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Wednesday, October 30, 2019
R. Twining and Company Limited Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
R. Twining and Company Limited - Assignment Example Strengths These are the attributes that distinguish the company from its competitors. Here, we examine the abilities of the company by investigating its internal environment, which includes the company’s employees, its products and its finances. We evaluate the company’s strengths pertaining its financial position, customer care techniques, cost minimization and employee skills. We need to develop ways of improving the company’s advantages over its competitors in order to maximize profits. To begin with, Twinings Tea’s position in the market should be enhanced to increase its market share when compared to the competitors. This can be done through the training of Twinings Tea marketing staff in better and more customer friendly approaches when dealing with consumers on a personal basis. This will serve to set Twinings Tea on a better position to the consumers’ perspectives; thus, strategically place Twinings Tea in the market. In addition, the research and dev elopment department needs to come up with better blends of tea, for instance, through grafting of two of the major blends into a more superior blend that will achieve higher market dominance compared to competitor products. The department can also look into cheaper techniques of producing tea in order to reduce on costs, thereby maximizing profits (David. 2003, p.57). 2003, p.57). Moreover, an introduction of new tea flavours to the market will see an increase in sale, thus a subsequent increase in company profits. The firm’s management should also come up with regular employee training programmes to increase employee awareness of the ever changing dynamics in tea production. Weaknesses These are other internal factors that demonstrate the company’s shortcomings in its operations and performance of maximum yields. In order to maximize its profits, Twinings Tea should look into ways of totally eliminating its weaknesses or improving on those that cannot be eliminate d. Here, we aim at discovering the various setbacks in the company’s operations, recurring operational and customer experiences failures and the various escalated operational costs. To deal with these weaknesses, the organization should get rid of all the obsolete equipment in all departments and replace them with the latest high technology equipment. We note that equipment that utilize the latest technology require minimal power to operate; therefore, will save on the company’s energy consumption and costs. In addition, the company should clear all its outstanding loans with all financial institutions as the costs of servicing these loans is an enormous burden on the company’s economic wellbeing. The management should create cheaper ways of acquiring additional capital such as floating the company’s shares on the stock exchange. The manufacturing department should reduce on the product development cycle and improve on the products’ image in order to attract more customers, therefore, increase profits (Porter. 1998, p. 43). Opportunities These refer to the external conditions that aid in the realization of the organization’s objectives. They are conditions that the company can turn to its advantage in the attainment of increased sales and profits in the long run (Kendon. 1999, p. 58). The onset of the winter season presents a bonus to Twinings
Monday, October 28, 2019
Photographing architecture Essay Example for Free
Photographing architecture Essay Introduction: Words are like bricks. If the bricks are of even size, arranged properly, the structure will be fine and sturdy. If the bricks are weak, broken and arranged by an imperfect mason, the results are obvious. So is the case with literature. Appropriate words needs to be used at the appropriate place; the outcome will be pleasant reading, soul-satisfying! A good author can chisel perfect statue out of the strength of words. The essential ingredients of a novel are plot, characterization and imagery and the force of the words. Poets say a beautiful girl looks more beautiful, when she is calm and polite. Likewise, a good book turns out better to read by appropriately-applied flowery vocabulary. Calvino’s book under review, â€Å"Photographing Architecture,†is the perfect example of this category, though it doesn’t have the plot as such. Calvino makes many things visible†¦. The book is about photographing architecture, through the charming, magical words-the magnetic literary skill. This book is the perfect example, to know and understand how to write about the cities. Again, the intelligent application of the words is the hallmark of the book. From the practical viewpoint, the book is easy to carry; it is small in size. The prose is breathtakingly elegant. Marco Polo describes to Kublai Khan, how each city is interestingly different, though full of contradictions. The book, therefore, becomes the tourist guide of the cities as for the architecture of the era. Marco Polo involves himself so much about the description of the cities, he is so touchy about their decline, and he says candidly to Kublai Khan about the city of his birth, Venice, â€Å"Perhaps I am afraid of losing Venice all at once, if I speak of it. Or perhaps, speaking of other cities, I have already lost it, little by little. (Calvino, 1978, p.87) Every perception of the city is taken care of, each city gets a new type of description, and how one arrives at the city, which part is toured initially, whether one resides in the city or only travels through it. Some of the descriptions look like real-life shoppingâ€â€a jewelry box, a phantasmagoria etc. In the architecture school, in a part of the syllabus, the student needs to draw these cities from the descriptions provided by Calvino. Such was his perfect and realistic assessment of the architecture! The cities belong to the great Mongol Empire. Each city bears a woman’s name and yet from the description of the cities, full justice seems to have not been made to the female gender. Did Marco Polo follow the conditions of women, then prevailing? Women find little mention; their presence tends to be half-sequestered, peeping from windows and verandas, not a single positive role, while men are brave and adventurous explorers. Macro Polo seems to be the guide and philosopher of Kublai Khan. He listened to him with kindled curiosity, about the city and architecture of his own Empire, so big, that the King would not be able to travel through the cities in his lifetime. But the conversations are supposed to imaginary. The imagination of Marco Polo is so fertile, it borders reality, if not beats it in many areas. He mentally constructs the cities to perfection. â€Å"Invisible Cities†is presented as a dialogue between explorer Marco Polo and the great Kublai Khan, in which the former is describing cities he has visited in the Khans empire. In his story telling, Marco Polo describes these cities in every way possible: ‘by their inner structures, their denizens, from above, below, within, through their mirror images, and even utilizing modern day urban settings.’ Some of the cities about which Marco Polo talks about to Kublai Khan are, Armilla-unfinished or demolished, Zobeide, a white city, well-exposed to the moon, Moriana, with alabaster gates transparent in the sunlight, Ersilia, the city of labyrinth of taut strings and poles, Thekla, the city under construction, Argia, the city that has earth instead of air and Olinda, the city that grows in concentric circles. Conclusion: Books written in poetic style, with emotional contents, appeal to the heart. Marc Polo, the author-architect, makes that happen. It is the reader’s heart, and Marco Polo controls its beats not only for the duration of the reading, but even longer. References: Calvino, Italo: Book: Invisible Cities Paperback: 165 pages Publisher: Harvest Books; 1st Harvest/HBJ Ed edition (May 3, 1978) Language: English ISBN-10: 0156453800 ISBN-13: 978-0156453806
Saturday, October 26, 2019
2004 Influenza Vaccine Shortage Essay -- essays research papers
2004 Influenza Vaccine Shortage Internal PR Action Plan MKT 438 November, 22, 2004 Abstract This year’s flu season is supposed to bring a strain of the virus with a severity unlike any other seen in previous years. This supposed new strain is a mutated, currently untreatable strain that is expected to be responsible for several deaths. The media has caused such a wide spread panic over the Influenza bug this year and then claimed that 48 million vaccines mysteriously became contaminated rendering the public virtually helpless against the attack of this new strain of flu. This paper will discuss the strategies used by public relations representatives to calm the public as well as educate them by giving alternative ways to reduce the spread of catching this year’s most infamous bug.      Internal PR Action Plan Each year, the public is forewarned of the upcoming, potentially lethal, flu season. Along with the public warnings come the recommendations from the public health department identifying which groups of people including all small children, the elderly, and those with possibly weakened immune systems that are most at risk. There has been a growing concern that there would come a time that the supply of vaccine could not meet the demands of the population. However, no one thought that this shortage would come so suddenly, without fair warning, and would affect such high numbers of people. In fact, the current story is that approximately half of the total supply of the vaccine, roughly 48 million doses, were contaminated and therefore rendered useless. To compound the problem, this also means that 48 million people are being forced to play Russian Roulette with an invisible enemy. Many cases of the flu can be avoided through the quick release of information concerning the impending dile mma that we face as a nation, educating the public, and by communicating an effective internal public relations action plan.      Public Dilemma     America used to have five manufacturers that developed the flu vaccines that were used to vaccinate the entire nation. However, over the past few years, those five suppliers have diminished to only two suppliers, Chiron Corporation and Aventis Pasteur. Lester Crawford, acting commissioner for the Food a... ...g a resource that is unavailable to all. In other words, by informing the public that we need flu vaccines and then taking the option to get a vaccine away, they are making us feel that our government is not in control. 2. The government needs to try every option available if it protects their people, such as having Aventis produce the 2-3 million vaccines per week and then agreeing to purchase the excess to use toward next years flu epidemic. That way the drug manufacturer stays happy and so does the public. 3. Provide the public with a weekly update on preventative measures and alternatives to follow that will hel[p reduce their susceptibility to the virus such as â€Å"wash you hands,†â€Å"cover you mouth when you cough, â€Å" â€Å"cover your nose when you sneeze††¦ etc. References www.home.frontiernet.net http://home.frontiernet.net/newsdetail.asp?cat=3&id=1670).                                                   2004 Influenza Vaccine Shortage Essay -- essays research papers 2004 Influenza Vaccine Shortage Internal PR Action Plan MKT 438 November, 22, 2004 Abstract This year’s flu season is supposed to bring a strain of the virus with a severity unlike any other seen in previous years. This supposed new strain is a mutated, currently untreatable strain that is expected to be responsible for several deaths. The media has caused such a wide spread panic over the Influenza bug this year and then claimed that 48 million vaccines mysteriously became contaminated rendering the public virtually helpless against the attack of this new strain of flu. This paper will discuss the strategies used by public relations representatives to calm the public as well as educate them by giving alternative ways to reduce the spread of catching this year’s most infamous bug.      Internal PR Action Plan Each year, the public is forewarned of the upcoming, potentially lethal, flu season. Along with the public warnings come the recommendations from the public health department identifying which groups of people including all small children, the elderly, and those with possibly weakened immune systems that are most at risk. There has been a growing concern that there would come a time that the supply of vaccine could not meet the demands of the population. However, no one thought that this shortage would come so suddenly, without fair warning, and would affect such high numbers of people. In fact, the current story is that approximately half of the total supply of the vaccine, roughly 48 million doses, were contaminated and therefore rendered useless. To compound the problem, this also means that 48 million people are being forced to play Russian Roulette with an invisible enemy. Many cases of the flu can be avoided through the quick release of information concerning the impending dile mma that we face as a nation, educating the public, and by communicating an effective internal public relations action plan.      Public Dilemma     America used to have five manufacturers that developed the flu vaccines that were used to vaccinate the entire nation. However, over the past few years, those five suppliers have diminished to only two suppliers, Chiron Corporation and Aventis Pasteur. Lester Crawford, acting commissioner for the Food a... ...g a resource that is unavailable to all. In other words, by informing the public that we need flu vaccines and then taking the option to get a vaccine away, they are making us feel that our government is not in control. 2. The government needs to try every option available if it protects their people, such as having Aventis produce the 2-3 million vaccines per week and then agreeing to purchase the excess to use toward next years flu epidemic. That way the drug manufacturer stays happy and so does the public. 3. Provide the public with a weekly update on preventative measures and alternatives to follow that will hel[p reduce their susceptibility to the virus such as â€Å"wash you hands,†â€Å"cover you mouth when you cough, â€Å" â€Å"cover your nose when you sneeze††¦ etc. References www.home.frontiernet.net http://home.frontiernet.net/newsdetail.asp?cat=3&id=1670).                                                  Â
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Wolseys Responsibility For His Own Downfall Essay -- Papers Thomas Wo
Wolsey's Responsibility For His Own Downfall Thomas Wolsey can be easily viewed as being responsible for his own downfall. John Guy believes that Wolsey was â€Å"brilliant but flawed.†His rise was based on luck, charm, intelligence and opportunism. Wolsey had such high ambitions and gave Henry the idea he was capable of getting him anything, so when Wolsey failed to get Henry a divorce, it was seen as the final nail on the coffin to his downfall. His policies are also a cause to his downfall; Wolsey’s foreign policy was a success but also caused problems. On Wolsey’s rise he created enemies, which lead to the lack of support and opposition in his years as Chancellor. But it can also be viewed, on the other hand, that Wolsey wasn’t entirely responsible for his downfall. His downfall can be laid upon Henry VIII; his court known as the ‘lions court’. David Starkey believes the ‘Boleyn Faction’ was a cause to Henry’s downfall; Anne disliked Wolsey and wanted him removed. Wolsey having bad press from the start, nobility were jealous of his power and wealth. One can see that Wolsey was a successful and just administrator who succeed in his aims making England a leading power. His rise was due to luck, charm and his intelligence, but his fall was due to some of his fatal characteristics and bad luck. But we can clearly see Wolsey alone wasn’t entirely responsible for his downfall; there were many other factors, which Wolsey couldn’t have helped that increased his downfall. Wolsey had some responsibility to his own downfall. His rise to power was due to luck, charm, intelligence and opportunism. The reasons for Wolsey’s fall can be spl... ...land which England was too narrow a field for his vast ambition. He aspired to be the arbiter of Europe. He threw England’s influence on the side of the Holy Roman emperor, Charles V, in the latter’s rivalry with Francis I of France. He expected thereby to enlist the emperor’s aid for his own aspirations to become pope. Wolsey maintained the kings favour until he failed to secure an annulment of Henry’s first marriage. From1527-1529, as Anne Boleyn’s influence rose, Wolsey waned. She disliked the cardinal because of his interference in her earlier engagement to Henry Percy. And both she and King were increasingly impatient with the pope’s endless prevarication. Torn between his secular and spiritual masters, Wolsey chose Henry’s side-but it was too late. He was indicated for praemunire; and later confessed guilt.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Evaluate Social Identity Theory Essay
Social identity theory is designed by Tajfel and Turner (1979) to explain how it is that people develop a sense of membership and belonging in particular groups, and how the mechanics of intergroup discrimination. Several interconnected mechanisms are at work with social identity theory. The core idea is that people tend to seek out-group membership as an affirmation of self-esteem, but that membership in a group alone is not enough to build self-esteem. To feel more self esteem, people have to believe that they are in the right group, which creates the need for a positive distinction from other groups. There are three cognitive processes that are Social Categorisation, Social Identification and Social Comparison. Tajfel and his colleagues divided some schoolboys in to 2 different groups, they allocated them randomly into the groups but the participants thought that the groups were defined by their preferences to paintings. They had to give out points to the in-group and the out-group but were not allowed to give points to themselves. The participants would favour people in their group rather than the participants of the other group. In many cases the participants would sacrifice points for their group just to increase the difference between the groups. The participants would give 7 points to their own group and give the other group 1, although they could have given 13 to each group. This shows that you can be easily be put in a group for a minor thing and you would stick together and go against the other group and see them as the enemy without having any real reason. Caroline Howarth carried out the second research. The participants all lived in the Brixton area, which was seen as a poor and violent place and also where a lot of black people were thought to have lived there and were thought of being the main cause of violence. Within the first set of focus groups (total of 7), she asked teenagers to talk about Brixton, she asked them to ‘tell me about Brixton – what it is like for you to live here and how people outside Brixton think about Brixton’. Howarth used a topic guideline to ensure that central research questions were always covered (on community, inclusion, exclusion, identity, ethnicity, the media, prejudice, racism, the school). The organisation of focus groups into friendship groups made it possible for participants to discuss these experiences with admirable confidence, maturity and understanding. It can, nonetheless, be difficult for the social researcher to access such sensitive material. When the moderator is an outsider and when research participants assume (often correctly) that the researcher has little experience of the kind of discrimination and challenges to self-esteem that pervade their lives, mistrust and suspicion may harm the research relationship. The girls answered positively and were happy to be from Brixton and did not want to move away and did not see any problems. This would shock people, as they would have thought people would move away if they had the chance. They are creating a social identity, as they are happy to be a part of the Brixton identity. There are some problems with this study as there are some ethical issues, they were deceived as they were lied to in the Tajfel study as they were just randomly picked and had nothing to do with their views on the paintings. Whereas the Howarth study they were not deceived which is a good way to carry out a study but they might have lied with their answers to please the examiner and have changed their behavior to be positive and not how that even the people who live there think the same as everyone else. Both of these studies are valid as the research supports the theory and the results can be applied to everyday life. The Tajfel study shows how people at school in the playground group and pick the group they have the most in common with and communicate with them and if they do not seem to have anything in common they would not stay there. The second study by Howarth can also be applied in everyday life as people create social identity all the time, if a place is thought of negatively by people who do not live their then the people who do can make a social identity and be happy and have positive thoughts about this area and not agree with the others. The theory seems to be a good and plausible theory as the research supports the theory that people automatically divide the social world into the in-group (people like me) and the out-group (people who are not like me). The people see the people in their group as similar to them but 2 different groups seem to be so different from each other when not in all cases they are that different from each other.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Juan Corona, the Machete Murderer
Juan Corona, the Machete Murderer Juan Corona was a labor contractor who hired migrant workers to produce fields in California. In a murder spree lasting six weeks, he raped and murdered 25 men and buried their machete-hacked bodies in the orchards owned by local farmers. Diagnosed With Schizophrenia Juan Corona (born 1934) moved from Mexico to Yuba City, California in the 1950s to work as a produce field-worker. Corona, diagnosed with schizophrenia, managed to work up through the ranks despite his illness. In the early 1970s, he moved from the field into a contractor’s job and hired workers for the local Yuba City Growers. The Hired Help Married with four children, Corona succeeded in providing a comfortable life for his family. He had the reputation of being a tough person in his interactions with the workers he hired. Many of the workers were down-and-out men, homeless alcoholics, old and unemployable. Few had family ties and most lived nomadic lives. Corona in Full Control Corona offered the workers housing on Sullivan Ranch. Here the migrant workers and itinerants worked daily for little pay and lived in a dismal prison-like environment. Corona had control over their basic needs of food and shelter and in 1971, he began to use that power to satisfy his sexually sadistic impulses. Easy Victims For men to vanish without anyone taking notice was common on the Sullivan Ranch. Corona took advantage of this and began to select men to rape and murder. Their sudden absence did not cause concern and went unreported. Knowing this- Corona made little effort to destroy evidence linking him to the murdered men. A Pattern of Murder His pattern was the same. He dug holes- sometimes a few days in advance, picked his victim, sexually assaulted and stabbed them to death. He then hacked at their heads with a machete and buried them. Discovery of a Grave Corona’s carelessness eventually caught up with him. In early May 1971, a ranch owner discovered a seven-foot freshly dug hole on his property. When he returned the following day he found the hole filled. He became suspicious and called authorities. When the hole was uncovered, the mutilated corpse of Kenneth Whitacre was found three feet in the ground. Whitacre had been sexually assaulted, stabbed and his head split opened with a machete. More Graves Uncovered Another farmer reported that he also had a freshly covered hole on his property. The hole contained the body of an elderly drifter, Charles Fleming. He had been sodomized, stabbed and his head was mutilated with a machete. The Machete Murderer The investigation turned up more graves. By June 4, 1971, authorities uncovered 25 graves. All the victims were men found laying on their backs, arms above their heads and shirts pulled over their faces. Each man had been sodomized and murdered in a similar fashion- stabbed and two slashes in the shape of a cross on the back of their heads. A Trail Leads to Corona Receipts with Juan Coronas name on them were found in the victims pockets. The police determined that many of the men had last been seen alive with Corona. A search of his home turned up two bloodstained knives, a ledger with seven of the victim’s names and the date of their murders logged, a machete, pistol, and bloodstained clothing. The Trial Corona was arrested and tried for the 25 murders. He was found guilty and sentenced to 25 consecutive life sentences, leaving him no hope of parole. He immediately appealed the verdict. Many believed an accomplice had been involved in the crimes but no evidence supporting the theory was ever found. In 1978, Coronas appeal was upheld and he set out to try to prove the lawyers during his first trial were inept because they never used his schizophrenia to plead insanity. He also pointed the finger to his brother as being the real killer. Coronas half brother, Natividad, was a cafe owner who lived in a nearby town in 1970. Natividad sexually attacked a patron and left his beaten body in the bathroom of the cafe. He took off to Mexico when he found out the victim was going to sue him. There was no evidence found linking Coronas brother to the crimes. In 1982, the court upheld the original guilty verdicts. Meanwhile, Corona was involved in a prison fight and received 32 razor cuts and lost an eye. Six Weeks of Murder Coronas killing spree lasted six weeks. Why he decided to begin killing is a mystery and one that many psychologists pondered. Most believe he probably had a past of sexual assault and victimizing the helpless individuals who he hired. Some attribute Coronas violence to his need for supreme control of his victims.
Monday, October 21, 2019
Coral Eugene Watts The Sunday Morning Slasher
Coral Eugene Watts The Sunday Morning Slasher Carl Eugene Watts, dubbed â€Å"The Sunday Morning Slasher,†murdered 80 women in Texas, Michigan and Ontario, Canada, from 1974-1982. Watts kidnapped his victims from their homes, tortured them either by slashing them with a knife until they bled to death or drowned them in a bathtub. Early Years Carl Eugene Watts was born in Fort Hood, Texas on November 7, 1953, to Richard and Dorothy Watts. In 1955, Dorothy left Richard. She and Carl moved to Inkstar, Illinois, right outside of Detroit. Dorothy taught art to kindergarten children, leaving much of Carls young development in the hands of her mother. She also started dating again, and in 1962 she married Norman Caesar. Within a few years, they had two girls. Watts was now the big brother, but it was a role he never embraced. Sadistic Sexual Fantasies At the age of 13, Watts suffered from meningitis and high fevers and he was pulled out of school for several months. During his illness, he entertained himself by hunting and skinning rabbits. He also enjoyed constant fantasies that involved torturing and killing girls. School had always been challenging for Watts. When he was in grammar school, he was a shy and withdrawn child and was often teased by the class bullies. His reading skills were far below that of his peers, and he struggled with retaining much of what was being taught. When Watts finally returned to his class after being sick, he was unable to catch up. The decision was made to have him repeat the eighth grade, which humiliated him. Watts, an academic failure, turned into a good athlete. He participated in the Silver Gloves boxing program that helped teach boys respect for themselves and discipline. Unfortunately for Watts, the boxing program stimulated his aggressive desire to attack people. He was constantly in trouble at school for physically confronting classmates, especially the girls. At the age of 15, he attacked and sexually assaulted a woman in her home. She was his customer on his paper route. When Watts was arrested, he told the police he attacked the woman because he just felt like beating someone up. Institutionalized In September 1969, after being prompted by his lawyer, Watts was institutionalized at the Lafayette Clinic in Detroit. It was there that doctors discovered that Watts had an IQ in the low 70s and suffered from a mild case of mental retardation that impeded his thought processes. However, after only three months, he was evaluated again and placed on outpatient treatment, despite the doctors final review which described Watts as paranoid with strong homicidal impulses. The doctor wrote that Watts behavioral controls were faulty and that he displayed a high potential for violently acting out. He ended the report by saying Watts should be considered dangerous. Despite the report, the young and dangerous Eugene Watts was allowed to return to school, his penchant for violence unknown to his unsuspecting classmates. It was a baffling decision that almost assured a deadly outcome. High School and College Watts continued high school after his release from the hospital. He returned to sports and poor grades. He also took drugs, was described as severely withdrawn. He was often disciplined by school officials for being aggressive and stalking his female classmates. From the time that Watts was released to the outpatient program in 1969 until the time he graduated high school in 1973, he only went to the outpatient clinic a few times, despite the fact that school officials were constantly having to deal with his violent episodes. After finishing high school. Watts was accepted to Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee on a football scholarship, but he was expelled after three months for stalking and sexually assaulting women and for being a prime suspect in the unsolved murder of a female student. Second Psychological Evaluation Watts was, however, able to return to college and was even accepted into a special scholarship and mentoring program sponsored by Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. Before attending the program, he was again evaluated at the outpatient facility and again the doctor said that Watts was still a danger and had a strong impulse to beat up women, but due to patient confidentiality laws, staffers were unable to alert Kalamazoo authorities or officials at Western Michigan University. On October 25, 1974, Lenore Knizacky answered her door and was attacked by a man who said he was looking for Charles. She fought back and survived. Five days later, Gloria Steele, 19, was found dead with 33 stab wounds to her chest. A witness reported speaking with a man at Steele’s complex, who said he was looking for Charles. Diane Williams reported being attacked on November 12, under the same circumstances. She survived and managed to see the attackers car and make a report to the police. Watts was picked out in a line-up by Knizacky and Williams and arrested on assault and battery charges. He admitted to attacking 15 females but refused to talk about the Steele murder. His attorney arranged for Watts to commit himself into the Kalamazoo State Hospital. The hospital psychiatrist investigated Watts background and learned that at Lane College, Watts was suspected of having possibly killed two women by choking them. He diagnosed Watts as having an anti-social personality disorder. Competently Dangerous Before Watts trial for assault and battery charges, he had a court-ordered evaluation at the Center for Forensic Psychiatry in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The examining doctor described Watts as dangerous and felt he would most likely attack again. He also found him competent to stand trial. Carl, or Coral as he started to call himself, pleaded â€Å"no contest,†and received a one-year sentence on the assault and battery charges. He was never charged in the murder of Steele. In June 1976, he was out of jail and back home in Detroit with his mother. The Sunday Morning Slasher Emerges Ann Arbor is 40 miles west of Detroit and the home of The University of Michigan. In April 1980, the Ann Arbor police were called to the home of 17-year-old Shirley Small. She had been attacked and repeatedly cut with an instrument resembling a scalpel. She bled to death on the sidewalk where she fell. Glenda Richmond, 26, was the next victim. She was found near her doorway, dead from over 28 stab wounds. Rebecca Greer, 20, was next. She died outside her door after being stabbed 54 times. Detective Paul Bunten headed a task force that had been formed to investigate what the newspapers had dubbed the murders of women by The Sunday Morning Slasher, but there was very little for Bunten to investigate. His team had no evidence and no witnesses to a long list of murders and attempted murders that had occurred within five months. When Sergeant Arthurs from Detroit read about the Slasher murders going on in Ann Arbor, he noticed that the attacks were similar to those that he had arrested Carl Watts for when he was a paperboy. Arthurs contacted the task force and gave them Watts name and the details of the crime. Within months, attacks in neighboring Wisteria, Ontario, were being reported that were of the same nature as those in Ann Arbor and Detroit. Adult, Father, and Husband By now, Watts was no longer a failing student with drug problems. He was 27 years old and working with his stepfather at a trucking company. He had fathered a daughter with his girlfriend, and later met another woman whom he married in August 1979, but who divorced him eight months later because of Watts’ strange behavior. More Murders, 1979-1980 In October 1979 Watts was arrested for prowling around in a Southfield, Detroit suburb. The charges were later dropped. Investigators noted that during the previous year, five women in the same suburb were assaulted on separate occasions, but with similar circumstances. None were killed, nor could any of them identify their attacker. During 1979 and 1980, attacks on women in Detroit and surrounding areas became more frequent and violent. By the summer of 1980, whatever had been keeping Coral Watts uncontrollable urge to torture, and murder women at bay were no longer working. It was as if a demon had possessed him. Additionally, he was under tremendous stress as the investigators from Ann Arbor, and Detroit seemed to be getting closer to solving the identity of the â€Å"Sunday Morning Slasher.†Watts had no alternative: he needed to find a new killing zone. The Windsor, Ontario Connection In July 1980, in Windsor, Ontario Irene Kondratowiz, 22, was attacked by a stranger. Despite her throat being slashed, she had managed to live. Sandra Dalpe, 20, having been stabbed from behind, had also survived. Mary Angus, 30, of Windsor, escaped attack by screaming when she realized she was being followed. She picked Watts out of a photo line-up, but she was unable to identify for certain that her attacker had been Watts. Detectives discovered through highway cameras that Watts car was recorded as leaving Windsor for Detroit after each episode. Watts became Bunten’s leading suspect, and Bunten had a reputation for being a relentless investigator. Rebecca Huff's Book Is Found On November 15, 1980, an Ann Arbor woman contacted police after she became frightened when she discovered that she was being followed by a strange man. The women hid in a doorway, and the police were able to observe the man frantically searching for the woman. When the police pulled the man over in his car, they identified him as Coral Watts. Inside the car, they found screwdrivers and wood filing tools, but their most important discovery was a book that had Rebecca Huff’s name on it. Rebecca Huff had been murdered in September 1980. A Move to Houston In late January 1981, Watts was brought in on a warrant to give a blood sample. Bunten also interviewed Watts, but he could not charge him. The blood test also failed to link Watts to any crimes. By spring, Coral was sick of being hounded by Bunten and his task force and so made a move to Columbus Texas, where he found work at an oil company. Houston was 70 miles away. Watts began spending his weekends cruising the city streets. Houston Police Get a Heads Up, but Murders Continue Bunten forwarded Watts file to the Houston police, who located Watts at his new address, but they were unable to find any evidence linking him directly to any of the Houston crimes. On September 5, 1981, Lillian Tilley was attacked at her Arlington apartment and drowned. Later that same month, Elizabeth Montgomery, 25, died after being stabbed in the chest while out walking her dogs. Shortly afterward, Susan Wolf, 21, was attacked and murdered as she got out of her car to enter her home. Watts Is Finally Caught On May 23, 1982, Watts ambushed roommates Lori Lister and Melinda Aguilar at the apartment that the two women shared. He tied them up and then attempted to drown Lister in the bathtub. Aguilar was able to escape by jumping head first off of her balcony. Lister was saved by a neighbor and Watts was caught and arrested. The body of Michele Maday was found the same day, drowned in her bathtub in a nearby apartment. A Shocking Plea Deal Under interrogation, Watts refused to talk. Harris County Assistant District Attorney Ira Jones made a deal with Watts to get him to confess. Incredibly, Jones agreed to give Watts immunity to the charge of murder, if Watts would agree to confess to all of his murders. Jones was hoping to bring closure to the families of some of the 50 unsolved murders of women in the Houston area. Coral eventually admitted attacking 19 women, 13 of which he confessed to murdering. Admitting There Were 80 More Murders Eventually, Watts also admitted to 80 additional murders in Michigan and Canada but refused to give details because he did not have an immunity agreement for those murders. Coral pleaded guilty to one count of burglary with intent to kill. Judge Shaver decided that the bathtub and the water in the bathtub could be defined as deadly weapons, which would result in the parole board not being able to count Watts â€Å"good conduct time,†for determining his parole eligibility. Slippery Appeals On September 3, 1982, Watts was sentenced to 60 years in prison. In 1987, after a failed attempt to escape prison by slipping through the bars, Watts decided to begin appealing his sentence, but his appeal lacked the support of his attorney. Then in October 1987, unrelated to any of Watts appeals, the court decided that criminals must be told that a â€Å"deadly weapon†finding had occurred during their indictment and that failure to inform the criminal was a violation of the criminal’s rights. Watts Gets a Lucky Break In 1989, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals decided that, because Watts was not told that the bathtub and the water had been judged lethal weapons, he would not be required to serve his entire sentence. Watts was reclassified as a nonviolent felon which made him eligible for retroactive â€Å"good time earned†equaling three days for every one day served. Model prisoner and confessed murderer Coral Eugene Watts would be getting out of prison on May 9, 2006. Victims Say Hell No to Early Release Law As news spread about the possibility of Watts getting out of prison, there was a tremendous public outcry against the good time earned early release law, which eventually was abolished, but, because it was an applicable law during Watts trial, his early release could not be reversed. Lawrence Fossi, whose wife was murdered by Watts, fought the release with every possible legal maneuver he could find. Joe Tilley, whose young daughter Linda fought so hard to live, but lost her battle against Watts, as he held her under the water at the apartment complex swimming pool, summed up how most of the other families felt about Watts: Forgiveness cannot be bestowed when forgiveness is not sought. This is a confrontation with pure evil, with principalities and the powers of the air. Michigan's Attorney General Asks for Help When Mike Cox, who was Michigans Attorney General at the time, found out about the change in Watts sentence, he ran televised spots, asking the public to come forward if they had any information about the women that Watts was suspected of having killed. Texas had a plea arrangement with Watts, but Michigan did not. If they could prove Watts murdered any of the women who had turned up dead over the past few years in Michigan, Watts could be put away for life. Coxs efforts paid off. A Westland, Michigan resident named Joseph Foy came forward and said that Watts looked like the man whom he saw in December 1979 stabbing 36-year-old Helen Dutcher, who later died from her wounds. Watts Will Finally Pay for His Crimes Watts was shipped to Michigan where he was charged, tried and found guilty of murdering Helen Dutcher. On December 7, 2004, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. In late July 2007 Watts again faced a jury after being arrested for the 1974 murder of Gloria Steele. He was found guilty and received a life sentence without possibility of parole. Slipping Through the Bars One Last Time Watts was sent to Ionia, Michigan where he was housed at the Ionia Correctional Facility, also known as the I-Max because it is a maximum security prison. But he did not stay there long. About two months into his sentence he managed to slide his way out from behind the prison bars yet again, but this time would be his last time as only a miracle would save him now. On September 21, 2007, Coral Eugene Watts was admitted to a hospital in Jackson, Michigan and shortly after died of prostate cancer. The case of the â€Å"Sunday Morning Slasher†was permanently closed.
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Dairy Queen Blizzard Marketing Portfolio
Dairy Queen Blizzard Marketing Portfolio Introduction Dairy Queen is an organization that develops services and licenses. It’s based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The blizzard was made available in the organization in 1985. Given its coldness, the blizzard is used during summer. Some of the challenges that the organization has encountered include lack of satisfaction in products and services, lack of matching between the price and the quality, unavailability of the products during when clients need them.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Dairy Queen Blizzard Marketing Portfolio specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Based on this, Dairy Queen has to conduct an analysis of its distribution and pricing strategies and devise an effective marketing portfolio. This will enable it establish a competitive advantage that will, in the long-run increase the sales volume. This can be achieved through several marketing strategies. They include product differentiat ion, cost leadership, pricing and distribution strategy and integrated marketing communication. This paper comprehensively covers this marketing portfolio. Product differentiation Product differentiation is used to achieve competitive advantage. This is done by demonstrating to the customers how product availability, design, price, promotion activities and quality are unique from others present in the market. It minimizes directness of competition by shifting competition to non-price factors. It also makes prospective customers to see the product as being unique from the rest (Armstrong Kotler, 2009). Given the increased competition in the fast-food market, Dairy Queen should produce blizzards that have distinctive and new flavors that will attract the customers’ attention. Cost leadership This entails developing a low cost of operation so as to achieve a competitive advantage with respect to price. In doing this, products produced should standard. Dairy Queen should produce blizzards at a lower cost of production and still make their prices competitive. Pricing and distribution strategy Pricing strategy entails arriving at optimum price levels by regarding various factors such as competitors’ price, general objectives, product traits, macroeconomic trends and consumer demands. On the other hand, distribution strategy involves coordinating products to the required market. It is about choice of distributors, distribution channel structures and the determiners of choice and management of distribution channels (Kaminsky, 2003).Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Dairy Queen uses seasonal discount as its pricing strategy. This attracts more customers due to the satisfaction derived from the products. They also use promotional pricing, which involves discounts, vouchers, pay later and offers. Quantity discounts are also given encouraging customers to make purchases in large quantities. This result to increase in sales volume (Ferrell, 2008). Value pricing should be used to achieve this. Setting of prices should not be done once but should be ongoing. Dairy Queen should be conversant with the problems that may arise due to inadequate pricing plans and devise measures to correct the situation. To ensure that their prices are available at the right time, Dairy Queen should not only increase their distribution channels, but also ensure quality management of the channels. Integrated Marketing Communication This involves management of customer relations by communicating efficiently. It ensures integration of all promotion tools so as to enhance peaceful working relationships between stakeholders and customers. To be able to reach numerous audience and customers in the marketing of blizzard, several communication techniques ought to be employed. Use of magazines and newspapers will ensure that many people get t o know about the product in details. Also, internet advertising, especially through social networking media will reach many people. In promoting the product (blizzards), four out of the five tools of a marketing mix should be used (Armstrong Kotler, 2009). They include public relations, advertising, direct marketing and sales promotion. Through advertising, a good relationship can be enhanced between the products and customers. Public relations can be achieved through sponsoring public events which will be attended by the target groups. Sales promotion can also be used during these events to help boost the product performance.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Dairy Queen Blizzard Marketing Portfolio specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Reference List Armstrong, G., Kotler, P. (2009). Marketing: an introduction (9th Ed.). Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education Inc. Ferrell, O. (2008). Marketing strategy. New Yor k, NY: Cengage Learning. Kaminsky, P. (2003). Designing and managing the supply chain: concepts, strategies, and case studies. New York, NY: McGraw Hill Professional.
Saturday, October 19, 2019
4 article summaries and 1 website review Assignment
4 article summaries and 1 website review - Assignment Example Sources reveal that contracts from first imprints give the publisher the freedom to come up with fresh sources. Most of the big houses have declined to comment on the matter as they argue it is not their place to discuss contract negotiations. One of the challenges of reporting changes of book publishing is that all new contracts are open for discussion (Fawcett 5). This is the normal way of conduction business but agents believe that the fear that vague language about formatting begins to come thus they advocate for a format that was globally accepted in the past. Random house has made changes on its contracts because of criticism from SFWA and other groups on the terms of new digital imprint. The most significant change is that prospective writers will have a chance to choose from the original profit share deal and more traditional royalty deal. In addition to adding new option to the contract, the house has also made public the terms of new contract, which is something that the publishers are not ready to do. There is no advance given in the profit model. Hydra or Flirt and the author will share equally the profit from the first copy sold. The cost of production will be covered by Hydra, Alibi, Loveswept, or Flirt and they will also cover marketing cost connected to imprint. They will also cover marketing costs specifically for the book up to $10000 but the title marketing cost will be proposed to the author (Maeda 17). If the author agrees and there is increment on the cost of the title, then deduction will be made from sale revenues before the profit is shared. If there is any cash owned to the author, then it will be paid quarterly. The advanced plus royalty offers authors a more traditional way of publishing with the royal standard 25% of the net receipts. The authors will be paid an agreed amount against the royalties and production, shipping, and marketing cost will be covered by Hydra, Alibi, Loveswept, or Flirt. Both models give Hydra, Alibi,
Friday, October 18, 2019
Prison Overcrowding Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Prison Overcrowding - Essay Example The penalties for certain types of offenses are now harsher. The lawmakers have also added new offenses to the penal code. This has also led to the rise of prison overcrowding. There are several ways to reduce overcrowding in prisons. A prison expansion model should be put in place by the United States criminal justice department. They should plan to increase the number of beds whenever the population of inmates surpasses the existing capacity. A community corrections model can also help to reduce overcrowding in prisons. The community’s main objective is to reduce crime and recidivism. The community can carry out court-ordered sanctions. It can assist the court in assessing offenders for placement in the community. The community can take part in the rehabilitation of the offenders and ensure the safety of the public. The people in the community could also pull their resources to fund the jails and prisons in order to facilitate rehabilitation of inmates. Also, a system of graduated penalties imposed by courts can provide supervision of the offenders, rehabilitation, restitution of victims and public safety. There are several factors that impact the crime rate and prison population. These include poverty, alcohol and drug abuse, lack of employment opportunities, lack of education among many others. It is the responsibility of other state services to address these issues. However, due to lack of sufficient funds, these other state devices transfer this responsibility to the criminal justice system. The criminal justice system has rolled out a 20-year â€Å"war on drugs†to help reduce the crime rate and the eventuality of prison overcrowding. The aggressive â€Å"tough on crime†approach is a significant driving force in reducing prison overcrowding.Â
Environmental policies in USA Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
Environmental policies in USA - Research Paper Example The issues of environmental conservation have become so serious that they can no longer be ignored by the current generation unless we want to do it when the danger of a global disaster becomes inevitable. To this regard, a number of studies has been conducted regarding environmental issues to come up with various solutions so that to impend danger of humankind extinction. Different governments globally, including the government of the United States, have formulated various legislations with an aim of safeguarding the environment. The issues regarding environmental policy of the United States are to be regulated the federal government. Activities having environmental impact according to the United States environmental policy provisions should be acted upon by the federal government. The main purpose of formulation of environmental policy is to that the current generations protect the environment for future generations. The United States environmental policy also tries to interfere as little as possible with the efficiency of commerce and tries to limit inequity in who is burdened with environmental costs. The government of United States has instituted legislations that regulate the environment. These laws are administered by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which was formulated in 1970 and has been bestowed with the power to control pollution and the environment at large since its inception. The United States is without doubt the number one country that’s spends a greater portion of its GNP in cleaning up the environment. The United States residents have in many occasions demonstrated a great deal of concern when it comes to environmental problems. As a result both local and national political leaders in the United States talk about environmental issues in their campaigns (Kraft & Vig, 1990). Each year millions of United States tax payer money and donations are spent in environmental policies plan and in management of resources. The United States has managed considerably, in recent decades to reduce many types of pollution, environmental disasters and improved the quality of waters in many places. But that being said, The Unites States just as many other countries faces and is still struggling to use its God given recourses in an efficient way and to preserve its ecosystem (Bass, Herson & Bogdan, 2001). When the United States started to develop an active environme ntal policy, it was a sovereign nation state which possessed all the constitutional, institutional, economic, and political requirements to conceive and implement a coherent and consistent environmental policy home and abroad (Holt & Winston, 2002). Various studies in the field explain that until the 1960s water and air issues were mainly dealt with at the level of individual states within the United States. This lead to an increased public concern, that ended up prompting the Congress to adopt federal air pollution legislation in 1965 and 1967 which later was reinforced by the Clean air Act Amendments of 1970. This didn’t stop here as a similar development occurred in the water sector of 1972 (Bass, Herson & Bogdan, 2001). As of the 1970s, Environmental policy in the United States started experiencing a strong centralization. This included the adoption of federal legislation concerning air and ware pollution, industrial permitting, nature protection and soil cleanup policies ; and powerful enforcement mechanisms, in particular via the EPA during 1970s, EPA and other federal agencies pursued a vigorous and robust policy
Thursday, October 17, 2019
If you want high performance, recruitment and selection is the most Essay - 1
If you want high performance, recruitment and selection is the most important function in HRM. Get that right and everything else falls into place''. Discuss - Essay Example It is essential that the process of recruitment should be planned, organized, and performed in a way that will lead to success. In the process of recruiting employees, there is an element of prediction, which is not a favorable aspect for recruitment. Effective policies for recruitment are helpful in making the decisions in a more organized manner to achieve the degree of uncertainty. The implementation of the effective process for recruitment cannot be ignored; it requires the proper devotion of time and interest of the managers towards this responsibility for the well-being of the organization. Recruitment provides the opportunity to present a favorable conditions or a platform for an organization to grow and prosper by recruiting the right persons (Price, 2007). The main objective of recruitment and selection is to find the best and effective recruitment sources which will help in hiring the best individuals from the market. Moreover, the other important objective is to retain these employees in the organization. The success lies within the selection of the right candidate and providing them the right environment and right benefits. The organization needs to follow and implement the correct recruitment procedure: The first and most important function of recruitment is to identify the need of an individual to be hired, i.e. designing a job description. Specifying the areas where an employee will be required in the organization. It is important to consider the term and conditions and policies along with the core values of the organization (Jackson, Schuler, & Werner, 2009). It is the most creative part of the job. Searching for employees internally is not a big goal to achieve or may not give an interest of gaining an opportunity. Major factor is to create attraction for the outside employees to join the organization. This involves some foreign bodies to act in for recruitment and take
Summary Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 10
Summary - Research Paper Example During those days, Nike had taken a top-down approach to ensure that their products reach to the targeted people through the use of famous sports people and endorsements that were thought to influence their fans to start using the Nike products (Scott). A couple of years back, Nike started experiencing problems with the old marketing strategy of using celebrity sport people as they were subject to scandals that impacted poorly on the company’s sale. Hence, as a new marketing strategy, Nike company opted to go digital and invest heavily in marketing through social media as it involved more word of mouth together with marketing (Panos). Nike managed to create a fan base through a couple of social Medias and get followed who were constantly kept updated with the latest advancements in Nike products. Panos. "Why Nikes Buzz Marketing Strategy Is Riskier Than Red Bulls." 18 September 2012. Forbes.com. 23 April 2014
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
If you want high performance, recruitment and selection is the most Essay - 1
If you want high performance, recruitment and selection is the most important function in HRM. Get that right and everything else falls into place''. Discuss - Essay Example It is essential that the process of recruitment should be planned, organized, and performed in a way that will lead to success. In the process of recruiting employees, there is an element of prediction, which is not a favorable aspect for recruitment. Effective policies for recruitment are helpful in making the decisions in a more organized manner to achieve the degree of uncertainty. The implementation of the effective process for recruitment cannot be ignored; it requires the proper devotion of time and interest of the managers towards this responsibility for the well-being of the organization. Recruitment provides the opportunity to present a favorable conditions or a platform for an organization to grow and prosper by recruiting the right persons (Price, 2007). The main objective of recruitment and selection is to find the best and effective recruitment sources which will help in hiring the best individuals from the market. Moreover, the other important objective is to retain these employees in the organization. The success lies within the selection of the right candidate and providing them the right environment and right benefits. The organization needs to follow and implement the correct recruitment procedure: The first and most important function of recruitment is to identify the need of an individual to be hired, i.e. designing a job description. Specifying the areas where an employee will be required in the organization. It is important to consider the term and conditions and policies along with the core values of the organization (Jackson, Schuler, & Werner, 2009). It is the most creative part of the job. Searching for employees internally is not a big goal to achieve or may not give an interest of gaining an opportunity. Major factor is to create attraction for the outside employees to join the organization. This involves some foreign bodies to act in for recruitment and take
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Place Before And After Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Place Before And After - Essay Example The kids in the neighborhood just loved to play sports in the park, families go on fishing, mothers do their groceries and the rest of the town dwellers just walk the streets for some fresh air even in the night as it was safe and well crowded. This was the best place for me, and I intended to pass it on to my future family the things, events and the values I loved which my father shared with me. However, these perceptions of mine in the said town did not seem to last as I saw a different place 15 years after. The change of the said town motivated me to discover the reasons as to why this paradise town and an ideal place to be in before, suddenly turned into a place where nobody would prefer to be in now. The town's safety, people, perceptions, and environment took its downturn from the time I enjoyed it 15 years ago. The ideal place for safety, celebrations, cleanliness, family values, hospitality, and peace now turned into a meeting place and fighting arena of gangsters and alike. The once clean and safe streets now turned into a drastic place of murderous acts, piles of garbage with beer and bottle cans scattered everywhere. The once happy and peaceful park is now known to be a graveyard of murdered gang members and even old folks of the said town, which were killed out stolen valuables. The celebrations such as holidays and Thanksgiving have once celebrated freely anywhere in the town, but now it is advised and preferred for residents to stay in their homes when celebrating these events.
The Whole Person Paradigm Essay Example for Free
The Whole Person Paradigm Essay The Whole Person Paradigm Knowing oneself is the first step for the improvement of one’s personality. For us do better, we must first accept the things we are better at and the things we are the least, in short, identify your potentials, harness it with your passion and overcome your weaknesses. Personally one of the best traits that I feel I have is the urge for learning new things and adopting what can be really used. I can say that I am good in speaking, planning, organizing which I can use more in the teaching profession. Most of my former teachers who are presently my co-teachers often say that I have most of the talents and skills far better to be an excellent educator but still have to work on my attitude. They say I’m the â€Å"jack of all trades†which means having to know most but haven’t perfected or mastered some. Most people are easy saying things they believed they are good at but failed to accept the things they lacked with, and the worse, afraid to face the weaknesses they had. Second strength that I gained through experience is converting weakness as my strength by means of facing and learning from them. I do now believed that I should revalue attitude sided by skills and not to tend to forget the first. Number one is to add my patience, perseverance and love of work to anything accepted and took an oath to do, my responsibilities and duty. As a teacher, a learner, an educator and as a researcher I can touch lives by setting as an example of my persistence, patience and the willingness to help others. At the moment I’m assessing myself, it took me couple of days where to start on how to describe my life and end up hearing a song which I think best describes my life in that moment. The Climb-Myley Cyrus I can almost see it- To widen your vision in life. That dream I’m dreaming of I had a chance to redefine what are my dreams and goals at time being. There’s a voice inside my head said You’ll never reach it- I had the courage to continue personal progress. Every step I’m taking Every move I’m make me with Lost with no direction- I had set my time table and set target. My faith is shaking- My faith grows more. But I got to keep trying. Got to keep my head hailed high-Confidence together with hard work inside me matures. There’s always gonna be another mountain Never to lose hope and faith in God I’m always gonna wanna make it move†¦ Keep on moving†¦- Never to stop learning and believing.
Monday, October 14, 2019
How Money is Created
How Money is Created Essay Where Money Comes from Student: Gulnaz Miniakhmetova Introduction â€Å"The process by which banks create money is so simple that the mind is repelled†John Kenneth Galbraith, Economist. There are many social institutions in our world but one of them seems to be the most difficult to understand – monetary institution. Why do we have it and how it works? Being small children, we already understand that to get a toy parents need money. Stuff costs money. Money is a tool, and not necessarily one which facilitates access to the resources necessary for survival, as they are given freely on the earth[1]. If we look back at the history of the great Depression, we will see that people can’t live without money. During the Great Depression, money stopped circulating yet the sun still shone, the plants were growing but people starved. Food was available because nature does not depend on our monetary problems. It continues to exist as many times ago. Why then people lose access to food without money? It sounds incredible but how our society allow money to function as a barrier to nature resources. Nature does not take money for her great work[2]. Few people are interested in the way money are created and in who controls the system. Complicated economic terminology and calculations keep most of the people away from understanding the system but one attentive look at it helps to see how simple the scheme actually is. This paper is going to investigate where money come from and what makes the ink on the paper be so valued, if it is really valuable? Ancient Money. Modern Money. It is interesting to trace the evolution of money across years and check if â€Å"money-of-today†has the same value as â€Å"money-of-yesterday†. It is fascinating that long ago money appeared in different corners of the world in a nearly similar way. We observe various currencies in those times. American Indians used Wampum; West Africans were trading in decorative metallic objects called Manillas; Fijians used whale’s teeth. Shells, amber, ivory, decorative feathers, a large number of stones – were all used for trade across the world. We cannot but agree that these funny forms of money are sensible things for trading. Later gold and silver were the most favorite currencies. The appearance of coins in our life was a significant step for economy, which still exists. The first coins appeared about 600 B.C. in a place where Lydians lived, ancient Greece territory where now modern Turkey is located. It had a form of lion’s head and were made of electrum. If we compare other ancient types of money, coins were the first to become a firm currency. Coins spread throughout the Mediterranean very fast. By the 6th century Athens, Aegina, Corinth and Persia, all had their own coins. Coins helped to expand trading easier. Soon coins were made out of gold and silver thus reflecting the actual value of the metal. Modern currency, unfortunately, lost this value. Money evolved from barter but barter had two limitations: 1) the traders must have products of equal value and; 2) as society grows, traders must be ready to make the trade at the same time, as the trust of the small group no longer exists. What if the person who has what you need might not need what you want to trade? What about large transactions? In this case, money appeared to be a convenient value for everyone and perfectly dealt with barter limitations. Even gold and silver are bulky for large transactions. The need for lighter equivalent generated paper money. Modern money system comes from the Middle Ages from the goldsmith trading. People started storing their gold and silver to the goldsmith who was supposed to keep it safe. The owner of the gold got a receipt for what had been left at goldsmiths. This way a paper started to circulate in the society being much easier to carry than gold and silver. Precious metal was replaced by paper. After a while, the enterprising goldsmith figured out that only few of his depositors come to demand their gold. Therefore, he decided to loan out the gold for other customers or just issue a receipt instead of actually giving the gold. Finally, clever goldsmiths found out that they could print and give printed loans even more that they had it in gold. In the idea of loaning the value of gold they did not own, but only held in trust, and the value of gold that did not even exist, was the germ of the invention of modern money[3]. The goldsmiths or bankers were doing a clever thing. They received interest by loaning the gold that they were paid to hold in trust for others. They received interest from loans on gold that did not even exist. This system has a name of â€Å"Fractional Reserve Banking†which means lending much more money than you have assets on deposit. This simple scheme follows human beings up to the present moment. Modern banks are allowed to loan out ten times the amount they are actually having. If you are charged 11% interest rate, be sure it is not 11% a year they make on that amount but actually 110%[4]. One thing that differs modern monetary system is that money can no longer be redeemed for gold. If earlier, we could find a phrase â€Å"in silver payable†on the American dollar banknote, today there is only â€Å"Federal Reserve note†. It means that money used to represent value by gold and silver and could be redeemed by gold or silver. The gold standard lasted until 1971. President Nixon announced that the United States would no longer exchange dollars for gold. It happened because the volume of gold reserve came to a dangerous point. For example, at the end of the World War II France insisted on changing their American dollars to gold. America was in a critical situation. Henry Hazlitt forecasted the dollar devaluation at the beginning of 1971. He said that America would have to increase the cost of one ounce of gold (previously it was 35 dollars per ounce). The decision of the present was unexpected. No devaluation followed. Nixon just stopped â€Å"gold standard†, which actually can be accounted as a financial bankruptcy. Since that date, the world trade is conducted with the help of dollars, which are nothing more that paper. All the rest world currencies related to the gold through dollar, became â€Å"gold-free†too. Earlier â€Å"gold standard†prevented countries from printing too much money, as the supply of gold does not change quickly. The supply of money was stable. If there is too much money, people start to exchange it for gold. Finally, treasury may run out of gold. Quitting the â€Å"gold standard†modern America can buy nearly whatever they want with a currency having no inner value. Now dollar can be redeemed only to another paper or digital dollar. In fact, â€Å"old†monetary system backed up by gold and silver was â€Å"debt free†while modern one is â€Å"debt based†. How? The proof of the money’s debt nature will be discussed in the next chapter of the paper. How Monetary System Functions Today As a basis for discussing the modern monetary system, I would like to take the views and explanations of the Zeitgeist Movement since I find it clear and laconic for perception. However, there are many other followers of the idea â€Å"money is debt†. If we ask an ordinary person on the street, â€Å"How money is created?†The most probable answer will be â€Å"By governments and banks†. Governments only borrow money from the banks. Alternatively, one can say, the bank takes money from savers, and then lends it out to the borrower. That is not true. Banks do not need a customer deposit for giving a new loan. It is viÑ e versa. Loans create new deposits. Let us illustrate how the system works. Government of the USA decides that it needs money. It requests the Federal Reserve (The Fed) for $10 billion. The Fed agrees to buy $10 billion government bonds. The government takes a paper and draws Treasury bond where it shows the value of the bonds $10 billion and sends them to the Fed. In its turn, the Fed draws their papers, which are called â€Å"federal reserve notes†. Their price is $10 billion. Then the Fed trades these notes for bonds. As soon as government gets the notes from the Fed, it puts it into bank account. Only on this account money become real money adding $10 billion to the USA. In reality, the process is done without any paper, i.e. electronically. Necessary to note that only 3% of physical currency exist in the USA. The other 97% is digital nowadays. Now we see that money which appeared in such a simple way are equal to debt. The Federal Reserve purchases government bonds with the money created out of thin air. The government promises to pay back that money to the Fed. In other words, money were created out of debt. The most interesting thing is that ten billion dollar deposit becomes a part of the banks’ reserves. As stated in the â€Å"Modern Money Mechanics†– â€Å"Under current regulations, the reserve requirement against most transaction accounts is ten percent. It means that with a $10 billion deposit, 10%, or one billion is held as a required reserve (10%*$10,000,000,000.00=$1, 000,000,000.00). While the other $9 billion is considered an excessive reserve, and can be used as the basis for new loans. Therefore, we assume that this $9 billion comes out of existing $10 billion deposit but that is not true. The Zeitgeist states, what is really happening is that $9 billion is created on top the existing $10 billion deposit. Totally, bank has $19 billion. This is how money supply works. Banks do not really pay out loans for money, which they receive as deposits. It is important for banks to receive loan contracts in exchange for money. $9 billion is created out of nothing just because there is a demand for such a loan and there is $10 billion deposit to satisfy the reserve requirements. Let us assume that someone borrows that available $9 billion from the bank and most likely, he puts this money to his bank account. Therefore, this deposit becomes banks reserve. Ten percent is isolated and we get 10%*$9,000,000,000.00 = $900,000,000.00 and $9,000,000,000.00 $900,000,000.00 = $8,100,000,000.00[5]. This $8,1billion is now available as newly created money for more loans. This process of money creation is endless and it is based on debt. Money is debt. Debt is money. If money is created so easily, why is it so valuable? It is simple. There is always demand for money because people want it. A person needs money because he knows that other person needs money as well, so money can be used to others to get goods and services in return. In its turn, those others can also use the money they got to satisfy thir needs. Goods and services function as engines in the economy, and money helps people to exchange goods and services. It seems the process of modern money creation will go on forever. Money is Debt We are afraid of the word â€Å"debt†but it often helps people to raise their living standards. Debt is risky and has future obligations, but can also provide a means of generating future income. Everyone knows how disastrous debt can be for a person or a business. In history there are examples when â€Å"growth and prosperity have flourished at times when overall indebtedness was rising rapidly, and some economic slowdowns have coincided with periods of debt reduction†[6]. Thus, it is a paradox that debt can be both good and bad. Looking back at the history, we may find out that once the national debt was fully paid off. It happened in America in 1835. The president Andrew Jackson shut the Central Bank, establishing Federal Reserve instead. Jackson called the debt a national curse. He vowed to pay the national debt, to prevent a monied aristocracy from growing up around our administration that must bend to its views, and ultimately destroy the liberty of our country[7]. However, the period of â€Å"zero debt†did not last long. International bankers established another Central Bank. While there is such an institution, the debt is there too. Many economists admit the Debt nature of money. For example, governor of the federal Reserve, Marriner Eccies once said â€Å"If there is no debts in our money system, there wouldn’t be any money†. Or, â€Å"the dollar is based on credit and every dollar in existence represents a dollar of debt owed by an individual, a business firm, or a government unit.†[8] Apart from the fact of money creation on the debt principle, there is one more important trick about banks. That is interest. When a person gets a money from the bank, he has to pay them back with the interest. A question arises here: if we borrow money from the banks through loans, where do money for paying off interest come from? The answer is – from nowhere. The fact is that the money people or companies owe to the bank will always exceed the amount of money that is available in circulation. That is why inflation takes place. New money is needed to cover the deficit caused by the need to pay the interest. Inflation is built into the system as well as defaults and bankruptcy. Nowadays more and more people join the endless debt system by taking home mortgages, personal loans, and credit cards. Some kinds of debt are long-term. For example, home mortgage may spread for more years than a person has active working years. If you are unable to pay the loan, the bank takes your property. It is frustrating, when you understand that the banking system and the fact that those money on the day of singing the contract did not even exist. There is one interesting court case which took place in America, Minnesota and which proved the corrupt nature of the banks. The case took place in 1969 between First National Bank of Montgomery and a citizen Jerome Daly. Daly took a mortgage from the bank. Daly was demanding the foreclosure of his home by the bank. The bank provided the loan to purchase the house. His argument was based on the fact that mortgage contract stands for equal participation of both parties. Each party put a legitimate form of property for the exchange. Daly was trying to prove that the money was not the property of the bank since money was created out of thin air on the day of signing the agreement. If we look up at the â€Å"Modern Money Mechanics†booklet, we will find out the following about loans â€Å"what they do when they make loans is to accept promissory notes in exchange for credits†¦Reserves are unchanged by the loan transactions. But deposit credits constitute new additions to the total deposits of the banking system.†[9] It means that money does not come from already existing assets. In a cunning way the bank simply invents money and there is nothing like a property on the bank’s side, except for a liability text on paper. Mr. Daly won the case, as the bank’s president admitted the fact of unexciting money and he noted that this was a standard banking practice. Here is the speech of Mr. Morgan, the bank’s president â€Å"Plaintiff admitted that it, in combination with the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, did create the entire $14,000.00 in money and credit upon its own books by bookkeeping entry. That this was the consideration used to support the Note dated May 8, 1964 and the Mortgage of the same date. The money and credit first came into existence when they created it. Mr. Morgan admitted that no United States Law or Statute existed which gave him the right to do this. A lawful consideration must exist and be tendered to support the Note†[10]. As a result, the court rejected the bank’s claim for foreclosure and Daly lived happily in his home. This case once again proves the corrupt nature of modern monetary system. One feels miserable when realizing that any time he borrows money, the money appears to be not only a counterfeit, it is even an illegitimate form of agreement. The bank never has the money as property in contrast to golden standard period. If there was a successful case with Mr. Daly, why do banks continue mocking at people? Well, we proved that money is debt. What are your actions when you are in debt? You go to work in order to pay the debt off. But, if money is created only out of loans, it means that society cannot be debt free. People are slaves of banks running on the hamster wheel. Only those at the top benefit from the system. There will always be the rich and the poor with our present system. It is an incredible system ever created for social manipulation. â€Å"Debt is the weapon used to conquer and enslave societies and Interest is its prime ammunition†[11]. Banks are making private profit out of what should be public revenue. Rich countries developed the international money system which serves their interests at the expense of the poor countries. Conclusion Earlier monetary system was more honest in its nature compared to present times. â€Å"Modern Money Mechanics†answering the question â€Å"what makes money valuable?†say that a dollar bill is just a piece of paper. Coins do have some value as a metal, but less than their face value. The value is explained just by the fact that people believe in money’s power to be able to be exchanged for goods and services whenever there is a need. Money is actually created of debt and it is not money that make debt possible. Money and debt appear at exactly the same moment. Money is a blood of society and it goes and will go on circulating to provide life. Bibliography A Primer on Money, U.S. Congress, House, Committee on Banking and Currency, Subcommittee on Domestic Finance, 88th Congress, 2nd Session, Government Printing Office, 1964, page 23 Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago: Two Faces of Debt, http://freedom-school.com/two_faces_of_debt.pdf , (17.03.2014) Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago: Modern Money Mechanics, http://www.dollarnoncents.com/MMM.pdf, (18.03.2014) David Graeber: Debt. The First 5,000 Years, https://libcom.org/files/__Debt__The_First_5_000_Years.pdf , (17.03.2014) John Steele Gordon (February 18, 2019): A Short History of the National Debt, http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB123491373049303821 , (17.03.2014) Mongomery vs Daly, http://criminalbankingmonopoly.wordpress.com/montgomery-vs-daly/, (18.03.2014) Money Owned and Owed, http://www.thetwofacesofmoney.com/files/money.pdf , (19.03.2014) Paul Krumm: How Money is Created, Disappears, and Works, and the Values Involved in the Process, http://www.vantagequest.org/trees/money.htm#.UycKMah5PtU , (15.03.2014) The Fractional Reserve Banking System / Zeitgeist Addendum (March 27, 2009), http://truth11.com/2009/03/27/the-fractional-reserve-banking-system-zeitgeist-addendum/ , (16.03.2014) The Monetary System, http://www.zeitgeistaustralia.org/the-monetary-system/, (15.03.2014) XAT3. The History of Money: http://www.xat.org/xat/moneyhistory.html , (17.03.2014) 1 [1] The Monetary System, http://www.zeitgeistaustralia.org/the-monetary-system/, (15.03.2014) [2] The Monetary System, http://www.zeitgeistaustralia.org/the-monetary-system/, (15.03.2014) [3] Paul Krumm: How Money is Created, Disappears, and Works, and the Values Involved in the Process, http://www.vantagequest.org/trees/money.htm#.UycKMah5PtU , (15.03.2014) [4] XAT3. The History of Money: http://www.xat.org/xat/moneyhistory.html , (17.03.2014) [5] The Fractional Reserve Banking System / Zeitgeist Addendum (March 27, 2009), http://truth11.com/2009/03/27/the-fractional-reserve-banking-system-zeitgeist-addendum/ , (16.03.2014) [6] Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago: Two Faces of Debt, http://freedom-school.com/two_faces_of_debt.pdf , (17.03.2014) [7] John Steele Gordon (February 18, 2019): A Short History of the National Debt, http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB123491373049303821 , (17.03.2014) [8] From A Primer on Money, U.S. Congress, House, Committee on Banking and Currency, Subcommittee on Domestic Finance, 88th Congress, 2nd Session, Government Printing Office, 1964, page 23 [9] Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago: Modern Money Mechanics, http://www.dollarnoncents.com/MMM.pdf, (18.03.2014) [10] Mongomery vs Daly, http://criminalbankingmonopoly.wordpress.com/montgomery-vs-daly/, (18.03.2014) [11] The Fractional Reserve Banking System / Zeitgeist Addendum (March 27, 2009), http://truth11.com/2009/03/27/the-fractional-reserve-banking-system-zeitgeist-addendum/ , (16.03.2014)
Sunday, October 13, 2019
The History and Future of Computers :: Technology
The History and Future of Computers Computers have been around for many decades, doing tasks such as counting much faster than any human could ever do. The first computers were so inefficient compared to the computers we have today, they couldn’t do half of what computers can do today. Some say that computers aren’t the way of the future, while others say that computers will bring civilization to a new era, a more complex, and magnificent place, where our wildest dreams will become a reality. The first computers ever built were so big that they took up many classroom size rooms. The only thing that these computers could do, were count numbers and do simple calculations. One of the major problems with these computers was the fact that the vacuum tubes inside of them would always need replacing. The vacuum tubes would burn up due to the tremendous amount of heat that these computers gave off. In today’s world, the computers that are on the market today are a million times faster than the computers that were first invented many decades ago. The computers that we use can perform many complex applications in seconds. Computers run factories, keep our planes up in the sky, and educate our young ones. Computers today, are much smaller than previous computers to come on the market. As the years go by and technology improves, scientists have been able to find ways to make smaller components to build computers with. It is said that the transistors count of computers doubles every eighteen months. [1] If this is the case, than there is no telling what the future may hold for computers, all I can say is that computers will continue to get smaller and smaller, and faster and faster with no signs of stopping. Some people believe that computers are taking over society, others think that America would be a better place, if we didn’t relay on computers as much as we do. Some time ago when computers were still new, people said that there wouldn’t be that much need for them on the market, experts said that people wouldn’t have enough time, to sit down and use a computer, while others said that computers will never ever be small enough for families to own. Popular Mechanics magazine states â€Å"Where . . The History and Future of Computers :: Technology The History and Future of Computers Computers have been around for many decades, doing tasks such as counting much faster than any human could ever do. The first computers were so inefficient compared to the computers we have today, they couldn’t do half of what computers can do today. Some say that computers aren’t the way of the future, while others say that computers will bring civilization to a new era, a more complex, and magnificent place, where our wildest dreams will become a reality. The first computers ever built were so big that they took up many classroom size rooms. The only thing that these computers could do, were count numbers and do simple calculations. One of the major problems with these computers was the fact that the vacuum tubes inside of them would always need replacing. The vacuum tubes would burn up due to the tremendous amount of heat that these computers gave off. In today’s world, the computers that are on the market today are a million times faster than the computers that were first invented many decades ago. The computers that we use can perform many complex applications in seconds. Computers run factories, keep our planes up in the sky, and educate our young ones. Computers today, are much smaller than previous computers to come on the market. As the years go by and technology improves, scientists have been able to find ways to make smaller components to build computers with. It is said that the transistors count of computers doubles every eighteen months. [1] If this is the case, than there is no telling what the future may hold for computers, all I can say is that computers will continue to get smaller and smaller, and faster and faster with no signs of stopping. Some people believe that computers are taking over society, others think that America would be a better place, if we didn’t relay on computers as much as we do. Some time ago when computers were still new, people said that there wouldn’t be that much need for them on the market, experts said that people wouldn’t have enough time, to sit down and use a computer, while others said that computers will never ever be small enough for families to own. Popular Mechanics magazine states â€Å"Where . .
Saturday, October 12, 2019
Business Ethics :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework
Businesses have power through their ability to spend vast amounts of money. They have the ability to enhance or change situations that the common individual does not. As organizations affect many people, they have obligations to their employees, consumers, community and the world. They have a responsibility to conduct business in a way that is not harmful and which positively benefits as many people as possible and themselves. Although this sounds simple, it is "easier said than done!" as there will always be a conflict of interest between various groups of people. Any decisions made by businesses need to be made with an informed awareness of the specific situation and then act according to some sort of system of principals which is Business Ethics. What is Business Ethics? Business ethics is exactly the same as normal ethics, and that is knowing what is right or wrong, and learning what is right and what is wrong in a business environment. Then doing the right thing, but "the right thing" is not as straightforward as explained in many business ethics books. Most ethical dilemmas in the workplace are not simply a matter of "Should she steal from him?" or "Should he lie to his boss?" Businesses cannot function without ethics, why? Society dictates a set of rules and conformities and seeing as all businesses strive after common goals it means that these goals can only be achieved on the basis of standards, values and morals in society. It can be assumed that business life has to be called 'moral' as well. As in society, standards and values are spontaneously formed once people come that's when morals come into effect, and when businesses decide on implicit or explicit ways to achieve certain goals and then are agreed on. Businesses in general are working on the basis of an ethics that settles different interests. The standards and values within companies can be characterized as mutual respect. In this respect it is in everyone's interest, and is considering people as an end in themselves, not as a means, reciprocity and fairness. This ethics is passed down and filtered to a group of stakeholders who have an interest in the company. These parties usually are: personnel, customers, suppliers, subcontractors, shareholders, society and those who speak on behalf of the environment and future generations. Many ethicists say there's always a right thing to do based on moral principle, and others believe the right thing to do depends on the situation, ultimately it's up to the individual on w hat they do and on what they believe to be the "right" thing is.
Friday, October 11, 2019
Lang’s Alcohol Study: An Analysis
The study conducted by researcher Alan Lang on the effects of alcohol represented one of the first approaches to using the double-blind form of study. A double-blind study is a type of study in which neither the participants nor the experimenters themselves know who has received the treatment. In Lang’s (1975) study, he and his colleagues pre-tested amounts of vodka and tonic water, and plain tonic water, to determine whether or not the two can be significantly differentiated from one another. After learning that the two were virtually the same in taste, they recruited college men who described themselves as social drinkers to become participants in the study. Some of the participants drank vodka and tonic water while others drank tonic water alone. It was then revealed in the study that practically half of the men who drank vodka and tonic water thought they were drinking tonic water only, while those who did drink tonic water alone thought their drink was mixed with vodka. The last part of the experiment entailed provoking the participants, and the result was that those who believed that they had drunk vodka displayed more anger than those who thought they had drank tonic water only. It can be said then that the primary purpose of Lang’s entire study was to discover the effects of alcohol on human behavior. However, his study deviated from the normal process of using alcohol as a means of studying behavior because of the incorporated element of a double-blind. Also, his study could be defined as a correlational one, as it basically sought to find a relationship between the alcohol and the provoked aggressiveness among the participants. Only a primary source was used, and the subjects in this case were college students of the male gender. As for the selection of the participants for the study however, random selection was not utilized as only men who specifically described themselves as social drinkers were chosen to take part. The reason for this was probably because it was imperative for the results of the study that the participants be drinkers by nature, as only they could effectively have the best chance of differentiating vodka and tonic from tonic water alone. To do random selection would have been difficult as the researchers would have no guarantee as to the drinking preferences of the participants. The sampling method used was also not stratified, as in stratification, the sample population is first divided into a number of parts or â€Å"strata,†in order to relate it to the major variables being studied. The independent variable (IV) in this case is the alcohol given to the participants, whether it was vodka and tonic or plain tonic water alone. The dependent variable (DV) was the response of the participants, specifically the level of aggression displayed in response to the provocation done by the researchers. The theory for this study is that it was done in order to determine the effects alcohol could have on behavior, regardless of whether it (alcohol) was actually given or if it was merely perceived. A probable hypothesis would be that it the mere perception that alcohol was a part of one’s drink could effectively lead to a change in behavior on the part of the participants, without the need for the actual consumption of the alcohol. As evidenced by the documented results, this is exactly what happened. While the research is for the most part valid, especially with the use of the double-blind approach, there are nevertheless certain flaws in the procedure and methodology that could be improved upon by those who would later conduct related studies. First of all, the length of time with which the experiment was done could have been lengthened so that there would be more time to test the reactions of the participants. The use of other forms of alcohol other than vodka and tonic water would have also been a welcome addition to the process of the research, as it would lend even more credibility to the results of the study. The provocation itself could be placed under question; the researchers should have first taken steps to make sure that the provocation would not unknowingly trigger any previously stored extreme emotions. As an example, if one of the participants were black and the provocation was racially charged, this could serve to heighten the aggravated response of the participant as opposed to what would have been only a normal reaction. Perhaps the largest extraneous variable of all was the non-random selection of participants for the study. While it is noted that the researchers needed participants to be social drinkers to validate the differentiation process, there could have been other ways to better improve selection and reduce bias and other threats to validity. What could have been done was to select a large population of college students randomly and then determine who among those selected were drinkers. From that sample, the researchers could have then applied another randomization process to come up with the final list of participants. Nevertheless, in summary the Lang study has proven to contribute much to the body of knowledge in psychology, and for all its faults, still remains to be one of the classic psychological experiments worthy of emulation. Works Cited Rathus, Spencer. Psychology: Concepts and Connections, 9th Ed.. Thomson and Wadworth, 2007. Jung, John. Psychology of Alcohol and Other Drugs: A Research Perspective. Sage Publications, Inc., 2000. Haggert, Steve. Medical Psychology of Alcohol Drinking and Addiction: Index of New Information and References. Abbe Pub Assn. of Washington D.C., 1996 G
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