Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Home solar applications Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Home solar applications - Research Paper Example This could be as simple as ‘upgrading hot-water heating system or as complex as considering the application of green building design principles. Berry (88) reveals that these systems are known to use heat emitted from the sun for a number of household purposes including space, water and pool heating through radiant floors. Successful installation of an efficient solar domestic hot-water system translates to the drastic reduction of water heating, natural gas and electric bills. Tiwari (25) asserts that installation of solar power in homes guarantees financial paybacks in less than eight years. Solar power systems have been accurately designed to be used in almost any location even areas where there is little exposure to direct sunlight (Solar Technologies, 1). ` These systems operate on the principle of utilizing heat and light from the sun without influence mechanical devises. Passive solar systems are built on the principles of maximum energy efficiency. Glazed windows, heat absorbing thermal mass, south-facing windows, and overhangs are examples of passive solar design (Berry, 110). Additionally, these designs are commonly located on floors and walls that are exposed to direct light through southern windows. This solar power system uses light emitted by the sun to successfully excite photo electron in order to generate electricity. Consequently, solar modules are durable and require exceptionally minimal maintenance. This category of solar power systems is sub-divided into grid-tied systems (with or without battery backup) and off-grid systems the following illustration according Oksolar (1) are meant to give a clear impression solar electric. Figure 2 is a clear representation of a grid-tie system with backup power. This is very essential especially in the event of technical hitches that tend to tamper with the normal functioning of the entire system (Rutledge, 1). Figure 1 above is a basic grid-tie

Monday, October 28, 2019

The Second Brandenburg Concerto Essay Example for Free

The Second Brandenburg Concerto Essay Composing for the inauguration of a harpsichord he had acquired in Berlin, Bach prepared the Brandenburg Concertos in 1720. [1] Drawing from a wide range of musical influences and styles, Bach pays tribute to and in many ways surpasses the works of his contemporaries, ultimately and undeniably furthering the concerto form. The concerto is a genre of instrumental works of three movements performed by one or more solo instruments accompanied by an orchestra. In a musical context, the term â€Å"concerto† (from the Latin concertare; â€Å"to contend, to dispute, to debate† and â€Å"to work together†)[2] was initially used inconsistently to refer to a variety of forms and functions, including vocal ensembles, mixed vocal/instrumental groups, and the act of accompanying. As the form developed, the term gained its lasting definition. The instrumental concerto emerged in the late 17th century. In Italy, two distinct styles arose, reflecting different approaches to musical structure and scoring. The Roman concerto featured a small ensemble of instrumentalists (called the concertino) playing in unison, contrapuntally or in alternation, accompanied by the larger concerto grosso or ripieno. Northern Italian concertos were written for much smaller orchestras, with sometimes as little as five instrumental voices, and emphasized the role of a single soloist (usually a violinist) backed by relatively light accompaniment. The genre flourished in the early 18th century with the many innovations of Antonio Vivaldi. His earliest concertos made use of the ritornello form, in which tonalities are established and reestablished throughout a movement by orchestral refrains. The form was the first to regularly present a recurring musical motif in several contrasting tonalities. Vivaldi also incorporated techniques largely unused outside of opera, such as the orchestral unison and onomatopoeic effects. His compositions contain slow, lyrical passages that allow for and encourage improvisation and embellishment. Suited to a variety of settings and functions, from secular to recreational, Vivaldi’s concertos were highly accessible and diverse. 2 Bach was among the many influenced by Vivaldi’s style. An unofficial student of the Italian composer, Bach devotedly transcribed Vivaldi’s concertos by hand, often rescoring them. [3] Bach’s attention to detail and expertise in musical structure gave his own works a refreshing individuality. His compositions included new, virtuosic instrumental techniques and applications, particularly for the harpsichord. Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos brim with dense compositional textures, complex instrumentations (combining strings, brass, woodwind and keyboard instruments) and unusual mixtures of conventions usually exclusive to their own specific form of concerto. Featuring an astonishing amount of instruments, the Brandenburg Concertos make for a tonally diverse listening experience. Taking every sound in his palette into consideration, Bach orchestrates passages both instrumentally homogenous (specifically, string ensemble) and unusually varied (combining recorder and trumpet). The instrumental parts are as unique and unusual as they are difficult: violas da gamba back atypically soloing violas, a recorder fights to sing above a trumpet, and a violin piccolo plays a fast melody customarily reserved for other members of its instrumental family. [4] Following the conventions of the concerto grosso form, the second Brandenburg concerto features two ensembles: the concertino, a small group of soloists, and the ripieno, the larger orchestra accompanying them. The concerto is scored for the violin, viola, flute, trumpet, oboe and continuo. The elaborate interplay between the soloists and the ripieno is most apparent in the manipulation of recurring musical themes. [pic] mm. 1-7 The first measures establish the ritornello, played in unison by both the soloist and larger orchestra, with contrapuntal voices in the accompaniment. The theme is grandiose; the repeating 16th-16th-8th note motif excitedly calls for the listener’s immediate attention, heralding a rising and falling stream of 16th notes that seems to relay some thrilling news. [pic] mm. 8-9, violin A second theme, a brief solo, follows the ritornello, marking the entrance of a solo instrument in its every occurrence. The solo instrument is supported only by the continuo and at most one other instrument in the concertino; the orchestra is at rest. The melody floats sweetly, lingering on a trill as a temporary reprieve from the uproar of the orchestra. The second theme is played by the violin in its first instance and in subsequent occurrences by the oboe, flute and trumpet, respectively. The two themes (the first truncated) alternate in rapid two-measure exchanges. Changes in pitch and direction in the solo passages bring about modulation in the restated ritornellos that follow, shifting the mood of the piece and establishing the soloists and the driving force behind its movement. As the solo guides, the opening of each ritornello serves as a point of arrival. [5] This pattern is characteristic of Vivaldi’s style: his concertos typically began with a full statement of the orchestral ritornello, which would re-emerge between alternating solo passages in a notably altered form. 3 [pic] mm. 9-11 (top), 13-15 (bottom) The first example of this occurs in the transition from the solo passage to the restatement of the ritornello in measures 14 to 15. Reflecting a single change in the solo (a high C replaces the F in the last note), the transposed ritornello moves the piece into the key of C, the dominant to the tonic key of F. To the listener, the key change instills a sense of triumphant accumulation and a desire for eventual resolution. [pic] mm. 31-37, trumpet (top) and oboe (bottom) The next modulation takes the piece to the key of D minor, the relative minor to the tonic key. Against a suddenly (and unexpectedly) downcast orchestra, the high-pitched trumpet introduces a new theme: a simple, prolonged four note sequence that contrasts with the complex and rapid movement of the accompaniment. The oboe answers this sequence between the trumpet’s restatements, gradually guiding it to a lower pitch range. As the trumpet’s sequence tapers off, the full orchestra returns to another restatement of the ritornello.

Friday, October 25, 2019

marketing segmentation :: essays research papers

The Greatest Marketing Secret of All If there is something about which I am pretty adamant, it's the concept of attracting clients that are pre-qualified and willing to do business. And this involves many different things. In fact, most of it comes down to three core practices: 1) Focus, 2) targeting, and 3) multiplication (such as focusing on a niche, market targeting, and multiplying one's marketing efforts). However, this fundamental magnetism is not only based on pure marketing practices or strategies. It also involves something at a much deeper level that is far more effective than any other marketing tool or process. This "thing" to which I am referring is, I believe, the most important marketing secret that I can ever teach you -- and it's far from being a secret at all. But it is considered as one to a certain degree simply because this "secret" is often neglected or ignored by many business people. What is this elusive secret? Before I divulge it to you, let me give you a little preamble. First, I must admit that it upsets me terribly to see when people tend to scoff their most valuable marketing assets. No, I'm not referring to salespeople or promotional activities. I'm not referring to prospects or clients either. I'm referring to talents, dreams, and passions. "Marketing is not a battle of products, but of perceptions," marketing expert Jack Trout once wrote. If people perceive that doing business with you has an implicit added value, especially when compared to your competitors that are fiercely fighting for your market's attention, you will often end up with their confidence (and their repeat and referral business) as a result. Of course, there are numerous ways that value can be added to your business -- e.g. by specializing, by packaging (naming) your products and services, by presenting benefits rather than features, by delivering personalized services, by presenting a professional image, by offering something for free, and so on. But the most effective way to communicate this added value is through the genuine, sincere, and passionate zest you have for what you do. People have a tendency to gravitate toward other people who love what they do -- their enthusiasm, charisma, and authentic desire to serve others are instantly communicated through their actions and particularly their marketing efforts. Sadly, however, the marketplace is filled with so many people who jump into business for one sole purpose: Money.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

GEZ Petrol Station Essay

GEZ Bhd is the major oil company in Malaysia has conducted two main businesses, which is the fuel business and the convenience store business. Under the fuel business, the petrol stations sold Petrol Ron 95 (R95), Petrol Ron 97 (R97), and Diesel. Mr Aiman was as an Area Manager is responsible for directing the sales activities of more than twenty petrol stations in the northern region of Malaysia. They are having a difficulty to sustain in the business even though they are in the stable business segment and consistent in the long run. This is due to the lack of knowledge in finance and costing which is it contributed to the business failure. There were disadvantages associated with a petrol station that is the fuel business had a very low profit margin. It was important that operators manage their cash collection very well. Realising the importance of management accounting concepts, Mr Aiman believed that the dealers and their relevant staff should have the knowledge in cost accounti ng. In order to collect data and build financial model, Mr Aiman has sought the advice from Rizal, a trained management accountant. To begin developing a CVP model, Rizal has gathered the necessary data from Baron Service Station (BSS) which is the busiest petrol station in the city. The petrol station had four pumps for petrol and one for diesel and the total number of nozzle was 20. The model that he would develop could be applied by petrol station operators of the same category. Regarding this case, from the cost-volume-profit analysis, Rizal can find that the breakeven point which is how much sales the petrol station of this type should generate from each of the fuel products and the Selesamart. Mr. Aiman also can learn that the importance of differentiate between fixed cost and variable cost so that the petrol stations can sustain their profitable business and growth. DATA ANALYSIS 1. How lucrative is the petrol station business? To determine how lucrative is this business, we need to identified each component with detailed calculation of the income statement which is does include all the revenue acquired, fixed cost and variable cost that related to the both type of the business. Firstly, we required to understand the definition of each component. Fixed costs are defined as expenses that remain more or less unchanged irrespective of the output level or sales revenue, within the relevant period. By definition, there are no fixed costs in the long run, because the long run is a sufficient period of time for all short-run fixed inputs to become variable. Variable costs are defined as expenses that vary depending on the output level or sales revenue of a company within the relevant period. Generally, as a business’s output increases, variable costs also increase. The more products a business sells, the more money it spends on materials and manpower to produce those products. We categorized all the expenses into fixed and variable costs and calculate the net profits of Baron S ervice Station for year 2009. REVENUE VARIABLE COSTS FIXED COSTS INCOME STATEMENTS (Partial) As describe in the Calculation stated above, the total contribution margin of Baron Service Station consists of two parts, which are fuel business and SelesaMart business. Total contribution margin is RM1,166,341.94. Contribution margin of SelesaMart business is about more and less 20% of the total contribution margin, which means that SelesaMart business is doing well, in addition, profit of SelesaMart will be higher if it doesn’t need to pay a 5% royalty to GEZ. From the income statement we can interpreted that this business in lucrative enough with a good control of expenses and Cost related to the operation, where BSS could generate Nett Profit of RM 772,825.94 (Calculation as per as Attachment 1) 2. Since the margin on fuel business is very low (6%) compared to convenience store (20%), do you agree that the convenience store is subsidizing the fuel business? Firstly, the profit margin for fuel business is very low if compared to convenience store. The fuel business only gets about 6% of profit margin for year 2010. Profit = Sales – cost = 100% – 94% = 6% This is because GEZ Petrol only gain a few portion of profit from the sales of each litre of Ron 95, Ron 97 and Diesel. Below is the profit for each litre of fuel sold by GEZ Petrol Station and the profit margin for each type of fuel. Products Price per litre Cost per litre Profit per litre Profit margin (%) Ron 95 RM1.80 RM1.6856 RM0.1144 6.36 Ron 97 RM2.05 RM1.9356 RM0.1144 5.58 Diesel RM1.80 RM1.7388 RM0.0612 3.40 Besides that, the petrol station also cannot increase the price even though the government increase the price of fuel. In the short run, the margin per litre would remain the same. For example, if the government announced there would be a 40 cents increase in the price per litre, then, operators also have to pay 40 cents higher. So, the profit margin will not increase. Products Price per litre Cost per litre Profit per litre Profit margin (%) Ron 95 RM2.20 RM2.0856 RM0.1144 5.20 Ron 97 RM2.45 RM2.3356 RM0.1144 4.67 Diesel RM2.20 RM2.1388 RM0.0612 2.78 From the above calculation, it shows that the profit margin will not increase due to increase in price.   Although the profit margin for fuel business is lower than profit margin for convenience store, but the revenue gain from fuel business is far better than convenience store. For example, from the monthly average sales of RM 1.7 million; where the large portion of this amount is come from fuel business (RM 1.6 million from the revenue), while only RM 0.1 million comes from convenience store. In addition, in year 2009, the sales revenue of the petrol station is RM 20,682,189.60 and about RM 19,251,897,60 of the amount comes from fuel business; which is approximately 93.08% (RM 19,251,897,60/ RM 20,682,189.60) of the revenue. While, only 6.92% (RM 1,430,292/ RM  20,682,189.60) comes from convenience stores. So, in this situation, it show that the fuel business itself are able to sustain the business of petrol station even without convenience store because the convenience store o nly contributed a little portion of their income. Other than that, most of the customers who come to petrol station are to refuel rather than shop at the convenience store. Only a few customers will buy at their convenience store because if someone wants to buy foods or other daily needs, they will prefer supermarket as they have more choices compare to convenience store. So, large portion of revenues or income that flow into the company is from the sales of Ron 95, Ron 97 and Diesel. Even though the profit margin for fuel business is small but the revenue is far better compared to convenience stores. Therefore, the convenience store is not subsidising the fuel business instead both fuel business and convenience store had contributed to sustainability of GEZ Petrol Station. 3. If the government raised the RON95 price to RM2.10, do you anticipate the profitability of the business will be eroded? If the government raised the Ron 95 price to RM 2.1 per litre, the profitability of business will be affected significantly. The changes of RON95 price from RM1.80 to RM2.10 per litre has incremental price of RM 0.3 per litre. In parallel, cost per litre of Ron 95 also will increase RM 0.2788 from RM 1.6856 to RM 1.9644 per litre due to estimation of cost on price proportion of 93.64%. Total Net profit for RM 1.8 (Ron 95) is RM 766,706.02 and had increase to RM 924,046.16 when Ron 95 price increased to RM 2.1. Net profit margin had increase from 3.71% to 3.98%. For Break- even Analysis, the increase of Ron95 price has indicate a better result which only required 3187559.208 litres/ RM 6,936,231.66 compared to 3618188.562 litres/ RM 7,015,784.34 to achieve zero profit. In overall, rise of Ron95 price by government will benefit GEZ petro station’s financial performance. It has higher profitability and capable to achieve Break Even Point with a lower output level compared to prev ious price which RM 1.8 per litre for Ron 95. Below are the changes of GEZ financial performance if Ron95 price changed. RON95 (79%) **Assuming the portion of fixed cost between Fuel business and Selesa Mart is based on the average sales of 2009 Price per litre RM1.80 Total Fixed Cost (RON95) Portion between fuel business and Selesa Salaries RM195,720.02 = 1.6/1.7 =94.12% Utility Cost RM35,550.00 94.12% of amount in fixed cost for fuel business Rental RM5,487.38 5.88% of amount in fixed cost for Selesa Mart Insurance Premium RM1,427.61 Stationeries RM1,784.52 Total Fixed Cost RM239,969.53 RON 95 Fixed Cost -Salaries Amount Salary(RM) Total per year Portion Fixed cost- Salaries Station Manager 1 3206 38472 0.9412*0.79 28605.78 Supervisor 1 1674 20088 0.79 15869.52 Cashier 3 950 34200 0.79 27018 Crew 12 812 116928 0.79 92373.12 Clerk 1 960 11520 0.9412*0.79 8565.67 General Worker 2 805 19320 0.9412*0.79 14365.35 Security Guard 1 1000 12000 0.9412*0.79 8922.58 Total 195720.02 Input changed: (Exhibit 3) Original Price New Price 4. If a credit card sale is reduced from 40% to 20%, what is the effect on overall profitability? Nowadays more and more people are using credit card in their daily life. People prefer credit cards because they are convenient to use and it is easier to take them instead of carrying a lot of cash. And if wallet or purse is stolen, we can simply call the creditor and close the credit card  account before anyone uses the card. In GEZ petrol station, petrol operators had to face was the increasing cost of credit card fees paid to bank as more and more of their customers were starting using credits cards. When a driver pays for gas with a credit card, GEZ petrol station must pay an average 1% of the sales price to the bank to process the payments. GEZ petrol station have accounted that the credit card sales are almost 40% of their total sales. Research are made to the Baron Service Stations ( BSS) , a petrol station that was located in a city, in the northern region of Malaysia. It was one of the busiest petrol stations in the city. In year 2009, BSS generated sales revenue of RM 19,251,897.60, 40% of the revenue RM 7,700,759.04 was come from credit card sales and the bank will charge RM 77007.59 from the credit card sales. Those fees are so high, it already slim profit margins and made it hard for stations to make money on gas sales. Otherwise when the credit card sales is reduce to 20% of the revenue RM 3,850,379.52 was come from credit card sales and the bank will charge RM 3,850,3.80 from the credit card sales. For details as below: Credit Card Fees (40%) Product Sales (Litres) Price/Litres Total Revenues Ron 95 8,459,604.00 1.80 15,227,287.20 Ron 97 174,576.00 2.05 357,880.80 Diesel 2,037,072.00 1.80 3,666,729.60 19,251,897.60 Usage of Credit Card 40% 7,700,759.04 Credit Card Fees Charges 1% Credit Card Fees 77,007.59 Credit Card Fees (20%) Product Sales (Litres) Price/Litres Total Revenues Ron 95 8,459,604.00 1.80 15,227,287.20 Ron 97 174,576.00 2.05 357,880.80 Diesel 2,037,072.00 1.80 3,666,729.60 19,251,897.60 Usage of Credit Card 20% 3,850,379.52 Credit Card Fees Charges 1% Credit Card Fees 38,503.80 Baron Service Station Partial of Income Statement for Year Ended 2009 (20%) Fuel Business Selesa Mart Revenue 19,251,897.60 Revenue 1,430,292.00 (-) Variable Cost Raw Material Cost 18,139,478.60 Evaporation Losses 83,613.27 COGS 1,144,233.60 Credit Card Fees 38,503.80 Royalty 71,514.60 Contribution Margin 990,301.93 Contribution Margin 214,543.80 Total Contribution Margin 1,204,845.73 (-) Fixed Cost 393,516.00 Nett Profit 811,329.73 Based on the calculation above, when the credit card sales been adjusted from 40% to 20% it will affect the overall profitability of the company. The income statement showed the increase of net profit from RM 772,825.94 to RM 811,329.73 of RM 38,503.79.When the credit card sales decrease, a 1% fees was charged by the banks also will reduce and this effect the variable cost for the company from before change cost is RM 18,300,099.46 to after change cost of RM 18,261,595.67. The difference between both of the cost and company managed to save is RM 38,503.79. The increasing of the amount in using credit card to make payment in the  petrol station will also increase the cost of credit card fees that need to pay to banks, indirectly it will give effect to the profitability of the station. The profit of the station will decrease due to the increasing of cost. If increasing of customers chooses to make payment by cash instead of credit card, then the profitability of the petrol station will increases, because the extra cost on the credit card sales that they bear will be reduce. To cover the problem, petrol stations can shift the cost of credit card charge by charges back the customer when they use cards. However petrol stations need to take risk that they maybe will losing customer. Customer maybe will decide to change to other petrol stations that do not have any charge when they use credit card to make payment. Petrol station also can offer a cash-only discount. This may attract more customer make payment by using cash. 5. What is the appropriate basis to allocate the cashier cost between four products Ron 95, Ron 97, diesel and SelesaMart? To assign the costs of products, we use cost allocation as it is a tool that can helps manager to track the cost that associated more efficient. Costs are allocated to obtain desired motivation because it sometimes made to influence management behaviour and thus promote goal congruence and managerial effort. Instead, it is used to compute income and asset valuations and to justify costs or obtain reimbursement because sometimes prices are based directly on costs, or it may be necessary to justify an accepted bid. From the information given in the case, GEZ petrol station conducted two main business which is the fuel business and the convenience store business, known as SelesaMart. Since GEZ provide joint provide, thus the appropriate basis is sales value at split-off point. The table shown below is the summary of monthly average sales. PRODUCTS SALES PROPORTION AMOUNT Fuel Business 94.12% RM 1,600,000 Petrol Ron 95 79% RM 1,264,000 Petrol Ron 97 2% RM 32,000 Diesel 19% RM 304,000 SelesaMart 5.88% RM 100,000 AVERAGE SALES (monthly) 100% RM 1, 700,000 Table 5.1 Monthly average sales in 2009 The total monthly average sales given is RM 1,700,000 with RM 1,600,000 was generated from the fuel business and the remaining from SelesaMart which in RM100,000. The highest contribution in fuel business in Petrol Ron 95 with RM 1,264,000 and follow with Diesel which is RM 304,000 then Petrol Ron 97 with RM 32,000. Then, we need to calculate total revenue for R95, R97, Diesel and Selesamart. Thus we multiply sales per litre with price per litre to get the amount of revenue. As stated in the case the sales revenue that BSS generated is RM20,682,189.60 that are comprise RM19,251,897.60 of fuel sales and RM1,430,292 of SelesaMart sales. The calculation can be summarizes as the table shown below : R95 R97 Diesel SelesaMart Sales (Litres) 8,459,604 174,576 2,037,072 – Price per litre (RM) 1.80 2.05 1.80 – Revenue RM15,227,287.20 RM357,880.80 RM3,666,729.60 RM1,430,292.00 Percentage (%) 73.63% 1.73% 17.73% 6.92% Table 5.2 Total revenue and percentage For BSS, they can allocate more cost to Petrol Ron 95 since it contribute the highest revenue which is RM 15,277,287.20 continue with Diesel with RM 3,666,729.60. For Petrol Ron 97 and SalesaMart, BSS can allocate less cost since it contributed only RM357,880.80 and RM1,430,292. In BSS there were two cashiers working at the sales counter. One will concentrate on the fuel transactions, and one for the shop, even though they handle both transactions at times and overall there were 6 cashiers working for BSS. Monthly salary per person for the cashier is RM950. So BSS shall pay RM5,700 to their 6 cashiers and RM68, 400 in annually. The appropriate basis to allocate the cashier cost between the four products RON95, RON97, diesel and SelesaMart is we calculated the revenue for the four products and we divided with the total sales to find the percentage for each products. So the percentage for product RON95 is 73.63%, RON97 is 1.73%, diesel is 17.73% and SelesaMart with 6.92%. The total revenue for Petrol Ron 95, Petrol Ron 97, Diesel and SelesaMart is RM20, 682,189.60. After we find the percentage, we calculated the cashier  cost for each product. To find the cashier cost, we multiple the percentage with the total annual salary for the cashier which is RM 68,400(RM 950 x 6 x 12). The result is, for the product RON95 the cashier cost is RM50, 359.58 followed by RON97 is RM1, 183.58, diesel is RM12, 126.58 and SelesaMart is RM4, 730.25. The total cashier cost is RM68, 400. The calculations can be summarize as shown in table below : R95 R97 Diesel SelesaMart Percentage (%) 73.63% 1.73% 17.73% 6.92% Cashier Cost RM50,359.58 RM1,183.58 RM12,126.58 RM4,730.25 Table 5.3 Percentage and cashier cost The choice of method for allocating common costs should depend on the ease of application, the perceived quality of information reported to external parties, and the perceived fairness of the allocation when multiple product managers are responsible for joint products. However, as discussed above, the allocation of common costs is arbitrary, and no method is conceptually preferable to any other method. All methods of allocating common costs across joint products are generally useless for operational, marketing, and product pricing decisions. 6. Is utility cost fixed or variable? What difference does it make to the breakeven point of Ron 95 if it is classified as i) fixed cost, and ii) variable cost? In our opinion utility cost is fixed cost. This is because,  the cost will be relatively the same as it was used for all the time. This cost wont effect the unit sold even though it not used. Utility cost as FC Utility cost as VC BEP (RM) 5,024,702.71 4,154,075.59 BEP (UNIT) 2,791,501.50 2,307,819.77 If the utility is fixed cost, the Break Even Point in RM is higher compare to the utility cost as variable cost. Same goes to the Break Even Point in Unit, which is the utility as fixed cost is higher compare to the utility as variable cost. CONCLUSION Regarding this case, from the cost-volume-profit analysis, Rizal can find that the breakeven point which is how much sales the petrol station of this type should generate from each of the fuel products and the Selesamart. Mr. Aiman also can learn that the importance of differentiate between fixed cost and variable cost so that the petrol stations can sustain their profitable business and growth. If the utility is fixed cost, the Break Even Point in RM is higher compare to the utility cost as variable cost which is RM5,024,702.71 compared to RM4,154,075.59 . Same goes to the Break Even Point in Unit, which is the utility as fixed cost is higher , 2,791,501.50 compare to the utility as variable cost 2,307,819.77 To assign the costs of products, we use cost allocation as it is a tool that can helps manager to track the cost that associated more efficient. Costs are allocated to obtain desired motivation because it sometimes made to influence management behaviour and thus promote goal congruence and managerial effort. Instead,  it is used to compute income and asset valuations and to justify costs or obtain reimbursement because sometimes prices are based directly on costs, or it may be necessary to justify an accepted bid. From the information given in the case, GEZ petrol station conducted two main business which is the fuel business and the convenience store business, known as SelesaMart. Since GEZ provide joint provide, thus the appropriate basis is sales value at split-off point

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Community Corrections Essay

Introduction: 1. Corrections and the tools used to punish and rehabilitate offenders. 2. Introduce Community Corrections. 3. Introduce Thesis- A community corrections sentencing strategy applies a range of intermediate punishments and would better meet the needs of the penal system, convicted offenders, and the community by lowering costs and prison overcrowding, while keeping intermediate crime offenders out of jails and prisons. Body Paragraphs: 1. How Community Corrections provides alternatives to imprisonment. 2. How Community Corrections is designed to consider both the safety of local residents as well as the treatment and rehabilitation needs of the offender. 3. How Community Corrections reduces prison overcrowding. 4. How Community Corrections allows judges’ a more graduated sentencing system that offers an selection of intermediate sanctions including fines, community service, electronic monitoring, house arrest, intensive probation and boot camps. Conclusion: How a Community Corrections sentencing strategy is effective in its ability to help rehabilitate offenders and keep prisons clear of intermediate offenders. Reference Page: APA formatted reference page. Using community corrections to better meet the needs of the penal system, convicted offenders, and the community. The United States correctional system serves two main specific functions in relation to criminal offenders. The correctional system serves as a tool for punishing offenders and forcing the offender to pay for their crimes, it also serves as a means for rehabilitating offenders and preparing them for successful reentry into society. The correctional system today uses probation, parole, imprisonment, and the death penalty to both punish and rehabilitate offenders. A community corrections sentencing strategy applies a range of intermediate punishments and would better meet the needs of the penal system, convicted offenders, and the community by keeping intermediate crime offenders out of jails and prisons. Community corrections describes programs that provide alternatives to the imprisonment of offenders in jails or prisons. These programs include activities located in the same areas in which offenders live and work. Community corrections options are designed to consider both the safety of local residents as well as the treatment and rehabilitation needs of the offender. According to (Morris & Tonry, 1990), a more comprehensive sentencing strategy that relies on a range of intermediate punishments including; fines, community service, intensive probation, and electronic monitoring would better meet the needs of the penal system, convicted offenders, and the community. Community corrections can be very beneficial to the individuals who are placed on probation in a sense that it gives them a second chance to redeem their wrongs in society. (Foster, Burk, 2006). Community corrections vary from city to city and state to state, and were originally decentralized under the control of local courts. (Foster, Burk, 2006). Currently, community based alternatives to prison are either state run programs, or county run programs subsidized by the state. Community corrections affect society in a number of positive and negative ways. The positive effect is that probation cuts down on prison and jail costs, and can save hundreds of thousands of tax payer dollars that it would cost to feed and house offenders if they were sentenced to prison or jail. A negative effect on society is that you honestly cannot determine whether, the probationer or parolee will abide by the terms of release. Most prisons are experiencing overcrowding. Several states in the south were ordered by federal mandate to either relieve the overcrowding of the prison system or adapt to other forms of corrections (Petersillia, 1998). This created the concept of intermediate sanctions. Intermediate sanctions are the end result of the idea that imprisonment and probation are both used excessively. (Morris and Tonry, 1990). It was argued that intermediate sanctions could relieve overcrowding, enhance public safety and rehabilitate offenders while producing cost saving to the jurisdictions that imposed them (Petersillia, 1998). (Morris and Tonry, 1990) argued that imprisonment and probation are both used exceptionally, with a near emptiness of useful alternatives in between. They argued that judges should be allowed a more graduated sentencing system that offers an selection of intermediate sanctions including fines, community service, electronic monitoring, house arrest, intensive probation and boot camps. This, they felt, was crucial as different punishments are viewed differently by various criminals. Boot camp prisons were designed to relieve the overcrowded prison system by reducing the financial costs to the state with the secondary goal of rehabilitating offenders (Mackenzie and Shaw, 1990). (Mackenzie and Shaw, 1990) found the majority of boot camp participants showed stronger positive feelings about their prison experience and were more motivated about the possibility of personal change rather than those who served their sentence in traditional prisons. (Hermes, 2008) stated, â€Å"From 1987 to 2007, the amount that states spent on corrections increased 127 percent, more than six times the 21 percent increase that states directed to higher education over the same period, according to the report. The report written from the Pew Center stated that, â€Å"the Pew Center on the States also shows that increases in states’ corrections budgets are far surpassing those for higher education.†(Hermes, 2008). The report from the Pew Center also showed that Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, Oregon, and Vermont spend more on corrections than on higher education. Corrections expenses are higher than ever and are on the rise. If the corrections system does not change it will continue to cost states more and more every year. Funding these prisons this way takes money away from higher learning universities and colleges and the students of our future, the time for change is now. A community corrections sentencing strategy is effective in its ability to help rehabilitate offenders, keep prisons clear of intermediate offenders, all while serving the community by lowering costs of prisons and leaving room for the most violent offenders out in the community. Reference Page Community Corrections. (2002). In World of Criminal Justice, Gale. Retrieved from http://lib.kaplan.edu/login?url=/login?qurl=http://www.credoreference.com.lib.kaplan.edu/entry/worldcrims/community_corrections. Deschenes, E. & Petersilia J. (1994) . What punishes? Inmates rank the severity of prison vs. intermediate sanctions. Federal Probation, Vol. 58 Page: 3 Gale. (2008). West’s Encyclopedia of American Law, Edition 2. capital punishment Hermes, J. J. (2008). 5 States Spend More on Prisons Than on Colleges. Chronicle Of Higher Education, 54(27), A17. Mackenzie, D. & Shaw J. (1990). Inmate Adjustment and Change during Shock Incarceration: The Impact of Correctional Boot Camp Programs† Justice Quarterly, Vol.7: 1:125-150 Morris, N., & Tonry, M. (1990). Between prison and probation: Intermediate punishments in a rational sentencing system. New York: Oxford University Press. Pearson Education, Inc. (1995-2010). Sentencing and the Correctional System Summary, Chapter 11. Petersilia, J. (1998). A Decade of Experimenting with Intermediate Sanctions: What Have We Learned† Federal Probation. 62:7-20. Schwarzenegger, A. Governor (2010).http://www.kpbs.org/news/2010/jan/08/overcrowded-and-expensive-governor-addresses-calif

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Free Essays on Netscape

Netscape – Vision of tomorrow today Web Browser software, also called a Web Browser or simply a browser, is a Graphic Interface program that interprets and displays Web pages and enables the user to link to other Web pages. Netscape was designed to find interesting Internet sites without the need for specialized programming knowledge, and presenting it in a way that is more appealing than previous Internet browsers do. The first Web browsers used text commands and displayed only text documents. During the early nineties a new company was formed which was interested in trying to simplify and make better web browsers. Two men were responsible for some of these changes in Web Design and interaction. Their names are James H. Clark and Mark Andreesen. James H. Clark obtained a P.H.D. in computer science at the University of Utah. He also studied physics and added to his computer experience while in the Navy. Mark Andreesen was a student at the University of Illinois got his start and was assigned work to develop 3D software for National Center for Super Computing. II Both of these men worked hard and though they did what they could to make things work in the beginning of their careers they really were pretty unhappy. Mark Andreesen was making 6.85 per hour doing work for NCSC. James Clark was working as a freelance consultant. While working these mundane positions they met and realized there was a way to make things better through their combined experiences and overall desire to make the changes they wanted. These two men developed a new unique software package named Mosaic, which was invented in early 1994 which was the forerunner for a new company formed Six months later. The new company formed was called Netscape and a company was born. By creating new software to change the way the Internet is viewed enabled Andreesen and Clark to capitalize on the popularity and uniqueness of the new and growing World Wide Web. II The newly ... Free Essays on Netscape Free Essays on Netscape Netscape – Vision of tomorrow today Web Browser software, also called a Web Browser or simply a browser, is a Graphic Interface program that interprets and displays Web pages and enables the user to link to other Web pages. Netscape was designed to find interesting Internet sites without the need for specialized programming knowledge, and presenting it in a way that is more appealing than previous Internet browsers do. The first Web browsers used text commands and displayed only text documents. During the early nineties a new company was formed which was interested in trying to simplify and make better web browsers. Two men were responsible for some of these changes in Web Design and interaction. Their names are James H. Clark and Mark Andreesen. James H. Clark obtained a P.H.D. in computer science at the University of Utah. He also studied physics and added to his computer experience while in the Navy. Mark Andreesen was a student at the University of Illinois got his start and was assigned work to develop 3D software for National Center for Super Computing. II Both of these men worked hard and though they did what they could to make things work in the beginning of their careers they really were pretty unhappy. Mark Andreesen was making 6.85 per hour doing work for NCSC. James Clark was working as a freelance consultant. While working these mundane positions they met and realized there was a way to make things better through their combined experiences and overall desire to make the changes they wanted. These two men developed a new unique software package named Mosaic, which was invented in early 1994 which was the forerunner for a new company formed Six months later. The new company formed was called Netscape and a company was born. By creating new software to change the way the Internet is viewed enabled Andreesen and Clark to capitalize on the popularity and uniqueness of the new and growing World Wide Web. II The newly ...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Abolition of Capital Punishment in California essays

Abolition of Capital Punishment in California essays The Abolition of Capital Punishment in California: A Legal California, and indeed the entire United States, has a lengthy tradition of capital punishment. Since the state's inception in 1850, California has sanctioned the death penalty as means to punish, deter, and, perhaps most significantly, seek retribution for certain offenses. However, in 1972, the United States Supreme Courts Furman v. Georgia decision held the death penalty unconstitutional. Citing the 8th Amendment barring cruel and unusual punishment, the court effectively stuck down all death-penalty statutes throughout the country. This decision had little to do with the moral questions posed by capital punishment; rather it was the manner in which sentences were being arrived at and who was punished that concerned the majority of justices. This decision marked a vital change in law nationwide and forced states to re-evaluate and revise their capital punishment statutes, in an effort to provide less arbitrary and more considerate sentencing. California thus restructured its law to include the two-stage, guilt and penalty phase trial, ushering in the modern era of capital punishment in the state. Current incarnation of the law allows a death sentence to be prescribed for homicide convictions with special circumstances only, and requires that juries consider both mitigating and aggravating circumstances during sentencing. While these revisions have resulted in relatively more just and accurate sentencing, it remains impossible to completely eliminate the human factors that influence and skew such legal decisions. In mind it follows that this possibility raises a higher moral question to Californians: is this a sound and fair manner with which to administer justice? Moreover, does and has capital punishment proven beneficial enough to the people of the state to merit its continued application? ...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Find and Claim Your Unclaimed Pension With PBGC.gov

Find and Claim Your Unclaimed Pension With PBGC.gov As of 2014, the federal Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC), reports there are more than 38,000 people who, for any number of reasons, have not claimed pension benefits they are owed. Those unclaimed pensions are now north of $300 million, with individual benefits ranging from 12 cents to almost $1 million. In 1996, PBGC launched the Pension Search directory Web site to help people who may have forgotten about, or been unaware of pensions they earned during their career. The pension database can be searched by last name, company name, or state where the company had its headquarters. The online service is absolutely free and available 24-hours a day. Updated regularly, the current list identifies some 6,600 companies, primarily in the airline, steel, transportation, machinery, retail trade, apparel, and financial services industries that closed pension plans in which some former workers could not be found. Benefits waiting to be claimed range from as little as $1 up to $611,028. The average unclaimed pension is $4,950. The states with the most missing pension participants and money to be claimed are: New York (6,885/$37.49 million), California (3,081/$7.38 million), New Jersey (2,209/$12.05 million) Texas (1,987/$6.86 million), Pennsylvania (1,944/$9.56 million), Illinois (1,629/$8.75 million) and Florida (1,629/$7.14 million). Does It Work? ​ According to PBGC, in the past 12 years, more than 22,000 people have found $137 million in missing pension benefits through the Pension Search program. The states with the most found participants and pension money claimed are: New York (4,405/$26.31 million), California (2,621/$8.33 million), Florida (2,058/$15.27 million), Texas (2,047/$11.23 million), New Jersey (1,601/$9.99 million), Pennsylvania (1,594/$6.54 million) and Michigan (1,266/$6.54 million). What to Do If You Don't Have Internet at Home For those without access to the Internet at home, many local public libraries, community colleges, and senior centers make computers available to the public that can be used for searching the Pension Search directory. Searchers can also e-mail foundpbgc.gov or missingpbgc.gov if they believe they are entitled to a benefit. What Happens If You Find a Missing Pension? ​ Once the PBGC is contacted by people who find their names in the directory, the agency asks them to provide more details including proof of age and other vital statistics. The identification process generally takes 4-6 weeks. After the PBGC receives a completed application, people currently eligible for a benefit should receive their checks within two months. Those entitled to future benefits will receive their benefits when they reach retirement age. Things You Might Need to Claim Your Pension Several documents may be required or helpful in proving proof of eligibility for a pension. These include: A notification from the company of plan administrator that you are vested in the planAn individual statement of annual plan benefitsA plan exit letter (sent by the employer) noting participation in the plan and a summary plan description showing the plan’s rules, including the rules for vestingA Notice of Potential Private Pension Benefit Information, if sent by the Social Security Administration (SSA) The SSA automatically sends a Notice of Potential Private Pension Benefit Information to people who may be due pensions when they apply for Social Security and Medicare benefits. How Do Pensions Become "Lost?" Many of the names in the Pension Search directory are workers with pensions whose former employers closed pension plans and distributed benefits. Others are workers or retirees missing from underfunded pension plans taken over by the PBGC because the plans did not have enough money to pay benefits. Included in the directory are people who may be able to document that they are owed a benefit, even though current PBGC records show that no benefit is due. Some reasons pensions might go lost or unclaimed include: The company went bankrupt or simply closed and vanished;The company moved to another town, city, or state;The company was bought by or merged with another company and given a new name; orThe company was divided into separate parts, none of which retained the company’s old name. For More Information The PBGCs booklet Finding A Lost Pension also provides tips, suggests potential allies, and details numerous free information sources. It is particularly helpful for those trying to find pensions earned from former employers whose identity may have changed over the years because of changes in company ownership. About the PBGC The PBGC is a federal government agency created under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. It currently guarantees payment of basic pension benefits earned by 44 million American workers and retirees participating in over 30,000 private-sector defined benefit pension plans. The agency receives no funds from general tax revenues. Operations are financed largely by insurance premiums paid by companies that sponsor pension plans and investment returns.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Ethics assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethics - Assignment Example by the advice of the instructor and disregard, in my final analysis of the data, the 5% of the sample that had showed negative response to the drug being tested. In this case, I would not disclose to the 5% of the people who responded negatively to the drug, that the drug possibly made them to develop some medical problems. One of the stakeholders in this dilemma is the management and the shareholders of the drug manufacturing company that had funded this research. Disclosing the 5% negative response of the drug being tested could lead to big losses to the shareholders of the company because, the drug being tested could be regarded unfit for human consumption. The second stakeholder in this dilemma is the human research subjects. Failure to disclose the true results of the research could make some the study subjects who had showed evidence of developing medical complications due to the drugs, not to seek medical care. The third stakeholder is the ethical dilemma is me, the ethical decision maker. The ethical decision that I would make in this dilemma would determine whether I have acted professionally or not. This would have an effect in my career. The supervisor is the fourth stakeholder in this dilemma. The decision that I would take in this case would, undoubtedly, have an effect on the supervisor: adhering to the supervisor’s advice would mean that the supervisor would be considered successful in this research, while defying the advice of the supervisor would imply that the supervisor is not successful in this research. The choice of the first possible action in this dilemma would be perfectly in line with the ethical guidelines for statistical practice. One of the ethical guideline for statistical practice is observing professionalism and avoiding deceptions and other unethical behaviour in statistical analysis. Including the 5% of the sample would mean that the drugs have some health problems and this could mean big losses to the shareholders of the

Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Assessment - Essay Example No single agent in this economy might be better off without making another agent worse off. This leads to the achievement of allocative efficiency (MC=AR). It is known as â€Å"Pareto optimum allocation of resources† (Klein, 2007). Productive efficiency: In the long run, in a perfectly competitive market structure, the output is produced at the lowest level of average total cost. This phenomenon is known as productive efficiency (MC=ATC). The firms that incur high unit cost are inefficient and are not fit to stay in business in the long run. The forces of competition would not allow them to charge high price. Thus, they would be forced to quit industry in the long run. Dynamic efficiency: One important assumption in the competitive market structure is that all producers in the industry produce homogeneous products. Homogeneity of the products ensure that the products are similar in features and attributes and any single firm would not have the facility to make any innovation s uch that it would make the products of the firm to differentiated from the products of the other firms. This creates dynamic efficiency. No single firm would be able to enjoy competitive advantage over the others or enjoy any degree of monopoly power. Figure 1: Efficiency in perfect competition (Source: Author’s creation) Answer 2. ... Short Run Equilibrium In the short run, equilibrium is achieved at the point at which marginal revenue equals marginal cost. As long as value of marginal revenue (MR) exceeds value of marginal cost (MC), producer would expand output since profit level rises with rise in output (MR>MC, i.e., difference between MR and MC is positive). When marginal revenue is smaller than marginal cost, the producer would reduce output until the two values equate. Thus, in short run, profit maximizing price and output firm is determined at the position where MR equals MC. In short run, firms might earn super normal profit if average cost is less than average revenue, or conversely, they might incur a loss if the average cost is greater than average revenue. Figure 2: Short run equilibrium under monopolistic competitive market structure (Source: Author’s Creation) Long Run Equilibrium In long run, there are scopes of entry of new firms into the industry. Therefore, supernormal profit is erased in the long run. As new firms enter into the industry, demand faced by each firm decreases and Average revenue (AR) curve shifts leftwards. Consequently, supernormal profit falls. Firms would produce at the level at which marginal revenue equals marginal cost and price is determined by the interaction between average revenue and average cost. All firms earn normal profit in the long run. Some firms that incur loss in the short run would leave the industry in the long run and the remaining firms would earn normal profits. Figure 3: Long run equilibrium under monopolistic competitive market structure (Source: Author’s Creation) In case of monopolistic competition, in the long run, firms operate at the zero profit condition, which ensures that price

Friday, October 18, 2019

Significance of HRM to organizational profitability and survival Term Paper

Significance of HRM to organizational profitability and survival - Term Paper Example On the other hand, affirmative action refers to the deliberate organizational approach to addressing past practices of discrimination, by proactively recruiting, hiring and promoting the previously marginalized groups at the workplace including women, minorities, and disabled individuals, among others. EEO is essential at my workplace because it has fostered fairness in all the various human resource aspects of our organization, from hiring to training and development, to promotion of deserving human resources. At my workplace, EEO regulations protects all employees against discrimination on the basis demographical factors; as a result, everyone is treated with respect and dignity that they deserve, regardless of their sex, color, religion, nationality, disability and age. The new knowledge gained in the process of this reflective exercise is that EEO instills confidence in all employees at the workplace while enhancing their self-motivation and commitment towards the achievement of organizational goals and objectives. This fosters the development of a unified and fully integrated workforce that is not only highly motivated and committed to the organization, but also actively engaged in the pursuit of organizational goals and objectives (Koà §, Çavus & Saraà §oglu, 2014). My future career plan as a HRM professional is more likely to be greatly influenced by the understanding that all human resources are entitled to a fair chance in the hiring process, as well as equal opportunities to promotions.

Globalising with a local flair Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Globalising with a local flair - Essay Example â€Å"The globalisation of markets has certainly accelerated through almost universal acceptance of the democratic free enterprise model and new communication technologies, including satellites and the Internet† (Cateora 2005). However, many of these companies that are inexperienced in marketing overseas incorrectly assume that their products or services will be easily accepted in foreign markets. Even when remaining concentrated within a single country or when marketing their goods to countries individually, companies facing international competitors will fare better if they have a global perspective in mind. As mentioned by Cateora, all these companies are or will be affected by competitive activity in the global marketplace (2005). To illustrate this concept, Cateora relates the story of US-based General Electric Lighting, who dominated the US lighting market until its rival, Westinghouse, sold its operations to Philips Electronics of Holland. Philips was then able to come in to the US market to compete from a stronger marketing position. Based on the experiences of companies such as General Electric Lighting and others, all companies that operate in international marketing arenas should adopt a modified globalisation strategy that includes a wide range of standardized products, but remains open to small market-specific variations designed to satisfy consumer needs, wants and tastes in smaller regions.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Valhalla Partners Due Diligence Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Valhalla Partners Due Diligence - Case Study Example Deciding to go ahead and invest in Telco Exchange would create a nice future for Valhalla if everything went well. Art Marks is educated and has plenty of real-world experience that will assist with making a fair and important decision. This opportunity, if Art Marks decided to vote yes, would allow Valhalla to test out their new due diligence process and decided whether or not the process was a good idea. The Due diligence process consisted of a twelve step process that followed a certain order. This certain order was important for Valhalla to become the most profitable and aid companies that it may be investing in. The steps began with a one-pager, and then deep diligence would begin. Next would be an investment memo followed by an investment decision. The decision would lead to a present term sheet, negotiating terms, a 100-day plan, and a close. Following the close are an active board stewardship, finance and research assistance, critical moves and an exit. This due diligence pro cess would play a huge role in the decision by Marks. After learning about the company and what it has to offer, Art Marks should vote yes on investing in Telco Exchange. Telco Exchange is already in business with popular companies like IKON and Marriot. If these already established companies were able to seek services from Telco Exchange it was likely that with the right marketing, Telco Exchange can become more popular and become more successful. Becoming more successful would make Telco Exchange a better investment. The Due Diligence process would help ensure that Telco Exchange is where Valhalla wants it to be. An appropriate valuation for Valhalla and Telco Exchange is to work with one another. Working with one another and coming to an agreement that is beneficial to both businesses will create better relations between the two and open up more opportunities in the future. Valhalla partners need to think about how the future of a successful Telco Exchange can benefit Valhalla. L ike any company, Telco Exchange faces risks. Risks can be changeable and benefit investors or they can be unchangeable and make investing seem like a waste of money. The top three risks facing Telco Exchange are easy to move past. One of the main risks is marketing. Marketing is important for companies to get there name out there and move forward. The memo doesn’t really state the marketing that Telco Exchange has in place. A good marketing strategy will help improve Telco Exchange and make Telco look more appealing to investors. The second risk associated with Telco Exchange is the issues it faces with software. The software can never be perfect and will always require upgrading and repairs. What does Telco have in store for upgrading and improving software? Companies are always going to want the best and the easiest.

History of the camera Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

History of the camera - Essay Example Nevertheless the photographic technology does not stand still, and over time people have learned how to stop the moment by invention of more convenient in use and less bulky camera. Through a variety of research projects, scientists moved to our contemporary – the portable camera, which bears little resemblance to its historical brother. The innovation has stepped so far ahead that the camera skillfully built into the phone can be found in the pocket of almost every person. In our research project, we review the features of the innovative technologies and the use of different techniques for improvement of prototype camera, having studied the history from the invention of the camera to its modern digital similar. The first notes and ideas about the reflection of objects are rooted in ancient times of China and Greece with the continuation in the 11th century experimental work of Arab scientist Ibn al-Haytamnd. These notions are about the first pinhole camera (or the camera obscura) that is able only reflect an image with its next observation or tracery by hand [Fig.1]. Then Frenchman Joseph Nicephore Niepce enters the timeline of cameras. â€Å"The first experimenter who puts a camera obscura together with permanent images made by light – who both captures and saves an image – is where the real story of camera begins† [4]. He invents the one with a lens and a sliding tube which looks like a box of illusionist and really creates miracles – Niepce has received his first photo in 1826. It is the first time a picture is made by the machine not by an artist; it is the birth of photo. Alas, the authors name is undeservedly forgotten as according to the world encyclopedi as Daguerre is considered to be a pioneer of photography. â€Å"Jacques Daguerre, another Frenchman, developed a process that used copper plates to record an image, and daguerreotypes quickly became the preferred photographic medium for portraits and other subjects† [2].

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Valhalla Partners Due Diligence Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Valhalla Partners Due Diligence - Case Study Example Deciding to go ahead and invest in Telco Exchange would create a nice future for Valhalla if everything went well. Art Marks is educated and has plenty of real-world experience that will assist with making a fair and important decision. This opportunity, if Art Marks decided to vote yes, would allow Valhalla to test out their new due diligence process and decided whether or not the process was a good idea. The Due diligence process consisted of a twelve step process that followed a certain order. This certain order was important for Valhalla to become the most profitable and aid companies that it may be investing in. The steps began with a one-pager, and then deep diligence would begin. Next would be an investment memo followed by an investment decision. The decision would lead to a present term sheet, negotiating terms, a 100-day plan, and a close. Following the close are an active board stewardship, finance and research assistance, critical moves and an exit. This due diligence pro cess would play a huge role in the decision by Marks. After learning about the company and what it has to offer, Art Marks should vote yes on investing in Telco Exchange. Telco Exchange is already in business with popular companies like IKON and Marriot. If these already established companies were able to seek services from Telco Exchange it was likely that with the right marketing, Telco Exchange can become more popular and become more successful. Becoming more successful would make Telco Exchange a better investment. The Due Diligence process would help ensure that Telco Exchange is where Valhalla wants it to be. An appropriate valuation for Valhalla and Telco Exchange is to work with one another. Working with one another and coming to an agreement that is beneficial to both businesses will create better relations between the two and open up more opportunities in the future. Valhalla partners need to think about how the future of a successful Telco Exchange can benefit Valhalla. L ike any company, Telco Exchange faces risks. Risks can be changeable and benefit investors or they can be unchangeable and make investing seem like a waste of money. The top three risks facing Telco Exchange are easy to move past. One of the main risks is marketing. Marketing is important for companies to get there name out there and move forward. The memo doesn’t really state the marketing that Telco Exchange has in place. A good marketing strategy will help improve Telco Exchange and make Telco look more appealing to investors. The second risk associated with Telco Exchange is the issues it faces with software. The software can never be perfect and will always require upgrading and repairs. What does Telco have in store for upgrading and improving software? Companies are always going to want the best and the easiest.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

The crisis in the French wine industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The crisis in the French wine industry - Essay Example (Donald and Petie, 2001) However since the end of the Second World War the wine industry in France has undergone a lot of changes notable the introduction of quality of French wine which was passed in 1935. Since then the industry has developed to become the second largest exporter of wine in the world behind Spain. It has curve a niche in the market to compete with other countries like Italy which are traditionally known as wine house. Since the end of the Second World War, the industry has undergone several changes to become one of the leading industries in the France and an identity for the country. France is still considered to be one of the best producers of wines in the world. The Bordeaux region ahs since then developed to be one of the leading wine producing regions of the world. Wine producers from the region have traveled to the regions of the world including Rioja in Spain and have been able to carry out culturing of vines to make Bordeaux vines some of the leading and the best vine in the world. Since the need of he second world war, French wine industry has seen the establishment of hundred of vineyards owned by multination company. (MacNeil, 2001) The remarkable development of French wine industry has been the emphasis on the quality of wine produced. This has been though the development of the appellation system which classify French wine into quality. The Appellaion d'Origine Controlee system is governed by a powering national bound which ensures that all the wine that it produced in the region is of quality. France is produce of owning the oldest world appellation system that has helped it to have some of the world renowned quality wine brand. With time the industry has become more specific with various companies specializing in production of different white and red wines and other wine varieties. French has provided the modeling appellation system on quality which is being used by the EU to come up with a wine assessment framework along that to France. (Desmond, 1999) But in the recent past, the industry has been hit by several crises ranging from competition from the new vine grower region like Australia and America to a decrease in local consumption of wine. This paper will discuss the crisis that the industry is facing currently and the solution that have been proposed to address the issue in order to revive the industry to its former self. The nature and magnitude of the crisis facing the French wine industry There are several areas in France that have been hard hit by the crisis. The Bordeaux region which is traditionally known for producing quality wines. Although the region has been able to deal with the wine crisis, it is facing rounds of crisis as far as distillation is concerned. Even if this crisis has been experienced in other regions, Bordeaux region has faced the worst crisis in France because of its capacity of production. It has been experiencing wine lake effect for a long time. Producers of generic Bordeaux and Bordeaux Superior have been worst affected Traditionally, France has been a wide consumer of wine produced in the country. This made many producer of wine in the region to rely on the domestic market alone since all the wine produced was

Monday, October 14, 2019

India cinema Essay Example for Free

India cinema Essay India cinema over the ages has developed a flavor and aroma of its own. The vibrancy and exuberance of our cinema is unparalleled across the globe. India cinema, over the year, has transcended the barriers of language, art and culture, broken all the bonds and crossed all borders to colour the entire world with is emblematic song, dances, music, melodrama and didacticism. India cinema has a bit of everything. It has the capacity to imbibe all the shades and every spice of life within its ambit. It has been mystifying, enthralling, enchanting and entertaining millions since a long long time now. Every today, watching cinema is the most popular mode of entertainment and a favourite pastime of people from all section of society transcending over cast, creed, race or religion. In fact, bollywood after cricket is a sub-religion of the country. From the most common man to the intellectual and the elites-all enjoy watching movies in their leisure time with their friends and families. Cinema works as a great unifying factor which brings together the high and the low, the rice and the poor , the young and the old-all under the same roof for next two or three hour . It entertains without discrimination, thrill and tickles without knowing a difference man and man. I too, like watching movies with my parents and friend in my spare time. Last year, Sahara Motion Picture initiated a new era in India cinema. The long awaited animation movies for children were released and it runs successfully in theaters all over the country. Not only children but also teenagers, old and young, all cinema halls in large number to watch-Hanuman. I too had been waiting for the movie eagerly. Once the movie was released, my friend’s family and mine made plans to watch the movies in our nearest theater on the ensuing Sunday. We all were extremely excited. In fact, my friend and I could hardly wait for weekend. On the appointed Sunday, we reached the theatre filled with thrill excitement through and through. Predictable, none of us were disappointed after watching the movie. Since then, it has become one of my favourite movies. The movie is a fabulous animation of the legend of the faithful friend and follower of Lord Ram and his greatest accomplice in the battle against Ravana. The movie traces the entire life-story of Hanuman-right from his birth to the fulfillment of the aim which he was bore. The stories begin with sin and wickedness increasing on the earth and all the Gods rushing to Brahma-the Creator for his protection. The movie brilliantly captures the miraculous birth of Hanuman and his innocent childhood pranks to his education from the Sun god. The scene when the little Hanuman wakes up and mistakes the sun peeping form behind a mango tree to be mango and rushes to eat it out of grave hunger is one of my favorites. The way he reaches the sun and fight Rahu is extremely interesting. Hanuman- who is the incarnation of Lord Shiva grows up loved and pampered and gradually being trained for his great appointed task. As he grows up, he meets Lord Ram who is also growing up in his palace with his brothers. I particularly enjoyed the scene where Lord Shiva and Hanuman was extremely amusing with his multi-coloured cap and his extraordinary feats amused all of us extremely. Even the Kite scene when little Ram’s kite gets lost amidst the clouds and Hanuman disguising as the monkey is also my favourite scene. The rest of the movie too is interesting. One never loses interest throughout the movie. The movie, all through, captivates one’s attention thoroughly. The other scene, which really liked, is the ones when Hanuman goes to Lanka to search Sita. The entire sequence of the scenes thereafter is my favourite. L really liked each and every scene-the way Hanuman burns down the entire Lanka to teach Ravana a lesson and the scene later of the famous Kumbhakaran with his legendary sleep and appetite. In short, there is nothing that I don’t like about the movie. Enjoyed every bit of it and all the more so in the company of my friend and my family. I like the movie not only because it is entertaining but also because it teaches a lot about our rich and ancient mythology and the Hindu religion to us. It is usually seen that we don’t get the opportunity to know about our religion and the legends in our mythology in normal course of our lives. The movie is didactic and educative for children as the honest Hanuman, which he harbours for his lord Ram. The movie not only enriches and educates the innocent and fertile young minds but also the old adults alike. The movie was not only like by we friend but also by our parents which was a proof of how wonderful the movie was, even though but also by our parent which was a proof of how wonderful the movie was, even though an animation caters to the need of a specific age group and strata of the society. The animation was of best quality, the special effects very graphical and the morals and l hope we get many more such movies to see in the near future which educate as well as entertain the viewers irrespective of their age, cast, culture religion or race.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Bohr and the Periodic table :: essays research papers

Bohr's Model   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are three main parts of an atom the electrons, protons and the neutrons. Each part has charge. It is rather positive, negative, or neutral. An electron always has a negative charge. Protons always have negative charges. Then finally the neutron is a neutral charge or a charge of zero. If the charge of the whole atom it zero that means there are an equal number of positive and negative pieces. An electron can be found anywhere around the nucleus, and the protons and neutrons are in the nucleus. You can not pin point were the electrons are but the area that it can be in is called a shell. Periodic Table   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On the periodic table the horizontal rows are called periods, and the Vertical columns are called groups. Elements that are in the same row have something in common. Elements in the same period have the same number of atomic shells. Every element in the top row has one shell for its electrons. The second row has two shells for their electrons. Now, the most shells for one element is seven. Less specific groups are called families. Families are grouped by their chemical properties and how the elements react with the outside world. The columns in the periodic table are mostly used to make families. A family of elements can be found in many different ways. An isotope is an atom that is missing or that has an extra neutron. Ionic Bonds   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ions are atoms with an extra electron or a missing electron. But a normal atom would be neutral because it has the same number of electrons as the atomic number. If you are an atom and you are missing one electron, it does not mean that you are another atom, but you are not a complete atom either. You are something new, an ion. The goal of an atom is to be happy. If you have filled shells you are called stable. When you give up the extra electron you are attractive and other atoms want to bond with you. The two main types of bonding are covaent and electrovalent. Ionic bonds are really groups of charged ions held together by electric forces. Covailent Bonds   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Covailent compounds happen when the electrons are shared by the atoms.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Brown v. Board of Education: A Civil Rights Milestone Essay -- Ending

â€Å"’The Supreme Court decision [on Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas] is the greatest victory for the Negro people since the Emancipation Proclamation,’ Harlem’s Amsterdam News exclaimed. ‘It will alleviate troubles in many other fields.’ The Chicago Defender added, ‘this means the beginning of the end of the dual society in American life and the system†¦of segregation which supports it.’†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Oliver Brown, father of Linda Brown decided that his third grade daughter should not have to walk one mile through a railroad switchyard just to get to the bus stop before she could even get to the separate Negro school for her area. He attempted to enroll her in the white public school only three blocks from their home, but her enrollment was denied due to her race. The browns believed this was a violation of their rights, and took their case to the courts. This wasn’t the first time that blacks found their constitutional rights violated. After the civil war, laws were passed to continue the separation of blacks and whites throughout the southern states, starting with the Jim Crow laws which officially segregated the whites from the black. It wasn’t until 1896 in Plessy vs. Ferguson that black people even began to see equality as an option. Nothing changed in the world until 1954 when the historical ruling of Brown vs. The Board of Education that an ything changed. Until then, all stores, restaurants, schools and public places were deemed ‘separate but equal’ through the Plessy vs. Ferguson ruling in 1896. Many cases just like the Brown vs. Board of Education were taken to the Supreme Court together in a class action suite. The world changed when nine justices made the decision to deem segregation in public schools unconstitutional.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After the Civil War, white southerners had to figure out ways to continue feeling superior to their former slaves. Anxious to regain power over former slaves, southerners created the Black Codes of 1865. These codes were different from state to state, but most held similar restrictions. If blacks were unemployed, they could be arrested and charged with vagrancy. White Southerners believed blacks were to only work as agricultural laborers so the laws also restricted their hours of labor, duties, and behavior. Additionally, the codes prevented the raising of their own crops by black people. They were prohibited from ent... ...south. Because of the decision of nine justices of the Supreme Court, the term ‘separate but equal’ was eliminated when it came to schools, and opened the door for integration of restaurants and all public places. Bibliography African-American History News Letter. â€Å"The Black Codes of 1865†. Web. 25 May 2015. http://afroamhistory.about.com/library/weekly/aa121900a.htm. Beggs, Gordon. The American University Law Review. "Novel Expert evidence in federal civil rights litigation.† 1995. Brown V. Board of Education. â€Å"About the Case.† BrownvBoard.org Web. 25 May 2015. www.brownvboard.org Patterson, James T. Brown v. Board of Education a civil Rights Milestone and it’s Troubled Legacy. Oxford University Press. New York 2001. Perry, Imani. "Five myths about Brown v. Board of Education" The Washington Post. May 16, 2014. Web. 25 May 2015. http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/five-myths-about-brown-v-board-of-education/2014/05/16/fd84b82c-dc3b-11e3-8009-71de85b9c527_story.html Robinson, Susan. â€Å"A Day in Black History: Plessy Vs. Ferguson†. Gibbs Magazine. October 2008. Web. 25 May 2015. Sitkoff, Harvard. The Struggle for Black Equality. 2008

Friday, October 11, 2019

Hobson’s Choice – With particular reference to Act 1, show how Brighouse presents a comic but honest view of family life, set in late 19th century Salford

With particular reference to Act 1, show how Brighouse presents a comic but honest view of family life, set in late 19th century Salford. Hobson's choice is an interesting and enjoyable play, which uses a fair amount of comedy to keep the audience engaged. The audience can really connect with the characters, as they are very realistic and are placed in real-life situations. The comic element comes in regularly, in the form of just one-off, funny lines, or even complete comic situations and themes. Although the play is set in late 19th century, the themes are still relevant today, which shows that although some things may evolve over time, people and their opinions are still the same, and so the audience can relate to the play, which is another reason why Hobson's Choice is so enjoyable. â€Å"Hobson's Choice† is proverbial, stemming from the 17th century; to have â€Å"Hobson's choice† is to have no choice at all. I think that understanding this is a key element in understanding the play, as all of the themes of the play arise from one of the main five characters having â€Å"Hobson's choice†. The play is set in late 19th century Salford, which although it does not tell you in the play, the audience can guess immediately, just from the setting. The play begins in Hobson's Boot Shop, which is a clue straight away, as boot shops are not very common today, and have been replaced by shoe shops and trainer shops. Another clue are â€Å"the cane chairs† in front of the counter, where â€Å"the ordinary people sit for fitting†, because today benches would be placed randomly around the store for everyone to sit on. There is a separate room â€Å"for very important customers†, but today they would use the benches, the same as everyone else, or go to a different store. Another clue would be the door leading to the house, implying that the Hobsons live there, which is not so commonly practiced today. If these were not enough clues, the objects inside the shop all suggest late 19th century; for example, â€Å"the gas brackets in the windows and walls†, and â€Å"the clogs on exhibit in the windows†. Alice and Vickey's actions and dress also suggest a late 19th century setting, as Alice, only 23, is knitting – not an activity which is commonly pursued by the modern young woman – and the pair are wearing aprons for working in a shoe shop. Although Hobson's Choice consists of four Acts, each of these is comprised of several little scenes. Although these are not official, Brighouse has made it obvious that they are there, and they are often marked by the entrance and exit of a character. Brighouse teaches the audience a lot about his characters in the first Act, and he sets up their personalities and roles to make it easier to digest when their true functions are revealed, and right from the beginning of the play, Brighouse gives the audience an idea as to what the characters of Hobson and his three daughters – Maggie, Alice and Vickey – are like. Maggie is a bossy, moody character, and Brighouse uses the first scene to introduce this to the audience in a conversation between her and Alice; the audience can grasp these characteristics in Maggie from her sharp, snappy response to Alice. For example; â€Å"Alice: I hoped it was father going out. ‘†Maggie: It isn't†. Maggie is very blunt and matter-of-fact when she is talking to her sisters, as she proves again when she says â€Å"He got up late†, in response to another statement from Alice about their father. Brighouse has chosen subtle, yet effective, methods in broadening the audience's knowledge of the characters in Hobson's Choice early in the play, and the characters of Maggie, Alice and Vickey are no exception to this. From the fact that Maggie is reading an account book, whilst Alice and Vickey are knitting and reading, the audience know instantly that Maggie is the one bothered about the business out of the three of them, and that Alice and Vickey would probably rather be out doing other things. Maggie is blunt in every aspect of her life, and it is traits like this found in all of the characters in Hobson's Choice that adds to the play's honesty – none of the characters are perfect, but they do try their best to use their flaws and traits to their advantage. Brighouse uses a metaphor to show Maggie's bluntness in a conversation between Maggie and her two sisters. Maggie says â€Å"See that slipper with a fancy buckle on it to make it look pretty? Courting's like that my lass. All glitter and no use to nobody†, and this sums up what Maggie thinks about marriage, love and life. In terms of marriage and love, Brighouse is telling the audience that Maggie doesn't want to date somebody first, she just wants to marry them. Also, she is not interested in a fancy man, with expensive clothes, lots of money and good looks as it is â€Å"only glitter†; she would rather find somebody genuine, marry him, and then get to know him. Already, Brighouse is building reason for why Maggie would want to marry a man such as this, so the audience can look back on this, and it will help them to understand why Maggie and Willie, at first glance such an unlikely couple, are together. Again, the fact that Maggie is very honest in how she speaks helps to convey the way that Brighouse has created such an honest view of family life. As the audience have already learnt, Maggie is very bossy, and so Brighouse has used the next scene to confirm this. It also introduces Albert, so that the audience know that he likes Alice, and to introduce the shop, and show the audience that Vickey and Alice are not interested in it. The scene shows Maggie confronting Alice's boyfriend, Albert Prosser. They all know why Albert has gone come into the shoe shop – to visit his ‘girlfriend', Alice – but they all put on a front, and act like he is a normal customer coming in to buy some boots; it becomes clear that Albert really does not want to purchase anything. Maggie, however, keeping up the pretence that Albert has come in to actually shop, starts forcing Albert to buy something, so he pretends that he has come in for some shoe laces. To his surprise, Maggie asks Albert, â€Å"What size do you take in boots?†, to which he innocently answers, â€Å"Does that matter to the laces?†. Albert does not realise what Maggie is getting at, until Maggie replies, â€Å"It matters to the boots†, and before he knows it, Albert is being pushed down into one of the seats and having his boots taken off and replaced with new ones. Brighouse also impresses early that Alice and Vickey are very fashionable, which Hobson is not very keen on; he wants his daughters to look nice but smart and ladylike. For example, Vickey and Alice â€Å"had new dresses on last week†, which shows that they want to look good, but Hobson says â€Å"I like to see my daughters look nice. That's why I pay Mr Tudsbury, the draper, à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½10 a year a head to dress you proper. It pleases the eye and it's good for the trade†. Clearly he doesn't like his daughters parading around making fools of themselves and him, which is exactly what he thinks they are doing by dressing like that. Brighouse shows this again, when Hobson euphemises â€Å"You were going down Chapel Street with a hump added to nature behind you†, which shows that he is uncomfortable with the situation and the way his daughters are dressing, as he is playing around with what he wants to say, because he does not know quite how to say it. Later in this conversation between Hobson and his two youngest daughters, Alice says â€Å"it is not immodest, father. It's the fashion to wear bustles†, which shows that Alice and Vickey are fashionable, but their father is not concerned by this, only that they are dressing in this manner, which he describes as â€Å"uppishness† â€Å"the occupation of fools and such as have no brains†. This conversation also shows the age gap between Hobson and his daughters, and the fact that Alice and Vickey are still being controlled by their father, despite the fact that they are 23 and 21, links with one of the themes of the play – the role of women in society. With reference to the title, this is a great example of the typical, honest situations that Brighouse has used throughout Hobson's Choice, which is why it is such an honest, realistic play. It is because the characters and the situations that they find themselves in are so realistic that the play comes across as so honest. Straight away, Brighouse also lets the audience know that Hobson likes a drink, which is something that features throughout the play. Brighouse does this by introducing Hobson through his daughters, where they discuss that he has a hangover from a Mason's Meeting the previous evening. Again, this is another honest situation, and one which makes Hobson's Choice that bit easier for the audience to relate with and to connect to. If the play was not honest, the audience would not be able to relate with the characters or their situations. The audience can also tell that the girls are scared of their father, as they don't seem to be able to do anything until he is gone, for fear that he will tell them off, despite the fact that they are 21, 23 and 30. One example of this is that Alice says she is expecting someone, which is clear to the audience is a man she is courting, but she does not want her father to know that she is courting. One reason why the play is so honest and easy to believe is the way Brighouse has delicately crafted and evolved his characters, allowing the audience to feel a strong relationship between themselves and the characters. An excellent example of this is the character of Willie. At the start of Act One, Willie seems a very timid character – he knows he's neither clever nor important, and this comes across in both his attitude and his behaviour. For example, when talking to Mrs Hepworth, she says, â€Å"Take that†, to which Willie â€Å"bends down rather expecting ‘that' to be a blow†, so rather than stand up to her when he is expecting to be hit, Willie cowers out of the way, but he â€Å"finds she is holding out a visiting card†. Willie is very quick to do as he is told, and Brighouse demonstrates this to the audience on the first occasion that we meet this character. In this scene, Mrs Hepworth wants to see Willie; Tubby just had to call Willie's name down the trap door and he appeared instantly. It is clear to the audience that Willie is a talented boot maker, as Mrs Hepworth is so pleased with her boots that she asks specifically to see Willie, so that she can â€Å"praise him to his face†. However, it seems at this point in the play that boot making may be his only talent, as when Mrs Hepworth instructs Willie to read the card she has given him, it is revealed that he can't even read properly. Willie is dominated by everyone, including not just Mrs Hepworth, but also Maggie, Hobson, Ada, Alice and Vickey. Brighouse uses the dominant character of Maggie to help Willie come out of his shell, and helps him both socially and intellectually, and Brighouse turns Willie into a much stronger and more dominant character, not unlike Maggie herself. The transformation of Willie includes him becoming able to stand up for himself, speak his mind and Maggie even teaches him to read; he stands straighter, taller, holds his head high, looks people in the eye, speaks with a stronger, more confident voice, learns to speak his mind, is much more confident in his abilities and even dresses smarter. An example of him becoming a stronger character and standing up for himself is when he tells Hobson â€Å"Don't let us be too long about this. You've kept me waiting now a good while and my time's valuable. I'm busy at my shop†. This sounds like something Maggie would say, and without pausing for breath Willie manages to put Hobson in his place, and let him know that Willie means business. Another example is where Willie tells Hobson â€Å"You've no right to expect I care whether you sink or swim†, which actually makes Willie out to be quite a nasty character, but Maggie points out that he is going a bit too far. This â€Å"abuse of power† shows that Willie is new to being able to tell people what to do, and he is playing around trying to find his boundaries. Another reason why Hobson's Choice is so honest and easy to believe is because Brighouse has made the focus of the play the characters rather than any individual action or event, which means that the audience can really relate to and sympathise with the characters. It is for this reason that all of the characters in Hobson's Choice have a function; they are all there for a reason to support the roles of the central five – Hobson, Maggie, Willie, Alice and Vickey. Jim Heeler is there for Hobson to confide in, so the audience all know what he is really thinking and what he is going to do next. Mrs Hepworth – the only real customer in the play – is used to introduce the character of Willie, and also later finances Willie and Maggie's business. Ada Figgins's brief appearance shows the contrast the Maggie represents to Willie. Tubby is used later on to show the deterioration of Hobson's business. Albert Prosser and Fred Beenstock are used to help Maggie in plotting against her father. Finally, Dr MacFarlane effectively sets up the final confrontation between Maggie, Willie and Hobson by prescribing Hobson with the necessary cure for his diagnosed weaknesses. Brighouse has cleverly disguised these character's functions by giving them a more direct reason to appear when they do. Heeler appears as Hobson's friend, whilst Mrs Hepworth is first introduced as a customer. Ada, obviously, comes into the shop to bring Willie his lunch, and is then somewhat dumped by Willie in the process! Tubby is the other worker at Hobson's boot shop, and Albert and Fred are Alice and Vickey's boyfriends. Finally, Dr MacFarlane appears simply to diagnose Hobson. This multi-functioning allows Brighouse to create a realistic play, as the characters seem to be innocent at first glance, yet the play soon subtly reveals their true functions. Not only is Hobson's Choice such an honest and realistic play, but it also has a lot of comic elements. The play is often referred to as a â€Å"Lancashire comedy†, as the language and dialect plays a big part in the play's comical elements and the tone of the play. The dialect is informal, and characters often speak using slang words and phrases, such as â€Å"our Maggie†, 'em†, â€Å"aye† and â€Å"eh?† The character's credibility stems from the realistic, naturalistic manner in which they speak. An example of this is Willie's final, defiant speech at the end of Act One. The sharpness of the dialogue itself would be a source of humour, but it forms a constituent part of the greater comedy arising from the interaction between Willie, Hobson and Maggie. This scene between these three characters is just an example of the humour that Brighouse has included within Hobson's Choice. Another particularly entertaining element of Hobson's Choice is a conversation between Maggie and Willie. Maggie asks Willie, â€Å"When are you going to leave Hobson's?† to which Willie replies, â€Å"Leave Hobson's? I – I thought I gave satisfaction†. This is comical as Willie is shocked because he thinks that Maggie is wanting rid of him. The comical element continues when Maggie, in the same conversation, tells Willie that she is going to marry him. The audience would find this entertaining for several reasons; first Maggie is not asking Willie to marry her, she is telling him that he is going to, and the fact that a woman is telling a man what to do, especially something as serious as this, is comic. Also, for Maggie, the daughter of Hobson, the shop owner, to want Willie, a mere worker at her father's shop, to marry her is comical in itself. It is also funny because Maggie is insulting Willie and acting like she thinks that she is better than him, yet she i s demanding to marry him! Another way memorable comic event is when Maggie tells Ada that she is going to marry Willie. This allows Brighouse to entertain the audience by overturning the convention in drama of two men fighting over a woman by showing Maggie and Ada battling for Willie. This event is also comic as neither Willie nor Ada have any say or control over the situation, despite the fact that 10 minutes previous, Maggie had nothing to do with Willie's social life at all! Another comic situation presented in Hobson's Choice is later on in the play, where Hobson's daughters – previously scared of Hobson – are dictating to him what he is going to do, and they, together with Maggie and their partners manage to trick Hobson into handing them over à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½500 for Alice and Albert's wedding! What makes this even more comical is that Maggie manages to convince Hobson that it is he who has won, because he only had to give the couple à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½500 and not à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1000! Overall, I think that Brighouse has created a very honest view of family life, and the audience will really appreciate this. He has created a naturalistic setting, which requires no interaction or imagination from the audience to enhance the play, so the audience are a fourth wall audience, which is the contemporary equivalent of a modern audience watching a television soap. Brighouse has enhanced the play with regular comic moments to keep the audience engaged and entertained. The comic episodes are more amusing to a contemporary audience as a lot of them are based around contemporary views and beliefs, such as a woman of 30 being too old to marry, therefore it would be harder for a modern audience to appreciate all of the comedy as well as a contemporary audience, but it is these contemporary views that are conveyed in the play that makes it so honest and realistic.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Historical Development of Nursing Timeline Essay

The science of nursing has come a long way since the days of when the art of nursing was passed on to other nurses through education of skills and tasks. Through the development of nursing theories, the science of nursing has changed and grown. Nursing theories were developed to help standardize care and to help create a base of knowledge so that nursing would be recognized as a profession. There have been many theorists who have played an integral part in the growth of the profession of nursing, which include, Florence Nightingale, Hildegard Peplau, Virginia Henderson, Dorothea Orem, and Jean Watson to name a few. As theories developed, it helped to shape nursing as a profession as well. As the profession continued to evolve and grow, it received many influences from other disciplines as well, such as philosophy, social science, religion, education, and anthropology. The history of nursing began with Florence Nightingale and the way she viewed nursing and nurses. She was a pioneer f or nursing theories. According to George (2011), Nightingale created the first theory, which was created in 1859 by her book Notes on Nursing, by understanding how the environment of the patient and their health were affected by that environment. She believed that the environment was important for people to heal, and that manipulation of that environment was important. George (2011), states that Nightingale focused on people’s nutrition, the proper way to dispose of sewage, and how the lighting and ventilation would help people. This was just the beginning of how theories began. For many decades, Nightingale’s theory guided nursing practice. Not until the 1950s at the Columbia University, where the students there were developing nursing theories, was there a shift in nursing theories. Some of the theorists during this time were Peplau, Henderson, Hall, and Abdellah. According to George (2011), many of the  theories of this time were based on the biomedical model, and were focused on what the nurse and what they do. This sparked the need to have nurses more highly educated. This also led to the next wave of nursing education. Alligood (2014) states that towards the 1950s the diploma nurse began to phase out and that more nursing programs were opening in colleges and universities, which had more research and curriculum focus. By having higher educated nurses, it showed that research became the way to increase nursing knowledge. The 1960s continued to demonstrate how nursing theories were changing. According to George (2011), the nurse and patient relationship became more the focus of theoretical thinking as opposed to the problem and need of the patient way of thinking. George (2011) also states that the same theorists from the 1950s that were developing theories went to Yale school to become staff there. This decade also showed a change in the education of nursing. George (2011) continues on to state that the American Nurses Association recommended that there be two levels of education, the baccalaureate level, and the associate level nurses. During this decade the theorists to note were, Henderson, Orlando, and Wiedenbach. According to George (2011), Henderson â€Å"defined nursing as doing for others what they lack the strength, will, or knowledge to do for themselves† (p. 25). This shows how nursing began, and continues today. Walker and Avant (2011) state that Orlando and Widenbach’s theories focused on the nurse-patient relationship. In the next decade, according to George (2011), is when many nursing theories were presented and revised, and that this is when the National League for Nursing first implemented the requirement for nursing schools to have conceptual framework to be even accredited. Alligood (2014) states that this decade is when doctoral degrees for nurses should actually be in nursing. Rogers, Orem, and Watson are some of the theorists that contributed to the science of nursing in this decade. According to George (2011), Rogers believed that a person and the environment are integral to each other, and the person is seen as the whole instead of the collection of the parts. George (2011) states that Orem had identified three areas of self-deficit in patients and that nursing were able to provide fully, partially, or supportive in the three areas that the patient needed. Lastly George (2011) describes Watson’s theory and how nursing is viewed as taking care of people through science. The 1980s and 1990s continued to show growth and development of nursing theories. Many of the theories of the 1980s were being revised. According to George (2011) in the 1990s is when middle theories began to guide nursing and the introduction of evidence-based practice. This paved the way to how research helps to guide nursing in the science. Nursing has grown since Nightingale first introduced her theory. It has evolved from an art and discipline, into a science and a profession. Barrett (2002) states that the best efforts toward discovering the truth, best represents science and scientific knowledge, and that it is evolving, subject to revision, is open-ended, and creates changes in ideas. Barrett (2002) goes on to state, â€Å"research is how we create science.† This goes to show that nursing is a profession, in that nursing is in a constant state of research and using that research to create better outcomes. According to Barrett (2002), the knowledge that is gained for nursing science is done through nursing research. Alligood (2014) states that in order for new knowledge to be obtained in nursing, it is paramount that theories and research continue to be important. It is through the continuous creation and revision of theories, and evidence through research that continue to shape nursing as a profession. The nursing profession is one that draws many influences from other disciplines as well, such as philosophy, religion, education, anthropology, the social sciences and psychology. Nurses use philosophy almost on a daily basis, the quest for more wisdom. The nurse’s desire to want to understand patients and how their environment, social interactions, and choices affect their health. Wanting to understand more and grow nursing, theorist use the basis of philosophy to gain more knowledge. Religion is another influence in nursing that allows nurses to connect with patients on a spiritual level and to help guide ethical choices and to be a patient advocate. Nursing places nurses in the lifelong student position as well. It is a profession where education is continuous, and it allows nurses to become educators as well. Anthropology and nursing are intertwined and have much in common due to both fields focus on the health and illness of human beings (DeSantis, 1994). Nursing is influenced by social science and psychology as well. It is through social science that  nurses can deliver culturally competent care, from the understanding of people and society. Psychology helps guide nurses in to better understanding the human psyche, and how the mind and behavior affect people and their health. The nursing profession has grown since Nightingale first introduced her theory. Since then, nursing theorist have been working on providing evidence-based practice to help guide the profession of nursing through research and studies. It is through the creation of these theories that helped pave the way for nursing science to become a profession. In addition, the influence of the many different sciences and their disciplines also contributed to the science of nursing. References Alligood, M. R. (2014). Nursing theory: Utilization & application. Maryland Heights, MO: Mosby-Elsevier. Barrett, E. A. (2002). What is nursing science? Nursing Science Quarterly, 15(1), 51-60. DeSantis, L. (1994). Making anthropology clinically relevant to nursing care. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 20(0), 707-715. George, J. B. (2011). Nursing theories the base for professional nursing practice (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Karnick, P. M. (2014). The elusive profession called nursing. Nursing Science Quarterly, 27(4), 292-293. doi:10.1177/0894318414546422 Walker, L. O., & Avant, K. C. (2011). Strategies for theory construction in nursing (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.