Awareness of Identity Theft among Mature Students Essay

Awareness of Identity Theft among Mature Students - Essay Example They can then max out credit cards or take out loans using information they could have asked you for, taken from documents, or stolen from transactions online. This can lead to horrible problems for the person's identity whose is stole, as it can be a tedious task to try to track down the person who is pretending to be you. As student based marketing and research expands, so do the opportunities for people to steal all kinds of information from students who may not even know they are being tricked. Cases are especially springing up among college students, who fill out loads of paperwork and are also on their feet for the first time in their lives. The problem of identity theft is getting so bad that the "The United States Federal Trade Commission says that identity theft is America's largest consumer complaint" (http://www.scambusters.org/identitytheft/collegestudentsguide.html. These college students offer a prime target for the identity theft schemes. Students who are looking for loans, new credit cards, or are simply unaware of how to protect their personal information make for an easy candidate to get their identity stolen. Students also often do not know that identity theft can affect "your credit rating, criminal record, future borrowing possibilities, as well as your job opportunities (http://www.scambusters.org/identitytheft/collegestudentsguide.html). College st... 1. "Living on campus in dorms or with roommates. 2. Ordering clothes, books, movies, lava lamps, ping pong balls, or any other merchandise over the Internet. 3. Throwing away credit card offers without shredding them into a million pieces. 4. Being careless with student loan pin numbers and documentation. 5. Using cell phones to talk about things that might be useful for an identity thief to hear."( http://www.scambusters.org/identitytheft/collegestudentsguide.html. All of these seemingly innocent acts however leave students wide open for an invasion of privacy which may lead to the theft of their identity. This is why students are targeted by criminal organizations as prime targets for their schemes to steal people's identities. Only by understanding identity theft, and learning about it, can students hope to protect themselves from having their own identity stolen. Identity Theft Among Students I. Introduction to Identity Theft a. Definition of Identity Theft b. Kinds of Identity Theft c. Who is affected II. Identity Theft Among Students a. High School Students b. College Students III. How Identity Theft Works a. How thieves can steal your information b. Information they want to take from you IV. Way to Avoid Identity Theft a. How to protect your personal information b. How to know if your identity has been stolen V. What to do if your identity has been stolen a. First Response for identity Theft b. Don't Panic-You can get yourself back VI. Identity Theft-Inform others a. Other groups at risk b. How wide spread is identity Theft VII.

Business Survival in a Recession Essay Example for Free

Business Survival in a Recession Essay

Greed in The Rocking Horse Winner :: Rocking Horse Winner

Greed in The Rocking Horse Winner  Ã‚     People need money to live, and enough to buy the basic goods one needs to survive, but everybody wants more money. More money means an easier life. The more money one has, the more money one wants, as is shown in the story, "The Rocking Horse Winner" by D. H. Lawrence. At the beginning of this story the family did not have enough money to support their opulent lifestyle. Mr. Lawrence illustrates their situation like this: "Although they lived in style they felt always an anxiety in the house. There was never enough money." (p. 159) The family scrambles to pay the bills at the end of the month. An unspoken phrase "Whispered" throughout the house, "There must be more money! There must be more money!" (p.160) the whispering said. Even though the family had money, they wanted, they needed, more. Paul, the child, knew that his family wanted money, and he knew that he was lucky, betting on the horses. Paul became partners with the gardener. He picked the horse, and the gardener placed the bet. Paul had started out with five shillings but his winnings kept adding up. When he had made 10,000 pounds he decided to give his mother 1000 pounds a year for five years. He wanted his winnings to be a secret so a lawyer handled the money. Paul saw the envelope from the lawyer and asked his mother if she had received anything good in the mail. She said "Quite moderately nice" (p. 168) in a cold voice. She liked getting the money, but she wasn't happy. She wanted more. The same day, she had a meeting with the lawyer who was handling the money. Paul's mother demanded the full sum. She received the money and spent it all. The author informs the reader, "There were certain new furnishings, and Paul had a tutor... There were flowers in the winter, and a blossoming of the luxury that Paul's mother had been used to." (p. 169) The money ran out and the voices in the house screamed, "Oh-h-h, there must be more money.

War on Drugs Essays -- Illegal Drugs Narcotics essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout history drugs have been nothing but a social problem, a burden per say. From Edgar Allen Poe smoking opium in an attempt to make his poetry more creative, to Vietnam soldiers coming back from the war addicted to heroin. Narcotics was not a serious issue at the time, only a small hand full of people were actually doing the drugs, and they were just simply looked down upon. It was not until the late nineteen sixties when recreational drug use became fashionable among young, white, middle class American citizens, that the United States Government â€Å"put it’s foot down†. (pbs.com) They started slowly ,developing agencies like the (BNDD) Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, which was founded in 1968 by the Linden Johnson administration. Congress also started passing laws like the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act in 1970.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It was not until June 17, 1971 when the war on drugs truly began. At a press conference in the White House, President Richard J. Nixon officially declared war on drugs. He stated, â€Å"drug abuse is public enemy, number one in the United States.† He also announced the creation of (SAODAP) Special Action Office for Drug Abuse Prevention. Three years later on August 9, 1974, President Nixon resigns, but not before founding one the greatest assets for the war on drugs, the (DEA) Drug Enforcement Agency. Established in July of 1973, this â€Å"super agency† (pbs.com) consisted of agents from the CIA, Customs and ODALE. This agency was designed to handle all aspects of the drug problem in America and would be headed Myles Ambrose.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout the first years of the program the DEA was established their main focus was to stop the flow of marijuana from Mexico to America. Around the mid seventies the â€Å"enemy† face began to change, the enemy was now cocaine and it was coming from the country of Colombia. On November 22, 1975 the Colombian police seized over 600 kilos of cocaine from a small plane at the Cali Airport. The plane was believed to be headed to Miami, Florida. The amount of cocaine that was seized that day was the largest cocaine bust to date.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The DEA, along with other agencies, are still fighting cocaine and many other drugs to this day. One of the reasons the war on drugs is lasting so long is because of the cost; the war on drugs is a very expense war. In the past, the government has spent arou... ...m heroin addiction. Psychiatrist Dr. Robert DuPont is a pioneer doctor in drug abuse treatment, he perfumed studies in Washington D.C. in 1969 of heroin addicts, and then convinced the mayor to allow him to provide methadone to the heroin addicts this resulted in the city’s crime rate dropping.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The cost of addiction can be devastating to the person and the person’s family. People trade in their cars; clothing and shelter just to get a fix for their addiction. The cost of rehabilitation is outrageous, unless you are attending a free one it can cost up to 1000 dollars a weak.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many programs out in the public today for soul purpose of keeping people clean, off drugs. Programs such as Betty Ford, D.A.R.E, and many more are set up to keep people from drug abuse.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the end the war on drugs is not a war to be won or lost, it’s with in the people, rather if they want to do drugs or not. The importation of illicit substances into the United States is an impossibility. There’s over 2,000 miles of border along the Mexican border and the coastal areas, thousands of miles; there is no possible way to stop the importation of drugs into this country.

Impact of Current Information Technology on Our Lives Essay

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT My deepest gratitude to my Ate Kristine and my parents who support and encourage me to pursue my chosen path, to concentrate to my studies, for all their kind and inspiring comments. My special thanks go to my grandma, who have given me great moral support in my studies and to our Almighty God, who have given me spiritual support to complete this term paper. I. INTRODUCTION Information technology (IT) ins probably one of the most significant developments in human history since the printing press. It has given rise to one of the most fascinating communications devices ever created, the Internet. It has come into our homes, our schools and our offices, tying us together in unprecedented ways. It is one of the most important developments in recent memory. Information technology (IT) is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications. The term in its modern sense first appeared in a 1958 article published in the Harvard Business Review, in which authors Leavitt and Whisler commented that â€Å"the new technology does not yet have a single established name. We shall call it information technology (IT).†. Some of the modern and emerging  fields of Information technology are next generation web technologies, bioinformatics, cloud computing, global information systems, large scale knowledge bases, etc. A. GENERAL INFORMATION IT is the area of managing technology and spans wide variety of areas that include computer software, information systems, computer hardware, programming languages but are not limited to things such as processes, , and data constructs. In short, anything that renders data, information or perceived knowledge in any visual format whatsoever, via any multimedia distribution mechanism, is considered part of the IT domain. IT provides businesses with four sets of core services to help execute the business strategy: business process automation, providing information, connecting with customers, and productivity tools. IT professionals perform a variety of functions (IT Disciplines/Competencies) that ranges from installing applications to designing complex computer networks and information databases. A few of the duties that IT professionals perform may include data management, networking, engineering computer hardware, database and software design, as well as management and administration of entire systems. Information technology is starting to spread further than the conventional personal computer and network technologies, and more into integrations of other technologies such as the use of cell phones, televisions, automobiles, and more, which is increasing the demand for such jobs. In the recent past, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology and the Association for Computing Machinery have collaborated to form accreditation and curriculum standards for degrees in Information Technology as a distinct field of study as compared to Computer Science and Information Systems today. SIGITE (Special Interest Group for IT Education) is the ACM working group for defining these standards. The Worldwide IT services revenue totaled $763 billion in 2009. B. TECHNOLOGICAL CAPACITY AND GROWTH Hilbert and Lopez identify the exponential pace of technological change (a kind of Moore’s law): machines’ application-specific capacity to compute information per capita has roughly doubled every 14 months between 1986-2007; the per capita capacity of the world’s general-purpose computers has doubled every 18 months during the same two decades; the global  telecommunication capacity per capita doubled every 34 months; the world’s storage capacity per capita required roughly 40 months to double (every 3 years); and per capita broadcast information has doubled roughly every 12.3 years II. TRENDS IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY The wide range of information, data, and knowledge for problem solving and decision making are dealt with Information Technology. Before starting with the projects, students should be aware of authentication, and integrity features in their projects. Breaking of passwords and hacking can be avoided using these techniques. Anyhow, the various trends for projects are based on the emerging software technology. A. LATEST TRENDS a. Flash technology To add multiple types of external data to the given text, images, video, XML and to interact with web pages, Adobe Flash is used. It provides multimedia platform. The main purpose of this technology is to be used in advertisements and games. Both audio and video streams are supported by flash. One of the Object-oriented languages called ActionScript is the language used here by the developers. Flash player includes ActionScript Virtual Machine (AVM). The compiler, Just-In-Time (JIT), is used for MP3-based audio and bitmap graphics. Flash CS5 is the latest version of Adobe flash which was released on April 12, 2010. b. Microsoft Silverlight Microsoft Silverlight is developed on web framework and is similar to the functions of those in Adobe Flash. In addition, it also integrates multimedia graphics and interaction with a single runtime environment. Common Language Infrastructure (CLI) and its development tools are supported by Silverlight. The processor x86 with streaming SIMD Extensions (SSE) is  used by Silverlight. Also the other processors which support Silverlight include the Intel Pentium III and AMD Athlon XP. Any of the .Net Programming language is supported for Silverlight applications. The developing tools for the application can be used along with the .Net language but should be aware that they can target only the Silverlight core CLR for hosting the applications and not that of the .Net Framework CLR since both differs in their own functionalities. 4GDR1 (4.0.50524.0) is the latest version of Silverlight and was released on 03 June 2010. c. Open Source software Open source software is newly emerging trend which is one of the best options for the students. The source code can be modified by the students as per the objective of project. Hence Open source is much flexible than closed version software. Open source software is mainly developed on peer to peer production by collaboration of end product, source material. Open source software can be enhanced by anyone and if you join some open source developers community, you can learn a lot of things directly from the most knowledged persons in the developers community. Even the top companies like Google who are paymasters gives lots of importance to candidates who have worked in open source projects during the interviews. d. Cryptography Cryptography is the practice and study of hiding information. It also refers to confidentiality. It is often seen as a â€Å"black art†, which means something others don’t understand but you need to understand. Cryptography is one of the essential aspects for secure communication. There are many aspects of security and applications ranging from secure commerce to private communication and to protect passwords. Cryptography is necessary for secure communication but it is not sufficient by itself. Here, the text is encrypted first; i.e. the plain text is changed to inarticulate garbage. The end user does the reverse process i.e. decryption, where the original text  is retrieved. There are a lot of algorithms in this area which is used in real time for data protection in sectors like banks, Research, Password Protection and so on. e. Nanotechnology Nanotechnology is the study of controlling properties of an atom and molecules. As the name indicates, it deals with the study of structures sized between 1 and 100 nanometer. It is said that, nanotechnology has a tendency to create new materials and devices which can be used in future in a wide range of fields such as medicine, energy production, electronics and bio materials. As they are very small in size, nano structures have a tendency to change its state for transformation of energy. The two main approaches used in nanotechnology are Bottom-up and Top-down. In bottom-up approach, materials and devices are built from molecular, a component which later assemble themselves chemically and follows the principles of molecular recognition. In top-down approach, nano-objects are constructed from larger entities without any atomic level control. Biotechnology is the best example to show the use of nanotechnology in various fields. The upcoming trends mainly focus on security and hacking. Mobile application for iPhone and Android are great areas to explore with good revenue opportunities as well. If you want to stand out from others, instead of going for some courses, try to contribute for an open source project. B. BUSINESS TRENDS Just a few decades ago, businesses had little in the way of office machinery except typewriters. Fax machines were new; only Xerox made copiers, and the computer was a monster that took up an entire room. These behemoths were housed almost exclusively on college campuses or in government laboratories. With the development of the personal computer, the situation changed; it was so quick it sometimes seems like it was overnight. At first, businesses were happy to use computers because their word processing programs made typing projects much easier. But using a computer like a high-powered typewriter  defeats the purpose of having the machine in the first place. Companies soon discovered that their PCs could do a great deal more. Companies began to network offices together so that they could share files and work on the same projects from distant locations. They connected to the Internet and put out advertisements to draw new customers. And perhaps one of the most significant business developments to come with IT is the creation of the electronic marketplace. Companies that sell their products over the Internet greatly increase the number of potential consumers who see their offerings. Even if the company is not actively selling goods, a website is a tremendously helpful tool. A well-designed, easy to navigate site can stimulate interest so that a potential customer calls or writes for further information. Other business applications of IT include â€Å"data mining,† â€Å"knowledge management,† and â€Å"modeling and simulation.† (Kalil, PG). This last is particularly interesting, as it allows companies to build prototypes in the computer. These prototypes perform exactly the same way a three-dimensional model would, and yet are far less expensive than building the â€Å"real thing.† This way, if the prototype doesn’t work, there isn’t the strain on the company’s resources there would be if a real model (car, plane, truck, train) had been built. If it does work, it can be put into production quickly. C. FUTURE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TRENDS There’s no denying that we are in a worldwide downturn. Government are in debt; jobs are being cut; houses are being repossessed and people because it. However, there is a way to plan for the declining eminent and that is through IT guidance. If you are like most people, the last thing on your opinion is paying for tuition, especially in a specialty as baffling as information technology. However, IT education may be your label out of the slump and into a fulfilling and stable career. For most of us, our prospect is not set in pelt, especially with the downturn. There is no concrete way of aware that you will forever be in the site, or even with the visitors you are with now. However, IT guidance can organize for a potential in information technology at any sector. The  diligence needs IT technicians whether you work in television, marketing, communication, client check, etc. IT technology can open doors to more than just your own effective Future Information Technology Trends environment. You can take these skills and concern them to other sectors and industries as well. This will make the leap to another career in the upcoming much fewer overwhelming, if that time ever comes. Technology and Telecommunication: While many people are trailing their jobs in marketing, buyer ceremony, factual estate and construction, more and more people are verdict their mission via telecommunication. This is because, while the nation is gradually lessening, the â€Å"nation† is blossoming. Websites are in stable penury to IT help including webmasters, graphic designers and programmers. This Future Information Technology Trends trend will prolong as the internet is one of the best customs to join to the world and will only maintain to grow in the future. Technological trends in the future: According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics, the technology world will maintain to upsurge with jobs in IT increasing by 16% in the next ten existence. This is sooner than most other industries in the United States due to the many technological advances within many industries. IT Training for all Industries: even if you never want to dine in a career as an IT technician, information technology exercise can help prepare you for advancement in your own sector. Information technology exists everywhere and this is why it’s important to advantage the skills desirable to understand the information technological phase of your sector. IT is Universal: Another important touch of information technology is that, while some systems modify from troupe to troupe, and from country to country, they are all relatively the same. This means that, if you desire to do so, you can move and convey with career guidance in IT. Spend a year in Japan since the sights and running in IT on the section, or take your skills to Australia when the frost months get too cold. The possibilities Future Information Technology Trends for those with information technology training not only transport from trade to industry, but they also outdo continental boundaries as well. D. EMERGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TRENDS Traditionally, hotels were mostly dependant on cards and paperwork at the front desk to keep in meet with old and current customers. They were chiefly at the mercy of the wishes of vacationers to succeed, and on their own pains and force to be inclined for budding surges or long droughts of tenancy. Luckily, such inconvenience and old-fashioned methods are long since ancient, gratitude to advances in information technology. The first question in which information technology became important regarded billing. Old-fashioned paper-based book-keeping time-consuming and inefficient, and was not able briefly to tell a lodge holder what the avow of their lodge was. Luckily, advances in modern proof keeping tolerate for a lodge holder to keep pathway of what they have on hand, how much of it they have, and how much it outlay. Accounting is complicated, but future software, especially that tailored to the sole needs of the hospitality activity, helps to permit lodge owners to make smart decisions. Services and harvest that are no longer worn can be instantly cut off to prelude money, while those who show want can be augmented in magnitude or bespoke to diminish the important tradition. Most hotels are recurring with booking quarters and reservations over the telephone, but information technology has prolonged well past that. Hotels can now work with different online trek companies and booking military to have Emerging Information Technology Trends their rooms booked online, with no indigence to employ classy force. This also allows a lodge to announce their open rooms and unusual deals promptly to people who would be most to grasp them, instead of killing much money advertising in an unfocused mode. High worth information technology hence allows for better arrangement and management of booking to tolerate a lodge to better maximize residence, and to know in proceed when large groups or prop period are approaching. This allows a lodge manager to make strategy about transient pole, good times to renovate or inflate, or other concerns, because he/she can decide the state of their hotel currently and for the next few months with only a few clicks on the laptop. The advances in information Emerging Information Technology Trends technology proffer well afar booking, however. The internet is  necessary for vacationers who fancy to associate those back home, and for those nomadic on topic to get in feel with the bureau. Therefore, wireless internet has become a very ordinary and very helpful tune for hotels to supply. Many interest minded persons even entail that an hotel tender internet army so that they can keep running while on the street. Luckily, such army are easy to supply, as all that is required is a wireless router and diverse plans to guarantee the whole hotel is filled with the practice. Modern advances in wireless internet also permit for the wireless internet provided for hotel visitors to be used to group the hotel itself. Security cameras, door stresses, and other policy basic to hotel sanctuary and shelter can be Emerging Information Trends wired into the interact, so that workforce are alerted when a door is propped open, a fire alarm goes off or suspicious activity occurs. Though the hotel guests are wholly unaware of it, this variety of added safety and guarantee keeps them careful, and in the occasion of a puzzle they will almost surely appreciate the benefits of such system. As difficult as it is, information technology in the hospitality activity is still going ahead. Intelligent booking systems enable hasty and helpful guest opinion, along with the ability to predict who is likely to use the hotel again and tell them via e-packages or passage letters when a good deals appear. Hotels with scope mass or other guest services can tender menus online, allowing for abrupt updates, high-class photos, and other behavior to allow guests to see and order services before they even arrive. There also advances in terms of payroll and list which make information technology Emerging Information Technology Trends an effective asset for reduction money and maximizing profits. The sole quality of the hospitality trade makes it a great place for new and emerging information technology, and farther-opinion hotel owners and managers are forever looking for smart tools and software to invest in. E. HEALTHCARE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TRENDS The utilization of technology in healthcare has opened the method for improvements in a limit of areas. One of the advantages and payback of fitness tending technology is the additional people are extant diseases like feeling and blight disease due to the fitness to identify them earlier than formerly skilled. With this ability comes the subsidy of being able to use a method that may be fewer extreme than one beloved as the disease grows. With a disease like Tuberculosis, as it metastasizes, the talent to struggle it and eliminate it gets harder and harder. Although, one more use of technology in healthcare has brought us newest drugs that can aim more precisely the particular scourge cells along with being more embattled in other areas. It has also brought us latest radiation Healthcare Information Technology Trends tools that can be far extra accurate and not have to use the shotgun manage to dig up to the tumor. The ray could even be bent about key body parts like glands and arteries so as not to injure them when focusing in that territory. One interesting and futuristic loan is the utilization of robots. You can now have a preset prostatectomy with an outcome that may be to the profit of the enduring. With the use of a robot in surgical procedure there is a slighter Healthcare Information Technology Trends opening and large incisions which is fewer torment for the tolerant, there is a smaller quantity of blood failure, an exclusive hazard of rigid cuts about delicate nerves and tendons which may allow the unwearied a pompous choice of not having poorer effects from the surgical procedure, and typically a shorter drape about in the hospice and a shorter recovery time. The accuracy of the robot is far more rigid than a surgeon using his/her hands lonesome. Robots are also programmed in such way that they can grip complicated situations. Another zone where robots are worn is in mandatory middle surgery. Again the accuracy and precision of the tools show the way to a bigger unplanned of a quicker recovery time and minus anguish to the patient. The finer incisions and the possibility of less blood harm are one advantage to using robots in a middle surgery. The dab Vinci Healthcare Information Technology Trends robot worn in the heart and growth surgeries and has the opportunity to be  worn in a range of areas where precision and accuracy are vital. III. EDUCATION Although computers are now common in the classroom that has not been the most significant step in their use as educational tools. I believe that distinction has to go to distance education. The concept is not all that new, because the idea of remote classrooms with a teacher appearing on television has been in place for decades. But the idea of conducting an entire class over the Internet is radically different. In distance education, the students may never set foot in a classroom at all. They will interact with the teacher and with their peers via email; they may participate in lectures via some sort of instant messaging service. The assignments are posted by the instructor, and the completed assignments are returned to him/her through email. Attending class by accessing the Internet does of course mean that the student cannot participate in a live exchange with his peers and the instructor, so in that sense the spontaneity of the classroom is missing. However, for students in very remote areas, or when classes are offered at one campus and not another, it is a viable solution, and it is made possible by IT. IV. PERSONAL USAGE Of course the single biggest item here is the personal computer. Having a computer at home has revolutionized life for millions of people around the globe. We tend to get our news from the computer; we may find ourselves in a discussion with someone on the other side of the planet; and we tour museums and shops in distant cities among many other uses. Many people now work from home (â€Å"telecommuting†) rather than physically going to the office. This saves road congestion and helps diminish pollution. Children and teens use the computer to help with their homework, and with the Internet, they have the entire world as a resource. V. CONCLUSION The impact of IT on society is hard to overestimate. Many of the developments, as I’ve indicated, have been positive, but there are some negatives as well, specifically a tendency to spent more time alone, or interacting only with the computer rather than with real people. Still, for most of us, IT has made a sizeable impact, and a positive one, on our lives. VI. REFERENCES http://www.cisp.org/imp/april_99/04_99kalil.htm http://www.wikipedia.com

Carton as Christ essays

Carton as Christ essays Throughout A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens paints a dynamic picture of Sydney Carton. At first, Carton appears a disillusioned lost soul, lost in a drunken stupor. However, as the story progresses, Carton becomes the ultimate savior. Replaced with compassionate manners, he comes to exemplify the Christian ideal of the New Testament, as he becomes a Christ-like figure in order to repent for the crimes committed by the Evermondes. In the beginning of A Tale of Two Cities, Carton is the lost soul. He is referred to as the jackal in contrast to Darnay who is referred to as the lion. As the jackal, Carton is always a few steps behind his counterpart, and should be eaten by the lion. Both Darnay and Carton acknowledge the dynamic present between them. Darnay is fully aware of his superiority stating, You are in a bad way, you know; you really are in a bad way. You dont know the value of money, you live hard, youll knock up one of these days, and be ill and poor (Dickens 169). As most people believe, Carton feels that he himself has no purpose. He agrees with the way other people feel about him and takes no initiative. However, Carton slowly becomes a kindhearted, well-established character that the audience can empathize with. Through his love for Lucie and little Lucie, Carton cleans up his act, so to speak. After Darnay and Lucie get married, Carton is the first to visit and offer his congratulations. It is in this scene that we first notice the change in Carton. Even Darnay notices a certain rugged air of fidelity about him (Dickens 251). Moreover, when Darnay is captured, Carton fills his void. Bonding with little Lucie to the point where she needs him to tuck her in every night, Carton begins to plan his final deed. Like Christ in the New Testament, Carton is seen as a resurrection character. He s ...

Free Essays on Yucca Mountain

History For more than two decades, the Shoshone tribe, scientists, environmentalists, the federal government, Nevada citizens and politicians have wrestled over the fate of Yucca Mountain. Yucca Mountain is located within the Western Shoshone Nation and has long been a place of powerful spiritual energy for the Shoshone tribe. The water in the area is also sacred, as it is with many desert peoples. Yucca Mountain, and the surrounding area, was never actually deemed government land. According to the 1863 Ruby Valley Treaty that the Shoshone signed with the U.S. government, most of the area now used by the U.S. military for nuclear weapons testing and the proposed waste storage site was recognized as Shoshone land. However, the Shoshone are unable to control what happens on their ancestral land. Instead, legislators continue to try to persuade the Shoshone to accept financial compensation for their land, which most view as a way to overshadow native title and prohibit future land claims. In the late 1970s government scientists began to study Yucca Mountain as a possible repository for nuclear waste, and since 1987 it has been the only site considered for 77,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel and other radioactive waste. 98% of all the radioactive waste generated by U.S. nuclear reactors may soon be headed for the mountain. There is already more nuclear waste than the repository can hold, unless the 77,000 ton limit is raised. Though the facility will not open until 2010 at the earliest, reactor waste now sitting in pools of water around the country will fill Yucca Mountain’s tunnels and leave room for less than one third of the government’s nuclear defense waste, leaving 7,500 tons with no place to go. Commercial nuclear power plants produce 2,000 tons of high level waste per year, and by the time Yucca Mountain would be full in 2035, there would be 42,000 tons of newly generated civilian waste at reactors around the country. Th... Free Essays on Yucca Mountain Free Essays on Yucca Mountain THE YUCCA MOUNTAIN NUCLEAR WASTE REPOSITORY After much research and reading about the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste and repository, I have gained much knowledge of the situation. I will share with you the facts and what I have learned researching this topic, as well as the pro’s and con’s and my favorite part, my personal opinion. One would hope that they would find this topic an interesting topic. The controversial issue that is occurring with the Yucca Mountain area is not weather its right or wrong, but more of what we should do with our nuclear waste and where to store it. â€Å"In July 2002, president Bush signed a bill designating the Yucca Mountain site for development as a repository for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste† (orcwm.doe.gov). A valley not too far away from â€Å"Sin City† aka Las Vegas, Nevada, there is a remote desert where Yucca Mountain is in for consideration for storing nuclear waste. The U.S. Department of Energy began to study in this area in 1978 to determine whether it would be a decent place to contain the nation’s first long-term geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. Spent nuclear fuel is the radioactive by-product of making electricity commercial nuclear power plants and high-level radioactive waste is by-product from production at defense facilities. However, back in 1982, Congress also established a national policy to solve the problem of nuclear waste disposal. This policy is a federal law called the Nuclear Waste Policy c ongress based this policy on what most scientists worldwide agreed the better way that would work to dispose of the nuclear waste that has been accumulating over the years. Yucca Mountain was not the only place Congress had in mind where to store the nuclear waste; they also came up with six other states for consideration as potential repository sites. The researchers did not just p... Free Essays on Yucca Mountain INTRODUCTION: Yucca Mountain is the possible site of a nuclear repository designed to store and dispose of spent nuclear fuel. It is located in Nye County, Nevada, which is about 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas (this can be seen on Figure #1). This land is federally owned, and located on the edge of the Department of Energy’s Test Site. The repository would be located in the mountain and be approximately 1000 feet below the top of the mountain and 1000 feet above the groundwater level. The repository will be designed to hold well over the 77,000 tons of nuclear waste already accumulated. If the project receives approval, it would be the nations first geological repository for disposal of spent nuclear fuel. The Yucca Mountain site was chosen for several reasons. First of all, water is the main means of transporting waste out of a nuclear repository and into the environment. The Yucca Mountain site is located in one of the driest and remote places in the United States. The area receives less than 7.5 inches of rain per year, and 95 percent of that does not even reach the mountain. The site also has many natural barriers, which prevent what little water is available from entering the site. The possible site is also located on federally owned land, which eliminates the lengthy task of acquiring land from the state. There is also no risk that groundwater that serves any of the nearby cities will be contaminated by the site. This is not possible, because the groundwater system that encompasses Yucca Mountain is not connected to groundwater of the Las Vegas Valley. The groundwater system at Yucca Mountain is an isolated hydraulic basin; that is; it does not connect to any other water sources. Isolated hydraulic basins are a very rare feature, and it is very well suited for the site. For these reasons, Yucca Mountain was chosen as the possible site of the geological nuclear repository. COST: The Yucca Mountain p... Free Essays on Yucca Mountain History For more than two decades, the Shoshone tribe, scientists, environmentalists, the federal government, Nevada citizens and politicians have wrestled over the fate of Yucca Mountain. Yucca Mountain is located within the Western Shoshone Nation and has long been a place of powerful spiritual energy for the Shoshone tribe. The water in the area is also sacred, as it is with many desert peoples. Yucca Mountain, and the surrounding area, was never actually deemed government land. According to the 1863 Ruby Valley Treaty that the Shoshone signed with the U.S. government, most of the area now used by the U.S. military for nuclear weapons testing and the proposed waste storage site was recognized as Shoshone land. However, the Shoshone are unable to control what happens on their ancestral land. Instead, legislators continue to try to persuade the Shoshone to accept financial compensation for their land, which most view as a way to overshadow native title and prohibit future land claims. In the late 1970s government scientists began to study Yucca Mountain as a possible repository for nuclear waste, and since 1987 it has been the only site considered for 77,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel and other radioactive waste. 98% of all the radioactive waste generated by U.S. nuclear reactors may soon be headed for the mountain. There is already more nuclear waste than the repository can hold, unless the 77,000 ton limit is raised. Though the facility will not open until 2010 at the earliest, reactor waste now sitting in pools of water around the country will fill Yucca Mountain’s tunnels and leave room for less than one third of the government’s nuclear defense waste, leaving 7,500 tons with no place to go. Commercial nuclear power plants produce 2,000 tons of high level waste per year, and by the time Yucca Mountain would be full in 2035, there would be 42,000 tons of newly generated civilian waste at reactors around the country. Th...

Why Should You Hire a Writer Online Why Its Better than in Person

Why Should You Hire a Writer Online Why Its Better than in Person Why Should You Hire a Writer Online: Why It’s Better than in Person Should you hire a writer online, or find a writer nearby who you can meet in person? If you’re considering different options, choose to hire a writer online. Here are the reasons why: More Choice There are many companies online that offer the convenience and anonymity of ordering online. There are literally hundreds of these companies who source writers from all over the world to write papers. If you hire a writer from a local agency, it is likely that you did not have many options. You may only have one or two brick and mortar agencies nearby to get help with a paper. Cost-Effectiveness Aside from spending money on gas to drive to an agency, hiring online is more economical because the Internet is a global marketplace and as such, it is more competitive then your local marketplace. You have the advantage of currency exchange which works in your favor and helps stretch the dollar. Everyone likes an option that is easy on the wallet, especially cash strapped students. From Home Opportunities Working online means no time and effort spent travelling. Not to mention you will need no appointment, will not need to sit in any waiting room, or wait for anyone else. You simply communicate via email, when it is a convenient time for you. Updates Any Time Hiring online allows you to be updated wherever you are. Since business is managed via email you can check the status or receive a notification instantly, from wherever you are. No waiting for phone calls or checking messages. Â  Communicate online, from wherever you happen to be. You can even communicate while on vacation, or during the weekend. More Control A local agent acts as a middleman between you and the writer. Instead of dealing with the writer directly, you communicate with the agency. A lot of communication and meaning can be lost in the interchange, and you will not be able to assess the writer’s understanding or clarify misunderstandings right away. Why not cut out the middle man and deal directly to you maintain control of the project and save time? Being a student means having many tasks, assignments and responsibilities simultaneously. It can be impossible to find the time to get everything done. Spending extra time contacting a local writing agency, making an appointment, traveling to the location, and meeting with someone is just not worth it. It is easy to see why the best choice is to hire a writer online. The benefits are numerous and the convenience can not be beaten.

The Points Based System makes migration work for Britain Essay

The Points Based System makes migration work for Britain - Essay Example Second, regulation of migration has become necessary in the face of the threat of terrorism and abuse (Sutherland, 2009). Third, to protect the interests of the citizens of Britain and the society. Combining all these factors together, it becomes clear why there is a ongoing effort from various sectors of the government in coming up with plans and programmes that will limit the influx of migrant applicants without discouraging those talented people who are needed in UK and contribute to UK’s economy. In order to achieve this end, one of several measures that have been undertaken is the implementation of the Point Based System. The Point Based System is primarily intended to replace the ‘80 work permits and entry scheme’. The ‘80 work permits and entry scheme’ are the 80 different ways and routes that can be used if one seeks to work, study to train in UK. This migration policy has been developed piecemeal depending on whatever need arises (Casciani, 2 008). In this regard, the migration network of UK is considered complex. However, with the implementation of the Point Based System, the 80 scheme is superseded, and it has made UK migration system a lot simpler and more effective in identifying people and talents that are needed in UK. As such, the Point based System will make it easier and faster for employers and education to identify the people that they will need. In the Point Based System, the more skills the person has, and the more the skills, that the person has is in demand, the higher the points that one gets, thus increasing the likelihood that the person may enter UK. In this regard, the Point Based System intends to identify and attract workers that can contribute most to UK, to achieve a more efficient and transparent system of application, increased support from employers and educational organization, thereby increasing g compliance and reducing abuse and finally, it seeks to curb low skilled workers from outside EU (www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk). This set up is patterned after Australian Point System, which is considered as one of the simplest and most effective migration in the world. The system will not affect the mobility of European Union workers (Casciani, 2008). The Point Based System is made up of five tiers. Tier One: Highly Skilled. In this tier, the most skilled can have the opportunity to enter UK even without any job offers or employee certification. This means that if the application is successful, then the applicant can have the right to immigrate to UK and have full and free access to the employment market. This includes scientists, doctors, entrepreneurs and business people. As such, a successful applicant under Tier 1 will be permitted to live and work in the UK, seek and undertake employment, establish business, make a substantial investment, or be self-employed (www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk). There are four classifications under Tier 1; general visa, post study work visa, entrep reneur visa and the investor visa. A minimum of 80 points is required to qualify in Tier 1 general visa. The categories in which points are awarded include age, qualifications and earnings. This tier offers the opportunity for the successful applicant in becoming naturalise British citizen. Tier Two: Skilled Work Permits. This is similar with the previous work permit scheme. This tier intends to cater to people who have

Effects of Drug Abuse on Society Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Effects of Drug Abuse on Society - Assignment Example Shockingly, almost 20 % of costs for hospitals in Medicaid and a quarter of funds allocated to Medicare and spent on inpatient care go to substance abuse treatments. Also, looking at our prisons, about 70% of individual inmates have once been regular drug users. The state prison population growth is accounted for by up to more than a third of drug offenders. Worse still is that this same group of individuals has contributed an 80% growth in the population of the prison since 1985. It can be seen that drug abuse is the number one cause for offenses committed by inmates and is also highly costly to the national budget. As Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse puts it, â€Å"Drug abuse and addiction are a major burden to society; economic costs alone are estimated to exceed half a trillion dollars annually in the United States, including health, crime-related costs, and losses in productivity. However, as staggering as these numbers are, they provide a limited perspective of the devastating consequences of this disease.† This picture shows how other aspects of the society can suffer underdevelopment due to drugs. The drugs problem affects every age group in the society including children who stay with their parents who are struggling with their addiction. Over time, studies by scientists on drug abuse were shadowed by myths. Drug addicts have been thought of as morally flawed and not having willpower. This view majorly shaped society’s response toward drug abuse. Instead of treating it as a health problem, it was taken to be a moral failing. As such, punitive criminal justice was the strategy of choice in curbing it. This was at the expense of therapeutic actions that are preventative and having a base in public health understanding regarding addiction and recovery. Recently done research has identified environmental, psychological and biological factors contributing to addiction development and progression.

Business Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 3

Business Environment - Essay Example It has Banks, supermarket, local supermarkets, online services and stores. LE-PEST C analysis comprises of legal, environmental, political, economical, social, technological and competitive analysis. It is important to analyse the how Sainsbury Company services are being influenced by all these external features. First of all, it is guided by the need to provide the best services to its customers and to ensure that their shareholders earn high financial returns every year. Moreover, it is employee oriented as its goal is to have well rewarded employees who can have the opportunity to expand their knowledge and abilities on the activities they provide for the company. The company also aims at building a very strong relationship with its suppliers. This will definitely ensure that the needs of the customers are highly satisfied. The total number of stores owned is 301 and 455 supermarkets that serve approximately sixteen million people weekly. It has approximately 148000 employees whose work is to deliver food and other products at a very fair price (Killgre n, 2007, pp.34-75). The LE-PEST C analysis recognises the importance of the legal sector in influencing how companies operate. The legal sector can either reduce the competitive nature of a company or increase it. It lays down strict rules to ensure that the general public is safe from any substandard goods and services. The Sainsbury Company has not been left behind as the government of the UK has had a history of strengthening laws that are linked to drinks and foods. The rules target how products are packaged and labelled. Because food and drinks are very sensitive goods and they can cause a lot of destructions in an economy, then it is very important to package food using the right containers to avoid contamination. This helps in enhancing public health. Labelling laws are made to avoid counterfeit goods thus a

Carlito's Way by Edwin Torres Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Carlito's Way by Edwin Torres - Term Paper Example According to these sentiments, success is never an absolute factor but a variable factor that depends on personal point and according to the views of an observer. The book Carlito’s way tells a thrilling story of a gang superstar by the name Carlito Brigante. According to the author, this character has gone through all dimensions in the life of a true gangster. The writer describes the life of Carlito through a series of conflicts that are inspired by his life in Harlem and the lives of his colleagues. Carlito goes through a series of trouble with law enforcers and his fellow gang members. The writer uses these conflicts and events to portray the life of an ordinary hustler in the USA. This paper provides a criminological-forensic and psychological assessment of the book in relation to the life of the main character and the author’s position. According the author’s account on the life of Carlito, it is evident that he is a psychopath. According to Cohen, psychopa th is a personality disorder (1965). The criminologist adds that psychopaths are emotionless criminals who have no feelings for other people. In addition, psychopaths have no any respect for social laws. Being emotionless also indicates that psychopaths are fearless persons who get involved in crime without considering the possible outcomes or punishment. Such individuals are satisfied by causing pain and suffering on their victims. According to the author’s chronological account of Carlito, it is evident that he was a psychopath. Carlito fits in all categories of psychopaths according to criminology literature. Firstly, Carlito is a primary psychopath; this is because he does not respond positively to punishment. According to the book, Carlito was a jailbird. He did not respond to any form of punishment accorded to him by the law enforcers. Carlito was in and out of prisons for cases related to drug trafficking assault and robbery (Torres, 1994). The numerous times he was ar rested did not alter his involvement with crime. Carlito cannot only be considered as a primary psychopath but also a secondary psychopath. This is demonstrated by his ability to take risks in crime. According to the author, Carlito was a true risk taker. He lived a lavish life that required him to have a lot of money. The main reason for his continued involvement with crime was to support his lavish lifestyle financially. The risk taking aspect is demonstrated by the fact that his determination was not hindered by possible risks such as arrest, or being killed by a member of a rival gang. Finally, Carlito can be described as a charismatic psychopath, this aspect is demonstrated by his influence among members of his gang and other people that he dealt with. Carlito was an irresistible person who was an attractive and a charming liar. He used these characters to influence and manipulate his victims for his personal gains. His manipulative attitude is demonstrated by the fact that he was a popular pimp. Most readers who have previously read the book usually have opposing views concerning factors that influenced Carlito into crime. However, an objective analysis of the book proves that there were three main reasons that influenced Carlito into crime. Firstly, Carlito engaged into crime for economic reasons. His involvement with crime was to provide finances required to support his lavish lifestyle. Secondly, Carlito had an irresistible urge to commit crime for self-satisfaction. This explains why he was rearrested five hours for assault just a few hours of being released from a five-year prison sentence. Carlito also had a rebel attitude that inspired him to commit crime. This attitude made him to be always against the law and the country’

Disaster Preparedness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Disaster Preparedness - Essay Example The easiest way to help the situation out would be to enter the recovery stage in which aid can be given to victims on a priority basis instead of focusing on mitigation for which time seems to have passed. The first step would be to get drinking water supplies to the area since a lack of clean drinking water can only make the situation worse. In fact, medical supplies can be rationed for a while but drinking water simply can not be because people might start using unclean supplies of water which could lead to more problems in terms of the health situation. The second step would be to move out those individuals who have serious injuries and to begin treating less seriously injured victims on location. Later on in the recovery phase the rebuilding process can also be started. The difference between mitigation and preparedness is simply defined by the roles individuals play in those situations. In mitigation, the team tries to prevent the event from happening or reducing the negative effects if the situation is unpreventable (Wikipedia. 2007). For example, the construction of dams to prevent floods is mitigation for the long term while identification of present risks which might have developed in a disaster situation can be seen as short term mitigation. When it comes to preparedness, the management team focuses on preparing communication tools, establishing command controls and getting the necessary means for support to the people who have been affected by a disaster. Preparedness also involves planning with local resources such as healthy individuals and volunteers who can help with keeping a semblance of order (Wikipedia. 2007). However, professionals who are trained for the management of the disaster serve as the key to being

Carlito's Way by Edwin Torres Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Carlito's Way by Edwin Torres - Term Paper Example According to these sentiments, success is never an absolute factor but a variable factor that depends on personal point and according to the views of an observer. The book Carlito’s way tells a thrilling story of a gang superstar by the name Carlito Brigante. According to the author, this character has gone through all dimensions in the life of a true gangster. The writer describes the life of Carlito through a series of conflicts that are inspired by his life in Harlem and the lives of his colleagues. Carlito goes through a series of trouble with law enforcers and his fellow gang members. The writer uses these conflicts and events to portray the life of an ordinary hustler in the USA. This paper provides a criminological-forensic and psychological assessment of the book in relation to the life of the main character and the author’s position. According the author’s account on the life of Carlito, it is evident that he is a psychopath. According to Cohen, psychopa th is a personality disorder (1965). The criminologist adds that psychopaths are emotionless criminals who have no feelings for other people. In addition, psychopaths have no any respect for social laws. Being emotionless also indicates that psychopaths are fearless persons who get involved in crime without considering the possible outcomes or punishment. Such individuals are satisfied by causing pain and suffering on their victims. According to the author’s chronological account of Carlito, it is evident that he was a psychopath. Carlito fits in all categories of psychopaths according to criminology literature. Firstly, Carlito is a primary psychopath; this is because he does not respond positively to punishment. According to the book, Carlito was a jailbird. He did not respond to any form of punishment accorded to him by the law enforcers. Carlito was in and out of prisons for cases related to drug trafficking assault and robbery (Torres, 1994). The numerous times he was ar rested did not alter his involvement with crime. Carlito cannot only be considered as a primary psychopath but also a secondary psychopath. This is demonstrated by his ability to take risks in crime. According to the author, Carlito was a true risk taker. He lived a lavish life that required him to have a lot of money. The main reason for his continued involvement with crime was to support his lavish lifestyle financially. The risk taking aspect is demonstrated by the fact that his determination was not hindered by possible risks such as arrest, or being killed by a member of a rival gang. Finally, Carlito can be described as a charismatic psychopath, this aspect is demonstrated by his influence among members of his gang and other people that he dealt with. Carlito was an irresistible person who was an attractive and a charming liar. He used these characters to influence and manipulate his victims for his personal gains. His manipulative attitude is demonstrated by the fact that he was a popular pimp. Most readers who have previously read the book usually have opposing views concerning factors that influenced Carlito into crime. However, an objective analysis of the book proves that there were three main reasons that influenced Carlito into crime. Firstly, Carlito engaged into crime for economic reasons. His involvement with crime was to provide finances required to support his lavish lifestyle. Secondly, Carlito had an irresistible urge to commit crime for self-satisfaction. This explains why he was rearrested five hours for assault just a few hours of being released from a five-year prison sentence. Carlito also had a rebel attitude that inspired him to commit crime. This attitude made him to be always against the law and the country’

Deep Ecology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Deep Ecology - Essay Example Deep ecology is a belief, while religion is defined as beliefs that are concerned with nature, purpose and the cause of the universe. As a religion, its dominant tenet of spirituality is that human species are part of the earth and not a separate entity. This paper will argue out that deep ecology is a religion. The main principle of deep ecology is a belief, just like humanity, that the environment which is living has an equal right to blossom and live. It is said to be deep due to its persistence questioning on â€Å"how† and â€Å"why† and as a result, it is based on philosophical questions which are fundamental on the effects of human beings life as a part of the ecosphere, rather than dealing with the minor view of ecology as a biological science branch. In addition it focuses to stem anthropocentric environmentalism that is based on environmental conservation with an aim of exploiting human objectives which buffers the philosophy of deep ecology. It seeks more vie w of the world that we leave in a holistic way, and further, seeks an application of life understanding that separates the functioning of the ecosystem parts as a whole. In addition, it seeks to eliminate the issue of supremacy in religion life, of which it is impossible to give concrete evidence that eliminates the existence of God. The happenings in the world alone can tell that there is a supreme power that is in control of the living and the non living. Policies of ecologically take into account only the concerns on pollution and resources depletion. It is relevant to note that there is deeper issues which are involved with the principles of diversity, autonomy, complexity and decentralization in deep ecological movement. The act of referencing human beings in the environment is a favor to the rationale total field image. Organisms have an intrinsic relationship. As a result of this, it dissolves concepts of the human-in-environment. In addition, the ecological field worker has a deep seated respect or the veneration for the kinds and forms of life. Human beings acquire an understanding from within. This kind of understanding is also reserved for other human as well as for narrow sections of life forms. The intrinsic relationship that is within organism in the environment is as a result of the common ground of creation that everything originates from. The world did not just come to exist, but God who is supreme brought this up, and beings cannot be the most relevant to the environment on their own. In addition, the equal right of individuals to live and flourish is clearly intuitive and value of axiom. Furthermore, its restriction to life of human is anthropocentrism with effects which are detrimental on human life quality. The quality pleasure depends on the satisfaction that is received from a correlation which is close with other life forms. The attempt of giving dump ears to our dependency and the establishment of other roles which are master levels a contribution to human alienation. The egalitarianism of ecology claims that the reinterpretation of future research variables on human population levels and loss of life is equally not taken seriously. This is because it is beyond human understanding; the life of human is unclear on how it came to be. It is therefore obvious that we are taken care of by a supreme being who gave breath to the souls on earth and at any time the ability to breathe is

Ib Economics Commentary 1 - Microeconomics Essay Example for Free

Ib Economics Commentary 1 Microeconomics Essay Rebecca Bundhun, (October 19, 2012) Cost of summer getaways hit as air ticket prices rise, The National, http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/industry-insights/tourism/cost-of-summer-getaways-hit-as-air-ticket-prices-rise The cost of an airline ticket can fluctuate tremendously based on a number of factors. The goal of airlines is to maximize their capacity by having the greatest number of passengers on all trips. This may however be difficult, as airlines pricing is not only dictated by their own operating costs and profit margins required but they have to consider complementary items that could have an effect on supply and demand for their product. By definition, demand theory explains the inverse relationship between quantity and price. This law explains that if the quantity available of a product or service wanted by the public is low, the price for that product or service will be high. As demand for a product or service increases, the price will increase. This law is critical as we are able to predict prices based on the demand of a product. In the case of airlines, they are able to predict that prices for their services will go up during the high travel months. People are willing to pay more for travel during the summer months, as they know that supply is limited and their available time is defined by their vacation schedules. If we were to graph this scenario, we would find that price and quantity relationship creates a maximum efficiency point called equilibrium point. The equilibrium point tells us the best combination of price and quantity. With the graph below, we can illustrate that some travelers will be forced to cancel their travel plans due to high ticket costs, just as we can identify travelers that will have to fly no matter what the cost of the fare is. However what economists tend to focus on is trying to find an equilibrium point between price and quantity. As we know, airlines provide a service to clients by connecting passengers to desired destinations worldwide. Although prices tend to be set by supply and demand, they are also exposed to externalities. An externality occurs when the actions of consumers or producers give rise to positive or negative side effects on other people, who are not part of these actions and whose interests are not taken into consideration. A perfect example of a negative externality is the rise of jet fuel. As a barrel of oil rises, the price of jet fuel also rises and consequently the price of an airline ticket also rises. Externalities can create a positive or negative demand or effect on a product or service. Price elasticity of demand is a term that helps us understand the measure of the responsiveness of the quantity demanded to changes in price. In general, if there is a large responsiveness of the quantity demanded, the demand is referred to as being elastic, if there is a small responsiveness, demand is inelastic. Airlines take advantage of the existence of inelasticity. Mr. D’Souza states in the article, â€Å"People are still flying. People traditionally plan these breaks, and regardless of the price, they fly. The demand is very, very high.† On the contrary, airlines understand price elasticity and use this well. They know that fare prices can be considered both elastic and inelastic based on the circumstance the traveler finds themselves in. Airlines study their client base, their competitors, and use patterns to predict the behavior of clients based on the condition. They know the probabilities of travelers changing to an alternative airline if their price rises, if they modify their routes, but most of all, they use price elasticity to predict the success of promotions offered by themselves or any other competitor. Airlines want to lure business by creating special values and convince unplanned tourists to take the trip. Say an average ticket price from Dallas to Las Vegas is $550.00; airlines will create a promotional price and may offer the same route for $199.00. Since the price is so low, people will often forget that they are taking an unplanned trip and will justify the trip by thinking about the cost savings realized and not of the unplanned expense. The demand curve below shows how changes in price lead to changes in the quantity demanded. Although airline tickets are considered elastic and inelastic, most economists consider it elastic unless travel is done for business use. Domestic airline travel can be substituted by bus transportation, automobile, train etc. Airline travel is elastic especially as the person’s income increases so their opportunity for travel increases and they will be more likely to afford the variation in cost.

Effect of Standard Costing Changes on Firm Operations

Effect of Standard Costing Changes on Firm Operations The Rise and Fall of Standard Costing and Its Effect on Everyday Operations For European and American Firms Contents (Jump to) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY GENERAL OVERVIEW ACCOUNTING OVERVIEW LITERATURE REVIEW EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The overall purpose of this paper and study is to investigate cost or lean accounting within the operations management realm and how its unpredictable rise and fall allow organisations to continuously learn and utilize knowledge management as a core value. It was also important to use a larger organisation that has history of outstanding operations and customer centered focus upon services. This investigation will require an in-depth study of work processes, communication and leadership with regard to knowledge management as a value within the team construct while looking at how this reflects leaning accounting principles. What tools are available and what kind of evolution is Nestle undergoing in order to remain competitive in a changing economy? How does this change knowledge management and communication company wide? What this study argues is that accounting practices are changing due to the evolving business plan. This is a movement toward modern accounting and it is important to see the relationships between costing accounting, its fluctuations and how they impact the health of the organisation as a whole with regard to productivity and job satisfaction. How an organisation applies methods of costing into its framework for accounting of expenses and its direct rise and fall over the time period of the product life cycle, directly influences the production, operation, distribution and employee retention of the global company. In fact changes in accounting practices have led to many tried and true business models to no longer exist. Costing and its rise and fall can have a direct relationship with success and competitive advantage in the market place. However the purpose of this study is to explore and reflect upon how accounting practices change operations management and the supply chain management model as a tool of managers and team members alike. Really it is how accounting practices have changed business practices because of new legislation focusing on global companies in Europe and the United States. Accounting costs, expenses and losses reflects the health of the organisation and with change comes confusion. This study argues th at with such changes comes a lack of defining the company’s value within the market but also the value it has for its employees, as they become active participants and investors. GENERAL OVERVIEW How corporate accounting is handled is changing worldwide. How each expense is accounted for within an organisation’s financial sheets has been evolving. Such a proposal for change has received much commentary from not only the financial community and corporate America but also key members of Congress, European union leaders and the public. Such a response results from the uncertainty that such change will benefit businesses and economic growth. It is feared that such change will have the opposite effect and cause world leaders to lose its competitive edge in the global market. The urgency for a solution has only been stressed recently in light of such debacles like Enron and Tyco. It is believed that companies do need to account honestly for expenses but at what price to its employees, the public and the economy? Part of the issue with current legislation to change the practice of accounting for employee stock options is that there is no real way to value their worth. This cr eates an unsettling feeling among investors and employees struggling to understand this benefit. ACCOUNTING OVERVIEW What this truly means for any corporation functioning globally or even locally this that effective cost accounting because a volatile issue for management to consider. One could argue that such rise and fall of how costing pays a part in the entire operation has a negative effect upon how the company’s valuation is seen on the open market if done incorrectly. Costing at every step of the product life cycle plays a huge part in how this valuation is decided from inventory at the shop floor level, to everyday operations management, to an employee’s value with the company and their net worth personally. Changes within the global economy in the recent years the disappearance of tried and true business models leaves many with a poor taste in their mouths because one must understand how efficiency, affordability and effective leadership come into play. Effective costing of routine operations and corporate behaviours must be tracked and studied in order to carve the fat. This study aims to look at exactly what the rise and fall of costing means to a global organisation conducting business on many levels. For the purpose of proving the argument that such an evolution of accounting practices has a powerful influence on the organisation, one will look at examples from the shop floor to the continuous management of knowledge and communication. Accounting for such expensing and pricing correctly is what makes the organisation strong but also its people. The benefits of standard costing gives rise to more modern accounting practices today, which then lead to leaner functionality throughout the organisation. It can be argued that by putting a framework of standard costing as accounting practice also leads to a better defined operations team but also leads to a lean supply chain as further innovation is introduced into the organisation. With this in mind, evolved traditional business models like Wal-Mart and Nestle are discussed because these are globally operat ing corporations with high success rates. LITERATURE REVIEW PRICING STRATEGIES It can be difficult to assess why a product has a certain cost or price to the consumer. How is it that companies arrive at certain amount for a product or service? What are the factors that play into this amount and do they change over time while in the market? Mish defines clearly, price as being â€Å"the value or worth; the quality of one thing that is exchanged or demanded in barter or sale for another† (2004, p. 985). A mistake that happens to many companies is they allow the market to manage the price of the product and avoid strategic management of pricing in general. What is usually done according to Nagle is â€Å"they list the prices based on their own needs and then adjust transaction prices to based on what customers say they are willing to pay. Only a few companies question why someone is willing to pay no more that a particular amount or how that willingness could be changed† (2002, p. 1). In order to be strategic in pricing, a company must confident and understand that â€Å"pricing involves managing customers’ expectations to induce them to pay for the value they receive† (Nagle 2002, p.1). Fortunately, when it comes to financial products, many customers remain in the dark about product and services. Sometimes a service oriented company such as the Bank of England can take advantage of such undulation but as more information becomes available due to the Internet, it is becoming increasingly more difficult for a company to set the pace this way. More than not, more companies especially financial ones that rely on customer relationships, allow for a value-based price structure that is contingent on the customer paying when value is delivered. This type of pricing system relies heavily on segmentation of the demographic when it comes to offering promotions and incentives to buster customer loyalty. Much of this applies to financial type products that are well defined for the consumer either through education or these pr oducts are a must in life like the credit or loan product. Keeping this in mind, many financial products consist of high quality products and add-ons that when offered by one company allows that company to diversify and establish the price. The table here below aids in illustrating this point. Table 1: Pricing Strategies (Anderson Bailey 1998, p. 2) It is also important for a company to keep in mind demand for the product or service. This is why diversification and globalization are quickly becoming elements of strategy as companies look for new ways to target consumers and enter new areas where their original product has a new life cycle. This is a matter of economics but important for understanding marketing strategy with regards to cost switching or price switching. â€Å"The greater the price elasticity, the closer the company can price products to similar competitive products and vice versa† (Allen 2002). In an industry like the mortgage industry where homeownership is more prevalent in Western nations, elasticity is high and therefore, it is fair to remain competitive with other companies. Also a company like Nestle can bet that charging less may lead to more food products created as customers find they get more service for less money. In this respect elasticity can work either way. It really depends on degree of ri sk one company is willing to take. Still it remains to be found if such a tactic even works when it comes to customer loyalty, as this will be explored in greater detail later. However, it remains to be seen if price loyalty does exist. It seems â€Å"the key to effectively competing for loyalty is ensuring the quality of the customer experience, not the quantity of customer rewards or discount prices† (Compton 2005, p.1). However, the price needs to be adjusted for what the customer expects. It can be a cycle that changing continuously depending on the product or service. STANDARD COSTING AS ACCOUNTING PRACTICE There is concern with standard costing accounting methods and when the practice is an effective method, what advantages and or disadvantages there are to the practice’s use over time within the operations realm and production of a product. What is the history of standard costing, how it came into practice and popularity with managerial accountants? Are there situations where other methods are more beneficial? This plays into mainly focus upon direct material costs and not necessarily labour because of the set hourly wage. Was this the reason for adopting leaner accounting methods with the advent of more expensive operating costs? The fall of standard costing accounting systems may be due to a need for an integrated chain of activities across multiple product life cycles especially when a company diversifies at a global level. It should be notes here that standard costing is a only one method but can be used by management to estimate manufacturing costs of direct materials, direct labour and manufacturing overhead both fixed and variable across the chain of production. The fall of standard costing probably has taken place due to a need for a multifaceted supply chain or layered supply chain. Generally speaking there will be overlapping in the supply chains of a global company and therefore a system to meet this need. This system will appear seamless but also where everything is integrated and communication is at the speed of light and technology is a mandatory tool so that the organisation may remain at a competitive advantage. So how does standard costing accounting practice exactly differ from the other methods available? Obviously accounting practices have evolved to become leaner and applicable to a range of various business practices for a global company like Nestle. So how is standard costing still evident since it is no longer the popular choice? HISTORY Historically speaking the advent specifically for standard cost accounting systems began in the early 19th century United States with the management of the railroads (Hoskin Macve 2000, p. 18). Hoskin and Macve (2000) comment on standard costing always being a feature of the accounting practice from the beginning of business records. However, standard costing did not take an active role until modern business with this quote: Accounting has always embraced cost and management accounting in the sense of analysis of activity and the use of accounting information for choosing, planning and controlling activity. These purposes remained embryonic until choice between significant economic alternatives became available. (p. 19). Companies in the United Kingdom remained family based and therefore lacking formal, concrete accounting methods when compared with businesses found in the United States at the time. Any changes in accounting generally speaking remained with direct relations to changes in the business world. Part of the evolution and the rise of standard costing are directly related to business practices of this time period. There was a need for measurement of productivity in a framework understood by management members. They wanted to calculate human performance on the shop room floor. This sets into place the post-modern ideology for Total Quality Management or TQM, to be discussed later. With these adjustments also came radical changes for an organisational structure, the management’s strategy as this continued across the chain when further technology was introduced as useful tools (Hoskin Macve 2000, p. 21). With adaptations sees as innovative, it was only a matter of time before British companies adopted similar practices toward accounting. This can be evident as the organisation’s market presence gains global relationships and rely upon interaction and exchange of knowledge. At the end of the 19th century United Kingdom companies were learning standard cost accountin g principles and processes as a means of incorporating links into a wider organisational framework. While there was a need for streamlining, there was also a need for flexibility as standard costing started to lose its usefulness. Morelli and Wiberg (2002) concur with other experts that standard costing emerged in the early 1900s. To mirror the Total Quality Management system in place at factories, â€Å"Engineers developed information about standards in order to establish ‘the best way’ to use labour and material resources with manufacturing† (Morelli Wiberg 2002, p. 18). This furthered how processes were put into place to achieve an organisation’s objectives. In order to better understand how history influences practices within the business with regard to product production and the rise and fall of standard costing as an accounting practice, one must first understand different steps with in the standard costing system that defines the practice. All processes or production steps along the supply chain have identifiable, calculable costs as raw materials result in the manufactured marketed product for consumer purchase. Each area of focus to make the product, the costs involved can be absorbed by the final product sale and then profit. This includes materials, labour, outsourcing and fixed or variable burdens. These absorbable costs reflect the true cost of goods as referred to on the general ledger. Variable costs are environmental factors, which fluctuate from day to day. Variables come into play for production measurements as one figures out the true cost of goods when compared with the actual costs incurred for that particular production run. Variable exist when determining quality of materials and labour. However labour becomes a ‘grey’ area of contention when discussing standard costing. Indirect labour encompasses costs work-related but not task related. These become well defined further up the chain of co mmand and less so at the shop floor level. So what exactly is standard costing and why are trends in its use so important to understand? While much of standard costing explains business evolution, organisational practices and diffusion of technology, making labour much different than the post-modernist view; standard costing still applies to business today as many eliminate fat from operations and look into clear streamlines for production purposes. This is mainly due to expenses being on the rise but also a need for reinvestment back into the company for technology needs when at a global level. In many ways, modern lean accounting allows for standard costing to be a framework from which other accounting practices emerge. Standard costing systems are good for production of items in volume but with very little diversification and stable costs. The benefit of this method is that organisations can trace specific cost flows from purchasing to inventory. What distinguishes standard costing as an accounting practice but mostly a framework used today in business, what allows the method to remain a turning point in evolution to other methods like Activity Based Cost or ABC accounting and lean accounting, is by definition in its name. There is the standard by which the accounting practice is defined. By allocating a standard, the organisation already has a set of expectations and even core values of what the costs for production will be. Standards set the pace and atmosphere of production. They remain elemental to preconceived notions of the quantity and cost of inputs needed for production of one simple unit of output. With this backbone, one can develop a proper cost-volume-profit analysis. Still in order for a standard to work effectively it must be well defined and accepted by the organisation. This is where continuous improvement, communication and values for Knowledge Management or KM become important tools for managers. The accoun tant in charge of setting standards must have a comprehension of the full organisational picture and its health. Along the line of command for accounting, standards become commonplace and procedures; or a methodical means of carrying out tasks. For instance, every accountant actively monitors the standards by which the standards apply to him or her. There is only a small window of time for payroll for a week. Without these standards in place, tasks become less defined and unachievable. In this respect and according to M. L. Houlton (1979): â€Å"There are basically two types of standard: (a) Ideal Standards which assume not wastage or inefficiency and (b) Expected Standards which allow for normal and expected losses† (p. 2). By creating such a system leads organisations to ways of measuring performance and other difficult erroneous concepts in need of a qualifier. Still a manager must also understand how standards create a regimented place to work, which may not work for ever y employee on the team. Organisations like Nestle and Wal-Mart may see the advantage of utilizing a standard costing system because â€Å"actual costing has the ability to revalue inventory based on actual costs, which are most accurate† (Peoplesoft 2000, p. 12). Any changes are reflective immediately but also this leads to an organisation the chance to use other accounting methods as well like ABC. This could be especially important to inventory management. Remaining within the standard costing scheme affords the organisation a specialised function with respect to the types of activities. As activities become more detailed so does the accounting. For instance: Technology or electronics industries benefit most from this type of costing because component variations affect total actual costs. Industries that deal with commodities, for example, dairy products or precious metals, and are characterised by widely fluctuating costs, might use an actual costing system to provide the most current values. (Peoplesoft 2000, p. 12). As organisations have grown into multiple national corporations or MNCs with multiple activities on different supply chains, maybe this is why standard costing has become less important to accountants because it called for too much detail where they too must remain efficient to keep their positions. A new leaner way needed to match the business practices because as much as standard costing applies to every product or service on the chain it also allots for more manpower and time. There had to be a way to allow for multiple operations and one accounting system that could branch off to meet multiple activities. OTHER ACCOUNTING METHODS Carmona, and et al (2004), writes of the origin of activity based costing method of accounting or ABC that came into vogue in Europe during the 1920s. What ABC does specifically as Carmona, and et al (2004) speak of Vollmers’s work as: Deployed significant efforts to account for distribution and marketing costs, which ‘tend to be ignored today.’ This first event is then taken as record of the origin (both in terms of time and space), from which the new practice mainly spread both temporally and spatially. (p. 36) This is the start of a movement toward the double entry system and this saw delay and many weaknesses because it did not present a clear, complete picture of accounting. Its weaknesses were found in inefficiencies with charges and discharges. As a result, early double-entry systems were seen as unreliable and not useful to big business. It would not be until later that advanced book keeping procedures would take into account advanced operating processes in production. Carmona, and et al (2004) found these systems although not perfected were used in England and the Colonies as early as 1760 (p. 37). It seems this was the trend as no real streamlined, conforming system would be adopted until modern business practices came into place in the United States. Move to a global arena and model of production purposes and a more refined system is needed because a lot more is at stake. Global business is all about the details. It became common practice more investment applied, the more generally accepted accounting practices became as a diffusion of new technology. Accounting practices became more generally accepted behaviours as businesses became bigger and more prominent in communities across the world. Practices are implemented as Abu-Raddaha, and et al (2000) surmises the following: The information provided by accounting should facilitate international trade and capital flows, not hamper them. It should inform, not just report. More importantly the information demands of both domestic and international financing and other commercial relationships, have to be satisfied. (p. 19). Everything must remain in balance or presented as a well-oiled machine. How does an organisation get to this point of transformation with its accounting practices? Modern accounting asks for more participation and optimisation from the start to finish by the corporate accountant. The actions of the corporate accountants must change as the movement toward lean functioning continues to take place. It should not be a painful process but one of creativity, flexibility and growth. There is a concern that lean accounting requires one to turn off creativity and be boxed into one function or thought process. This will be explored late as a post-modern viewpoint of business where each person has a function within the total quality management or TQM perspective. Modern business may use this as a framework but the modern business model has evolved beyond this fixed view. The truth of the matter is that modern accounting practices could not be further from this view of being boxed in but rather goes beyond breaking the box and creating a different mindset where thin king is seen differently than before. Accounting is seen differently as not having finite possibilities but infinite reasoning. Traditional methods are flawed as proposed by Van Der Merwe and Thomson (2007), â€Å"the direct costing approach doesn’t absorb any overhead or even fixed costs†¦resource consumption accounting or RCA makes no arbitrary assignments at all† (p. 29). A lean, effective method allows for a more detailed account of capacity costs and a basic approach to data collection. Modern times call modern values and thought processes with regard to business seamless behaviour across the production floor. The lean method maintains a â€Å"one-touch flow system† (Van Der Merwe Thomson 2007, p. 29) for information diffusion across the life cycle. This one-touch flow system can be integrated with a supply chain easily and reflects this value added element as a method for better, honest accounting. OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT A most important factor for facilities management to recognize is the use of Total Quality Management (TQM) or a variation of TQM. TQM according to David Steingard is â€Å"a set of techniques and procedures used to reduce or eliminate variation from the production process or service delivery system in order to improve efficiency† (Steingard 2002, p. 2). TQM fits with the facilities management way of doing things as many of their functions require repetition or constant monitoring of daily, weekly and monthly items. Because this is a modernist concept and the modernist movement believed in certainty and static methods of looking at the world, there is not much room for the uncertainty that change creates in today’s workplace using strictly TQM. Therefore either change in this environment must be controlled change or a variation of TQM must be used for the process to work and involve new technologies. Otherwise, TQM alone invents a work environment reminiscent of Franz L ang’s Metropolis and dehumanizes the employee. A variation TQM can be used in facilities management to aid defining team member responsibilities as it sees the whole team as a â€Å"machine creates a system of interlocking parts each with clearly defined use, centralized authority and high degrees of worker discipline culminating with the goal of routinised, efficient and predictable system performance† (Steingard 2002, p. 2). Each team member plays a role in the functioning of the machine. Still much like today’s business environment where change is constant, this system requires continued adjustment, modification improvement of function. TQM as way of defining a work process cannot operate entirely in today’s global market because it succeeds at the expense of innovation and the growth of the employee. It also does not leave room to incorporate change and new ways of improving functions. Still a memory of pure TQM feeds the â€Å"modernist machine of c onsumer capitalism which encourages over-consumption, planned obsolescence, ecological damage and depletion of natural resources† (Steingard 2002, p. 4). This memory has also burdened management as the obsession for perfection, control, consistency, productivity and efficiency increases over time. In today’s facilities team, there must be a healthy medium to not only use past methods for increased productivity and efficiency but also to include modern tools and equipment to make the job easier. In order to remain competitive, technology cannot be ignored, the systems it provides must be implemented in order for logistics to remain seamless and keep up with demand and customer expectation. For instance failure to embrace logistics and technology results in inventory costing a company more money to store than it is worth. McCullogh writes, â€Å"Right now sitting around the globe is a bunch of inventory (worth an estimated) United States $1 trillion—United States $1 trillion of boxes of stuff is just sitting around a warehouse† (‘Warning: Don’t Snub Logistics’, p. 1). This has the potential to represent about 60 percent of the average company’s working capital. This is capital in limbo that is not maximizing its investment potential. A sign of successful shop floor operations is reliance on very little warehousing. In other words, warehousing is measured as the amount of days per month a product sits in the warehouse and if logistics is implemented effectively, this number will decrease and stabilize. The retail average storage of inventory is 26 days of investment not being utilized, profit being lost and daily expenses being incurred in an endless holding pattern. In order to reduce the amount of days inventory sits means companies must create tighter relationships with suppliers via the web or perfect a system of communication between resources to cut out warehousing all together. Instead of inventory remaining stored because of wireless communication and data collection, the product can go straight from the supply source to the retailer’s shelves via a distribution centre that acts much like mail sorting centre. This can work because technology enables a retailer to send data immediately to the supplie r of products that are moving off the shelves with a click of a button. From this electronic message, the supplier knows what the retailer needs, what products are popular, how much and sends then instantly to the retailer’s distribution centre. In organisations the size of Nestle or Wal-Mart, logistics strategy requires much forethought and planning, as there are many branches and divisions that are involved in the process. The idea is to reduce expenses and increase value to the organisation by making the company more productive and efficient. This needs to be done as seamlessly as possible to continue brand loyalty and customer relations while maintaining market share and competitive advantage. In many ways, implementation of this strategy creates a delicate balance. In order to have better Business to Business or B2B relationships, one must understand the connection. Robert Thierauf and Hoctor (2003) explain, â€Å"B2B is about connecting shared businesses and information processes of the extended trading networks, planning, shipping and logistics, inventory management and customer retention to name a few† (Thierauf Hoctor, p. 181). In other words, an optimized planning process can save millions dollars and allow a multination corporation to carry out its objective and gain market share. This means applying advanced technology such as i2 used by Dell Computers and typical ERP vendors. In today’s act of doing business, B2B exchanges are based on supply chain management or SCM technologies (Thierauf Hoctor, 2003, p. 182). This will mean considerable investment in such technology but the benefit of market share will prove it to be a valued investment over the long-run (Burn Hachney 2002; Scerbo 1999). Running these centres effectively certainly poses a challenge of management. Manufacturers must develop new skills and confront channel conflicts with dealers, distributors and independent operators. Leaders in these positions must have an understanding of managing the conflicts in these channels. But well-managed distribution centres would more than justify the risks, as it would save the organisation a significant amount of overhead. With operating expenses as the main cost, it is possible to make the distribution venture essentially self-funding. Facilities can be rented on short-term leases and surrendered if the location isnt successful within a year or two. The cost of goods and labour can be managed as volume grows. Companies should remember that a manufacturers original warranty work usually accounts for about half of the labour expenses and for as much as 20 percent of the total value of services rendered, but these costs are typically charged back to the business unit rather than borne by the company’s distribution. In markets poorly served by local dealers or other distributors, for instance, a centre should gear itself to its company’s end users or consumers b