Wednesday, December 25, 2019

The Power Of The Church - 940 Words

Milgram would interpret the outside environment of the church and the church as a change in environment that is in line with his observation. Although there was a more immediate response to the command inside of the church, the usher outside of the church still obeyed and followed the orders of the authority figure, which in this case is the priest. Therefore, the environment/ background has no significant difference in the subject’s willingness to obey the command of the authority figure. The results from his studies also demonstrates that â€Å"Presence of an authority is an important force contributing to the subject’s obedience or defiance. manipulation of the experimenter’s position yielded more powerful results†. As a result, Milgram would agree that the closeness of the priest affected the assembly’s obedience. In these social situations the authority figure is the priest and he dominates over the assembly. According to Max-Weber, domination is â€Å"the probability that commands will be obeyed by a given group. And legitimate forms of domination are authority† (Smith, PowerPoint-Power Distance Index). The three kinds of authority figures that Weber speaks of is rational-legal, traditional, and charismatic. Rational legal authority consists of people who are in power due to objective rules legally enacted or contractually established. Traditional authority is chosen through customarily transmitted rules that are passed down through time. And is legitimate through theShow MoreRelatedWhat Is The Power Of The Church?1038 Words   |  5 Pagesused their tongues to spread lies, gossip, rumors and to undermine authority while holding high positions in the church. At one point you felt that walking into church was comparable to walking into a war zone. New converts and unsuspecting believers were targeted specifically, and young ladies were bullied by some of the older women with weapons of legalism, â€Å"you can’t wear that to church,† â€Å"God is telling me to tell you to stop doing this or that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It is the prophet’s job to maintain cleansing inRead MoreFriendship Baptist Church And Power1597 Words   |  7 PagesFriendship Baptist Church and Power The handling of power is also paramount in an organization. Boleman and Deal offer meaningful insight in this aspect. They observe the following, â€Å"Organization and societies differ markedly in how power is distributed. Alderfer (1979) and Brown (1983) offer that power is displayed in either an overbounded and underbounded systems. In an overbounded system, power is high, concentrated and everything is tightly regulated. In an underbounded system, power is diffuse andRead MoreThe Boston Catholic Church s Power1935 Words   |  8 PagesThe word power is a term that has various different meanings philosophically, socially, religiously, etc., which is why it is crucial to define it before discussing the Boston Catholic Church’s power. Power is defined in various ways, but the definition that is utilized in this essay is when â€Å"an individual or institution [has] the ability to achieve something, whether by right or by control or influence. [It] is the ability to mobilize economic, social, or political forces in order to achieve a resultRead MoreLocal Church Formal System Of Power And Authority1896 Words   |   8 Pagesorganizations including church congregations are unique in its context and understanding of how to function as an organization. One thing not so unique is the system of power and authority. Each congregation has a set structure of how the organization will operate and distribute power and authority. Surprisingly to some, there also is an informal system of power and authority that often carries more control than the written plan. The nearly 170 year-old Coalbush United Methodist Church has both an informalRead MoreLocal Church Formal System Of Power And Authority1958 Words   |  8 PagesOrganizations, including church congregations, are unique in its context and understanding of how to function as an organization. One thing not so unique is the system of power and authority. Each congregation has a set structure of how the organization will operate and distribute power and authority. Surprising to some, there also is an informal system of power and authority that often ca rries more control than the written plan. The nearly 170-year-old Coalbush United Methodist Church has both an informalRead MoreThe Importance Of Becoming Born Again, The Power Of Prayer, And The Church Of God864 Words   |  4 Pagespost I have spoken about the importance of becoming born again, the power of the Holy Spirit and spiritual consciousness. Now, this leads me to my next topic, a close and continuous relationship with God (2 Peter 3:18). Having a close and intimate relationship with God allow us to become aware of how greatly we are in need of Him. This topic will be broken down into five parts; Confession, Voice of God, Power of Prayer, and the Church of God, Obedience. 1. Confessing our sins (1 John 1:9): Sin isRead MoreReligion And Politics Of The Catholic Church1141 Words   |  5 Pagesinfluenced culture and politics by the power it holds, but can lose it by its flaws. In Europe, the Catholic Church has significantly change the lives of others. The Catholic Church dominated Europe during the Medieval time period. This church established laws which had structured a theological government that impacted lives. So that all laws would be made throughout Europe from the church. Also influenced men to fight in Crusades. Later on, the leaders of the Catholic Church were more interested in worldlyRead MoreHow The Chruch s Treatment Of Heresy And Heretics965 Words   |  4 Pagesrange of power and influence, as the Church had done, it can eventually become difficult to maintain absolute control. That was the case for the Catholic Church as it dealt with heresy and heretics, as is evident in the readings from Michael Goodich, and Robert Ian Moore. In this essay, I will discuss how the Chr uch’s treatment of heresy, and treatment towards the heretics, was a means for them maintain control and power within the Church. The Church attained a large amount of power and wide rangeRead MoreThe Roman Catholic Church in Medieval Times Essay1295 Words   |  6 Pages In the Medieval times, the Roman Catholic Church played a great role in the development of England and had much more power than the Church of today does. In Medieval England, the Roman Catholic Church dominated everyday life and controlled everyone whether it is knights, peasants or kings. The Church was one of the most influential institutions in all of Medieval England and played a large role in education and religion. The Churchs power was so great that they could order and control knightsRead More Christianity Essay1617 Words   |  7 Pagesthroughout The Middle Ages consisted of the relationship between the Church and the State. The Catholic church during this era held a prominent role in society, and it had an abundant amount of power and authority during this time. The Catholic Church exercised its authority in many different stages, in which a response from the people occurred because of the way the Church showed its power. The nature of the Catholic Church began its reform around the time Charlemagne, from 768 to 814, took control

Monday, December 16, 2019

Business Structure Of The United States - 1493 Words

Throughout the history of the United States, one salient aspect of business is the corporation, as evidenced by the formation of the first successful English colony, Jamestown, through the Virginia Joint Stock Company. Early restricted corporations and small businesses built a society and a new world, while later corporations crippled their employees and communities. Using Clare International from Richard Power’s Gain as a case study, this paper will establish the status quo of early internal business structures and the significance of capital in community-business relationships. Then, it will explore how incorporation and growth correlates to a loss of community in internal firm organization and a loss of shared capital between the company and society. In the late 18th century, production in America came primarily in the form of small business enterprise. Each business owner had a strong personal connection with the personnel and trade associated with their business. Owners of the shops had strong control over their hiring process, and employed individuals known as apprentices to work for them. These apprentices would work their way up in the trade shop, until finally moving on. Throughout the process, the apprentices and owners often bonded intimately, with the apprentice keeping all the master’s secrets while the business owner would often ask the apprentice to eat (and sometimes even board) in their own residence. While not as intimate in the 19th century, the firm stillShow MoreRelatedThe Business Structures Of The United States1729 Words   |  7 Pagesthroughout the span of the seventeenth century. Today within the United States there is a market economy that has thrived as a successful form of free trade in which the producers and the consumers of various products determine how the market will progress. All of this has lead to the modern day business structures which are utilized by all producers in order to obtain a successful and profitable business. The most popular business structures in today’s market economy are sole proprietorship, partnershipRead MoreBusiness Structure Of The United States1178 Words   |  5 Pagesowning a business and achieving financial stability. However, to achieve this American dream, one must create a business plan that involves the consideration of appropriate business structure. In the United States there are several business structures offered for consideration. Sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, and limited liability companies have their advantages and disadvantages. Any new business must evaluate the available business forms to determine which structure will be theRead MoreBusiness Structures Within The United States908 Words   |  4 Pagesbest suited for your business. Each country has different legal business entities under its regulatory framework. According to Dewhurst (2014), the most common types of business structures within the United States are: proprietorship, partnership, corporation, limited-liability company, and cooperative. Additionally, there are other types of legal entities derived from the association of different corporations, such as joint ventures. A proprietorship is the most basic business entity (Dewhurst, 2014)Read MoreThe United States Steel Industry1242 Words   |  5 Pagesmarked the modern society’s genesis. During that time, the United States Steel Corporation dominated the steel industry. Today, the steel industry sees competition not only from native business but from abroad as well. Steel is used in almost every major commercial load bearing structure. Combined global competition and mixed uses has increased the need for civil engineers to conduct specialized research. A Brave New World The United States steel industry has a rich history. America started its loveRead MoreThe Small Business Administration ( Sba )1236 Words   |  5 PagesAbstract The Small business administration (SBA) was created on July 30, 1953, by President Eisenhower with the signing of the Small Business Act. When it was created, there are some presidents want to stop it and some presidents want to develop it. Therefore, we also can see it active in the United States government on today. In this paper, I will through the background of The Small Business Administration (SBA) to introduce what type of organization is it? What does the organization do? WhoRead MoreGdp Growth And Other Economic Indicators1408 Words   |  6 PagesGDP growth and other economic indicators Average per capita income in the United States has the increasing trend that covers a period of 1990 to 2014. The GDP per Capita reveals relationship in economic performance and population growth of a country. An increase in Gross Domestic Production per Capital shows development in economic leading to improvement in living standards. On the other hand, Australia GDP has shown a positive increase over last decade (Babihuga, 2007). The economic level has improvedRead MoreConcept Of Enterprise Architecture ( Ea )960 Words   |  4 Pagesunderstanding the nature and business composition is fundamental. There is need for business processes to represent and understand the operations of the company. According to Goethals (2006), to help your businesses to meet these challenges a concept called enterprise architecture was created, which emerged at the beginning of the 90s. Basically, EA is a holistic approach for the handling and management of an organization, which adopts a comprehensive view that covers from their business processes, informationRead MoreThe United States And International Business Transactions1513 Words   |  7 Pages The United States is a leader in international business transactions. As a result the law surrounding international business structures and business dealings has flourished in the United States. Companies around the world who have no ties to the United States use this country in forum selection clauses because they want the efficient structure of our legal system and alternative dispute resolution options. For being so advanced in most other areas of international business transaction law, oneRead MoreThe Uneasily Defined Organizational Stru cture of Apple Essay1180 Words   |  5 PagesThe Uneasily Defined Organizational Structure of Apple Anna Windust MGT/230 January 20, 2013 Christi Monk The Uneasily Defined Organizational Structure of Apple Organizational structures have been used for centuries to help people within organizations to understand who holds authoritative roles and how it is ordered, who has certain responsibilities and how they are organized and executed, and how communication flows between the tiers of management (â€Å"BusinessDictionary,† 2013). There areRead MoreThe Illegal Drug Business1361 Words   |  5 PagesThe Drug Business Paper Introduction The smuggling of drugs has been a part of the society for over a century in most parts of the world. This form of business has flourished mostly in the developed countries such as the United States of America, where the demand for drugs is high while there is no or very small production in the country. The production in the countries where drugs such as cocaine, heroin, cannabis, etc are supplied is banned mostly under the respective local laws, and therefore

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Introduction to Management Accounting Its Purpose and Basic Concepts

Question: 1. Identify and analyse the achievements of the Burns and Scapens framework for studying management accounting change and also describe some of its limitations and extensions? 2. What are some of the processes that are shaping management accounting practices? 3. What challenges to management accounting practices are likely to be encountered in the future? Answer: 1. Achievements of Burns and Scapens Framework The framework is concerned with understanding the laws and rules that helps in structuring the actions that are undertaken by the members in organization. The frameworks tells that the incorporating any fresh system of management accounting in a company without considering the prevailing organizations can have the potency to deliver resistance. Further, the prevailing establishment can have the latent of forming the character and also shaping the context related with the change process within a given system (Salvato and Moores, 2010). Therefore, Burns and Scapens framework has been able to gain achievement by focusing on the stability and the change that occurs in the management accounting. Moreover, the framework provides better understanding that stability and change are both the parts of external and internal players so that stability can be maintained in the organizational system (Modell, 2005). Limitations and Extensions of Framework Connection between internal and external institutions: Due to exertion of pressure from government on the organization can make the organization to become commercialize, corporatize and lastly privatize. Therefore, due to commercialization, the company may be bounded to hire fresh staffs in order to pack the vacant accounting policies. However, the fresh workers may be regarded as needless-meddlers in the organizational system (Hartmann et al. 2013). Trust: There can be lack of trust in adopting and implementing management accounting system. If an organization acquires a company and tries to revolutionize it completely thus it can lead to lack of trust. Power: The power can be used by an individual in order to make decisions and can impact the change process and can lead to damage in the institutionalize practices. Therefore, power drives the success for applying the accounting practice for making decisions. Agency: The high persuade of the agency can affect the anticipation of the public and change process. The involvement of third parties that is agents can tie up the applicability of the management accounting practice (Malmi and Brown, 2008). The diversity can be adopted in the management accountings extended form so that limitation can be controlled. Moreover, independent and individual aspects can be addressed. 2. Shaping Management Accounting Practices The evolution and revolution are effectively involved in changing the practices of management accounting. For instance, if a company is acquired by other company and each company has a different policy in operating the activities. Therefore, with the passage of time the buying company can integrated the bought company within its organizational structure and system. Thus, it can ensure success and it can be known that revolutionary management accounting can be possible (DeFond, 2010). 3. Challenges to management accounting practices According to Balachandran et al. (2014) due to increase in diversity it can be tough to maintain stability in the management accounting. The diversity can allow organizations to have many functions at one time and can provide power to the organizations or any other individuals that may not be relevant with the arising situation. For instance, a company can create an environment for accounting diversity in two different nations and different approaches can be implemented in these nations. Therefore, it can be tough to resolve such situation with the same accounting practice. Reference List Balachandran, K., Marra, A. and Rangan, S. (2014). Research Challenges in Accounting and Finance in a Globalized Economy: Fair value measurements, Valuation models, and Management practices. Journal of Accounting, Auditing Finance, 29(1), pp.88-89. DeFond, M. (2010). Earnings quality research: Advances, challenges and future research. Journal of Accounting and Economics, 50(2-3), pp.402-409. Hartmann, F., Perego, P. and Young, A. (2013). Carbon Accounting: Challenges for Research in Management Control and Performance Measurement. Abacus, 49(4), pp.539-563. Malmi, T. and Brown, D. (2008). Management control systems as a package- Opportunities, challenges and research directions. Management Accounting Research, 19(4), pp.287-300. Modell, S. (2005). Performance Management in the Public Sector: Past Experiences, Current Practices and Future Challenges. Australian Accounting Review, 15(37), pp.56-66. Salvato, C. and Moores, K. (2010). Research on Accounting in Family Firms: Past Accomplishments and Future Challenges. Family Business Review, 23(3), pp.193-215.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

The Redbridge Drama centre Essay Example For Students

The Redbridge Drama centre Essay Choose a production you have seen during your course in which design played an important part. Discuss, in detail, the strengths and/or weaknesses of one scene or section. You will need to give reasons to justify your answer. You will need to explain in what ways the design contributed to the production.  The play that I have chosen to write about is The House of Usher, based on the theatre production in the Redbridge Drama centre, on the 18th of October. The scene that I have chosen to write about is when Madeline soon dies, and Roderick decides to bury her temporarily in the tombs below the house. I was impressed with the way the actors used the set in many different ways to incorporate their needs, showing when the set acted as one thing or another and I thought that the set was particularly effective. We will write a custom essay on The Redbridge Drama centre specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The set was a combination of two bamboo baskets, one behind facing towards the audience, in front of the basket there were two one meter wooden poles, with two wooden chairs on the wings of the stage. They also used the wooden poles as a window frame and stair railings, Hess was a material used for the coffin. The two bamboo baskets could be rotated or flipped at different times to represent a tomb, bed, painting frame, bath, chairs and tables. It could be fixed into place at different levels of steepness. There are three images of the tombs The Fall of the House of Usher. The house itself is shut off from the daylight, its echoing rooms turned into spacious vaults, in which characters who never seem entirely alive. Second, Ushers painting is of an immensely long and rectangular vault or tunnel, foreshadowing the third image of a tomb, the real one of Madelines temporary burial. Ironically, though, the one painting of his that the Narrator describes portrays a tomb, and everything is finally destroyed by the Houses collapse. Last of all they create an archway in front of the vault which was covered with copper, as was the huge iron door opening into the vault. After setting the coffin in place, they moved aside the lid to look one more time upon Madeline Usher. At the start of the play the lights were reduced in the opening scene and throughout the whole play, so the structures were in shadow. As the play progressed, the play became more scarier; they used specific lights. When they dimmed the lights, it became more obvious that something bad was going to happen. There was also a blackout at critical times. The back light was created by the gauze. This produced dramatic irony; when the audience knows but the people onset dont know. After Madeline woke up in her tomb, she appeared to be very confused and angry at Roderick . When she came out of the tomb they use the poles and held it in various positions to show different parts of the house. Madeline stared to walk towards the house and held on to the poles as if they were barristers. They make it seem as if it is first a staircase, then a railing, then they held it parallel to make it look like a corridor and balcony. When she soon appears in front of Roderick , the lighting has then become very dim and this technique shows us that Madeline has appeared out of nowhere, which causes us to be scared and anxious due to the fact that the lights have create a horror effect. When the lights go back up to their original simple lightning, Madeline disappears instantly; which is another scary moment because the lights create more suspense. This causes more tension to build. .u7308484516a9506d8b63b2abe55e0717 , .u7308484516a9506d8b63b2abe55e0717 .postImageUrl , .u7308484516a9506d8b63b2abe55e0717 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u7308484516a9506d8b63b2abe55e0717 , .u7308484516a9506d8b63b2abe55e0717:hover , .u7308484516a9506d8b63b2abe55e0717:visited , .u7308484516a9506d8b63b2abe55e0717:active { border:0!important; } .u7308484516a9506d8b63b2abe55e0717 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u7308484516a9506d8b63b2abe55e0717 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u7308484516a9506d8b63b2abe55e0717:active , .u7308484516a9506d8b63b2abe55e0717:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u7308484516a9506d8b63b2abe55e0717 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u7308484516a9506d8b63b2abe55e0717 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u7308484516a9506d8b63b2abe55e0717 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u7308484516a9506d8b63b2abe55e0717 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u7308484516a9506d8b63b2abe55e0717:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u7308484516a9506d8b63b2abe55e0717 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u7308484516a9506d8b63b2abe55e0717 .u7308484516a9506d8b63b2abe55e0717-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u7308484516a9506d8b63b2abe55e0717:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Beeny Cliff EssayThe structures were very effective but many other elements of design were used to increase their effectiveness. Madelines costume was a frilly dress, to show it that the play was set in the 1920s, and it was also appropriate to the time set. The characters costume stayed the same throughout the play. Black, white, grey and brown. These colours contrast that there is nothing pure about the situation. They wore costume appropriate to the set. The white frilly dress that Madeline wore symbolises that she is pure and the blue shows sadness, down and depressed. The doctor wears brown trousers, and a white top, this shows that he is more ordinary. The costume depicted the time period. Madeline also had a Crimson red blanket which could be used as a towel, dress and a blanket. This suggests horror and the blanket symbolises a reminder of the lady a face of death.  Sound also played its part, with a heartbeat effect, this caused fear and tension. Also the breaking of the doors, this was like a mysterious sound. When they used wooden frames to create a window, they would create rain and thunder sounds to show that they are looking outside and the horrible weather symbolises that there is no hope for them. It is a hostile place to live in.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Sailmaker essays

Sailmaker essays Sailmaker by Alan Spence was written with a strong theme. Spence conveys effectively the theme of hope turning to disillusionment. He does this with sensitive characterisation, an effective structure and powerful symbolism. The story is set in Glasgow around the 1960s when the ship building industry was declining. It is about a boy who lives wit his parents in a tenement flat. His dad is a tic man but used to be a sailmaker. The boy finds a small old yacht in the bed recess in their small home. He asks his dad to fix the yacht up because it has no sails but his father keeps on delaying this. The boys uncle paints it for him without delaying but the father never put sails on it. So eventually the boy forgets about it and the yacht goes back to where it came from, the glory hole. In the second part of the story, time has moved on. It is a few years later and the family is not doing well because the mother has died and the father is out of a job, spending most of his time drinking or at the betting shop. Soon the boy and his father become desperate and start burning their belongings in the fire. They find the fathers old tools and the boat, and burn them also. The fathers tools and the yacht are the main symbols in the story. Alan Spence uses them as symbols of loosing hope. The tools were tools that the father used when he was a sailmaker. They are a symbol of part of his life and his pride in his craft, therefore they are important to him. When he puts them into the fire this shows his desperation because he needs to sacrifice these important possessions. Earlier on in the story there is another symbol of hope fading. The torch that the father used when he became a tic man is a pathetic substitute for his sailmaking tools. It emphasises the contrast between the two jobs. The small boat is an ongoing symbol all the way through the story. From w...

Friday, November 22, 2019

The Murder of Micaela Costanzo

The Murder of Micaela Costanzo Micaela Costanzo, 16, was a good kid. She was pretty and popular. She did well in school, and enjoyed being on the high school basketball team and was considered a  local track star. She was close to her mother and sisters. She texted them regularly- especially if she had a change in schedule. So, on March 3, 2011, when Micaela- or Mickey, as everyone called her- didnt text her mother after school or answer her cell phone, her mother knew something was terribly wrong. Micaela Costanzo Goes Missing Mickey was last seen around 5 p.m. leaving through the back doors of West Wendover High School in West Wendover, Nevada. Normally, her sister picked her up from school but on this day, her sister was out of town and Mickey had planned to walk home. When she didnt arrive, her mother began calling her friends and finally the police, who immediately began investigating the teens disappearance. They interviewed her classmates and friends, including her childhood pal Kody Patten, who gave police the same story as her other friends: the last time he saw Mickey, he said, was outside the school around 5 p.m. A Gruesome Discovery at the Gravel Pits Many people organized search parties and began combing the vast desert surrounding the town, including an area known as the gravel pits. Two days later, a searcher noticed fresh tire tracks leading to what looked like fresh blood and a suspicious mound covered by sagebrush. Investigators uncovered Mickeys body. Shed been beaten and stabbed repeatedly on her face and neck. A plastic tie was found around one of Mickeys arms. The  evidence  indicated to police that shed been brought unwillingly to the location where she was murdered. Investigators turned to the schools surveillance cameras for more clues. Person of Interest When investigators found calls and text messages to Patten on Mickeys phone records at the time she disappeared, he became a person of interest in the case. In addition, school surveillance video showed Mickey and Patten in the hallway leading to the exit where she disappeared minutes later. In his first interview, Patten told police hed last seen Mickey with her boyfriend at the front of the school. Everyone else said she was at the back of the building. The High School Couple Mickey Costanzo and Kody Patten had known each other since they were kids. They stayed friends as they got older but socially, they went their separate ways. Patten became involved with Toni Fratto, a devout Mormon who, like Mickey, was popular at school. Fratto was dedicated to Patten and wanted to help the volatile teen reach his goal of joining the Marines. After dating a while, Patten and Fratto decided that they wanted to get married. Patten even joined the Mormon faith so that the couple could marry in the temple. Patten was 6-foot-8, with a quick temper- at home, and at school. After a bad fight with his father, he moved into Frattos house. Frattos parents were conflicted about having Patten stay there. Their primary concern was for their daughter, whom they knew was in love with Patten. They were also worried that Fratto might move out to be with Patten. In the end, they agreed to let him move into their home, where they could keep an eye on their daughters fiancà ©. The senior Frattos relationship with Patten improved and soon they considered him part of the family. Jealousy and Manipulation Toni Fratto was insecure about her relationship with Patten, and even more so about Pattens friendship with Mickey. Fratto kept a diary and wrote about her insecurities. She believed Patten loved Mickey and one day, he would leave her for his childhood friend. Patten began to use Frattos jealousy as a perverse form of entertainment. He would create scenes that he knew she would react to, including talking and texting with Mickey. According to Mickeys family, for months Fratto verbally insulted Mickey. Mickeys sister recalled that Mickey told her she disliked the drama, that she had a boyfriend, and that she wasnt interested in Patten. But the taunts continued and Fratto became convinced that Mickey would ruin her relationship with Patten. The First Confession Once Patten was established as the primary person of interest in the case, the police asked him to come in for an interview. It didnt take long for Patten to break down. Encouraged by his father, he confessed to his involvement in Mickeys death. Patten told police that he and Mickey had gone for a drive to the gravel pit after school. They began arguing. He said she told him to break off his engagement with Fratto  and start dating her instead- which he refused to do. The argument turned physical. When Mickey began to hit him in his chest, he shoved her back. She fell, hit her head, and went into convulsions. Not knowing what to do, he Patten tried to knock her out by hitting her in the head with a shovel. Patten said she was still making sounds, so he slashed her throat to get her to stop. Realizing she was dead, he buried her in a shallow grave and tried to burn her personal belongings. Patten was arrested and charged with first-degree murder with the possibility of a death sentence. He hired attorney John Ohlson, who had a reputation for keeping killers off of death row. Frattos Reaction Devastated by Pattens arrest, Fratto visited, wrote, and called him, telling him that she missed him and would always stand by him. Then in April 2011, while her parents were out of town, Fratto- dressed in her pajamas and accompanied by Pattens father- went to Ohlsons office and tape-recorded an entirely different version of the circumstances of Mickeys murder. Fratto said that after school she received a text from Patten with the words, Ive got her. That meant Mickey was in an SUV that Patten had borrowed and he was on his way to pick Fratto up. The three went to the gravel pits. Mickey and Patten got out of the car. Mickey began yelling at Patten and pushed him. Fratto said she diverted her eyes but heard a loud thud and got out of the SUV to see what had happened. She said Mickey was lying on the ground, not moving. Patten began to dig a grave. By the time he was finished, Mickey was semiconscious. They kicked, punched, and hit her with the shovel. When she stopped moving, they placed her in the grave and took turns slitting her throat. Fratto also admitted to sitting on Mickeys legs to hold her down during the attack. Since Patten was his client, not Fratto, there was no attorney-client privilege and Ohlson immediately turned the tape over to the police. Toni Fratto, who had not even been a suspect, was subsequently booked, charged with murder, and held without bail. Plea Deals Both Patten and Fratto were offered plea deals. Patten agreed  at first but then changed his mind. Fratto agreed to plead guilty to second-degree murder and testify against the man who she promised to stand by forever. The confession Fratto gave to the police differed from the one shed given Pattens attorney. This time, she said Patten was mad at Mickey and when she got into the SUV, she saw Mickey stuffed in the back, scared, with her hands up to her face. Patten sent Fratto a text saying, We have to kill her. When they got to the gravel pits, he ordered Fratto to stand guard. Patten dug the grave and told Fratto to hit Mickey, but she refused. Patten began punching Mickey and told Fratto to hit her with the shovel. Fratto hit Mickey in the shoulder and Patten hit her in the head. While on the ground, Fratto held down Mickeys legs. At some point, Mickey looked up at Patten and asked if she was still alive and if she could go home. Patten slit her throat with a knife. In April 2012, Fratto, 19, pled guilty to second-degree murder with a deadly weapon in the death of Micaela Costanzo and was sentenced to life behind bars with the possibility of parole in 18 years. As of August 2018, she was sent to the Florence McClure Womens Correctional Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Patten Gives Another Version of Events In a meeting about a plea deal, Patten later gave another version of what happened the day Mickey died. He said Fratto had confronted Mickey in school that day and called her a slut. Patten suggested that Fratto and Mickey meet and talk it out. Fratto said she wanted to fight it out and Mickey had agreed. That was as far as Patten got with this version of the story. He stopped after his attorney recommended that he turn down the plea deal. In May 2012, Patten agreed to plead guilty to first-degree murder to avoid the death penalty in the death of Micaela Costanzo. As part of the presentence report, Patten wrote a letter to the judge denying that he had killed Mickey. He laid the blame solely on Fratto, saying that she slit Mickeys throat. The judge didnt buy it. He sentenced Patten to life, telling him, Your blood runs cold, Mr. Patten. There shall be no possibility of parole. As of August 2018, Patten was incarcerated in Ely State Prison in White Pine County, Nevada. One Final Version? With the two killers locked away from one another, Fratto had time to reconsider her situation. She offered one more version of the deadly story. In an interview with Dateline NBC’s Keith Morrison, she said that she had been abused and controlled by Patten during most of their relationship and that he forced her to participate in murdering Mickey. She feared for her life after she saw him beat Mickey, she said and had no choice but to go along with what he wanted.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Property Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Property Management - Research Paper Example Property Management is a hot topic among modern real estate managers who are entrusted with the profitable care of any residential, commercial or industrial real estate in most modern cities and states around the world. Since the 1800's, effective and professional Property Management has been in demand, with the arrival of steel-frame buildings and elevators, the proliferation of the suburbs and the explosion of large real estate property-investment institutions that specifically aim to build more urban dwellings and infrastructure for the purpose of generating profits from real estate as an enterprise (Kyle et al, 3). With the advent of large urban commercial and industrial complexes, Corporate Property Management took its imposing place in the real property management scene while big government similarly responded with equally imposing bureaus intended to regulate the residential settlements and commercial complexes, with their sophisticated modeling schemes for simulating the growth, and implementing land audits that help dictate the land values of zoned areas in vast metropolises while placing various zonal restrictions aimed at efficiently harmonizing the explosion of mega-cities and the suburban sprawl. Sophisticated corporate... Sophisticated corporate strategies, financial instruments and computer based management information systems and property management-outsourcing which underlay the development of modern property management have been around for quite some time already, with much of their contribution to the practice of real estate property development, still evident in today's real estate property values that have been arrived at through the methods and practices advanced by modern-day property managers. However sophisticated this industry may now seem, Property Management began as the very basic practice of ensuring a property's maximum value (in terms of financial worth or appraisal) while expending the least amount of resources (financial or otherwise) for its upkeep and development. It involves the simple concepts of ensuring the maximum "value for money" on the part of the occupier and maximum profit on the part of the owner. It has been the property manager's job to make sure that the owner's best interests are sufficiently advanced while satisfying the requirements of the tenants. Property Management, as practiced by the State, by private corporations or by common individuals have remained fundamentally unchanged over the 19th century, that is to say that its objectives of profitability and operational efficiency remained the same, until the late 20th century wherein the real property market environment had undergone sweeping changes such that the management of a certain property, be it residential, commercial, industrial, mixed-use or special-purpose, has become a major discipline requiring an interdisciplinary approach that involves an intricate network of whole government bureaucracies and corporate divisions that

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

The class is American Art and Architecture. Topic is the american Term Paper

The class is American Art and Architecture. Topic is the american artist John Singleton Copley - Term Paper Example He was one of the most successful artists in colonial America who was widely renowned for his portrait paintings and he was believed to be the master of great pieces of American history of arts. He was one of the finest portraitists in American history. His capacity of demonstrating the fantasies of people and objects in contrast with various combinations of light and dark enabled him to be recognized for a long time by the art historians. The parents of Copley were said to be poor and uncultured and he was the stepson of the artist Peter Pelham. By the time in 1760, although being difficult circumstances in life, Copley managed to gain the position of a supreme artist. And then in 1774, he left Boston and went to London, where he familiarize his style of painting with the British painterly approach and that was the time when he diversified his focus of the paintings from portraits to history paintings which enabled him in gaining global appreciation. Many people argue that Copley was not formerly trained under any professional artist, but this is not the reality. In the difficult times of his youth, Copley had to spend 3 years with his stepfather, Peter Pelham and there he got the chance to study and learn the drawing patterns, printmaking and the art of painting portraits. Not only his stepfather, but Copley also had witnessed the artistry works two English artists, John Smibert (1688 – 1751) and Joseph Blackburn (1752 – 1777). Copley had learned a lot from the copies of various old master paintings that were drawn by Simbert. The early work of Copley was mainly influenced by by  Joseph Badger (1707/8–1765), Robert Feke (about 1708–1751), and John Greenwood (1729–1792). Not only them, but his early works also reveal that they were influenced by Simbert and Blackburn. For instance, his painting of Joseph Mann which he painted in 1754 was influenced by the early works of Feke and Greenwood. He

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Animal Species Essay Example for Free

Animal Species Essay 1. On the diagram below, what percentage of energy (from the choices in blue on the left) is transferred from a producer to a: (A) secondary consumer, (B) tertiary consumer, (C) quaternary consumer? The producer takes 100% from the sun then gives 10% to the primary consumer then 1% to the secondary consumer then .1% to the tertiary consumer and then .01% to the quaternary consumer. 2. Look at the quote from Rachel Carson on the first page. What do you think the quote means? Use some of the terms we have covered regarding the topic of food webs in your one to two paragraph explanation. All the life of the planet is inter-related  each species has its own ties to others, and  all are related to the earth. I think she’s referring to the consumption between the animals going all around the world and going to the past life, similar to earth because all the animals eventually die and are tied together on earth. The food chain connects everyone and everything together in some way which is key to life on earth. 3. Why is it beneficial that many predatory fish have larval and juvenile stages that feed at a low trophic level, while the adults feed at a tertiary or quaternary trophic level? It’s beneficial because then they’re not competing for the same food. If the juvenile are eating something different it will help them actually make it to adulthood. Also juvenile fish don’t have the same energy as the adults so they eat in the low trophic level because it’s an easier and safer feed. 4. Not all adults feed at a high trophic level. Whale sharks (50 ft) are the largest fish and feed on plankton and small fish, while Great White sharks (20 ft) are the largest carnivorous fish and feed on sea lions, seals and large fish. Blue whales (100 ft) are the largest whale and feed primarily on plankton and krill, while the Sperm whale (45 ft) is the largest carnivorous whale feeding on fish and very large squid. (a) How does the location of each animals position in relation to the producers contribute to their size? Be sure to look at the food chain and the amount of energy that is being transferred between the levels. –I think the location of an animal correlates with ones size because if you think of a wale compared to costal fish you know they can’t eat the same things considering a wale being right offshore is highly unlikely. Plus the larger animals (like a whale) won’t have as much energy  as a smaller animal to catch its food so they would eat in the low trophic level because it’s easier to get, and takes less energy. (b) Why do you suppose the plankton feeders are able to attain such large sizes compared to the carnivores? –The main reason I feel that plankton eaters are able to attain such large sizes is because plankton are not a hard catch compared to trying to catch a seal or chase a school of fish. Plankton eaters can eat a lot more, while saving energy, which is perfect for bigger animals.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Importance of Physical Education and Health :: Teaching Philosophy Teacher Education Essays

The Importance of Physical Education and Health In studying Physical Education and Health, I have learned that there are a significant number of benefits of physical activity. Physical activity reduces the risk of premature mortality, and of coronary heart disease, hypertension, colon cancer, and diabetes. Physical activity also improves mental health, and is important for the health of muscles, bones, and joints. As a teacher I will try to implement activities that will hold the students interest while benefiting them physically as well. I will also introduce the students to new activities, and sports instead of always using the conventional sports such as basketball, football, and other activities that students are already familiar with. If I have a student that has special needs I will deal with them case by case. I will make sure that those students will be involved in the activities, and interact with the other students. By doing this, the special needs students will not feel out of place, and it will give the other students a chance to interact with those that have different abilities. I will make the students feel comfortable in my class, so that they will have a positive experience with physical education. Hopefully by doing this, they will want to participate more in class, and maybe even be more apt to get involved in physical activities out as class. For example, if a student feels secure in his/her abilities to perform an activity they may join a team where they can further enhance their abilities. Hopefully my program will show a person that is already physically educated new ways to be physically active. Also I would want to introduce the benefits and ways of staying physically active their entire life. I want to be a coach and by being involved in a physical activity that is not mandatory, I will be helping students see that physical activity happens outside of the classroom too. I would also like to help start new programs in and out of school that would give children and adults the opportunities to be physically active. The adults in return, may see the purpose and benefits of being physically active that, hopefully, my students will learn from my classes.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Globalization and its Effects Essay

Research revelations in (Lardy, 2002, pp. 87-103) hold it that those countries which embraced globalization experienced an average of 5% growth, while those that shunned the concept experienced varied degrees of decline. Regardless of its positive impacts, Globalization if mishandled in one way or another can spell doom to a nation; this is due to the powerful economic vulnerable position that it puts a country on. As the economy grows, and international boarders linked, so does the non-traditional threats of terrorism, heightened rate of the spread of infectious diseases (SARS and HIV/AIDS) and other cross-boarder security issues. Globalization is an irreversible move and every nation has just to content with its effects, there is no short cut out of it; the best way to approach it therefore is to counter its effects and use them to the advantage of a national economy. Upon realizing this fact, the Chinese government went down into reconfiguring their economy to counter any negative outcome of globalization, for instance, it has affected reforms in the domestic banking and created diplomacy in defining international trade to at least protect Chinese interests (Susumu, 1999, p. ). Since globalization rolls the whole world into a single tiny village, the Chinese political big wigs have seen it necessary to consider the diverse effects that have in the past been not prioritized at all like; unregulated capital flows, cybercrime, epidemics, weapon proliferation and international terrorism. Top seed Chinese thinkers even believe that through the international institutions, globalization can be used to democratize t he United States and reduce their unilateralist political power. And if this concept is exploited well, China will grow into a rich and powerful nation, stable enough to shape the New World Order (Susumu, 1999, pp. 5-11). The Chinese economy stands to gain a lot in the current global direction that the nation is set on. With the current financial crisis, it does call for active international coordination to stay afloat and reduce incidences of worker lay offs. It will have mutual benefits for those who dare to fully participate in its drive. By getting to know the measures that other countries have put in place to counter biting effects, China has found a compromise point and forge a way forward through the current economic hard times. If the nation fine tunes its capital market and effects banking reforms, then it will help the world emerge out of the current economic crisis and even those of the future (http://www. unu. edu/unupress/unupbooks/uu11ee/uu11ee0p. htm). Globalization has helped China to gain a significant economic growth through breaking cultural bondage and establishing policies that lead to liberalization in this modern world. With the positivity that the nation has had on globalization, their current economic ranking rose to 7th from 32nd in the world, thanks to the integration with the world economy. The growth is attributed to increased corporate governance and human resource optimization. The positive effects of globalization as given in (Lardy, 2002, pp. 160-219) to the Chinese economy therefore include; strengthening interdependence in all nations, opening opportunities to bring into maximum use foreign capital and technology, promoting free trade that increase export trade. Lardy also gives highlights of the negative impacts presented by globalization, which he says are the following, but not limited to; difficulties in maintaining economic sovereignty especially for the developing nations and widening the rifts between the well industrialized economies and the marginalized ones. Globalization brings into play varied practices hence leading to cultural mix up; this is worse in a society which values originality like the Chinese. Besides these, it also results to an intensified competition for limited resources and higher scale of interdependence. To this effect, each and every person must acquire a way of coping up with the new development and adapt the new practices in the competitive environment. Traditional practices are most likely to be dropped in favor of new rules as individuals cooperate and coordinate with one another. To the Chinese government, they are currently down on what can be referred to as â€Å"system maintenance†. The nation has sought to have a stable relationship with its allies and foes a like as it feels that is the only way to rise above all the odds in the international system. To this effect, it has improved the level of democracy, which has in turn boosted its relationship with former foes like Germany, Russia, E. U and France (Susumu, 1999, pp. 11-15). Such a move will help China to actively participate in multinational institutions and transnational economic structures which will put it in a good position to counter future financial challenges with ease. For whichever government in place, it must strive to establish significant policies that can speed up development in all sectors of the economy. Even though globalization can cause a lot of hardships to the poor, it also opens opportunities to this group of individuals who dare to take advantage and turn the ills to their benefit. Poor people in this context refer to the recipients of public services, simple workers and those who frequently use common property resources to survive. With increased competition, the poor may find it hard to match high quality market standards hence falling out f business as production cost shoots or as the market price fluctuates. Social protection is therefore mandatory to be effected by every state that intends to go the global way, and China is not left out (Bardhan, 2004, pp. 271-278). Globalization affects poverty directly and indirectly, the government in place should get down on programs for instance investing on public facilities like health, education, training and other economic and social infrastructure that will cushion the public from the negative effects of globalization. These steps will go along way in reducing discrimination and market fragmentation in the society. Whilst the quality of life of many people will change for the better, some individuals will definitely lose it out. Globalization will present opportunities for everyone to grab and those who sleep on the idea and strive to maintain the status quo will be on the losing end. Resources drawn from every corner of the world will be made available; the same applies to technological advancement which makes things to be done much faster and easier. But one negative outcome of this is that the introduction of too much mechanization from the outside world will drive people out of employment as companies strive to achieve efficiency and reduce the production cost. But despite the negative effects, if properly affected, globalization stands a chance in ensuring that the nationals have a quality life worth living (Bardhan, 2004, p. 284). The advent of globalization presented so much challenge to the CCP (China Communist Party). People were getting more and more enlightened, especially with issues concerning their civil rights. Revolutions and a little bit isolated cases of political disability were therefore unavoidable and characterized the period. Labor standards became a thorny issue, as workers pushed to have their conditions be the same as those in the U. S. when labor barriers were eliminated production operations shifted directions to the U. S. The strain was not only felt in the labor market, the same was witnessed in the education, political, social and professional sectors which responded to accommodate the changes. All these under the CCP had to be addressed as they developed a force which needed political direction (Ding Lu, 2003, pp. 23-37). But all these moves were out of a good cause as it has helped the country to stay afloat above surging challenges. The future of the move seems to be no different as the party will have to employ the same tactics of changing with the changes. And more complex will be the future non traditional issues on security like; having to deal with separatists, drug traffickers, smugglers, cross-boarder criminal acts, ecological and environmental issues. Conclusion Globalization has been reported to be the force behind the robust economic growth in China as industrialization also took a centre stage in the country. But it is the imbalance in the international systems and national economies that are causing negative effects of the force. The financial crisis is not attributed to globalization and neither will it be the last straw to hit globalization, the government of China and all other world leaders should come up with mechanisms to coordinate the world market to strengthen their resistance to crises. Globalization tries to act like blanket of neutrality over the international capital flow and power relations. The successes that the nation is enjoying now area as a result of ancient liberalization and the move should never be dropped, for it is the only way to keep China and the rest of the world abreast as they ward off economic pitfalls. The programs which are meant to reduce the pathetic situation of the disadvantaged in the society should not only be meant to accelerate economic growth, but also help these individuals.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Amendment Right

Many American citizens take their civil liberties for granted. Many do not realize how valuable their rights and privileges under the United States Constitution really are, until they begin to be taken away. The Fourth Amendment, essentially the right to privacy, is slowly being stripped from the American citizen. The use of TEMPEST, or sophisticated eavesdropping technology to intercept information, including telephone monitoring and video surveillance, is unconstitutional under the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution.The Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution states that people have the right to privacy in their person, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures, and that people should not be violated, and no warrants issued, unless there is probable cause. (â€Å"U. S. Constitution: Fourth Amendment†, 2009) The Fourth Amendment clearly outlines that the American citizen has a right to privacy from the government. This i ncludes privacy not only in their homes, but out in public.For instance, anyone can observe another in public, such as walking down the street. However, when law enforcement officials begin to observe regular citizens in their everyday routine, such as going to work, going to the grocery store, picking up their children from school, and the like, that citizen's right to privacy has been violated. To understand how sophisticated eavesdropping technology to intercept information is a violation of the Fourth Amendment, one must realize how it works.TEMPEST is a code name for studies and investigations of compromising emanations. Compromising emanations are unintentional signals that can send information to a remote source. For instance, computers, telephones, and video surveillance cameras release interference into their surrounding environment. This interference creates signals that bear some relationship to what was originally caught. Essentially, TEMPEST equipment can remotely mirro r what is being done on another device. This is, in its purest form, eavesdropping.(Pike, 2000) In the case of Kyllo versus the United States, which was argued on February 20, 2001 and decided on June 11, 2001, is an example of the violation of the Fourth Amendment. Law enforcement was suspicious that marijuana was being grown in petitioner Kyllo's home in a triplex, and therefore, used thermal imaging devices to detect unusual heat sources, perhaps from heat lamps necessary for growing marijuana. Scanning the outside of the house, the agents detected hot spots coming from Kyllo's garage.The agents obtained a search warrant, and did indeed find marijuana plants. The evidence was then seized from Kyllo's home. The Ninth Circuit Court decided that the thermal imaging was not in violation of the Fourth Amendment because Kyllo had shown no attempt to conceal the heat coming from his home, and even if he had, law enforcement agents were still in the clear because the thermal imaging did not expose any intimate details of Kyllo's life. However, law enforcement used devices that were not in general, public use.They used these devices to â€Å"explore details of a private home that would previously have been unknowable without physical intrusion. † On these grounds, Kyllo decided to appeal, holding fast to the claim that the surveillance was a violation of the Fourth Amendment. Ultimately, the Court decided that the use of the thermal imaging device to obtain information was a violation of Kyllo's right to privacy under the Fourth Amendment. The Court rejected law enforcement's argument that the thermal imaging must be upheld because it detected only heat from the exterior of the house.Law enforcement's argument was rejected because it left the homeowner to the mercy of technology. Law enforcement's argument that the thermal imaging must be upheld because it did not detect intimate details was also rejected because all details concerning a home are intimate det ails. (â€Å"Kyllo v. United States†, 2001) Technology has advanced to the point that the public should be aware of possible videotaping and other types of eavesdropping. For example, hidden cameras scanned the faces of all of the Super Bowl attendees as they entered the stadium in January of 2001.The pictures were then compared with local, state, and FBI files of known criminals and terrorists. The attendees had no idea they were being watched. The federal government, in addition to local law enforcement, is beginning to strip away Americans' right to privacy. On September 11, 2001, the attacks on the World Trade Centers exposed the vulnerability of America to terrorism. In response, Congress quickly passed the Patriot Act. The Patriot Act is supposed to provide important national security measures, such as the removal of a statute on limitations for terrorism offenses.However, it also increased the government's ability to conduct unwarranted surveillance on innocent individ uals without making sure that abuses of power were limited. These examples illustrate the tension between preserving national security and preventing unwarranted government infringement on civil liberties. This infringement is a violation of the Fourth Amendment. (Chandler, 2006) In the months following the attacks on September 11, 2001, everyone was quick to point out a possible terrorist.People paid attention to what others said, and how they said it, and individuals paid more attention to what they were saying to others. For instance, it was within the realm of possibility that a man in a grocery store, having a casual conversation with someone else, mentions his disagreement with the United States government. Surprised by the FBI at his home a few hours later, he is informed that the individual he had the conversation with at the grocery store believed that his disagreement with the United States government was grounds for informing federal law enforcement of possible terrorist actions.Not only did scenarios such as this happen, but the government monitored telephone conversations. The law was that telephone conversations can be monitored by law enforcement or by the telephone company. The telephone company can monitor conversations for a number of reasons, including to provide service, inspect the telephone system, monitor the quality of the service, or to protect against service theft or harassment. However, law enforcement can only listen in on telephone conversations with â€Å"probable cause.† (â€Å"Wiretapping/Eavesdropping†, 1993) In other words, if one is known to be a hit man, law enforcement can eavesdrop on that individual's telephone conversations not only to find out if he will go through with committing murder, but also to find out who else is involved. Law enforcement must obtain a court order to eavesdrop on others telephone conversations. However, after September 11th, it was rumored that the federal government monitored all telephone conversations for key words such as bomb, terrorist, etc.The Bush administration repeatedly insisted that the only telephone conversations they eavesdropped on without court orders were those who were suspected of being linked to al Qaida or other terrorist groups. It is true, however, that after September 11th, the Bush administration made efforts to collect vast amounts of information about Americans' travel, tax and medical records, e-mails, and credit card purchases. (Landay, 2008) This was all done under the guise of the Patriot Act, which essentially made the Fourth Amendment null and void.In addition to listening in on telephone conversations, the United States watches the American public through surveillance cameras. Thousands of cameras, both public and private, dot parks and city streets. Once an individual is out in public, the Courts deem those individuals as no longer having any privacy, at least while they are in public. Most people are not aware that they a re being watched. If they do know, they do not control what their images are being used for. Most cameras are mounted in trees, on streetlight and traffic poles, on public buildings, on subway platforms, and installed in buses and subway cars.These cameras are everywhere, and there are more that cannot be seen. Police officials refuse to tell the public about where the other cameras are because they claim that information would â€Å"undermine law enforcement's effectiveness. One of the major problems with hidden cameras in public areas is that cameras penetrate deeper than anyone staring at an individual. If another person is staring at someone, all that person has to do is stare back to discourage the intrusion. However, one cannot stare back at a camera if they do not know where it is. Even if they did know where it was, the eye of the camera would not stop staring.People behave differently when they think they are alone, and even if one does know about the cameras, the cameras then do not fix the problem. Hidden cameras serve as â€Å"super cops. † These cameras can zoom in to single out a particular individual or to read a letter someone is holding, and can see in the dark due to infrared technology. In the past, police could not do this without probable cause and obtaining a search warrant. In addition to these benefits to law enforcement, cameras can be put in places where a human being could not possibly be, such as perched high atop the side of a building.These cameras were originally touted as tools to aid in the catching of terrorists and violent criminals, and to prevent serious crimes. The cameras have not done this. The only criminals these cameras have caught are minor offenders such as petty thieves and concert-ticket scalpers. For example, in Washington D. C. , New York City, and San Diego, cameras that were originally meant to catch serious offenders now only catch red-light runners, speeders, and others who park illegally. The proble m is this: The faces of random people on the street are being compared with those of criminals.All of this is being done with no probable cause. Law enforcement targets ethnic and racial minorities, and that coupled with false-positive matches means that innocent people will be arrested for no apparent reason. Even though the Supreme Court has never tried a case where someone claimed the Fourth Amendment was violated because of public surveillance, the Court would most likely find that electronic monitoring of public areas is not a violation of the Fourth Amendment. Technology is beginning to take over American society.Each intrusion into Americans' privacy is being introduced as a tool to weed out the harmful individuals. Drug testing and EZ Passes are good examples. At first, drug testing was only used for high security jobs, and now students in extracurricular activities at school are subject to them. EZ Passes were introduced in order to lessen traffic congestion, and now they a re being used to issue tickets to speeders. Every tool introduced as being â€Å"important† and â€Å"helpful† in the fight against crime is now being used to trap innocent citizens, citizens who at first thought these tools were a good idea.Sociologist Gary Marx explains, â€Å"Once the new surveillance systems become institutionalized and taken for granted in a democratic society, they can be used against those with the ‘wrong' political beliefs; against racial, ethnic, or religious minorities; and against those with lifestyles that offend the majority. † No one will use public areas if they believe or know they are being watched. The author believes that spaces that are accessible, not defensive, will be used more. The more people use these areas, the safer they will be.There are more good people than bad in the world, therefore, the chances of someone getting attacked in a group of people are extremely slim. Video surveillance creates insecurity, not a sense of safety. Congress has not yet addressed video surveillance. Hawaii and California have laws to limit video surveillance, and a handful of states have heightened protection of the right to privacy written into their state constitutions. However, even though video surveillance is more intrusive than telephone monitoring, there is currently no federal legislation to govern video surveillance. (Smithsimon, 2003)In conclusion, the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution is being violated in today's society due to telephone monitoring and video surveillance. Telephone monitoring and video surveillance have secretly crept upon the average American. Most do not give a second thought, or even know, about these types of violations of privacy. Perhaps the average American is aware of the possibility, but tries not to think about such a disturbing and chilling thought. If the average American citizen knew that someone was watching them as they went about their daily business , feelings of paranoia and possibly fear would begin to take root.America would not feel free any longer. This can be likened to driving at the speed limit when a police officer is driving within close proximity. One is on his/her best behavior, however, when the police officer can no longer be seen, that same person that was on their best behavior just moments before, resumes their fast, reckless ways. However, there is no escape from the cameras that could possibly be watching each and every American. It is amazing how much Americans take for granted, including the civil liberties, the rights and privileges, that the American holds so dear.– (1993). Wiretapping/Eavesdropping on Telephone Conversations: Is There Cause for Concern? Retrieved May 18, 2009, from Privacy Rights. http://www. privacyrights. org/fs/fs9-wrtp. htm – (2001). Kyllo v. United States. Retrieved May 18, 2009, from Find Law. http://caselaw. lp. findlaw. com/scripts/getcase. pl? navby=CASE&court=US&v ol=533&page=27 – (2009). U. S. Constitution: Fourth Amendment. Retrieved May 18, 2009, from Find Law. http://caselaw. lp. findlaw. com/data/constitution/amendment04/ – Chandler, S. A. (Fall 2006). Collateral Damage?The Impact of National Security Crises on the Fourth Amendment Protection against Unreasonable Searches. University of Pittsburgh Law Review. 68(1), 217-41. – Landay, Jonathan S. (2008). Did U. S. Government Snoop on Americans' Phone Calls? Retrieved May 18, 2009, from McClatchy Newspapers. http://www. mcclatchydc. com/257/story/53703. html – Pike, John. (2000). TEMPEST. Retrieved May 18, 2009, from Intelligence Resource Program. http://www. fas. org/irp/program/security/tempest. htm – Smithsimon, M. (Winter 2003). Private Lives, Public Spaces: The Surveillance State. Dissent. 50(1), 43-9.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Types of Scales in Social Science Research

Types of Scales in Social Science Research A scale is a type of composite measure that is composed of several items that have a logical or empirical structure among them. That is, scales make use of differences in intensity among the indicators of a variable. For example, when a question has the response choices of always, sometimes, rarely, and never, this represents a scale because the answer choices are rank-ordered and have differences in intensity. Another example would be strongly agree, agree, neither agree nor disagree, disagree, strongly disagree. There are several different types of scales. We’ll look at four commonly used scales in social science research and how they are constructed. Likert Scale Likert scales are one of the most commonly used scales in social science research. They offer a simple rating system that is common to surveys of all kinds. The scale is named for the psychologist who created it,  Rensis Likert. One common use of the Likert scale is a survey that asks respondents to offer their opinion on something by stating the level to which they agree or disagree. It often looks like this: Strongly agreeAgreeNeither agree nor disagreeDisagreeStrongly disagree Within the scale, the individual items that compose it are called Likert items. To create the scale, each answer choice is assigned a score (for instance, 0-4), and the answers for several Likert items (that measure the same concept) can be added together for each individual to obtain an overall Likert score. For example, let’s say that were interested in measuring prejudice against women. One method would be to create a series of statements reflecting prejudiced ideas, each with the Likert response categories listed above. For example, some of the statements might be, Women shouldn’t be allowed to vote, or Women can’t drive as well as men. We would then assign each of the response categories a score of 0 to 4 (for example, assign a score of 0 to strongly disagree, a 1 to disagree, a 2 to neither agree or disagree, etc.). The scores for each of the statements would then be totaled for each respondent to create an overall score of prejudice. If we had five  statements and a respondent answered strongly agree to each item, his or her overall prejudice score would be 20, indicating a very high degree of prejudice against women. Bogardus Social Distance Scale The Bogardus social distance scale was created by sociologist Emory S. Bogardus as a technique for measuring the willingness of people to participate in social relations with other kinds of people. (Incidentally, Bogardus established one of the first departments of sociology on American soil at the University of Southern California in 1915.) Quite simply, the scale invites people to state the degree to which they are accepting of other groups. Let’s say we are interested in the extent to which Christians in the U.S. are willing to associate with Muslims. We might ask the following questions: Are you willing to live in the same country as Muslims?Are you willing to live in the same community as Muslims?Are you willing to live in the same neighborhood as Muslims?Are you willing to live next door to a Muslim?Are you willing to let your son or daughter marry a Muslim? The clear differences in intensity suggest a structure among the items. Presumably, if a person is willing to accept a certain association, he is willing to accept all those that precede it on the list (those with lesser intensities), though this is not necessarily the case as some critics of this scale point out. Each item on the scale is scored to reflect the level of social distance, from 1.00 as a measure of no social distance (which would apply to question 5 in the above survey), to 5.00 measuring maximize social distance in the given scale (though the level of social distance could be higher on other scales). When the ratings for each response are averaged, a lower score indicates a greater level of acceptance than does a higher score. Thurstone Scale The Thurstone scale, created by Louis Thurstone, is intended to develop a format for generating groups of indicators of a variable that have an empirical structure among them. For example, if you were studying discrimination, you would create a list of items (10, for example) and then ask respondents to assign scores of 1 to 10 to each item. In essence, respondents are ranking the items in order of the weakest indicator of discrimination all the way to the strongest indicator. Once the respondents have scored the items, the researcher examines the scores assigned to each item by all the respondents to determine which items the respondents agreed upon most. If the scale items were adequately developed and scored, the economy and effectiveness of data reduction present in the Bogardus social distance scale would appear. Semantic Differential Scale The semantic differential scale asks respondents to answer a questionnaire and choose between two opposite positions, using qualifiers to bridge the gap between them. For instance, suppose you wanted to get respondents’ opinions about a new comedy television show. Youd first decide what dimensions to measure and then find two opposite terms that represent those dimensions. For example, enjoyable and unenjoyable, funny and not funny, relatable and not relatable. You would then create a rating sheet for respondents to indicate how they feel about the television show in each dimension. Your questionnaire would look something like this:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Very Much  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Somewhat  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Neither  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Somewhat  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Very MuchEnjoyable  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  UnenjoyableFunny  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Not FunnyRelatable  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  X  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Unrelatable

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Ostrich Facts

Ostrich Facts The sole member of its order of birds, the ostrich (Struthio camelus) is the tallest and heaviest living bird. Though flightless, ostriches, which are native to Africa, can sprint at speeds of up to 45 mph and jog for extended distances at a sustained pace of 30 mph. Ostriches  have the largest eyes of any living terrestrial vertebrate, and their  3-pound eggs  are the largest produced by any living bird. In addition to all this, the male ostrich is one of the few birds on Earth to possess a functioning penis. Fast Facts: The Ostrich Scientific Name: Struthio camelusCommon Names: The common ostrichBasic Animal Group: BirdSize: 5 feet 7  inches tall to 6 feet 7 inches tallWeight: 200–300 poundsLifespan: 40–50 yearsDiet: OmnivoreHabitat: Africa, including deserts, semi-arid plains, savannas, and open woodlandsPopulation: UnknownConservation Status:  Vulnerable Description Ostriches  are the largest birds alive today, with adults weighing between 200 to 300 pounds. Adult males attain a height of up to 6 feet 7 inches tall; females are slightly smaller. Their immense body size and small wings make them incapable of flying. Ostriches have a remarkable tolerance to heat, withstanding temperatures up to 132 degrees Fahrenheit without much stress. Ostriches have been domesticated for only about 150 years, and are truly only partly domesticated, or, rather, are only domesticated for a short period of their lives. Ostriches belong to a clan (but not order) of flightless birds known as the ratites. Ratites have smooth breastbones lacking keels, the bone structures to which flight muscles would normally be attached. Other birds classified as ratites include cassowaries, kiwis, moas, and emus. Habitat and Range Ostriches live in Africa and thrive in a wide variety of habitats, including deserts, semi-arid plains, savannas, and open woodlands. During their five-month breeding season, these flightless  birds form flocks of five to 50 individuals, often intermingling with grazing mammals such as zebras and antelopes. When breeding season is over, this larger flock breaks down into small groups of two to five birds that care for the newborn hatchlings. Diet and Behavior Ostriches are omnivores, and thus eat mostly plant material, though at times they may also feed on insects and small vertebrates. Although they prefer plants- particularly roots, seeds, and leaves- they also eat locusts, lizards, snakes, and rodents. They have even been known to eat sand and pebbles, which helps them grind up their food inside their gizzard, a small pouch where food is crushed and ripped up before it reaches the stomach.   Ostriches dont need to drink water; they get all the water they need from the plants they eat. However, they will drink if they come across a watering hole. Reproduction and Offspring Male ostriches are called cocks or roosters, and females are called hens. A group of ostriches is called a flock. Flocks can consist of up to 100 birds, though most have 10 members, according to the San Diego Zoo. The group has a dominant male and a dominant female and several other females. Lone males come and go during mating season. Ostriches lay 3-pound eggs, which measure some 6 inches in length and 5 inches in diameter, making them the title of largest egg produced by any living bird. Males and females sit on the eggs until they hatch, between 42 and 46 days.  Male and female ostriches share the responsibility of raising their young. Ostrich offspring are larger than any other bird baby. At birth, chicks can be as big as chickens. rontav/Getty Images Conservation Status According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, ostriches are considered to be vulnerable and their population is declining, though their population is unknown. The Somali ostrich, in particular, is thought to be in rapid decline. The San Diego Zoo notes that although not threatened, the ostrich requires strict protection and farming to conserve the remaining wild populations. Sources Bradford, Alina. â€Å"Ostrich Facts: The Worlds Largest Bird.†Ã‚  LiveScience, Purch, 17 Sept. 2014.â€Å"Ostrich.†Ã‚  San Diego Zoo Global Animals and Plants.â€Å"Frequently Asked Questions.†Ã‚  Frequently Asked Questions - American Ostrich Association.â€Å"The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.†Ã‚  IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Managment Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Managment - Term Paper Example and experimental culture regardless of the number of years Intuit has been in business.The essay briefly describes the leadership skills and management style of Brad Smith, and his efforts to drive the Company to a higher market share. Brad began his entrepreneurship journey in his early years. He was in martial arts starting at the age of 14 and got his black belt by the age of 18. Soon after, he was teaching an entire school with about 150 students. His early life was unbelievably intense due to the self-awareness part of being a black belt. At that point, he knew nothing about entrepreneurship, and that is where his journey began. His dad worked for Nestle for about 26 years and ended up being the mayor of their hometown. He was tough but kind to everybody and treated each one around him like a human being. Brad spent six years in a job doing a range of jobs in marketing, before joining Intuit. He started the Internet division at a time the dot-com was booming and convinced the board to avail US$40 million to be used in signing two e-commerce deals. He convinced the board that it was possible for them to sell more products online than their salesforce could do. The plan did not succeed as planned but the board still trusted Brad to deliver for the company in future endeavors. Brad Smith joined Intuit in 2003, serving as the Vice President as well as the general manager of the Company’s Accountant Central and Developer Network in Plano (Furr, Dyer, & Christensen, 2014). Brad also led Intuit’s Consumer Tax Group from March 2004 to May 2005 in San Diego. In May 2006, he was selected to serve as the senior Vice President as well as the general manager of the Company’s Small Business Division. He was fully responsible for the small business division department of the company and dealt with the portfolio of Quicken, QuickBooks, and the Payroll products. Later in January 2008, Brad was selected to become the president and chief executive officer of

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Global supply chain management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Global supply chain management - Essay Example The presence of this ingredient in the beef burgers of Tesco revealed a weak supply chain with missing standards for quality control and lack of proper accountability measures. Moreover, it was found that the supplier was the main person responsible for this major fraud and he deceived his customers. Although the fraud was committed but the customers’ trust was lost in the big brands and it impacted the reputation of Tesco to a great extent. It showed that the global supply chains are ineffective as they are unable to check the quality of the supplies and outsourcing the value chains has not been such an effective decision in the long-run for the organisations. In order to make sure that the logistics framework is collaborative and integrated, it is mandatory for Tesco to maintain a balance between the contemporary supply chain demands and sustainable elements of the logistics framework. Every organisation has to make sure that it successfully meets all the three obligations o f the sustainable supply chain structure i.e. economic, social and environmental. Since a firm exists to make profit and give customers value proposition offerings, Tesco makes sure that it meets the customers’ needs but it has to keep a strict control on the upstream and downstream activities of its value chain so that any errors are avoided. In order to make sure that the logistics framework is collaborative and integrated, it is mandatory for Tesco to maintain a balance between the contemporary supply chain demands.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

THE CORRELATION BETWEEN ACADEMIC PERSISTENCE AND DEMOGRAPHICAL Dissertation

THE CORRELATION BETWEEN ACADEMIC PERSISTENCE AND DEMOGRAPHICAL OUTCOMES IN POST SECONDARY ACCELERATED ADULT EDUCATION STUDIES - Dissertation Example The presence of high attrition within these institutions that offer adult education along with the pressures of accountability are also very high (Hubble, 2000). Previous research shows that most of the adults who withdraw usually do so when they have accomplished their goals or when they want to join other programs that would suit them more. They also indicate that most of the adults who drop out of school usually return when their situations are altered creating a cycle where they drop out and return severally (Skilton-Sylvester, 2002). The process of utilizing class or lecture attendances as the major measurement of persistence actually undervalues other effective activities in learning that should otherwise be encouraged. This includes learning activities like personal studies along with distance learning (Ziegler, Bain, Bell & Brian, 2003). According to Comings (2008), persistence is the period that adults stay in education programs while engaging in personalized studies when fo rced by circumstances to withdraw from attending classes or lecture lessons. He additionally stated that the adult students should return to attending the lectures when their lives demand so. Previous surveys carried out on adult students in the United States indicate that, the adults who have previously been involved in vocational trainings, self-studies and other forms of education were more likely to have academic persistence than those who had not (Rudy, 2003). They also indicate that adult students who have specific needs are more likely to persist than adults attending these institutions but with no specific goals. The institutions proving adult education programs should provide more learning options such as distance learning to those adult students who are no longer willing to join classes or attend lectures (Hubble, 2000). Adults can be engaged in better understanding while managing the forces that advance or affect their learning activities through perspective that is learn er centered so as to effectively support their persistence (Ziegler & Durant, 2007). There are several factors that have been identified as affecting the adult students’ academic persistence. These factors have been identified as ranging from different situations, institutions, dispositions, demographic factors along with emotional or relational forces (Ziegler, Bain, Bell & Brian, 2003). The situational problems that affect an adults persistence in education include problems associated with their employments, finances, the support of their children, families, transport and health issues along with abuses from their fellow learning mates (Reder & Strawn, 2001). The institutional forces that hinder the adults from persisting in education programs include the level or contents of the program, its location and attendance or reentry guidelines that are utilized in the institution (Hubble, 2000). On the other hand, the adult students may be prevented from excelling in their chosen fields by the attitudes they have developed towards the studies, their self-efficacies, resilience’s along with failure attributions (Long, 2001). Finally, the adult student’s academic persistence may be affected by demographic and emotionally related forces. The demographic forces include age, sex and their diverse cultures whereas the emotional forces include the community support they are accorded, encouragements along with the care

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Questions Regarding Balance Sheets And Assets Finance Essay

Questions Regarding Balance Sheets And Assets Finance Essay The first type of financial asset is in the form of a claim that is kept against the earnings or the money of a firm or even a household or the Government for that matter. It is also of the form of a certification, or a receipt, a legal file or one that it maintained as a database in the computer. A financial asset is now used in accordance with the technology that has developed of late. In many cases where the traditional approach is still being used, it is also of the form of currency. The relative importance of the financial assets has changed over the past five years with the use of improved technology that the world has. There are easier sources of transportation as compared to what used to be in initial times. The financial assets can be increased in diversities because their physical form is not all that important. They do not depreciate as it used to be one of the restrictions about five decades ago. Now that the amount of securities have changed over the past many years, it is sensible to include more number of financial assets. This is because there never used to be market forces like equity, debt and derivatives in the initial days. As the options of making money through financial assets have increased so much over the past five decades, there is more number of people interested in the same. The primary risk associated with different forms of securities as a representation of financial asset is different. For examples, the debts are of high risk for the company as they have to be paid at the earliest and the equity is of highest risk for the investors as they would be paid last. (Types of financial assets, 2010) Question 10. What is meant by a off- balance sheet activity? What are some of the forces responsible for them? Off-balance sheet activities are those activities that are associated with the savings of a business which are not inclusive of loans or deposits. These activities are known to generate a good level of fees but at the same time, the liabilities or the assets that they produce or generally contingent in nature and they do not appear in the balance sheets without having the distinction of an actual asset or a liability which has a value or a cost associated with it. There are many examples of the same. Some of them include interest rate swaps, commitments in loans, resources that are associated with the selling of assets etc. The forces behind the off sheet activities are as follows: Improvement in Security Increment in Globalization Advancement in technology Innovation in the field of finance Deregulation Question 11. How does one distinguish between an off- balance sheet asset and an off balance sheet activities liability? All those entities of businesses, households and even Governments that are representation of resources which would be of a future benefit are included amongst the off-balance financial assets. It indicates a positive signal even though it is not included in the balance sheet. The benefit with the off-balance asset lies in the fact that it is not included in calculating the taxes of the firm. These are some of the items that are not mentioned in the balance sheet but would certainly require a future payment to be made. There are many examples of the same. They are litigation; guarantees issued by firms for a better performance in the future, renegotiation especially that done with the Government. The above mentioned off-balance sheet assets and liabilities can be differentiated on the basis of the positive and the negative returns that they are bound to give in the future. Even though they are not mentioned in the balance sheet, an experienced personality in finance can make a distinction based on the future prospects. (Off-Balance Sheet Liability, 2010) Question 12. What are the main off balance sheet activities undertaken by commercial banks? Due to the level of risk involved in the current financial markets, major commercial banks and even non-banking institutions, foreign institutions, and also many commercial banks have now started to use a number of ways of making non-traditional earnings as a source of income. So, there are many loan commitments and others as mentioned that are being used so as to make incomes. Amongst the mentioned activities, the major ones that are now being used predominantly by the commercial banks are as follows: Interest Rate Swaps (SWAP) This is a particular type of contract that is used to swap the rate of payment of interest from fixed to variable or even vice-versa. So, whenever there is a requirement to change a fixed rate of interest stream to that including a variable rate of interest stream, this commercial activity is adopted. The risks that are associated with the swaps is measured in terms of the swap in the rate of interest to the total assets of the company. One would generally consider a negative relationship between the measurement of swap and the rate of interest. Question 14. What is the difference between economies of scale and economies of scope? Economies of scale deals with the change in the output as compared to the cost incurred. It must be acknowledged here that the economies of scale estimates the fact that the output can be more than doubled for having lesser than double cost incurred by the firm. There is also a contradiction which is mentioned as the fact that diseconomies of scale mean to double the output would require more than doubling in the cost. Hence, economy of scale is basically a function of the production as a measurement of the cost incurred in the same. As far as economies of scope is concerned, it deals with the fact that of two firms work in a joint manner, then the concerned output would be more than the sum of the output when two forms work individually. This takes into count the fact that a joint production would require only the work of a few laborers which when working in individual forms would only interfere with the jobs of the others. So, in other words the economies of scope notifies the total amount of resources for a particular joint firm is lesser than the individual firms which are only associated with spoiling the job. The terms say that it is always better to work as joint firms rather than individual firms so as to make maximum profits. The only fault that comes along is the risk that follows. So, the cost of economies of scope just involves the risk of working together. If this can be minimized, firms should work together. Question 19. How do small bank activities differ from large bank activities? Small banks are basically involved in raising funds for businesses of a smaller level. These banks are mainly concerned with the investment of the form of foreign corporate investment, trade finance, facility of transactions internationally, and also foreign real estate. As far as the larger banks are concerned, they are basically involved in raising funds for businesses and also for registration with the Government authority of that country. Equities and debts and issues and then making sales of the same in the market are all done by the larger banks. Initially, the investment banks were indulged in more or less selling of securities but now they are also concerned with mergers and acquisitions. These banks did not deal with the general public in the past but now they have been doing that ever since the point of equality developed with the development of technology. Question 20. How has the performance of the commercial banking industry changed in the last decade? The performance of commercial banks has changed drastically over the last many years. Initially, the commercial banks would simply be engaged in investment banking. But the conditions have changed drastically ever since. The reason for the same is that it also includes the functioning of underwriting, being an intermediary between investment in public and an issue of securities amongst them. They have also started to be engaged in mergers and acquisitions even with the corporate organizations, they have also started to act like brokers for the clients in other financial institutions and banks. The commercial banks have therefore started to use the change in technology much to their benefits and also of those of the clients. So, they have made it extremely easier for the general public with the introduction of the facilities as has been mentioned.