Free Essays on Lowering The Drinking

How do you measure someone’s maturity? It can’t be based on the age of an individual. It is different for every person, in some cases it come very early for. This brings up a lot of questions like, why are you legal to do almost everything else at eighteen but to drink you must wait until twenty-one. The drinking age should be lowered to eighteen because, you can die for your country, vote for your nations’ leader and, be tried as an adult in the court of law. Sure, dying for your county is a great honor, but what makes you mature enough to die on the battle field. I guess your old enough to make the right decision in the line of fire, unless the shots are tequila or any other alcohol. Anyone who gets the news that they have to go out to war, will get little frightened and want a drink to calm themselves down. Why don’t they make the age to join any military service twenty one? If your old enough to go out and kill or be killed, why are you not old enough to drink. The argument of drinking and driving comes up often. People would say that the rate of drinking and driving will become a bigger problem than it is now. Which may be true but, in the research that I have done the statistics were for people age 18-24. This means that it is already going on, which may be wrong but it still is going on. It’s not like drinking and driving is being made legal, even though that’s how some people sound when they talk about lowering the drinking age to eighteen. Another fear is that is will be easier for younger kids to get alcohol. According to the National Youth Right Association, on the frequently asked questions page, â€Å"71 percent of eighth graders say it’s very easy to get alcohol†(www.NYRA.org). That statistic with the drinking age at twenty one, is it really going to go up much from there. In a survey on benge drinking among 18-24 year olds done at Harverd school of public health college,... Free Essays on Lowering The Drinking Free Essays on Lowering The Drinking How do you measure someone’s maturity? It can’t be based on the age of an individual. It is different for every person, in some cases it come very early for. This brings up a lot of questions like, why are you legal to do almost everything else at eighteen but to drink you must wait until twenty-one. The drinking age should be lowered to eighteen because, you can die for your country, vote for your nations’ leader and, be tried as an adult in the court of law. Sure, dying for your county is a great honor, but what makes you mature enough to die on the battle field. I guess your old enough to make the right decision in the line of fire, unless the shots are tequila or any other alcohol. Anyone who gets the news that they have to go out to war, will get little frightened and want a drink to calm themselves down. Why don’t they make the age to join any military service twenty one? If your old enough to go out and kill or be killed, why are you not old enough to drink. The argument of drinking and driving comes up often. People would say that the rate of drinking and driving will become a bigger problem than it is now. Which may be true but, in the research that I have done the statistics were for people age 18-24. This means that it is already going on, which may be wrong but it still is going on. It’s not like drinking and driving is being made legal, even though that’s how some people sound when they talk about lowering the drinking age to eighteen. Another fear is that is will be easier for younger kids to get alcohol. According to the National Youth Right Association, on the frequently asked questions page, â€Å"71 percent of eighth graders say it’s very easy to get alcohol†(www.NYRA.org). That statistic with the drinking age at twenty one, is it really going to go up much from there. In a survey on benge drinking among 18-24 year olds done at Harverd school of public health college,...

Collection of Classic Christmas Poems

Collection of Classic Christmas Poems Classic Christmas poems are a joy to read during the holiday season. They offer a glimpse into how Christmas was celebrated in the decades and centuries of the past. It is likely true that some of these poems have shaped how we view and celebrate Christmas today. As you snuggle beneath the Christmas tree or before the fire, browse some of the poems gathered here for your holiday reading and reflection. They may inspire you to add new traditions to your celebration or even to take up your own pen or keyboard to compose your own verses. Christmas Poems from the 17th Century The traditions of the Christmas season in the 17th century combined the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus with baptized versions of pagan solstice revelries. The Puritans tried to rein it in, even to the extent of banning Christmas. But the poems from these times tell of holly, ivy, the Yule log, mince pie, wassail, feasting, and merriment. William Shakespeare, Lines spoken after the ghost’s exit from Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 1 (1603)George Wither,â€Å"A Christmas Carol† (1622)Robert Herrick,â€Å"Ceremonies for Christmas† (1648)Henry Vaughan,â€Å"The True Christmas† (1678) Christmas Poems from the 18th Century This century saw political revolutions and the Industrial Revolution. From the bucolic list of gifts of fowl in The Twelve Days of Christmas, there is a transition to more somber issues of war and strife in Coleridges A Christmas Carol. Anonymous,â€Å"The Twelve Days of Christmas† (1780)Samuel Taylor Coleridge,â€Å"A Christmas Carol† (1799) Christmas Poems from the 19th Century St. Nicholas and Santa Claus became popular in the United States in the 19th Century and A Visit from St. Nicholas popularized the elements of nocturnal rounds of gift giving. The poem helped crystallize the image of a chubby Santa Claus with a sleigh and reindeer and arrival on the roof and down the chimney. But the century also has Longfellows lament about the Civil War and how the hope of peace can survive harsh reality. Meanwhile, Sir Walter Scott reflects on the holiday as celebrated by a baron in Scotland. Sir Walter Scott, â€Å"Christmas in the Olden Time† (from Marmion, 1808)Clement Clark Moore (attributed to him- but more probably written by Major Henry Livingston, Jr.),â€Å"A Visit from St. Nicholas† (first published in 1823, likely written in 1808)Emily Dickinson,â€Å"’Twas just this time last year I died† (#445)Henry Wadsworth Longfellow,â€Å"Christmas Bells† (1864)Christina Rossetti,â€Å"In the Bleak Midwinter† (1872)Robert Louis Stevenson,â€Å"Christmas at Sea† (1888) Christmas Poems of the Early 20th Century These poems are ones worth setting aside some time to muse over their meanings and lessons. Did the oxen kneel at the manger? Who gave the poet an unseen kiss under the mistletoe? What is the worth of a field of trees if not to be cut down for Christmas trees? What brought the Magi and other visitors to the manger? Christmas can be a time for contemplation. G.K. Chesterton,â€Å"A Christmas Carol† (1900)Sara Teasdale,â€Å"Christmas Carol† (1911)Walter de la Mare,â€Å"Mistletoe† (1913)Thomas Hardy,â€Å"The Oxen† (1915)William Butler Yeats,â€Å"The Magi† (1916)Robert Frost, â€Å"Christmas Trees† (1920)

St Augustine and The Stoics Philosophy comparison and analysis Research Paper

St Augustine and The Stoics Philosophy comparison and analysis - Research Paper Example Augustine’s philosophy and its influence on our todays lives. However, philosophy has a number of unresolved questions, termed as philosophical problems. Among the problematics, moral knowledge, philosophy of language, questions on philosophy of mathematics, philosophy of mind, questions on philosophy of science and finally Metaphysics. Additionally, the question problem include, does mathematics and science applied by the philosophers apply in today’s world? Did the philosophers deal with the mind problems? The paper also gives the comparisons on the two philosophies and broadly analyses the philosophies. Eventually, a summary of the impacts of the philosophies on today’s world is clearly highlighted. Philosophy is a topic that can never be underestimated. Augustine is a fourth-century philosopher whose ground-breaking philosophy infiltrated Christian doctrines with Neo-Platonism to a wider extent. Broadly, Neoplatonism refers to a school of philosophy based on teachings of Plato and subsequently and subsequently Plotinus. It was the foundation of paganism. Augustine being the founder of western Christianity got lot of recognition not only in Rome but also across the vast Europe1. Moreover, the philosopher got the fame from being an inimitable Catholic theologian and his adverse contributions to Western philosophy. The philosopher was the first ecclesiastical author the whole course of whose development can be clearly traced, as well as the first of whose case researcher can determine the exact period covered by his career till today. Augustine argued sceptics have no basis for claiming to know that there is no knowledge. Evidently in one of Augustine’s letter, he states, â€Å"even if I am mistaken, I am.† Additionally, Augustine was the first philosopher to promote what has come to be called, â€Å"the argument by analogy† against solipsism. To a wider extent, solipsism refers to the theory that the self is all that exists or that can be proven

Artificial Intelligence Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Artificial Intelligence - Research Paper Example The basic aim of this paper is to discuss the use of artificial intelligence in medical devices such as Vinci Surgery Robot. This paper will analyze the da-Vinci Surgery system for the modern AI based medical surgery arrangement. Artificial Intelligence or simply AI is generally defined as the engineering of developing machines carry out various tasks that need intelligence when done by humans (Copeland, 2000). In other words, the artificial intelligence is the analysis of artificial computational machines and systems which can be prepared to take action in a way which we would tend to identify as intelligent. In the beginning, artificial intelligence buzzword was launched as an idea to imitate human brain and look into the real-world complex issues with holistic human capabilities. However, the scholars and scientists from all through the globe are very energized concerning developments in modernization that have emerged from an inborn aspiration to make modern and innovative tools and technologies that help mankind to hang over their own physical ability. The history of AI can be traced back to the early 1950s. However, the artificial intelligence has got a little accomplishment in limited, or basic, fields. Thus, the sixty years from the beginning of artificial intelligence have offered merely very slow development or growth, and untimely brightness regarding the accomplishment of human intelligence has given way to an admiration of the thoughtful solution of the difficulty. Possibly, the publication of a paper entitled "Computing Machinery and Intelligence" was the initial major happening in the history of AI, which was written by the British Mathematician Alan Turing. According to Alan Turing, if a machine is able to pass a definite test (that is now acknowledged as the 'Turing test') then that machine can be acknowledged as intelligent. Additionally, this way of testing a machine engages a person (identified as the reviewer) who is responsible for asking questions using a computer terminal with two other entities, in which one is a human and the other is a computer. However, if the reviewer frequently failed to properly differentiate the machine or computer from the human, then it can be said that the machine has passed the test. Thus, the artificial intelligence is a branch of science which involves developing intelligent machines, particularly intelligent computer applications. Additionally, it is linked to the identical job of utilizing computers to recognize human intelligence; however it is not necessary for the artificial intelligence to bind itself to techniques or rules that are physically visible. Though, sometimes it might be possible but not forever or even frequently. In addition, it can also be learned that how to build machines carrying out human jobs by analyzing our own ways of carrying out tasks or other people (McCarthy, 2001; Berkeley, 1997; Copeland, 2000; Kannan, 2010). AI allows the computers to be trained from skill, be familiar with patterns in huge amounts of complicated data and take difficult decisions derived from human knowledge and problem solving abilities (Hamrita; ThinkQuest, 1997). AI in Medical Industry The artificial intelligence has always been on the scope from practical fields to the thoughts in literature and movies. In this regard, the artificial intelligence mainly develops the capability to collect and perform operations

The Effects of the Harlem Renaissance to the Life of the Afro-Americans Essay Example for Free

The Effects of the Harlem Renaissance to the Life of the Afro-Americans Essay History tells us that the Blacks were initially known nothing but slaves in the United States. They have been introduced in the United States as slaves in the tobacco plantations and since then they have always been treated as inferior and subordinate to the White folks. â€Å"As dark-skinned people, African-Americans have identified themselves and been identified by others as different from first-class citizens. Their color stands for poverty and poverty’s stigma (Andersen 4). † There has been great effort for a few of them to resist this oppression among the Whites but they did not in any way succeed. They have become a subject of tortures, lynchings, and abuses. Their ways were seen as backward and not modern. The American Civil war was said to have ended slavery but never the oppression that goes along with it. After the abolition of slavery by the former President Braham Lincoln, the Blacks were no longer employed as slaves, laundrywomen, workers, and tenants to the White folks but they remained to be discriminated. They were not acknowledged as human beings. They were loathed. They were seen as different and not worthy of respect. As a consequence, they hated their color, their culture, and their origin. They were insecure of themselves. And while they weren’t able to gain respect from others, even more disheartening, is they did not gain respect for themselves (Andersen 285). These dire situations of the Black changed during the Harlem Renaissance and forward. While there are many black people who were lynched in the South and most African Americans were not allowed to exercise their right to vote as citizens of the United States, â€Å"the leaders of the Harlem Renaissance questioned the value of democracy for their people (Painter 193). † They encouraged the wealthy and the educated Whites to work with then in converting the racist ideologies of most of the White masses. They worked with their white allies and discovered a lot more talented African-American writers. They shepherded their works of literature to printing. For the first time in the history of the Blacks, major publishers agreed to bring out their works. The main objective as Jessie Fauset saw it was to â€Å"find our own beautiful and praise-worthy, an intense chauvinism that is content with its own types (Painter 194). † As established in the preceding paragraphs, the Harlem Renaissance drew out from the Negros all the necessary racial pride and connection among themselves in order to gain self-identity and eventually emancipation (Painter 189). What Hurtson has to do with it and all other Black American writers is the responsibility of providing a path for the advancement of racial consciousness through literature and the other arts. They publicize and romaticize the Black experience as unique in itself and something that is worthy of attention and appreciation. They have inculcated among the African-Americans the vitality of knowing themselves apart from what the Whites imposed upon them by looking back and deep into their cultures and origins. Through these efforts and endeavours by Hurtson and many other writers, they were able to weaken the demeaning stereotype that surrounded the Black ego since time immemorial and has made them realized their place in America as an independent and free group of people. Works Cited Andersen, Margaret and Taylor, Howard Francis. Sociology: Understanding a Diverse Society. Connecticut: Thomson Wardsworth, 2006. Campbell, Josie P. Student Companion to Zora Neale Hurtson. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2001

Strategy Amidst Tactics Essay -- Military Science

World history has given people numerous amounts of lessons to learn from and has shown perfect examples of ideal decision making and terrible decision making. One outstanding detail is the fact that history has displayed that war is inevitable. Rationally, war seems as if it can be avoided, especially because it usually begins over disputes, ranging from territorial ones or over resources. However, war traces back to civilization, and a number of the most intellectual leaders in the world resorted to declaration of war to resolve matters of territorial gain, nationalism, resources, and a variety of other reasons. War therefore has been established as a fragment of life, with countries consistently developing their militaries and weapons. Consequently, a strong, successfully military is ideal with the threat of war always on the horizon. But what makes a military successful? War simply has no rules; there are no limitations on weapons or damage that can be done or how many people are to perish before it is all over, so what does every military need? â€Å"The suprerior fighter does not rely on his powerful punch or quick reflexes. Instead he creates a rhythm of the fight that suits him, advancing and retreating at a pace he sets†¦ He wins not with his fists but by controlling the ring† is a quotation that sheds light on the solution. The solution: strategy. For example, there have been moments in history in which a country should lose because they were outnumbered militarily or in terms of resources, but strategy allowed them to prevail as the victors. The United States is a country that has a successful military, but has also relied on a few consistent strategies during its establishment and development as a nation. Throughout America... ...rnes and John Daniel Hayes. The battle of Port Royal, S.C.: from the journal of John Sanford Barnes, October 8 to November 9, 1861. Kimmett, Larry, and Margaret Regis. U.S. submarines in World War II: an illustrated history. Seattle, Wash.: Navigator Pub., 1996. Mark Parillo, "The Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II," in Reevaluating Major Naval Combatants of World War II (New York, Greenwood Press, 1990), p. 64. Painter, David S. 2009. "The Marshall Plan and oil." Cold War History 9, no. 2: 159-175. Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed April 20, 2012). Parillo, Mark P.. The Japanese merchant marine in World War II. Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press, 1993. Rickard, J.. "Battle of Port Royal, 7 November 1861." Military History Encyclopedia on the Web. http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_port_royal.html (accessed February 11, 2012).

Soundbuzz’s Music Strategy for Asia-Pacific

Case Study 3 SOUNDBUZZ’S MUSIC STRATEGY FOR ASIA PACIFIC Q1 : Analyze Soundbuzz and its business strategy using the competitive forces models. What strategies did it develop for dealing with competitive forces? There are four concepts of the competitive forces models: new market entrants, substitute products and services, suppliers, and customers. In terms of customers, Soundbuzz were really well responded to situation that they faced.When they launched B2C model, they found that because of customers` behavior (customers are seeking to download music freely) they cannot make much margin compared with the time when they used B2B model. So they aim other business as their customers. In terms of products and service, they serviced new encrypted MP3 format which makes them be able to sell music in their web sites. Also, they started to treat the music video contents which never treated on-line before. Finally, they launched ISPs billing systems for customers, which makes customers easily purchase their products.Q2 : What are the critical elements for an online music service? Using the value chain model, analyze Soundbuzz's business processes. Administration and Management : Online and Mobile music company. Technology : Source from local and independent record label and content is secured using digital right management technologies consisting of web server , license server , database server and media server. Procurement : Internet and finance industries Q3 : Why did Mototrola acquire Soundbuzz? What synergies will be created through the partnership?Through its MOTOMUSIC service, Motorola has more than two years experience delivering mobile music to consumers with its carrier customers in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The acquisition of Soundbuzz allows Motorola to expand MOTOMUSIC beyond China, into India, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand. With well over 90 percent of all digital music content in Asia sold via mobile channels, a level expected to rema in in the coming years, Motorola's strength in music delivery will help its carrier customers access this growth opportunity.The expected timetable for completing the proposed transaction between Motorola and Soundbuzz, future financial and operating results, benefits and synergies of the transaction, future opportunities for the combined company and products, any other statements regarding Motorola's or Soundbuzz's future expectations, beliefs, goals or prospects and any statements that are not statements of historical facts might be considered forward-looking statements.While these forward-looking statements represent managements' current judgement of future events, they are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, include: i. the parties' ability to consummate the transaction. ii. the conditions to the completion of the transaction may not be satisfied, or the approvals required for the transaction may not be obtained on the terms expected or on the anticipated schedule. ii. the parties' ability to meet expectations regarding the timing, completion and accounting and tax treatments of the transaction. iv. the possibility that the parties may be unable to achieve expected synergies and operating efficiencies within the expected time-frames or at all. v. Motorola's ability to successfully integrate Soundbuzz's operations and technology into those of Motorola and the possibility that such integration may be more difficult, time-consuming or costly than expected. vi. evenues following the transaction may be lower than expected. vii. operating costs, customer loss and business disruption (including, without limitation, difficulties in maintaining relationships with employees, customers, clients or suppliers) may be greater than expected following the transaction. viii. the retention of certain key employees at Soundbuzz. ix. the other factors described in Motorola's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006 and its subsequent reports filed with the SEC.Motorola assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement in this press release, and such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Q4 : Explore the Soundbuzz Website (www. soundbuzz. com). Briefly describe its products, technology platform, payment methods and revenue models. Product : – downloadable music and video. – digit right clearance. – acquisition of licenses from music publisher and recording company. – music video. Technology platform : – bundled with creative ‘s MP3 players. – Windows Media Player 10. Payment methods : multiple billing channel through Internet Service Provider bills. – mobiles operator bills to its customers. â⠂¬â€œ Trivnet payment solution. – making micro payment. Q5 : Do you think Soundbuzz is successful? What are the things it can do to improve its business model? What can it learn from iTunes? No. Along with the dramatic demise of Motorola’s mobile phone business in the past two years, Soundbuzz now also faces closure of its own. It’s an ironic end for a company that seemed ahead of its time when it came out selling legit music in 1999 – at the century of illegal downloads.Many were surprised at the time, when Soundbuzz CEO SudhanshuSarronwala, a former MTV stalwart, managed to court the music labels even when they were more interested in blocking people from ripping CDs. Its music collection was built up very fast, providing users in Singapore with a legit alternative to pirated songs. But soon, the competition came for â€Å"Suds† and his company. Though Apple iTunes is still not officially here in Singapore now, Nokia has launched its own music st ore and Sony Ericson has partnered with SingTel to offer a direct-to-mobile music download service too.Soundbuzz, meanwhile, was a much smaller player and had a less extensive music collection. Plus, it somehow only supported the Internet Explorer browser, likely because of its Windows Media back-end, which kept out a lot of users. The final mistakes is the sale to Motorola, a company that invented the cellphone, but somehow failed to manage its own cellphone business due to poor management and decision making . Soundbuzz shall support the popular browser like Google chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera and Safari and expand its music collection.This will attract more users since most internet users are no more using Internet Explorer due to it slow performance. iTunesoffers a catalogue of albums, user reviews, album art, Internet radio, and podcast listings for free. Consumers can benefit from iTunes' content and services without ever making an online digital purchase. Apple even gives a way new content every week, so users can expand their music collection without any commitment to buy anything. Soundbuzz shall synchronize and reform a convenient and fresh look to attract consumers. Soundbuzz is shut down on 15th July 2009

Most Dangerous Game

The Most Dangerous Game† are examples of foil characters with two very different personlaties as well as characteristics. These two characters are on opposite sides of the spectrum. Zaroff is the hunter and Rainsford is the prey in this story. Also, General Zaroff has very unethical ideas and hobbies. This is very different from Rainsford's humane beliefs. Lastly, Zaroff is far more ostentatious compared to Rainsford, who is more resourceful with his hunting experience.It is clear that their character traits differ greatly. To begin, Zaroff and Rainsford have two very different roles in â€Å"The Most Dangerous Game†. General Zaroff is perceived as the hunter and Rainsford is the prey. Zaroff presents a â€Å"game† where the two characters hunt each other. Although Rainsford wins this â€Å"game†, Zaroff is known as the hunter. This is because he is known for hunting humans. He has also never lost this â€Å"game† to any of his other opponents. Rains ford is seen as the prey (prior to him winning) because he is against hunting humans and considers it murder.He also appears to be afraid of Zaroff in he beginning. † I wish to leave this island at once† (Connel 175). This represents his fear. Knowing this, it is automatically assumed that Zaroff will hunt and kill Rainsford. To continue, the two characters are considered foils because they have different beliefs and morals. General Zaroff is open about his hobby of hunting humans. He even ridicules Rainsford by saying that he â€Å"harbors romantic ideas about the value of human life† (Connel 172). On the other hand, Rainsford's character hunts animals. He considers it murder to hunt human beings.Zaroffs reason for hunting humans is hat they are able to reason with the hunter, therefore making it more of a challenge to hunt them. One possible reason for this difference of morals are the nationality of the two men. General Zaroff is Russian while Rainsford is Amer ican. This could explain the difference because the culture and lifestyle of the two countries could cause its citizens to act in certain ways. Additionally, Zaroff and Rainsford are foil characters because of their behavior and character. In the story General Zaroff is ostentatious while Rainsford is more resourceful.Zaroff shows off his home and lifestyle when Rainsford is there. He also appears bossy in the story. He orders around Ivan and seems to brag about the people he is training in his basement. This might also be a reason that Zaroff loses the â€Å"game†. â€Å"‘To date I have not lost,' he said† (Connel 174). He underestimates Rainsford's abilities and is too confident about himself. He is sure that he will win the game. Rainsford is considered resourceful because he uses features of the forest to build traps for Zaroff and his dogs multiple times in the story. He also uses his Knowledge 0T nuntlng to create a trall tnats OITTlcult to Tollow Dy Laron. RalnsTora relies on his talents while Zaroff seems to rely on other sources such as the hounds. In conclusion, General Zaroff and Rainsford represent foil characters in â€Å"The Most Dangerous Game†. They are two extremely different people with different beliefs and traits. Zaroffs character is an amoral one who likes to hunt humans. His character is also depicted as the showy and arrogant hunter. Rainsford on the other hand is ethical compared to Zaroff. He is also seen as the prey of the story. General Zaroff and Rainsford are very obvious examples of foil characters. Most Dangerous Game The Most Dangerous Game† are examples of foil characters with two very different personlaties as well as characteristics. These two characters are on opposite sides of the spectrum. Zaroff is the hunter and Rainsford is the prey in this story. Also, General Zaroff has very unethical ideas and hobbies. This is very different from Rainsford's humane beliefs. Lastly, Zaroff is far more ostentatious compared to Rainsford, who is more resourceful with his hunting experience.It is clear that their character traits differ greatly. To begin, Zaroff and Rainsford have two very different roles in â€Å"The Most Dangerous Game†. General Zaroff is perceived as the hunter and Rainsford is the prey. Zaroff presents a â€Å"game† where the two characters hunt each other. Although Rainsford wins this â€Å"game†, Zaroff is known as the hunter. This is because he is known for hunting humans. He has also never lost this â€Å"game† to any of his other opponents. Rains ford is seen as the prey (prior to him winning) because he is against hunting humans and considers it murder.He also appears to be afraid of Zaroff in he beginning. † I wish to leave this island at once† (Connel 175). This represents his fear. Knowing this, it is automatically assumed that Zaroff will hunt and kill Rainsford. To continue, the two characters are considered foils because they have different beliefs and morals. General Zaroff is open about his hobby of hunting humans. He even ridicules Rainsford by saying that he â€Å"harbors romantic ideas about the value of human life† (Connel 172). On the other hand, Rainsford's character hunts animals. He considers it murder to hunt human beings.Zaroffs reason for hunting humans is hat they are able to reason with the hunter, therefore making it more of a challenge to hunt them. One possible reason for this difference of morals are the nationality of the two men. General Zaroff is Russian while Rainsford is Amer ican. This could explain the difference because the culture and lifestyle of the two countries could cause its citizens to act in certain ways. Additionally, Zaroff and Rainsford are foil characters because of their behavior and character. In the story General Zaroff is ostentatious while Rainsford is more resourceful.Zaroff shows off his home and lifestyle when Rainsford is there. He also appears bossy in the story. He orders around Ivan and seems to brag about the people he is training in his basement. This might also be a reason that Zaroff loses the â€Å"game†. â€Å"‘To date I have not lost,' he said† (Connel 174). He underestimates Rainsford's abilities and is too confident about himself. He is sure that he will win the game. Rainsford is considered resourceful because he uses features of the forest to build traps for Zaroff and his dogs multiple times in the story. He also uses his Knowledge 0T nuntlng to create a trall tnats OITTlcult to Tollow Dy Laron. RalnsTora relies on his talents while Zaroff seems to rely on other sources such as the hounds. In conclusion, General Zaroff and Rainsford represent foil characters in â€Å"The Most Dangerous Game†. They are two extremely different people with different beliefs and traits. Zaroffs character is an amoral one who likes to hunt humans. His character is also depicted as the showy and arrogant hunter. Rainsford on the other hand is ethical compared to Zaroff. He is also seen as the prey of the story. General Zaroff and Rainsford are very obvious examples of foil characters.

Bill French, Accountant Essay Example

Bill French, Accountant Essay Example Bill French, Accountant Essay Bill French, Accountant Essay Abstract Break even analysis is a method that has been applied by many business operations in determining the least operational points which they can operate and still remain in business. It is very important for a business that has just entered the market and wants to win its market share before it can set the selling prices for its prices. It is also applicable in events where here are a number of competitors a firm wants to win. Break even point is defined as the point below which a business cannot operate. At this point, the business should be able to cover all its costs, which are fixed and variable costs. It is measured in either product units or dollars. Bill French, Accountant The break even analysis is a very important tool to help any firm in deciding on the best operational volume. It requires three types of costs namely the fixed cost, variable cost and selling price (Dayananda, et al, 2002). As Bill French puts it, â€Å"the level of operation at which total costs that is, variable plus non-variable are just covered is the break even volume† and it is the least volume that an organization should operate in order to remain in business (Harvard Business School, 1987). There are several assumptions that are made in order to calculate the break even figures since with all the factors considered, it is very hard to compute the figures. In determining the break even figures for the firm, French makes some implicit assumptions. Most of these assumptions are evident in the conversation he is having with the participants at the meeting. In his calculations, Mr. French does not give room for the excepted sales volume increase which according to Cooper, one of the participants from the production department, will increase sales by 20%. He further assumes that the plant capacity is only at 90% utilization implying that it is not fully utilized. However, we learn from Williams (who is from the manufacturing department) that the plant capacity may be at 100% as he argues that in some of the sectors, there is no room for further expansion. Mr. French does not consider the three products produced by this firm individually but rather on averages proving that it will not be easy to calculate break even figures for each of the products individually. In fact, French argues â€Å"that there is only one break even point for the firm† and thus it is the only point to be hit whether considering each product individually or in group (Harvard Business School, 1987). It is evident that the method used by French to calculate for the break even analysis does not allow for change in the product mix since he assumes that nothing will be altered. For instance, the price of product C is very low and therefore need to be included in the analysis that there are products which may change in prices but this is not the case with French. Bill has also assumed expected union demands, taxes and dividends. With French revising his method of calculating the break even analysis, he will have to consider some other increase and decrease in costs. This will make the break even figures change to 2,000,000 units as the aggregate figure. The sales volume is 400,000 units for product A, 400,-000 for product B and 950,000 for product C. The unit sales will be $6. 948 as the aggregate, $10 for A, $9 for B and $4. 8 for C. In order to pay the extra dividend of $25,000, the firm has to increase the sales volume as follows; the price per unit remains at $1. 2, variable cost at $0. 75 while fixed costs increase to $(520,000 +25,000) =$545,000. The units to cover for this; 1. 2x=0. 75x+$545,000= $545,000/0. 45x; x=1,211,111 units. In order to meet the union demands of 10% increase in production costs, it follows that the total variable costs will have to increase by 10% since production costs are in the variable costs category. The calculation of the break even units will be; 1. x=0. 75x+0. 1x+$525,000= $525,000/0. 35x; x=1,500,000 units. In order to meet the union demands and pay for the extra dividends, the break even point will be; 1. 2x=0. 75x+0. 1x+$525,000+$25,000= $545,000/0. 35x; x=1,557,142 units. With the break even analysis, the firm will easily make a decision on whether to alter the existing products. It is true with the alterations, the sales volume has to increase and if the firm finds that it is not possible to make the extra sales, it will have to stop with the alterations. For instance, it is planned that there is extra investment on the C product which will mean an increase in costs. Since the firm’s capacity is thought to be at the maximum, it will not be possible to make the increased investment. Break-even analysis is very useful tool in all business operations. Although it has the disadvantages brought about by the assumptions made, it has its own advantages as well. The disadvantages are the assumptions that everything produced is sold and at the same price. However, the advantages which make it useful and each of the firm is advised to use it are that it is cheap and it helps a firm acquire a loan. With its relationship of returns, volume, production and cost shown, the firm will be able to make decisions on whether to take some business ventures or to leave them (Accountingformanagement. com, 2009). With the use of a break even analysis, it is very easy to determine whether a firm is on the best track of doing business without making profits or losses. References Accountingformanagement. om. (2009). Break Even Point Analysis-Definition, Explanation Formula and Calculation. Retrieved from accountingformanagement. com/Break_even_analysis. htm#Benefits%20/%20Advantages%20of%20Break%20Even%20Analysis Dayananda, D. , Irons, R. , Harrison, S. , Herbohn, J. Rowland, P. (2002). Capital Budgeting: Financial appraisal of investment projects. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Harvard Business School. (1987). Accounting: Bill French, Accoun tant. Retrieved from hbsp. haravard. edu.

Alexander Graham Bell, Inventor of the Telephone

Alexander Graham Bell, Inventor of the Telephone Alexander Graham Bell (March 3, 1847–August 2, 1922) invented the telephone in 1876 when he was just 29 years old. Soon after, he formed the Bell Telephone Company. Bell could have easily been content with the success of his invention. His many laboratory notebooks demonstrate, however, that he was driven by a genuine and rare intellectual curiosity that kept him regularly searching, striving, and always wanting to learn more and to create.   He would continue to test out new ideas throughout a long and productive life. This included exploring the realm of communications as well as engaging in a wide variety of scientific pursuits that involved kites, airplanes, tetrahedral structures, sheep-breeding, artificial respiration, desalinization, water distillation, and even hydrofoils. Fast Facts: Alexander Graham Bell Known For: Inventing the telephoneBorn: March 3, 1847 in Edinburgh, ScotlandParents: Alexander Melville Bell, Eliza Grace Symonds BellDied: August 2, 1922 in  Nova Scotia, CanadaEducation: University of Edinburgh (1864), University College London (1868)Publications: A founding member of the  National Geographic Society, he helped launce Science magazineAwards and Honors: Albert Medal (1902), John Fritz Medal (1907), Elliott Cresson Medal (1912)Spouse: Mabel Hubbard  (m.  1877–1922)Children: Elsie May, Marian Hubbard, Edward, RobertNotable Quote: The inventor looks upon the world and is not contented with things as they are. He wants to improve whatever he sees, he wants to benefit the world; he is haunted by an idea. The spirit of invention possesses him, seeking materialization. Early Life Bell was born on March 3, 1847, to Alexander Melville and Eliza Symonds  in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was immersed in the study of sound from the beginning. His father, uncle, and grandfather were authorities on elocution and speech therapy for the deaf. It was understood that Bell would follow in the family footsteps after finishing college. However, after Bells two other brothers died of tuberculosis, Bell and his parents decided to immigrate to Canada in 1870. After a brief period living in Ontario, the Bells moved to Boston, where they established speech-therapy practices specializing in teaching deaf children to speak. One of Alexander Graham Bells pupils was a young Helen Keller, who when they met was not only blind and deaf but also unable to speak. In 1872, Bell met Boston attorney Gardiner Greene Hubbard, who would become one of his financial backers and his father-in-law. Bell began to court Hubbards daughter, Mabel, in 1873. They married in 1877. From Telegraph to Telephone The telegraph and telephone are both wire-based electrical systems, and Bells success with the telephone came as a direct result of his attempts to improve the telegraph. When he began experimenting with electrical signals, the telegraph had been an established means of communication for some 30 years. Although a highly successful system, the telegraph was basically limited to receiving and sending one message at a time. Bells extensive knowledge of the nature of sound and his understanding of music enabled him to conjecture the possibility of transmitting multiple messages over the same wire at the same time. Although the idea of a multiple telegraph had been in existence for some time, no one had been able to fabricate one- until Bell. His harmonic telegraph was based on the principle that several notes could be sent simultaneously along the same wire if the notes or signals differed in pitch. Talk With Electricity By October 1874, Bells research had progressed to the extent that he could inform his future father-in-law about the possibility of a multiple telegraph. Hubbard, who resented the absolute control then exerted by the Western Union Telegraph Company, instantly saw the potential for breaking such a monopoly and gave Bell the financial backing he needed. Bell proceeded with his work on the multiple telegraph, but he did not tell Hubbard that he and Thomas Watson, a young electrician whose services he had enlisted, were also developing a device that would transmit speech electrically. While Watson worked on the harmonic telegraph at the insistent urging of Hubbard and other backers, Bell secretly met in March 1875 with Joseph Henry, the respected director of the Smithsonian Institution, who listened to Bells ideas for a telephone and offered encouraging words. Spurred on by Henrys positive opinion, Bell and Watson continued their work. By June 1875, the goal of creating a device that would transmit speech electrically was about to be realized. They had proven that different tones would vary the strength of an electric current in a wire. To achieve success, they needed only to build a working transmitter with a membrane capable of varying electronic currents and a receiver that would reproduce these variations in audible frequencies. Mr. Watson, Come Here On June 2, 1875, while experimenting with his harmonic telegraph, Bell and Watson discovered that sound could be transmitted over a wire. It was a completely accidental discovery. Watson was trying to loosen a reed that had been wound around a transmitter when he plucked it by accident. The vibration produced by that gesture traveled along the wire into a second device in the other room where Bell was working. The twang Bell heard was all the inspiration that he and Watson needed to accelerate their work. They continued to work into the next year. Bell recounted the critical moment in his journal:   I then shouted into M [the mouthpiece] the following sentence: Mr. Watson, come here- I want to see you. To my delight, he came and declared that he had heard and understood what I said. Other Inventions Alexander Graham Bells curiosity also led him to speculate on the nature of heredity, initially among the deaf and later with sheep born with genetic mutations. He conducted sheep-breeding experiments at his estate to see if he can increase the numbers of twin and triplet births.   In other instances, it drove him to try to come up with novel solutions on the spot whenever problems arose. In 1881, he hastily constructed a metal detector as a way to try and locate a bullet lodged in President James Garfield after an assassination attempt. He would later improve this and produced a device called a telephone probe, which would make a telephone receiver click when it touched metal. And when Bells newborn son, Edward, died from respiratory problems, he responded by designing a metal vacuum jacket that would facilitate breathing. The apparatus was a forerunner of the iron lung used in the 1950s to aid polio victims. Other ideas he dabbled in included inventing the audiometer to detect minor hearing problems and conducting experiments with what today are called energy recycling and alternative fuels. Bell also worked on methods of removing salt from seawater. Flight Technology These interests may be considered minor activities compared to the time and effort he put into making advances in flight technology. By the 1890s, Bell had begun experimenting with propellers and kites, which led him to apply the concept of the tetrahedron (a solid figure with four triangular faces) to kite design as well as to create a new form of architecture.   In 1907, four years after the Wright Brothers first flew at Kitty Hawk, Bell formed the Aerial Experiment Association with Glenn Curtiss, William Casey Baldwin, Thomas Selfridge, and J.A.D. McCurdy, four young engineers with the common goal of creating airborne vehicles. By 1909, the group had produced four powered aircraft, the best of which, the Silver Dart, made a successful powered flight in Canada on February 23, 1909. Later Years and Death Bell spent the last decade of his life improving hydrofoil designs. In 1919, he and Casey Baldwin built a hydrofoil that set a world water-speed record that was not broken until 1963. Months before he died, Bell told a reporter, There cannot be mental atrophy in any person who continues to observe, to remember what he observes, and to seek answers for his unceasing hows and whys about things. Bell died on Aug. 2, 1922,  at his estate in Nova Scotia, Canada. Other Works and Legacy Although working with the deaf would remain Bells principal source of income, he continued to pursue his own studies of sound throughout his life. Bells unceasing scientific curiosity led to the  invention of the photophone, a device that allowed for the transmission of sound on a beam of light. Despite being known for his invention of the telephone, Bell regarded the photophone as the greatest invention I have ever made; greater than the telephone. The invention set the foundation upon which todays laser and fiber optic communication systems are founded, though it would take the development of several modern technologies to fully capitalize on this breakthrough. With the enormous technical and financial success of his telephone invention, Bells future was secure enough so that he could devote himself to other scientific interests. For example, in 1881, he used the $10,000 award for winning Frances Volta Prize to set up the Volta Laboratory in Washington, D.C. A believer in scientific teamwork, Bell worked with two associates: his cousin Chichester Bell and Charles Sumner Tainter, at the Volta Laboratory. Their experiments produced such major improvements in Thomas Edisons phonograph that it became commercially viable. After his first visit to Nova Scotia in 1885, Bell set up another laboratory there at his estate Beinn Bhreagh (pronounced Ben Vreeah), near Baddeck, where he would assemble other teams of bright young engineers to pursue new and exciting ideas heading into the future. Sources Vanderbilt, Tom. â€Å"A Brief History of the Telephone, From Alexander Graham Bell to the iPhone.†Ã‚  Slate Magazine, Slate, 15 May 2012.â€Å"The History of the Telephone.†Ã‚  Google Books.infoundiscoveredscotland.co.uk, Undiscovered Scotland: â€Å"Undiscovered Scotland: Alexander Graham Bell.†Ã‚  Scotfax: Religion in Scotland on Undiscovered Scotland.A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875: The Alexander Graham Bell Family Papers. Charles Magnus.

Corporate Finance Investment Banker Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Corporate Finance Investment Banker - Essay Example The age of globalization has also opened up new paths for this career. My multi-lingual abilities can prove invaluable in the area of foreign investment when dealing with contractors and clients in differing areas of the world. My interest in the cultures of other countries will aid me in researching the policies, laws, and business traditions necessary to cooperate anywhere on the globe. These talents will be especially valuable as I become involved with international mergers and acquisitions. The dynamic market conditions of China make it particularly suitable as an environment to do business in and I plan to expand with it in the coming years. I hope to become a point of contact for the mutual cooperation between Chinese corporations and industries from around the world. Being a Corporate Investment Banker also has a more pragmatic side that lends itself to the ability to work well with other people. Decisions are often based on consensus and it is important to enlist the support of all participating parties. I possess the insight required to bring together differing viewpoints and am able to offer unique solutions that satisfy the requirements of the interests of everyone involved. This is important when trying to balance the client's requests with the fiscal responsibility you have to senior officials. A failure to accommodate all concerns can result in a poorly budgeted project or missing a deadline for a key decision. It requires the thorough examination of the various facets of the problem to be able to offer a unique solution to a complicated problem in a timely fashion. The talent to solve problems is centered on my talent for paying attention to the details and being thoroughly organized. I meticulously plan projects and anticipate any possible problems or areas that may place the outcome in jeopardy.

Poems that Speak of Men's Minds Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Poems that Speak of Men's Minds - Essay Example Based on the titles alone, the two poems obviously talk about ball games. However, Updike is more specific in referring to basketball as he identifies the central character in his poem as a former basketball player. In contrast, Williams talks about the attitude of an audience at a ball game. Thus, although the two poems deal with the same subject matter, each has its own focus and each provides a different view of the human psyche. Comparing the two poems, Updike’s is easier to understand because of its style and language. Conversely, Williams’s use of metaphors makes the poem more difficult to comprehend yet more challenging to analyze. Updike is noted for the use of narration in his poems. Just like in his other poems, Updike uses a narrative element to express his view about ball games. The poem appears in free verse, making it easier to read and appear more realistic. The narrative element of the poem features the main character named Flick who used to be a basketb all player in high school. Like any story, the characterization is developed, giving the audience enough idea about Flick. The lines, â€Å"He was good: in fact, the best. In ’46/He bucketed three hundred ninety points† (14-15) prove the success of Flick as a basketball player. ... The persona claims that he has seen Flick set the records. This style makes the author appear as if he had known Flick since they were young, hence establishing the credibility of the writer in writing about the character and further persuading the audience to share the thoughts and feelings he has regarding the subject. Some lines of the poem talk about the achievements of Flick. These lines render a positive image of the character. However, the said lines are only used to emphasize the point of the author that there is no future in playing basketball or that a person’s popularity and skills in the field of sports will not make him win in life. To impart this message, Updike narrates how Flick ends up in blue-collared jobs working as a gas station boy, repairman, and diner despite his overwhelming basketball records. Updike does not actually elaborate on his personal views regarding the fate of Flick. Nevertheless, he uses irony and understatement to imply the bad luck that F lick ends up with. To illustrate his view, Updike uses understatement, thus: â€Å"He never learned a trade, he just sells gas, checks oil, and changes flats†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Updike 19-20). These lines do not exactly move the audience to sympathize with Flick. Rather, they present a sad ending that the author may have observed in people like Flick, those who were once popular in school but ended up unsuccessful because they do not have other skills or expertise aside from playing ball games. Updike elaborates his view by using imagery such as â€Å"Flick stands tall among the idiot pumps—â€Å"(Updike 13) â€Å"without a head at all† (Updike 18). This is an indirect comparison between Flick and