in bed at 10pm or later. Because this job deprives her of time she needs to sleep, Ylexis has talked about quitting then taking a year off after high school to work for college.  Perhaps the most common reason for sleep deprivation in teens is also the one in their control: procrastination. Teens tend to put off major assignments that are not due the next day. My friend Jose is a great example. Jose is the biggest Call of Duty fan I have ever known, and it hurt him tremendously in the grade book. He told me when Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 was released, he played online until 1am. As Jose was going to sleep for the night he remembered a two page essay due the next day in Psychology class. Jose scrambled to put what he could together, constructing his essay until five in the morning. Upon turning in the essay the teacher told Jose he looked as though he were going to fall out from exhaustion. Jose received a D- on his essay, and he regrets ever having purchased Call of Duty. There are a variety of circumstances, some in a teen’s control and others that are not, that could cause sleep deprivation. Whether it be a sport, a job, or a bad habit it is vital a teenager get an ample amount of sleep. Sleep is needed to keep the body working efficiently. I do not envy anyone who is caught in all these situations at one time.

Contributions of Science in Maintaining World Peace Essay Example for Free

Contributions of Science in Maintaining World Peace Essay Science has made great progress in recent times. Through science man has been able to conquer nature. He has acquired control over land, air and water. Time and distance have no meaning in this sputnik Age. Some people think that science is responsible for wars. It has placed in the hands of the man extremely destructive weapons. They may ruin the world completely. It may be true to some extent. But science has also contributed a lot towards world peace. Today very fast means of transport and communications are available. Armies can be moved from one place to another in no times. These forces check the advance of an enemy. Thus war is prevented. Big wars break out due to certain causes. Poverty, disease, hunger, etc. , are enemies of mankind. Some countries are rich while others are poor. Scientific inventions have given us valuable machines. With their help production has been increased manifold. Even the backward and poor countries have now begun to enjoy a better standard of living. The contribution of science to medical science is well known to everyone. Wonderful drops like penicillin, streptomycin, Chloromycetin, etc. , have been discovered. They have ensured long and healthy life to the people of the world. By removing such causes of war, science has helped in reducing the chances of a world war to the minimum. Small sparks lead to big conflagrations. Similarly minor internal disturbances within a country sometimes lead to big wars, but now-a-days the police and military can be sent to the spots of trouble within no time. Thus, internal peace is far more secure today than it ever was. Science has given very effective means of propaganda. The Radio, the Television, the News paper and the cinema are very powerful means of propaganda. Through them, the people of the world can easily know the horrible effects of modern warfare. Through cinema, pictures of horrors of war are shown to the people. Thus public opinion is created against war. This also helps in preventing war. Science has not reached the limits of its inventions even now. It is making even more starting inventions. It is now busy in acquiring control over outer space. Furthermore, man is today more conscious of necessity of world peace than ever before. He has begun to use his knowledge of science for peaceful purposes. Let us be optimistic that science enables us to banish war completely in the near future.

Indian Culture And Infosys Ltd Commerce Essay

Indian Culture And Infosys Ltd Commerce Essay Throughout management history, culture has played a more important role in organisation for both employers and employees, as it provides a background to understanding an organisations identity rules and mission. This essay evaluates the effect of organisational culture based on the theoretical research, Cultural Dynamic Model of Mary Jo Hatch (1993), as well as observations of the companys climate and interview with one of the employees of the company. It will consist of the general information about culture, features of Indian national identity, basic culture theories and description of the Cultural Dynamic Model and its main processes. Limitations of this analysis will also be mentioned at the end of the report. Moreover, each part of the report will include an application of the processes of the model to the Indian IT company Infosys Ltd, which specialises in offshoring technology services and has more than 100,000 employees worldwide. Considering the culture within organisations, it is essential to emphasise that culture is an extremely difficult topic, and it can be defined in many ways  [1]  . According to Lundberg (1990) culture as a day-to-day sense may be understood intuitionally, and includes a variety of aspects, such as being a broad and shared by group members psychological phenomenon within any stable organisation with a history. It has invisible symbolic and deeply buried values and assumptions in its core, which can be gained and modified in some rare cases  [2]  . Indian Culture and Infosys Ltd. Infosys culture is a reflection of its co-founder, Narayan Murthy, who imposed a southern Indian culture, and consequently recruited individuals from that region. As the company grew, it decided to recruit from different regions to take advantage of the countrys cultural diversity. Kanungo, Sadavarti and Srinivas (2001) suggest that organisational culture in India has been linked to organisational success or less successful performance (p.30). This explains Infosys strong culture and drives to improve employees well-being. In order to manage diversity, corporate policies became more flexible and employee focused by providing benefits such as accommodations, sets of recreational facilities and other advantages for their welfare  [3]  . Hence, Infosys recognise the importance of cultural differences because of its potential to increase the companys overall performance. Furthermore, Indian opinion leaders and policy makers encourage employee involvement, as organisations cant afford to neglect their cultural dimension (Kanungo, Sadavarti and Srinivas , p.51). Additionally, organisations that can nurture the innovative dimensions of their culture in a person-centered manner are more likely to treat culture as a meaningful organizational process (Ibid., p.52) that encourages growth of IT in India. Cultural Theories Allaire and Firsirotu (1984) see organisations as sociocultural systems and organisations as systems of ideas. In the former, social and cultural components are integrated and synchronized in the organisation, where the focus lies with values, norms, and beliefs and with the interaction of individuals who constitute concrete collectivities (Ibid., p.195). In system of ideas, culture is located in the minds of culture-bearers or viewed as systems of knowledge of learned standards for perceiving, believing, evaluating and acting (Ibid., p.148). Furthermore, Schein (1990) has an alternative approach to organisational culture. In his research he identifies it on three levels: observable artifacts, values and basic assumptions. The observable artifacts are the visible manifestations of an organisations culture such as the physical and material objects and the level of technology. He suggests that it includes everything from the physical layout, the dress code, the manner in which people address each other, the smell and feel of the place, its emotional intensity (Ibid., p.111). The values, which are located between the artifacts and the basic assumptions, determine the behavioral norms. At this level the focus is on how people feel and think (Ibid., p.112). The Basic assumptions are difficult to detect and change. They determine the unconscious perceptions, thought processes, feelings, and behavior of individuals (Ibid., p.112). The model below displays Scheins model of organisational culture. Source: Schein 2004, p. 26 The chosen model The model we will apply to Infosys is Mary Jo Hatchs (1993) The Dynamic Model. It is an enhanced model based on Scheins (1985), which emphasises on symbolic and process factors. The Symbols aspect was introduced to the elements of Scheins model, which makes this model more complex. Connecting these elements together made a spinning wheel structure, which was interpreted as being able to operate both forward (proactive/prospective) and backward (retrospective/retroactive). This in turn has created a more dynamic relationship between the elements as opposed to a static relationship between them. The Mary Jo Hatch model we will use is displayed below. C:UsersFrankDesktopdynamic model.jpg Source: Hatch 1993, p. 660 Manifestation The point of entry to using the model is variable, as this will be influenced by the research topic. For this particular study, we will use assumptions as the starting point for our analysis (Hatch, 1993). The process between assumptions and values is manifestation, which can be further sub-categorised into proactive (assumptions to values) and retroactive (values to assumptions). Infosyss vision is to be a globally respected corporation. The underlying assumptions consist of having high standards and having an enthusiastic approach to learn, as well as being hard working, competitive and honest. The processes of proactive manifestation shapes these intangible assumptions into distinct values of the company, such as impressing the client, being the market leader, being fair and ethical as well as constantly striving for perfection (Infosys Ltd, 2012). Retrospective manifestation occurs when there is a change in values, which can lead to possibly maintaining or transforming existing assumptions. The CEO of Infosys and managing director included employees as intangible assets in their 2011 balance sheet and stated that their employees were their value. Numerous employees assume that their employer, disregards their hardworking efforts, which contradicts existing assumptions. Ultimately, it could possibly have enough influence to change the current assumptions and create a new set of assumptions. Realisation According to Hatchs dynamics model (1993), an organisations artifacts are the most realisable aspects of its culture. Realisation transforms values into artifacts (proactive realisation) and accordingly, keeps or changes the existing values through the production of new artifacts (retroactive realisation). As emphasized by one of the ex-employees of Infosys, the company has built an environmentally friendly strategy. This can be made clear from Infosys operating using a clean power source of windmills that are attached to each building and the use solar powered mini-vans for handicapped and pregnant women for transportation within the company. Furthermore, they give large amounts of money to charities, focusing on poor people and children education. In addition, following a natural disaster in any part of the world, an online portal is opened for donation transactions. If an employee wishes to donate money it will be debited from their salary. Infosys believes that everything should be provided for the people it employs. Most of the buildings are like well designed and include food courts, sport facilities and employee care centers. In some cases a 4-star hotel is included, as well as gardens and other leisure facilities. Infosys wants to encourage communication between project members and employees to create a good work ethic, for example various activities are organised after each project completion to help employees get a better understanding of each other, to ultimately promote efficient work processes and good outputs/performance. Awards for the most effective people are presented each year. In addition, employees have the chance to meet and talk to the top management team. Moreover, there are daily quiz competitions and music meetings organised for the employees. Mondays and Tuesdays everyone is required to be in formal dressing. There is a flexible approach to communication, employees are encouraged to talk informally to each other and fun and jokes are allowed. The methods above increase employees effectiveness and creativity. People are generally self-motivated inside the company as they are continuously monitored by their supervisors and managers who use a check list of attributes. The monitored period is discussed on a 6 month basis as a part of the appraisal cycle. Regular efficiency reports are also distributed to announce the department with the best performance. Moreover, there are weekly internal newsletters informing the employees of the companys news and other relevant subjects. These cultural artifacts have been incorporated in the organisations culture through a long process of experimenting and assessment in order to reflect the companys values. Since they are absorbed in the culture, they work retroactively to realign values as culture adjusts to their presence (Hatch 1993, p.667), which means that artifacts through retroactive realisation have the ability to alter the organisational values throughout time, although it is a long process. Symbolisation Symbols are referred to the visible, the physical manifestations and to the indicators of organisational life. Symbols are experienced as tangible and can be noticed through sound, touch, sight and smell (Rafaeli and Worline, 1999). Symbols and artefacts are indistinguishable and a list of organisational symbols consists of the corporate logos, slogans, stories, visual images and metaphors (Gioia, 1986 cited in Hatch, 1993, p. 669) while corporate behaviour consists of values and norms and corporate communication consists of public relations and advertising. In Infosys a particular dress code is followed which is considered as a part of companys corporate design where men are required to wear full sleeve shirt and tie and women are meant to wear full formal wear like salwar kamij. Prospective symbolisation suggests that an artefact is an objective form in a literal meaning. Firstly they arise as just artefacts and by adding cultural processing they get recognised as symbolic forms by the organisation (Brown,1993 and Tompkin, 1987 cited in Hatch, 1993, p.670). Retrospective symbolisation enhances prospective symbolisation which furthers the meaning of the aspect. In addition, Infosys logo remains one until retrospective symbolisation takes place which results in the emblem meaning much more such as an image for purpose and vision corresponding to its slogan Powered by Intellect, driven by values (Infosys Limited, 2004). Corporate behaviour is the attitude of an organisation when it is considered as a single body. Values define customer satisfaction and leadership. Norms are for the long term development of Infosys and the best standards of corporate governance should be applied for greater prosperity such as an increased customer base and profits. The company applied a good level of external communication and it never compromised on its profit margin. External clients are aware of the Infosys service quality, are never concerned about bargaining the terms and conditions and always wants to give their business to the company. Also, the company keeps its client well informed concerning progress of their project, through weekly meetings. Infosys is a knowledge intensive company which recognises the value of its human assets in maintaining an enhanced culture. The business activities of the company are anchored into the pillars of corporate behaviour which are business ethics and corporate social responsibility. According to the interviewee Infosys main ethic is based around the notion that Client is the Boss and that it tends to prioritise client requirements over its own as long as their margin standards are met. Also, Infosys adopted schools in villages and took full responsibility of education of children; ex CEO runs his own non-governmental organisation in which they use to raise funds for the poor. Interpretation In terms of cultural assumptions, it can be useful to refer to not only the Dynamic Model, but also the original model of Schein, where the assumptions are viewed as the core content of the organisational culture. As basic assumptions consists of unconscious and strong granted beliefs within an organisation (Schein, 2004), in Infosys it can be seen as a less hierarchical and friendly atmosphere between employees as a part of the culture of the organisation. However, from a cultural dynamic perspective, interpretation is considered as a bidirectional process that contains an interaction between current symbols and basic assumptions. Schutz (1970, cited by Hatch, 1993) claimed that interpretation was a significant medium for establishing the meaning of an experience and involved the retrospective and prospective interpretations simultaneously. The former is a move from basic assumptions to current symbols, which can be seen in relation to Infosys as the activities for a successful completion of the work. Emotional satisfacion from the rewards can be related to the competitions and games organised by the company. The Prospective path introduces an influence on basic assumptions from symbols, such as newly created activities and rewards systems, which may influence the creation of new assumptions and opinion within the company. According to Ricoeur (1976 cited in Hatch, 1993: 674) interpretation should be viewed as a second-order experience of symbolisation which can be distinguished with the direct experience. Hatch (1993) summarised interpretation in two points: Firstly, current symbolisation experience was interpreted in an existing cultural frame and revised assumptions by constructing some new meaning. The prospective interpretation focuses more on the move from external symbols to company assumptions and also involves a reciprocal effect. Infosys describes itself as multi-cultural because of its global and diverse recruitment base. It may be a significant reason and stimulus for the free, active, inclusive and innovative work atmosphere inside the company. Employees from different nations and regions bring various and contrasting opinions and work styles to the workplace, which promote the development of innovative and specific ideas, methods and perspectives. Multi-cultural employees offer a special cultural content for Infosys, who gives a symbolic significance to it. Secondly, cultural assumptions had effects on symbols and supplied opportunities for culture to re-establish existing symbolised content and engage new symbols. Infosys emphasises on its innovation and freedom, for example it organises events at least twice a year where lower level employees get to meet top management. Sports, culture and art are supported and several fun clubs and activities are provided. It also has a rich internal communications to supply opportunities for employees to know how their organisation works, how decisions are made, and what drives the company to develop. Limitations of report interview Although the chosen model for this analysis is very complex, there are still limitations to the report. Firstly, the fact that only one person was interviewed limits the report because the perception of an individual does not necessarily represent the rest of the employees. Moreover, our main source of information is the Infosys official site. However, it is understandable that there is a strict policy about the information available on their website. Secondly, the Cultural Dynamic Model has a few underlying limitations. Hatch tried to fill the gaps in Scheins model by adding symbols as a new category and used the interpretation process to explain the relationship between symbols and assumptions. However, the explanation for this process was relatively short in comparison to other processes within the model. Furthermore, the processes of the model concentrate on cognitive and social behaviours, but not on the relationship between the members of the organization (Hatch 1993). Future research should work on expanding the interpretation processes of the model to make it clearer, as well as including interrelationship factors into the model. Conclusion Infosys emphasises on the importance of culture. It uses a hierarchical structure, however this does not imply it uses a rigid chain of command, and a strict set of rules. The Company values its employees, its diversity and the different skills and working practices employees bring to it. Furthermore, it is concerned with their well being and this can be shown by employees being classed as assets on their balance sheet. It provides a relaxing environment for employees to work in and provide them numerous benefits to increase productivity, efficiency and innovation. In addition, it enables low level employees to meet and interact with top management by organising at least two events every year. Additionally, certain rules and regulations still exist to ensure efficient working practices. Infosys has found the right proportion of rules and regulations with freedom and relaxation, and this is what gives it strong organisational culture. Word Count: 2,648

Traitor in The Defector Episode of Star Trek Essays -- Star Trek Trait

Traitor in The Defector Episode of Star Trek In "The Defector," Jarroc becomes a traitor when he betrays the Romulan Empire. Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary has several definitions for "betrayal," but the one we are interested in is the second, which reads, "to deliver to an enemy by treachery" (109). By defecting and telling the Federation of the Romulan plan to invade, Jarroc does just that. Merriam-Webster's further defines a traitor as "one who betrays another's trust or is false to an obligation or duty" (1252). By defecting to the Federation and using information that the Romulan High Council gave him in trust to harm the Romulan Empire, Jarroc became a traitor. Until the very end of the show, Jarroc did not believe that he was a traitor. When Riker asked him why he had set his ship to self-destruct (thereby keeping the Federation from learning its secrets), Jarroc replied, "Wouldn't you? To keep your ship from being captured?" Riker became a little upset and said, "Excuse me, Setal, but I thought you were defecting." Jarroc's reply illustrates his attitude: "I am not a traitor" ("The Defector"). One's attitude toward a particular instance of defection (forsaking one cause, party, or nation for another often because of a change in ideology) depends almost entirely upon the observer's position (Merriam 302). Riker equates defection with treason. As we see later in the episode, so do the Romulans. Jarroc, though, has a unique position. Though he has defected (he does not deny it), he still does not think of himself as a traitor. Jarroc does not finally give in and commit treason (in his own mind) until near the end of the episode, when he meet s with Picard. Picard refuses to move until Jarroc provides some evid... ...betrayed himself. Also, by failing in his mission to save his children by keeping the Romulans from going to war, he betrayed his unofficial oath to them. War was the Romulans' aim--Tomalak explicitly said so during the confrontation in the Neutral Zone. Thanks to good planning on Picard's part, though, the Romulans' plans did not come to fruition. Jarroc's daughter would not die in the war that he had been lead to believe was coming, but his actions did not save her. Jarroc himself puts it most succinctly when he says, "I did it for nothing. My home, my family . . . for nothing." Works Cited Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 10th Edition. Springfield: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 1993. "The Defector." Prod. Ira Steven Behr. Dir. Robert Sheerer. Perf. Patrick Stewart and James Sloyan. Star Trek: The Next Generation. Syndicated. KBVO, Austin. 14 Jan. 1990

Othello the Outsider Essay -- Othello essays

Othello the Outsider   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeare's tragic hero, Othello, was a man whose gifts far outnumbered his weaknesses. On the battlefield, he was accomplished; in his profession, he was highly ranked; and, in his life, he was blissfully married. Despite these great advantages, however, Othello's destiny was ruin. Everything he had so carefully made for himself would be destroyed by one flaw: his fear of remaining an outsider. He feared this fate, yet he harped on it continuously, tearing himself between his identity as a foreigner and his desire to live as a normal citizen. Even so far back as his first public speech, perturbations caused by this internal unrest surfaced, and it was unrest that would ultimately lead to his horrible and complete undoing.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Othello's first speech is an address to the Venetian council, through which he introduces himself to the council members. Brabantio, Desdemona's angered father, has accused Othello of bewitching his daughter and stealing her away into marriage, and Othello is defending himself against these charges. To start his case, he begins thusly, "Most potent, grave, and reverend signors, / My very noble and approved good masters, / That I have ta'en away this old man's daughter, / It is most true; true I have married her" (page 19). Just by itself, this is perhaps the most poetic stanza of the play to this point, yet he continues it in short order with, "...Rude am I in my speech, / And little blessed with the soft phrase of peace" (page 19). Now, only seven lines into Othello's first public text, he has already made use of his outsider status. By humbling himself amidst spectacular oration, he is appearing non-threatening to the judges, while still making a great case. T. .. ... true; true I have married her. The very head and front of my offending Hath this extent, no more. Rude am I in my speech, And little blessed with the soft phrase of peace; For since these arms of mine had seven years' pith Till now some nine moons wasted, they have used Their dearest action in the tented field; And little of this great world can I speak More than pertains to feats of broils and battle; And therefore little shall I grace my cause In speaking for myself. Yet, by your gracious patience, I will a round unvarnished tale deliver Of my whole course of love - what drugs, what charms, What conjuration, and what mighty magic (For such proceeding I am charged withal) I won his daughter.    Works Consulted    The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice, William Shakespeare, I.III.76-94   

Blocking & Filtering Essay -- essays research papers

"Any content-based regulation of the Internet, no matter how benign the purpose, could burn the global village to roast the pig." U.S. Supreme Court majority decision, Reno v. ACLU (June 26, 1997) Blocking and filtering software for the Internet is one of the most hotly debated topics regarding free speech and the Internet. Many have criticized blocking software for being both under and over inclusive, and others have argued that blocking software should not be used at all in public institutions such as libraries and schools. On the other side, supporters of blocking software claim that is a legitimate method to regulate access to "inappropriate" material on the Internet, especially access for minors. But, before we begin to look at these debates directly, we have to examine how the different types of blocking software available work. Nearly all blocking software contains several features that enable the user to customize it for their particular preferences. Users can set the particular levels and/or categories they want the software to screen. So, for example, a user could instruct his browser to block all nudity and sex acts, but still allow sex education and intolerance, while another users could do the opposite. Another common feature is the ability to unblock particular web sites when they are blocked. So, if a user was attempting to access the CNN web site, and it was blocked because it contained, for example, the Starr report, the user could unblock it. A final common feature of most blocking software is that it can be turned on and off for particular users on a particular machine, so that parents can turn the software on when their children are using the computer, but allow themselves unlimited access. Blocking software works in several major ways: blocking by word, blocking particular sites, blocking all sites except those on a "white list," and blocking by preset ratings. Most of the first blocking software worked by blocking words; the software would scan web sites for certain, unacceptable words such as "breast" or "sex." This type of software was often ridiculed, because it is ridiculously over broad, for example blocking sites on breast cancer or news sites about the President. In addition, this type of blocking has the disadvantage of not being able to scan pictures for unacceptable m... ...ts computers. Representative Bob Franks of New Jersey introduced a similar bill in the House, dubbed the "Safe Schools Internet Act of 1999". In addition, the constitutionality of library filters has been, and continues to be, litigated in several cases. All cases decided to this point have declared mandatory filters on all library computers to be unconstitutional. Many argue that the PICS system is the best way to provide for parental empowerment in order to manage their children's internet use. These people point out that, at least for now, the PICS system is voluntary and that third parties can rate sites. The rating systems used in conjunction with PICS establish a uniform standard that parents can rely on, instead of the opinions of software companies' list makers. The purpose behind Internet filters is to provide parents, educators and other with an effective tool to protect minors from harmful material through their computers. At first blush they appear to be a simple technological fix to the problem of indecency on the Internet. However, this simple solution has touched off a firestorm of controversy, which show no signs of cooling off in the near future.

He Nine Steps O the Accounting Cycle

The nine steps of the accounting cycle are You must collect and analyze all transactions. It will determine the effect of their financial position in the business. The equations must balance once the transactions are recorded. Journalize the transactions in the general ledger, which should be organized by the specific account. This should happen at least once a month. The next step is to post to the ledger accounts, this should be step 3 in the accounting process.Prepare a Trial Balance to make sure the process of totaling debits and credits to make sure the sum of debits equals the sum of credits, check to make sure both columns balance out. Journalize and Post Adjusting Entries Use entries that are adjusted: deferrals and accruals. And adjust entries that are made from the company's worksheet, an accounting tool prepared at the end of each period. Make preparation to the Adjusted Trial Balance, This is a sheet used to verify the balance of debits and credits after the adjusting ent ries are made in the accounting cycle.Prepare Financial Statements. Once all adjustments are done, the final trial balance will be used to prepare income statement and balance sheet. Post the Closing Entries and Journalize, and at the end of a fiscal period you must close the temporary accounts. Prepare a post-closing trial balance to make sure that all revenue and expense accounts are already closed, and check the debit and credit balances of all the balance sheet accounts. www. accountingverse. com/accounting-basics/accounting†¦

Improving Teaching and Learning Essay

As all children’s experiences and development are individual, every child will have their own unique ‘starting point’ from where to continue their learning of a subject from. Ausubel (1968) puts forward the interesting thought that we should design our teaching to start from where the pupil is. However, as Littledyke & Huxton (1998) suggest, it is almost impossible to take into account every individual child’s educational ‘starting point. I tried to establish a ‘common starting point’ by getting the whole class to brainstorm what they knew about metal. This would provide me with a vague idea of the knowledge each child held and enable me to successfully plan suitable investigative activities. This matches Piaget’s (1926) notion of ‘cognitive match’. The need to pitch the learning experience at the right level, for each child. † The teacher leads a discussion on a topic to draw out a range of ideas from this the teacher may be able to judge which children are most or least knowledgeable. However there may be several children within the class about the teacher knows very little even after the brainstorming session. † (Littledyke & Huxford, 1998, p22) To combat this problem that Littledyke and Huxford (1998) mention I talked to children who did not take part in the whole class session individually to found out their level of knowledge on the subject. One of the objects on my display table was a magnet. Many of the children seemed fascinated by the magnet, as groups of children would constantly pick it up and play with it. After seeing this I decided I would get the children to investigate which materials are attracted to a magnet. This seemed like an excellent idea as I had already observed that the children were interested in this subject. The investigation would be carried out in a constructivist manner, with the children working individually. From this I could see that Rodney had had no past experience with magnets and therefore had no knowledge that magnets are made of metal. All he knew was that the object he held in his hand was called a ‘magnet’ and that it stuck to metal objects. He had guessed that the magnet was made of plastic (probably due to the fact that it was coated in plastic) and constructed a misconception. On analysing this conversation I concluded that carrying my investigation out in a constructivist manner and pitching my investigation at an intermediate level, had missed Rodney’s (and no doubt others) ‘starting point’ of subject knowledge leading him to create his own incorrect idea. I believe this evidence contradicts a constructivist way of teaching as without positively intervening, questioning and explaining to Rodney that the magnet was made of metal, more problems may have arise in the form of further misconceptions or being unable to carry out following work effectively. Instead it matches Littledykes & Huxtons (1998) suggestion that matching every child’s ‘starting point’ is extremely challenging and if not done accurately, as shown from the evidence, can cause problems for the child. This brings to light that maybe a different teaching style needs to be adopted. Maybe I should have used the transmission approach of teaching at the beginning of the lesson and clarified vital pieces of information so that non of the children would have had misconceptions and the investigation would have succeed to the best of its ability. This however would have been uninteresting for the children. In using a constructivist method of teaching, allowing the child to work independently building on old ideas to construct new ones, there is always a risk that misconceptions may arise. When children are discovering a convention for themselves and intervention from a more knowledgeable source is absent, children may take the information and instead of placing it in the perspective of conventional science they place it in their own logical perspective. For example, after the investigation, I sat with each ability group and asked them to inform me of their findings. Through discussion and questioning within the group, I challenged ideas, aiding children to have access and maybe use of other children’s ideas and therefore make their own clearer. The following conversation was typical of all the groups. In conclusion, I believe that constructivism is an effective way in enabling children to build on or amend active ideas as it allows the child to undertaking ‘hands on’ activities and actually appreciate a theory in action. This in turn could either deepen understanding or change misconceptions they may have emerged throughout the topic. Practical activities subsequently help the children to retain the information as ‘doing’ experiments, which are of interest to them, help them remember the vital information needed. These facts could then be recalled instantaneously when re-visiting and building on a similar topic, later on in the curriculum. Due to all the disadvantages mentioned earlier in my assignment, it is obvious that constructivism cannot stand-alone. It is acceptable to use constructivist methods but they must be used in conjunction with other teaching methods also mentioned earlier. This, as teachers, is down to our professional judgement to decide when and where they should be used. The right teaching style should accommodate the right job and although constructivism is a sound way to allow children to investigate, it does not always fit the purpose of the scientific investigation wanting to be carried out. However I believe that we adopt many different teaching styles throughout a lesson without even knowing it. Bibliography ASHCROFT, K & LEE, J (2000) Improving Teaching and Learning in the Core Curriculum. London: Falmer. ATKINSON & FLEER (1995) Science with Reason. Hodder & Staughton. COLLINS EDUCATIONAL (1995) Nuffield Primary Science, materials: teachers guide. London De BOO, M (2000) Science 3-6 Laying the foundations in the Early Years. ASE Hatfield. DFEE, (2000) The National Curriculum: Handbook for Primary Teachers in England. London: DFEE & QCA. FARROW, S. (2000) The Really Useful Science Book. London:Falmer.

Family Matters: Literary Analysis of the Veldt and Heart of a Dog Essay

Family Matters: Literary Analysis of The Veldt and Heart of a Dog A family unit is like a fragile, expensive artifact. It can be absolutely beautiful, but it can also absolutely shatter into a million pieces if the wrong entity gets ahold of it. Sometimes, this critical entity that shatters it may be technology that has been used in the wrong ways. In both The Veldt, by Ray Bradbury, and Heart of a Dog, by Mikhail Bulgakov, the power of technology threatens to bring down the family unit as the reader commonly knows it. The technology in each book first grows the idea of family, but ultimately ends up hurting the social dynamic of the family it had hoped to expand. These books explore the problems that technology causes that were originally trying to fix them. In this way, technology helped to support these families initially, but eventually knocked them down, shattering them hopelessly into the ground. In Ray Bradbury’s The Veldt, the Hadley family wanted technology to make their lives easier, more carefree, and as a life enhancer. They made their house do everything possible to mechanize ordinary household chores. The â€Å"Happylife Home†¦clothed and fed and rocked them to sleep and played and sang and was good to them† (12) this indicated the attempt to create an environment that would be free of worries. The nursery, the dreamlike play place George Hadley had installed because â€Å"nothing is too good for our children† (14) was so amazing that George was â€Å"filled with admiration for the mechanical genius who had conceived this room† (15) In this sense, George was doing what he could for his family, trying to bring them closer by providing the means to a happier existence for his kids, as well as his wife. With every chore taken care of, what worries could one possibly have? As the family would eventually find out, there were quite a few problems. Very quickly did this dreamlike world filled with easiness and carefree living come crashing down on the Hadley’s. With her regular duties such as cooking and cleaning taken up by the omnipresent house, Lydia Hadley was deprived of her usual sanity she finds in her chores. She vents about her replacement as a caretaker in the family when she states, â€Å"I feel like I don’t belong here. The house is wife and mother now, and nursemaid. Can I compete with an African veldt? Can I give a bath and scrub the children as efficiently or quickly as the automatic scrub bath can? I cannot. † (16) While the house was designed to make Lydia’s home life much less stressful, she laments the fact that her place in the family has been overtaken by an inanimate object, and that she has lost all hope of connecting with her family. She is also not the only person whose role has changed via the house’s ‘do everything’ programming. Lydia comments on her husband’s nature by saying â€Å"You look as if you didn’t know what to do with yourself in this house, either. You smoke a little more†¦drink a little more†¦need a sedative every night. You’re beginning to feel unnecessary too. † (17) These mechanical tools that were intended to increase family bonding time by taking away chores have instead induced a sense of laziness. This was a critical step for the Hadley’s, replacing everyday work not with enriching playtime, but with sheer boredom, showing how this technology has worsened their conditions. The technology essentially replaced George and Lydia as parents and caretakers, setting the stage for a social upheaval in the family. When the nursery was left to its own devices, the kids, Peter and Wendy, grew in power, seemingly overthrowing George and Lydia, ceasing to listen to them anymore. A chilling example of this is when George threatens to turn off the house and Peter coldly states, â€Å"I don’t think you’d better consider it any more, Father. † To which George replies â€Å"I won’t have any threats from my son! † (23) This shows how the power balance has shifted from the adults to the kids. Peter turns into a cold, mean-spirited son when George keeps threatening to turn off the house, boldly proclaiming â€Å"Oh, how I hate you†¦ I wish you were dead! † (26) This is simply foreshadowing a few pages later when the kids lock George and Lydia into the nursery with the lions, to be brutally murdered. Over the course of just a short time, the reader witnesses how the technology of the house had overturned a seemingly happy family into a socially backward, messed up family. In Mikhail Bulgakov’s Heart of a Dog, Philip Philippovich uses his surgical practices in order to create a family unit, which ultimately runs astray. Philippovich uses his technology on the dog Sharikov in order to transform he dog to a human and assert his dominance over this human that he creates. It is an incredible undertaking in technology that starts with a positive thought about creation, yet ends in pure misery and despair. While Preobrazhensky may not have the stereotypical family situation, it can be argued that by asserting his status as master of Sharikov, Preobrazhensky was claiming his status as a father figure for Sharikov. One such time where Sharikov calls Philipovich his dad is during a meal in which Philipovich is being very impatient with Sharikov, and Sharikov retorts, saying â€Å"You’re getting too hard on my, dad. (70) While Philipovich gets very defensive about this statement, and doesn’t want to be called a dad, the fact that Sharikov even considers this a possibility is a huge telltale sign into their social structure of the home. It is also essentially the beginning of the end for their life as a family unit. While the technology of the surgery may have led to a creation of a family dynamic between Sharikov and Preobrazhensky, however, eventually this same dynamic eventually crashes, and the same technology used to create a human being to a dog, transforms that same hu man back into a dog. This represents the dismantling of a family unit by the hands of the same technology that set it up in the first place. Philippovich has an epiphany near the end of the novel, realizing he does not need to be a creator, a father figure, when nature itself will take care of the creating. Preobrazhensky grumbles, â€Å"[The surgery] might be possible to turn a dog into a highly advanced human. But what the hell for? †¦ Doctor, the human race takes care of this by itself, and every year, in the course of its evolution, it creates dozens of outstanding geniuses who adorn the earth, stubbornly selecting them out of the mass of scum† (103). This is when he decides that the technology he has been using to create his family dynamic is essentially useless, and that the technology of the surgery only caused him more harm than good. In comparing these two books readers can see how the use of different forms of technology worked on each family unit in similar ways, leading to a destruction of family. In The Veldt, the Hadley family comes as an already established, traditional family structure, however, upon the introduction to technology seemingly falls apart at the seams. This is contrasted to the Heart of a Dog, where the definition of family is slightly different. In this book, the reader can see how technology singlehandedly create and then pull apart a family structure, effectively showing the immense power that this technology has. In each book, however, we can see the huge difference that this technology makes on the family. The Veldt has a murderous ending which can be solely attributed to the new technological advances of the nursery. The Heart of a Dog displays a harsh yet familial father-son relationship that breaks down with the misuse of the powerful technology that created it. Through these two novels the reader discovers how technology, when misused, can cause the serious destruction of family. Both Bradbury and Bulgakov challenge the notion that technology is always progressive in nature, and instead offer an alternative, showing how technology can instead break and crumble an important social institution. Both stories can be looked at as at one point incredible artifacts which, via the mistaken power of technology, collapsed onto themselves and shattered into mess.

Beneath Clouds Speech – the Persona of Lena

Mr Teacher was kind enough to invite me here today to inform you of my journey to discover my personal identity and all of the trials and tribulations that came with it. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Lena and I come from an Aboriginal Irish background. Everyone I want you to imagine feeling so alone, trapped, isolated and different from everyone around you. Feeling so alienated that you absolutely have to get out. That’s how I felt at the beginning of my journey. I was a white girl living in an aboriginal society, isolated by my own heritage. I lived with my mother, stepfather and younger brother in a rural area; they were a typical aboriginal family. My parents were alcoholics and smokers and my brother was a thief. There was no way I wanted to end up like them and I knew my only way out was to find my biological father. My biological father loved to travel so he left me when I was really young so he could live the life that he always dreamed of living. The last I heard he was living somewhere in Sydney. In my head that sounded perfect, I was old enough that he wouldn’t have to do much to care for me so he could still travel and almost anything was better than living with a family that couldn’t care less about me. So I left. I know it was somewhat selfish to abandon my family out of the blue but I was fed up with living a disadvantaged life when I knew I could accomplish so much more. To make matters worse I missed my bus to Sydney because I was busy retching in the bathroom since I ate some revolting food. I was pretty much stranded in the middle of nowhere with no options except to wait for the next bus. To my surprise one of the most unusual things happened, a young boy roughly around my age hopped out of the back of a milk truck. I was almost certain that Dairy Farmers milk didn’t produce young boys, so naturally I assumed there was something dubious about him especially since he reeked of immorality. However he did say something that set off a light bulb in my head. He asked ‘which way is it to Sydney? ’ and he just started walking. Then I thought why the heck was I sitting on my butt when I could be on my way to Sydney, so I set off on foot as well. Eventually I learnt the boy’s name was Vaughn, I tried to remain distant from him though because his whole essence was exactly what I was trying to escape from; the stereotypical life of an Aboriginal. He was on the run because he escaped from a detention centre. Don’t get me wrong, he did have some morals; the only reason he even escaped was to see his Mother because she was on her death bed. However Vaughn was in the detention centre for a reason and some facts are just hard to overlook. Vaughn was actually a relatively nice guy once you got to know him. I remember we both hitch-hiked a ride from a bunch of Aboriginals and the driver slapped a girl in the face. I found his behaviour so repulsive that I told him to stop the car; I would’ve rather walked than stayed in the car with the likes of him. Vaughn had the opportunity to stay with his buddies that he so kindly referred to as ‘cuz’ but he didn’t, instead he got out of the car and walked with me. I have a very tough exterior so the fact that Vaughn was able to break through that and make me feel touched was extraordinary. I think that was the first time that I actually started to trust Vaughn, unfortunately our relationship ran very hot and cold so that never lasted for long. By the end of our journey I believe Vaughn and I made lasting impressions on each other; he taught me the importance of embracing my heritage and I would like to think that some of my morals brushed off on him. Vaughn was such major part of my journey, without him I wouldn’t be who I am today. So when it came time to part ways it was very emotional; we barely spoke and our goodbye was a simple hug, then I was on a train to Sydney. It wasn’t until after the train pulled away that the true reality of the situation hit me, I was never going to see him again that’s when the tears started to roll freely down my face. I’m sure by now many of you are wondering ‘did she ever find her father? Unfortunately I didn’t. When I finally arrived in Sydney I discovered that my father had passed away several years ago which is why he hadn’t remained in contact. I guess it would be kind of difficult to remain in contact when you are on the other side. However my journey wasn’t entirely pointless, I am now living out my dream of being a writer and Sydney gave me all the opportunities that I always thought I deserved. I believe that this entire journey help ed me discover my personal identity. It made me realise that no matter what, you should always stand by your beliefs and persevere. There is a saying ‘the grass is greener on the other side’ but I don’t believe that’s true, I believe ‘the grass is greener where you water it’. So if you put in the effort you can achieve anything. I think that is one of the rules I now live my life by and it was highly influenced by my journey. I would like to thank you all for listening to my speech and I hope I didn’t take up too much of your time.

Marketing Mix Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Marketing Mix - Essay Example A marketing mix is an important tool that helps Coca Cola Company to understand what to do to reach out to the target market. Marketing means having Coca Cola drinks at the right place at the right time for convenience for the customer. Coca Cola has numerous elements that form the core of a main marketing system. The elements help Coca Cola achieve its objectives by incorporating them together. A good combination of the elements allows Coca Cola to have a focus on the marketing product. Creation of a pricing strategy by gathering information of the market ensures that the product is not underpriced or overpriced. The strategy involves scrutinizing Coca Cola targets and objectives for the product. Price is one of the elements of a product mix, and it plays an important role in determining the sales of the Coca Cola. In the case of Coca Cola, the price is the value of the drink offered to any individual seeking to quench his or her thirst. Price is the amount that customers pay to purchase Coca Cola from the supplier. Setting the price is important in the development of Coca Cola because it will control the forces of demand and supply for the enterprise. Pricing strategy for Coca Cola helps it to have the ability to determine its sales. The perceived value of the product plays a big role in the determination of the sales of Coca Cola Company. The manner in which a customer values a product is important in the pricing of the beverage company. A positive customer value helps Coca Cola Company successfully charge higher than the monetary of the product. On the other hand, a product should not have a lower value in the eyes of the customer. In the case of the scenario of Coca Cola, the product will be underpriced affecting the sales objectives of the company. About the price, product plays an important role in the marketing mix of a product. Products are the commodities that the company offers for sale. Coca Cola delivers quality products

Physicians Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Physicians - Essay Example Allowing people to select their own doctors will decrease the health care costs in the economy. This move will create an environment whereby Physicians will compete for clients thus leading to better services since physicians will be expecting more referrals from satisfied consumers (Dingwall 59). Doctors should not be licensed. According to the proponents of licensing, information asymmetries in the medical filed is the main aim of licensing since the government needs to protect consumers. Patients do not have prior knowledge of the quality of services to be provided but word-of mouth through referrals and doctor reputation can solve the information asymmetry problem (Dingwall 88). The consumer has still considerable market power since he can shop elsewhere for medical services if the service provided is either expensive or poor thus improving the quality of medical services. Licensing alone is not the best solution to protect the consumers since certification is enough to rid out the incompetent health service providers. Proponents of licensing argue that it makes the licensed Physicians provide competent services in an ethical manner since it makes them accountable for the health outcomes of patients (Dingwall 97). If there was no licensing, the price of Physician services will decline since there would be more competition among the physicians thus leading to reduction in costs. The need to comply with the licensing requirements also increases the costs of services and leads to more litigations that also raise the prices of services (Shi and Singh 78). If the medical field was not regulated, the quality of medical care would increase. Licensing reduces the number of available physicians and inflates the medical costs that limiting the access of health care by the poor population. Licensing also stifles

Emotional and Physical Symptoms of Depression during Pregnancy And Essay

Emotional and Physical Symptoms of Depression during Pregnancy And Different Ways of Treatment 2 - Essay Example In one year, it would be possible to have a favorable sample size. The responsibility of the nurses handling antenatal care is critical in the research, because they would be in charge of patient enrollment and diagnostic procedures. Pregnant women that meet the criterion described in the DSM manual of depression would form the eligible group. Moreover, the research would also consider the treatment strategies used to address the cases, and eventually compare the effectiveness of the strategies. On larger scale, the research would involve the collection of data from different health centers (Kothari, 2005).   After identifying the different treatment strategies used to treat pregnant mothers that suffer depression, a qualitative research on the efficiency of each would follow (p. 56). This would mean that different patients would receive different therapies, and a close monitoring of each would follow. In a bid to determine the most effective strategy, the research would consider the time taken by patients to heal, and aspects of their emotional health after the depression. This research would produce evidence-based results on the most effective treatment. It is important to determine the prevalence of emotional depression during pregnancy. Therefore, the number of patients presenting symptoms in different health centers would be considered for a period of one year. Statistical analysis of the data obtained would help in determining the prevalence of depression in pregnancy. Evidently, the selection of an effective methodology is one of the critical aspects of consideration prior to carrying any research. The selected methodology selected determines the data collected, and hence the findings. As highlighted above, there are different facets of this research, necessitating both quantitative and qualitative researchers. This will help in determining the physical and emotional symptoms of depression in pregnant women. Moreover, the above

Text-Messaging and Orality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Text-Messaging and Orality - Essay Example The cell phone is perhaps the single most ubiquitous feature of communication technology and according to the CTIA over 82% of Americans own one. Its ubiquity is not only due to its overwhelming ownership but by its very nature considering that neither a computer nor a land-line phone can be carried and used so easily. This facile manipulation of technology hints at McLuhan's comment. Moreover, the overwhelming majority of those cell phones have text-messaging capability. Text messaging as a phenomenon has gained attention from academics and critics primarily because of the proclivity of its users to employ "creative" grammatical and linguistic constructions. Its harshest critics claim that it will, or already has, led to a corruption of language. Indeed its pliable and dynamic structure does allow a manipulation of formal grammatical and linguistic rules that would be difficult to parse in formal essays, such as this one; its function in a civilization that has long been inscribed b y writing fulfills a much different role than essays, or letters- though its effect on language might be inedible and perceived even in those forms. Text-messaging and related channels represent a syncretism between oral and written forms of communication, and while it lacks the formal purity of traditional written forms of communication, it maintains its own separate aesthetic and poetic qualities that emphasize a heavy reliance on context, mnemonic deployment, and efficiency. By analyzing the physical nature, functional and literary features of text-messaging the oral features of text-messaging will be revealed, understanding of course that in the final analysis its essence as a textual form of communication in a hypertextual society remains regnant. In attempting to outline the structural features of text-messaging and related conduits of communication such as instant messaging, it will be juxtaposed to the features of orality that are relevant. Consider Edouard Glissant's quote, "Oralityis inseparable from the body in movement" (MacNeil, 2007). We understand text and the printed word to be primarily outside the body, distinct from the body and its author. Spoken word or talk is understood to be generated from within the body and indistinct from the author. Text-messaging straddles this interior/exterior boundary. The device on which one types or texts undeniably lies outside the body, its reception as well is mediated by a device outside the person. This is an important distinction as one of the salient features of oral communication is that it is received immediately and without explicit and conscious mediation, insofar that the reverberation of sound, the movement of air is not interpreted into words or speech until it is we ll into the ear canal, and though we recognize the source of the sound, its compilation occurs internally (Ong, 1982, pp. 32-33). To some degree this is quite different from the structure of text-messaging, insofar like other textual forms of communication, it is understood that the interpretation occurs on the page, in the visual field. However, in considering the intimate and tight connection between text-message and text-messenger there remains some features of the bodily coextension of orality. The cell phone's mobility and sizes bridges the communication barrier imposed by other devices, such as computers, telephones, even paper. Someone can interact with and use their cell

Anglo American Plc report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Anglo American Plc report - Essay Example The five major categories of financial ratios are liquidity, financial leverage, asset efficiency, profitability, and market values (Peavler, 2013). The purpose of this report is to analyze the financial performance of the company Anglo American Plc by performing ratio analysis. Trend Analysis Anglo American A trend analysis of some key financial indicators of Anglo American is illustrated below. 2012 (millions) 2011 (millions) % change Sales 28761 30580 -5.94% Gross profit 2768 13237 -79.09% Expenses 30449 21141 44.03% Interest payable 798 695 14.82% Net profit before tax 138 10599 -98.70% Total assets 79369 72422 9.56% Total liabilities 35582 29253 17.79% Capital and reserves 37657 39092 -3.67% Advantages ratio analysis Ratio analysis is a tremendous analytic tool that can be used to evaluate the financial performance of an enterprise. One of the virtues of this type of analysis is that any person with access to the internet can extract the financial statements of a company to real ize the analysis. The basic formulas used as input in ratio analysis mostly utilize data from the financial statements of the company. The use of ratio analysis can help people instantly check weather a company is sound financially (Bott, 2013). Another advantage of ratio analysis is that the ratios can be compared against the performance of other companies or the industry. Financial ratios can also be compared against the financial ratio results of previous years. The ratio analysis performed on Anglo American in this paper includes the use of 21 different ratios. Ratio Analysis Anglo American The net margin of Anglo American in 2012 was -2.1%. Net margin measures the absolute profitability of a company. It is calculated dividing net profit by total sales. A negative net margin result is an unfavorable outcome. This ratio was chosen because it shows the profitability of the firm. In 2012 Anglo American obtained an earnings per share (EPS) metric of -$1.19. The company’s EPS went down by $3.91 since the previous fiscal year. Earnings per share is the portion of a company’s profit allocated to each outstanding share of common stock (Investopedia, 2013). EPS was selected because this metric influences the buying decisions of investors. The return on assets (ROA) of the company in 2012 was -0.8%. ROA is calculated by dividing net income by total assets. The reason I selected this ratio is because it shows how effective a company has been at generating profits from its assets. The efficiency of the company is an important aspect of the operations to measure. Anglo American achieved a return on equity (ROE) in 2012 of -1.4%. This metric measures the extent to which financial leverage is working towards benefiting the company. The formula to calculate return on equity is net income divided by total equity. ROE was used in this analysis because this metric demonstrates the ability of the firm to generate income from its equity. The debt ratio of the com pany is calculated dividing total debt by total assets. Anglo American had a debt ratio in 2012 of 0.45: 1. This ratio shows how well prepared the company is to pay off its long term debt. Anglo American does not seem to have overextended its debt position. The debt ratio was used in the analysis due to the fact that this ratio evaluates the long term solvency of the firm. Typically companies are in trouble when the debt ratio is too