Licensed Casino Gambling Essay

Individual effects: Is gambling generally harmful to the individual gambler?| Yes * Gambling is irrational and reckless and should, therefore, be regulated by the government. There may be the possibility of winning a big prize, but the overwhelming likelihood is that a gambler will lose money. This is ensured by the fact that Casinos are profit-minded organizations, and calculate their odds so that they will always make a profit. Because gamblers are always likely to lose and suffer as a result, the activity can be seen in many ways as an irrational engagement.Gambling attracts people with little money who are desperate for a windfall. These are the people who can least afford to lose money. They should be protected from the temptation to gamble.| NoContention that the general individual losses from gambling are justified by it being a fun and leisurely activity worth â€Å"paying† for: Gamblers know that, overall, they are likely to lose money. They gamble because it is a lei sure pursuit that they enjoy. There is nothing irrational about this. Some people get an enjoyable thrill from the remote possibility that they might win a huge prize – even if they lose, they enjoy the experience. Some forms of gambling are highly sociable. For example, many people go to bingo halls to spend time with friends. Society accepts people spending (â€Å"wasting†?) money on other leisure pursuits with no material benefits (e.g. cinema tickets, watching sport) – gambling should not be any different. It is patronizing to suggest that people, including those on low incomes, should not be able to choose how they spend their money. * Psychological benefits of gambling: Some argue that gambling offers psychological benefits. The psychological benefits may include: 1. A feeling of control (which some describe as God-like). 2. Confidence that extends from feelings of executive control in decision-making. 3. Benefits in the ability to psycho-analyze other peoples thoughts, and placing mone yed interests and incentives behind the results of such psycho-analysis.[1] 4. Total engagement and â€Å"peak experience†. â€Å"It provides the gambler with ‘peak experience,’ that godlike feeling when all of one’s physical and emotional senses are ‘go.'†[2] 5. The release from daily tension. 6. Feelings of exercising â€Å"‘the adventurer within us’ – that part of ourselves which lusts for change, the wooing of the unknown, change, danger, all that is new†¦It is part of what makes us human.†[3] 7. Feelings of engaging in a ubiquitous, historical human tradition. 8. Emotions of non-conformity and freedom. One source quoted a gambler who said, â€Å"All day long you do what them dumb bastard supervisors tell you. Don’t make no difference whether it makes sense or not. Sometimes you just gotta get out of line.†[4] * Gambling increases individual efficiency: Studies show that, contrary to popular belief, gambling is by and large beneficial to the gambler and increases rather than decreases his efficiency. It is beneficial in that it stimulates, offers hope, allows decision making, and, in many cases,| Crime effects: Does gambling cause an increase in various kinds of related criminal activities?| [][Edit]Yes * Casinos are often a ssociated with criminal activity. Drug dealers and prostitutes operate near casinos – they know that there are a large number of potential clients in the area. Casinos can therefore be devastating to neighborhoods.| [][Edit]No * People committing crimes should be prosecuted. The existence of criminals does not make nearby businesses (including casinos) immoral. It is perverse to punish people who just want to gamble (and not take drugs or use prostitutes) by taking away their chance to do so.| Bad industry? Are casinos an industry with bad merit? Is nothing of value produced by casinos?| Yes * Casinos don’t produce any â€Å"product†: Many contend that gambling is inappropriate because it does not generate any tangible product. One commentators says that gambling â€Å"is an ethereal substance–â€Å"a biological substance†Ã¢â‚¬â€œthat produces â€Å"highs†¦generated usually by anticipation.†[5]| No * Contention that casinos are involved in the entertainment business, and need not produce a tangible product: Gambling is a form of entertainment that is similar to many other forms of entertainment; the objective is merely to foster a desired emotional response from the audience. Movies, theater, fair-grounds, concerts, sporting-events, and casinos are all similar in that their primary function is to foster an environment of entertainment. That is their â€Å"product†, which need not be physical in order to be viewed as valuable.| Addiction: Is gambling commonly addictive, and would this be a reason for regulating it?| Yes * Gambling is addictive. Many people end up gambling to try to recover money they have already lost. This is known as ‘chasing losses’. It results in people staking more and more money, most of which they will lose. Gambling addicts often turn to crime to feed their addiction. Addiction is highly damaging to families, since gamblers will spend whatever money they can on gambling. People start to gamble without thinking that they will become addicted. Once they become addicted, it is too late. As with drugs, it is better to ban gambling to stop people getting started in the first place. * Analogy that gambling truly is like a drug, and should be treated as a controlled substance: * It is â€Å"drug-like† in the way that it dramatically utilizes human chemicals: William M. Th ompson, â€Å"Gambling: A Controlled Substance†, PBS Interview, 1994 – â€Å"Is the comparison of drugs and gambling unfair? Consider the words of Thomas R. O’Brien, formerly Director of Gaming Enforcement for the state of New Jersey. In 1984 he told a conference on gambling that the success of Atlantic City was tied to how well it sold its ‘only products.’ He then said: ‘That product is not entertainment or recreation or leisure. It’s really adrenaline: a biological substance capable of producing excitement–highs and generated usually by anticipation or expectation of a future event, especially when the outcome of that event is in doubt.’ According to chief regulator of the industry, gambling was not only a drug, but a mind-altering drug.† * The addictive and destructive nature of gambling is also drug-like:William M. Thompson, â€Å"Gambling: A Controlled Substance†, PBS Interview, 1994 – â€Å"Where governments do not prohibit, the majority can exercise self-control. Seventy-five percent gamble responsibly. They find it an entertaining diversion. But another 20 percent overindulge. They incur debts that impair abilities to support their families, unless they stop. Usually they can. Four percent cannot stop without intervention of others. Then there are the one-half to one percent (and these are conservative estimates) who fall into destructive behaviors when exposed to gambling. Families are destroyed, friendships broken, employment disrupted. Cycles of deception and crime lead to ruined lives–and in many cases, suicide.†| No * Contention that gambling is not physically addictive: Unlike drugs, gambling is not physically addictive. It is only psychologically addictive in some people. Only a small percentage of gamblers have an addiction. Many more get enjoyment from gambling without problems – why should these people suffer because a few others get addicted? The risks of gambling addiction are well known. People can make a conscious choice to start gambling, and are aware of the risks of addiction. Treatment programmes can address the problems of those who are addicted.| Economic harm? Do casinos casinos cause economic harm or provide very few economic benefits?| Yes * The long-term economic negatives outweigh the short-term economic gains: John Warren Kind, â€Å"The Business-Economic Impacts of Licensed Casino Gambling in West Virginia: Short-Term Gain but Long-Term Pain†, PBS, 1994 – â€Å"While the dollars invested in various legalized gambling projects and the jobs initially created are evident, the industry has been criticized for inflating the positive economic impacts and trivializing or ignoring the negative impacts (Goodman 1994). The industry’s tendency to focus on specialized factors provides a distorted view of the localized economic positives, while ignoring the strategic business-economic costs to the state as a whole (such as West Virginia) and to different regions of the United States (California Governor’s Office 1992, Kindt 1995). In 1994, all of the various experts who testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Small Business criticized the impacts that casino-style gambling activities inflict upon the criminal justice system, the social welfare, system, small businesses, and the economy (Congressional Hearing 1994). Utilizing legalized gambling activities as a strategy for economic development was thoroughly discredited during the hearing.† * The actual economic benefits of casinos are exaggerated. They generally only create low-paid jobs for local people; the casino companies usually bring in managers from elsewhere. * There are too many economic â€Å"exte rnalities† surrounding gambling, which nullify the benefits: * Crime – * Risky behavior – Compulsive gambling may foster poor, sometimes risky money-management habits. These habits may transfer over to other areas of the economy, where risky behaviors translate into a higher likelihood of loss in various markets. * Time consumption – Compulsive gambling often entails significant time consumption, which detracts from more productive ends. * Jobs could be created through many other industries that cause fewer moral and practical problems (e.g. theme parks). * Any economic benefits would not matter, if the industry is deemed immoral: * Estimated losses from compulsive gambling: William M. Thompson, â€Å"Gambling: A Controlled Substance†, PBS Interview, 1994 – â€Å"Conservative numbers suggest it costs society $13,000 per year for each compulsive gambler. The losses include treatment costs, lost productivity, criminal activity and judicial costs. Estimating that widespread gambling across America would create one million compulsive gamblers, the resulting annual economic loss would exceed $13 billion.†| No * Casinos cause money to be spent on transport infrastructure, which is very beneficial to economies: * Casinos help the tourism industry of a place: The jobs are not just in the casino itself. More jobs are created in hotels and other parts of the tourism industry. * Examples in which casinos have helped to regenerate many places that previously had considerable poverty and social problems: * Atlantic City. * New Jersey. * Legalized gambling on reservations is very important to Native American tribes: Anthony Pico, Chairman of the Viejas Indians, explains the benefits to his tribe of legalized gambling on his tribe’s reservation in a PBS interview.[6]| Social welfare effects: Are the charitable generations from gambling substantial, and can this go toward justifying their existence?| Yes * It is immoral for the state or charities to raise money by exploiting people’s stupidity and greed. * Gambling is regressive (this means that the poor pay a greater proportion of their income in tax than the rich). This is because poor people are more likely to gamble. Regressive taxation is deeply unfair. * â€Å"Legalized gambling activities act as a regressive tax on the poor† (Clotfelter and Cook 1989). Specifically, the legalization of various forms of gambling activities makes â€Å"poor people poorer† and can dramatically intensify many pre-existing social-welfare problems. Demographic analyses reveal that certain disadvantaged socioeconomic groups tend to gamble proportionately greater amounts of their overall income and marketing efforts, particularly by state lotteries, have allegedly been directed at these target groups.† – John Warren Kind, â€Å"The Business-Economic Impacts of Licensed Casino Gambling in West Virginia: Short-Term Gain but Long-Term Pain†, PBS, 1994 * Contention that education is harmed by gambling practices: Kind, PBS, 1994 – â€Å"Legalized gambling activities also negatively affect education– both philosophically and fiscally (Better Government Association 1992; Clotfelter and Cook 1989). Adherence to a philosophy of making a living via gambling activities not only abrogates the perceived need for an education, but also reinforces economically unproductive activities (and is statistically impossible since the ‘house’ always wins eventually). In states with legalized gambling activities which were initiated allegedly to bolster tax revenues to ‘education,’ the funding in ‘real dollars’ has almost uniformly decreased.†| No * Gambling is often used to raise money for the state or good causes. Charities use prize draws to raise funds:| Should online gambling be banned?| Yes * Internet gambling is especially dangerous. Someone can become addicted very easily – they don’t even need to leave their home. This also means that they are gambling in private. They may therefore be less reluctant to wager very large sums they cannot afford. It is very hard to know the identity of an online gambler – there have been several cases of people (including children) using stolen credit cards to gamble online. Online gambling may be hard to control but that is not a reason to try – making an activity more difficult to pursue will still reduce the number of those who take it up. It is not impossible to put effective deterrent steps in place, such as the recent US ban on American banks processing credit card payments to internet ].| No * It is impossible to stop online gambling. When it has been banned, people have just used sites based in other countries. It is better to legalize and regulate online gambling than to drive gamblers to poorly-regulated foreign operators. Regulation can reduce the problems identified by the proposition. For example, online gamblers can be required to give personal details when registering (e.g. occupation, income). If this information suggests they are spending more than they can afford, the company can block their credit card. In any case, most online gamblers do not get addicted. Why should they be denied an activity that they enjoy?|

Principles and Practices of Management Essay

Planning is the determination of the course of the objectives of a business, division or department to achieve maximum profit effectiveness, the establishment of policies and the continuous seeking and finding of new ways to do things. Implementing applies to the doing phases. After plans have been prepared, personnel must be selected and assigned their jobs; they must be trained and motivated to perform properly. Activities must be implemented in terms of the plans initially developed. This may include I. Selecting personnel II. Training personnel III. Motivating personnel IV. Delegation, V. Direction VI. Coordinating. Controlling refers to the evaluation of the performance of those who are responsible for executing the plans agreed upon. This may include: I. Controlling adherence to plans, and II. Appraising performance 2. Principles of Management Fayol has given fourteen principles of management. These principles are as fallows 1. Division of work: Fayol has advocated division of work to take the advantage of specialization. According to him, ‘specialization belongs to the natural order. The worker always works on the same matters, the manager concerned always with the same matters; acquire an ability, sureness, and accuracy, which increase their output’. Each change of work brings in it training and adaptation, which reduces output. Thus, division of work can be applied at all levels in the organization. However, he has recognized the limitations of division of work and has advocated that experience and sense of proportion will decide the extent to which division of work can be utilized fruitfully. 2. Authority and Responsibility: The authority and responsibility are related, with the latter the corollary of the former and arising from the former. He finds authority as a continuation of official and personnel factors. Official authority is derived from the manager’s position and personal authority is derived from intelligence, experience, moral worth, past services, etc. Responsibility arises out of assigning the work. 3. Discipline: All the personnel serving in the organization should be disciplined. Discipline is obedience, application, energy, behavior, and outward mark of respect shown by employees. Discipline can be classified into two types: self-imposed discipline and command discipline. The former springs form within the individual and are in the nature of spontaneous response to a skillful leader. Command discipline stems from a recognized authority and utilizes deterrents to secure compliance with a desired action, which is expressed by established customs, rules, and regulations. The ultimate strength of command discipline lies in its certainty of application. 4. Unity of command: Unity of command means a person in the organization should receive orders from only one superior. The more completely an individual has a reporting relationship to a single superior, the less the problem of conflict in instructions and the greater the feeling of personal responsibility for results. The principle of unity of command Is useful in the clarification of authority-responsibility relationship. 5. Unity of Direction Unity of direction means ‘one unit and one plan’. According to this principle, each group of activities with same objectives with same objective must have one head and one plan. The unity of direction is different from unity of command in the sense that former is concerned with the functioning of body corporate; the latter is concerned with personnel at all level. Unity of direction is provided for by sound organization of the body corporate, unity of command turn on the functioning of the personnel. Unity of command exists without unity of direction, but does not flow from it. 6. Subordination of individual to general interest: Command interest is above the individual interest and when there is conflict between these two, the common interest must prevail. However, factors like ambition, laziness, weakness etc. tend to reduce the importance of general interest. 7. Remuneration of Personnel: Remuneration and methods of payment should be fair and provide maximum possible satisfaction to employees and employers. 8. Centralization: Everything, which goes to increase the importance of the subordinate’s role, is decentralization; everything, which goes to reduce it, is centralization. Without using the term ‘centralization of authority’. This pattern is determined by individual circumstances and should be based on optimum utilization of all faculties of the personnel. 9. Scalar Chain: There should be a scalar chain of authority and communication ranging from the highest to lowest positions. It suggests that each communication going up or coming down must flow through each position in the line of authority. It can be short-circuited only in special circumstances when its rigid following would be determined to the organization. For this purpose, Fayol has suggested ‘gang palnk’ , which is used to prevent the scalar chain from bogging down action. 10. Order: Both material order and social order are necessary. The former minimizes lost time and useless handling of materials. The latter is achieved through organization and selection. 11. Equity: In running a business a combination of kindliness and justice is needed. Treating employees well is important to achieve equity. 12. Stability of Tenure of Personnel: Employees work better if job security and career progress are assured to them. An insecure tenure and a high rate of employee turnover will affect the organization adversely. 13. Initiative: Allowing all personnel to show their initiative in some way is a source of strength for the organization. Even though it may well involve a sacrifice of personnel vanity on the part of many managers. 14. Espirt de Corps: Management must foster the morale of its employees. â€Å"Real talent is needed the coordinate effort, encourage keenness, use each person’s abilities and reward each one’s merit without arousing possible jealousness and disturbing harmonious relations†. Techniques of Effective Coordination The basic objective of all managerial functions is to get things done by coordinated efforts of others. Thus, every function leads to coordination. However, following are the specific techniques for achieving coordination: Coordination by Chain of Command: In an organization, the chain of command is the most important methods of coordination. Superior, because of his organizational position, has the authority to issue orders and instructions to his subordinates. Weber has indicated that in a controlled administration coordination is achieved. Coordination by Leadership: Leadership brings individual motivation and persuades the group to have identified of interests and outlook in group efforts. Ordway Tead has stated that top management should practice leadership because without it, no coordination can be achieved. In fact, whatever is necessary for effective leadership is also required for coordination. Coordination by Effective Communication: Communication helps to developing understanding between individuals or groups among whom coordination is to be achieved. Through communication, every person understands his scope and limits of functioning, authority and responsibility, and relationship with others. Thus, effective communication provides horizontal as well as vertical coordination if there is free and adequate flow of communication in all directions.-horizontal, vertical, upward and downward. Communication to be effective does not require only a communication network but to keep the network free from any barrier, which effects flow of messages adversely. Coordination by Committees: Committees are the body of persons entrusted with discharging some functions collectively as group. Some committees have the authority to take decisions and others make recommendations only. The decisions of the committees are group decisions and the persons whose departments are affected by decisions generally constitute the committees. Thus the decisions themselves provide coordination among various functions of the organization. Coordination by General Staff: Generally, in big organizations there is general staff meant for  coordination. This staff employs a central position in communication network. All the heads of departments and sections send the various information to this center. This center stores the information and sends to various departments’ only relevant and related information. This center, because of its specialized knowledge, is able to assess the relevance and need of various information for a department. Thus, the coordination is achieved by supplying inter-departmental information. Special Coordinators: In some organizations, special coordinators are appointed for coordinating some special activities. For example, in a particular project, along with various functionaries, a project coordinator is appointed. His basic function is to coordinate various activities of the project and to keep information about the development of project so that he can provide it to the party concerned for which the project Is being completed. Such projects are generally taken on contract basis which are to be completed within the specified time. Self-coordination: This principles states that a particular department affects other departments and in turn is affected by them. However, this department has no control over others. In such a case, if other departments modify their actions in such a way that this affects the particular department favorably, self-coordination is achieved. This requires effective communication across the department so that they are able to appreciate the functioning of related departments. However, this method is not free from limitations and shortcomings, and in the organization, favorable climate and environment need to be created for self-control. Features of an Open Door Organization 1) An open door organization is task oriented. The accountability is clearly defined. 2) The authority (within the related functional area) is also absolute (or nearly so) matching the absolute character of the accountability. 3) Consultations are minimum and are not compulsive; the executive is free to consult and communicate (or otherwise) so long as he performs and delivers the objective. 4) Rules and procedures exist but only as guides-the executives (within their sphere of responsibilities)  having wide freedom of discretion to depart from the rules within the periphery of the broad corporate policies. 5) The accountability is clear-cut; objective is verifiable – in terms of cost, output target, time and profit. The means are (relatively) unimportant so long as the end is achieved. 6) The managerial behavior is highly flexible bending with lithe suppleness to the internal shifts in conditions and external maneuvers of the environmental zone of contract.

Briefly examine the place of ethno-religious identity and affiliation Essay

Briefly examine the place of ethno-religious identity and affiliation within the rise of the group calling itself IS ect. and how this group should be opposed - Essay Example The sympathizers of the group argue that it is only applying Islam fully, an argument it uses to justify the killing of its opponents. The IS was founded by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. In 2003, the group attacked a UN compound in Baghdad in one of its biggest attacks. The attack claimed 22 lives, among them the UN special representative Sergio Vieira de Mello. The attack was closely followed by the killing of 150 people in twin attacks in Baghdad and Shiite during the Ashura festival. The group’s leader also personally beheaded American and British hostages in the year 2004. It is in the same year that group joined Al-Qaeda to be known as Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI). It is said that the group was part of Al-Qaeda and was expelled from Afghanistan for being too extreme and radical. In fact, it participated in the war against American forces after the death of President Saddam Hussein. In 2013, the group was actively involved in the Syrian Civil War, where it grew its tenets. In fact, the Islamic state emphasized more on building an Islamic state rather than the regime change that was so desired. The group has been on a growth trajectory ever since as is evidenced by the establishment of an Islamic caliphate in mid 2014. The group’s caliph was declared to be Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The group, in 2006, planned to enforce its sharia laws in Iraq but was opposed by the local community. Tribal militias, with the support of American forces, fought against the ISIS group pushing it off Iraqi. Following the Iraq government’s failure to recruit the tribal militias in the security forces, they turned and joined ISIS. Between 2013 and 2014, the group built its base in Syria, specifically in Raqqa district. The struggle to seize this area, however, was not an easy one because they faced challenges from other rebel groups. The group used the tactic of divide and rule to strengthen its allies and weaken its antagonists. This strategy effectively helped IS to

Mean Street movie analysis Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mean Street analysis - Movie Review Example Cassavetes showed his girlfriend called Sandy Weintraub, the field and as a result decided to provide extra sage advice dubbed tone the God-disturbing angst and introduce more tales from the neighborhood (Braund Para 1). The movie is a basically about a small time wise individual called Charlie who was tormented by Catholic guilt. Other tormentors were his loose-canon best pal Johnny Boy and the coterie of cronies, was written by Scorsese and Martin Mardik travelling along the streets of little Italy in the Battered Valiant of Martin. Soaking up the recognizable pageant with fresh sight, they writers got a real taste of little Italy. Also, it spiced up the narrative with cases drawn from Scorsese’s rich background of tales (Braund Para 2). It is prudent to point out that the main pleasure obtained by reviewing the movie Mean Streets is the performance of De Niro. An eruption of casual mayhem and random violence depicts Johny Boy as an excellent reflection of fatal carelessness, a species of heedless fanatic whom cannot be doubted to cheerfully treat welching with debts to local loan offices as if it were some form of extreme sport. De Niro inventing without a net and free from thoughtful brooding that marks his future roles invests him with similar parts troubles and irresistible charm. De Niro shoulders the film manfully, but as the tool for Scorsese’s religious musings when they cross the boundary from heavy to heavy-handed, it makes people to lose patience (Braund Para 3). A significant part of the movie is characterized by documentary feel, however just like some hellish bordello, the movie is like a diabolical glow bathing everything and everyone in shades of carnal red. Such a symbolism is stunning and infinitely more relevant than Keitel sticking his hand in the closest flaming object every moment a stripper shakes before him. Scorsese’s little hood has long disappeared. It is three small

Factors contributing to increase of obesity amongst women population Essay

Factors contributing to increase of obesity amongst women population within the United Kingdom - Essay Example This essay "Factors contributing to increase of obesity amongst women population within the United Kingdom" discusses the problem of the obesity among the women population of the UK. The main factor that is contributing to increase in obesity among women in the UK is poor dietary choices. Women are the leading consumers of foods with high calories and extra carbohydrates that are not utilised by their bodies (Kopelman, Caterson and Dietz, 2010). Eating fast food in restaurants during lunch breaks in the workplace, skipping of breakfast and consuming high-calorie drinks are some unhealthy eating habits that are common amongst women in the United Kingdom (Alters and Schiff, 2013). It is common for women to oversized portions and sweetened beverages that contain high levels of carbohydrates and other nutrients that contribute to accumulation of fat in the body. The second leading factor that is contributing to increase in obesity among women in the UK is sedentary lifestyle. Many women in the UK engage in less physically demanding work due to mechanised transport systems and labour-saving technologies in the workplace. In this case, women rarely engaged in physical fitness activities such as recycling or walking since they are committed in household duties or corporate work (Cappuccio, 2010). Accordingly, most of the women in the UK prefer relaxing in their houses while watching television, browsing the internet and playing computer games thus leading to excessive calories in the body that are stored as fat.

Child Protective Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Child Protective Services - Essay Example It is essential to discuss some concepts that this body assumes in undertaking their tasks before discussing its roles. They state that it is the duty of the parents to take care of a child various needs. These needs range from mental needs, medical needs, emotional needs and physical needs (Connolly 60). This is aligned with the ideology that children are best looked after in their family units. Incapability of parents to meet these needs may be attributed to their own problems like mental diseases and drug abuse. The CPS performs its roles in processes (Lonne 76). The agency is charged with the responsibility of obtaining reports about suspected abuse cases. Reporting of cases is, therefore, a mandate of the public and the body’s workers. In the next stage, the case facts are sought. The case is thus weighed to meet the body’s standard of maltreatment (Depantills and Dubowitz 100). Thereafter, the nature of the family is assessed to establish the cause of abuse or neglect. Future risks of abuse are evaluated at this stage. From that stage, the child protection team links with the family in reducing the likelihood of future abuse. They can alternatively involve a court process where the situation becomes unmanageable at the family level. In conclusion, it should be noted that the agency cannot fulfill these functions by itself. This is partly because their powers are limited (Seghal 267). It must involve the court process in scenarios that necessitate the same law intervention. This means it cannot prosecute the offenders of the abused child. It cannot also provide a valid report if it does not involve health care professionals. This, however, does not compromise its main role of treating the affected

Cyber Crime Complaint Center (in United Arab Emirates) Thesis

Cyber Crime Complaint Center (in United Arab Emirates) - Thesis Example Hacking, Malware, Fraud, Identity theft, Information warfare, phishing scams, viruses, cyber stalking are some of the examples of the cyber crime that are discussed most today. (Dwyer, P., 2010, p. 3). Usually the large organizations become the victim of cyber-crime because either the hackers are more interested in the financial gain or they want to attain the prestige by getting access illegally to their secret data. Additionally the countries where there is unemployment are also at more risk of cyber crime like in some of the countries where there are youngsters holding degrees but having no jobs gets annoyed and their mind starts moving towards the criminal activities. They are well qualified so can easily learn hacking and scamming and thus for the financial gain they gets indulged into such crimes. According to the statistics of 2008 to 2009 it is found that the financial fraud via cyber is doubled. As the cyber criminal activities have increased much so there is a need for the organizations to consider on the internal skills and structure. If the structure is strong then the risks of attacks are also minimized because about 60% of the cyber criminal activities are being play ed from inside the organization. Due to this loophole majority of the organizations get failed to deal with the cyber crime as there is either improper structure or lack of knowledge and expertise. Since now there have lots of researches being carried out on the topic of cyber crimes. The research articles with the latest information are published in International Journal of Cyber Criminology. There are number of books by Wall, Jewkes, McQuade and Yar have been written on this topic. Still as this research topic is fresh so the depth study is required as mentioned in the recent work of Nhan and Bachmann (2010). The cyber crime increases as the growth of internet connectivity increases in any area and as we know that the new

Victoria Kite Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Victoria Kite Company - Essay Example Total collections $47200 $66100 $51500 January February March Schedule c: Purchases Budget Desired ending inventory $0 $0 $0 Cost of goods sold $20950 $37500 $19000 Total needed $60000 $37500 $19000 Beginning inventory $39050 $0 $0 Purchases $20950 $37500 $19000 Schedule d: Disbursements for Purchases 100% of previous month's purchases $23050 $20950 $37500 March 31 accounts payable $19000 Financial Statements Exhibit I VICTORIA KITE Budgeted Statement of Cash Receipts and Disbursements For the Three Months Ending March 31, 2005 January February March Cash balance, beginning $5000 $5000 $10850 Minimum cash balance desired $5000 $5000 $5000 (a) Available cash balance $0 $0 $5850 Cash receipts and disbursements: Collections from customers (Schedule b) $47200 $66100 $51500 Payments for merchandise (Schedule c) $35550 $37500 $19000 Rent $8050 $250 $250 Wages and salaries $15000 $15000 $15000 Miscellaneous expenses $2500 $2500 $2500 Dividends $1500 $0 $0 Purchase of fixtures $0 $0 $3000 (b) Net cash receipts & disbursements ($154000) $10850 $11750 Excess (deficiency) of cash before financing (a + b) ($15400) $10850 $17600 Financing: Borrowing, at beginning of period $15400 $0 $0 Repayment, at end of period $0 $0 $15400 Interest, 10% per annum $0 $0 $385 (c) Total cash increase (decrease) $15400 $0 ($15785) from financing (d) Cash balance, end (beginning balance + c + b) $5000 $10850 $7665 Exhibit II VICTORIA KITE Budgeted Income Statement For the Three Months Ending March 31, 2005 Sales (Schedule a) $175000 Cost of goods sold (Schedule...Thus, the JIT philosophy is an elimination of non-value adding activities in the company's supply chain to boost manufacturing efficiency, driving down cost, and ensuring maximum customer satisfaction by driving down prices of commodities. This report will look at the feasibility and compatibility of this system to the company's current operations. Since these factors can be best measured quantitatively, this report will present a master budget utilizing the company's assumptions. Part 1 will provide the schedule of Victoria Kite's sales budget, cash collections, purchases budget and disbursements. The next part looks at the impacts of JIT to the company's financial performance by providing a pro-forma income statement, cash flow, and balance sheet for the first quarter of 2005. The financial statements presented in Exhibits 1-3 shows that JIT will bring in profits and incremental shareholder

Assimilation waves Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Assimilation waves - Essay Example Cultural pluralism arises when smaller groups within a larger society maintain their unique cultural identities, values, and beliefs which become accepted by the larger culture as long as they are in line with the provided laws and values of the greater society. In this context, ethnic groups co-exist side by side while at the same time showing respect for other cultures that exist around them. Ethnic groups in America should be free to engage in the activities of the society’s major activities while at the same time able to retain their own ethnic heritage and identity. Thus the main strength of this theory is that it allows ethnic groups to retain their cultural ideologies It has to do with the conformity to the fixed standards, regulations and requirements so as to feel part of given society. This theory advocated for the immigrants to learn English language adaptation of norms, values, and ideologies in order to conform to the integral Anglo-American society as well as the greater Anglo-Saxon community. The United States came up with various concepts in a bid to explain what was meant to be called an American. Therefore, the immigrants had to change their way of life in order to accommodate new ideologies such as civil rituals, the English language and other aspects of the American culture. The weakness of this theory is that it ruins the patterns of life of given ethnic group as they seek to conform to another culture which in essence demeans a particular group.

Speech Defects Essay Example for Free

Speech Defects Essay Introduction Speech Defects are any imperfect verbal utterances that occur even when the message being expressed has been properly formulated in the individual’s mind and are linguistically intact. They represent the most prevalent type of communication disorder found in humans. They may result from (1) maldevelopment or damage within the nervous system; (2) maldevelopment or damage in the peripheral structures producing speech; (3) faulty learning; and (4) functional disruptions arising from other causes. Lisping is one of the most common types of articulatory defects caused by faulty learning and, in some cases, can be related to concomitant disorders in the hearing mechanism, such as impairment in auditory acuity or auditory discrimination. Lisping is the incorrect pronunciation of certain sounds, chiefly /s/ and /z/, in the ordinary speech (Encyclopedia Americana). The most common type of error involves the substitution of a surd (voiceless) th sound for s and a sonant (voiced) th for z. Similar sound substitutions may occur for sh and ch. All of these articulatory substitutions are often classified as lisps. In some cases the tongue protrudes through the aperture of the teeth, producing what is called an interdental lisp or frontal lisp. In other instances the tongue tip does not protrude between the teeth but may maintain a firm contact against the upper teeth or the frontal part of the hard palate, while the air stream is forced around one or both sides of the upthrust tongue, producing a lateral lisp. Finally, there is the palatal lisp which is not found in typical speech development. Here, the mid-section of the tongue comes in contact with the soft palate, quite far back. Nevertheless, lisping as an isolated speech characteristic does not usually reduce the person’s intelligibility unduly. Most people can easily understand what the person with a lisp is saying. This study is being proposed to determine the different factors that contribute to the acquisition of the defect particularly frontal lisp, its indications, practices that may cause it, and its possible solutions. Evaluation based on the reactions of the respondent shall be made to address the above mentioned queries. With the foregoing impressions of the writer, this study hopes to enlighten people about frontal lisp and the actions that should be taken about it. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The respondent appears to have a difficulty in pronouncing the /s/ and /z/ sounds. The error involves the substitution of the mentioned sounds with either a voiced or voiceless /th/. This resembles the defects caused by frontal lisp. The misplacement of the tongue during articulation causes these unclear speech sounds. This study intends to answer the following questions: 1. What could be the root cause of the respondent’s speech impediment? 2. Is there a relation between the difficulty of the respondent and her family background? 3. What steps should be taken to lessen or even eliminate the defect? 3. Is the respondent’s case a permanent one? SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY The respondent is expected to gain more knowledge and understanding about the speech disorder during the whole process. Should she exhibit improvement in her speech, we can expect this to boost her morale. With the respondent gaining more confidence in her speech and ease in expressing herself, she is sure to reach greater heights and farther horizons in terms of her social and educational well-being. People with similar defects may, likewise, practice this kind of therapy to experience improvement in and awareness of their speech capabilities. Should an advanced and wider study and practice of this research be created, more people with similar speech defect can be helped. Most especially those people who could not afford the services of speech pathologists and audiologists. This will surely produce more competent speakers in the country. DEFINITION OF TERMS Aperture – (Noun) the opening between the upper and lower frontal teeth Auditory acuity – (Noun) keenness of the auditory skills Audiologist – (Noun) a healthcare professional who performs hearing tests Concomitant disorder – (Noun) a disorder that occurs in connection with another defect Intelligibility – (Noun) the quality of language that is comprehensible Interdental – (Adjective) between the teeth Lateral – (Adjective) situated at or extending to the side Palate – (Noun) the upper surface of the mouth that separates the oral and nasal cavities Protrude – (Verb) to extend out or project in space; bulge outward Speech impediment – (Noun) interference or delay in the progress or development of speech Speech pathologist – (Noun) a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and therapy for patients with speech defects Sonant – (Noun) a speech sound accompanied by sound from the vocal chords; (Adjective) produced with vibration of the vocal chords Surd – (Noun) a consonant produced without sound from the vocal chords

Substance Abuse And Addiction Psychology Essay

Substance Abuse And Addiction Psychology Essay To gather information on substance abuse and addiction, a literature review was conducted of online informational sources, including federal agencies, and numerous electronic databases for scholarly articles including (CINAHL, PubMed, Medscape, and Medline) published between 1999 and 2012. Categorical search terms employed included addiction, substance abuse, opioids, alcohol, prescription drugs, impaired nurse, cost of drug use, treatment of drugs use, and others. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has selected substance abuse as one of the countries ten leading health indicator (Hutchison and Blakely, 2010). Reducing substance abuse is one of the Healthy People 2010 goals (Healthy People 2010, n.d.). Alcoholics Anonymous defines the chronic, relapsing brain disorder known as addiction as powerful, cunning, and baffling (ASBN, 2012). Society lacks the understanding that this disease is not a lack of willpower or morals but is an obsessive, compulsive, and complex disease that destroys the lives of families, friends, and individual users (NIDA, 2011). People are most likely to use when drugs and alcohol are easily accessible, convenient, and inexpensive leading to an impact on society that cost millions (Birckmayer et.al, 200; Goulding and Hudson, 2010). Overview Terminology Definition The use of certain terms when discussing addiction and substance abuse provides a means for all that are involved to understand. The DSM-IV is the current version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders a set of standards for professional to make a formal diagnosis for dependence of substance abuse (DSM Library, n.d.). Substance abuse and addiction has been used interchangeable for persons addicted to drugs (Kranzler, H. Li, T., 2008; Maddux, J. Desmond, D., 2000; ASBN, 2012). Although addiction involves physical dependence and tolerance, the physical dependence and tolerance does not involve the drug seeing and compulsive behavior of addiction making it difficult for physicians to identify the real issue (Shurtleff, 201; Maddux, J. Desmond, D., 2000;). Substance abuse means using any type of illicit drug and intoxication, enhancement of the end result occurs with multiple drug use (Substance Abuse Prevention Curriculum Guide, n.d.). Substance The mind and mood altering drugs or chemicals of abuse are the substances that are referred to in a substance abuse or dependence (Bennett and McNeese, n.d.; Mosbys Medical Dictionary, 2009). Tolerance Tolerance is the bodys need for larger quantities of drug for the same effect (Bennett and McNeese, n.d.; Mosbys Medical Dictionary, 2009). Abuse vs. Dependence Substance abuse is when the improper use of substance is affecting a persons life in a negative manner, such as decrease job function, poor parenting skills, and problems with law enforcement (Bennett and McNeese, n.d.; The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 2003). Substance dependence is the beyond abuse where a person relies or dependents on a drug including increased tolerance, withdrawal, in ability to stop, devotion to using, and neglecting responsibilities (Bennett and McNeese, n.d.; The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 2003). Addiction Addiction is a compulsive and maladaptive dependence with resulting in psychological, physiological, sociological, and legal consequences (Bennett and McNeese, n.d.; American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 2003; Goulding and Hudson, 2010). Risk factors There is no individual risk factor that can predict whether a person will become an addict. That is based on the vulnerability of each individual in the area of genetics, demographics, family, social, and psychological (ASBN, 2012). The early age of initial use along with the combination of risk factors leads to a greater chance of addiction (ASBN, 2012; NIDA, 2011) Drugs of Abuse Alcohol Alcohol is legal, socially acceptable, and has the least stigma of all drugs in the United States and worldwide (Alcohol Answers, 2009; Bennett and McNeese, n.d.). It is addictive and depresses the central nervous system (Bennett and McNeese, n.d.). Alcohol is a legal, addictive drug that depresses the central nervous system (Bennett and McNeese, n.d.). One drink causes impairment and driving while intoxicated is illegal in the United States (Bennett and McNeese, n.d.). The social impact of the intoxicated person affects the drinker and all involved (Kelly, 2011; Chan, 2011; Harrington, et.al, 2010). Drinking alcohol is associated with child abuse and neglect, absenteeism from work, and violence (Kelly, 2011; Chan, 2011; Harrington, et.al, 2010). More than 30 conditions with alcohol as an underlying factor are listed in the World Health Organizations 10th Edition of International Classification of diseases (Rehm, 2011). Chronic alcohol use is a poisoning that weakens the immune system and results damage to the neurological and physical systems that are irreversible (Bennett and McNeese, n.d.; Kelly, 2011; Chan, 2011; Harrington, et.al, 2010; Rehm, 201; Dawson, 2011). Scheduled Drugs Depressants are the illicit drugs that depresses the central nervous system(CNS)causing decrease pulse, respiration, and blood pressure (UNODC, 2012). The CNS system effect relaxes the person and decreases anxiety and tension (UNODC, 2011; NIDA, 2011). The drugs include alcohol and narcotics (UNODC, 2012). Narcotics or opiates are derived from the opium poppy or may be synthetically manufactured includes codeine, oxycodone, heroin, fentanyl, and methadone (Goulding and Hudson, 2010; UNODC, 2012; Hall, 2009). The drugs are pain killers, anesthetics, and cough suppressants, used medically except heroin (UNODC, 2012; Hall, 2009). The route used is oral, nasal, intravenous, and transdermal (UNODC, 2003). Users experience constipation, dilation of blood vessels, constricted pupils, and decreased respiration that may lead to an overdose with produces shallow breathing, coma, clammy skin, respiratory failure, and possible death (UNODC, 2012;UNODC, 2003; Hall, 2009). Sedative- hypnotics, referred to as sedatives, sleeping pills, or tranquilizers, are another type of CNS depressants (UNODC, 2003; Goulding and Hudson, 2010). The purpose is to decrease anxiety, relax, or promote sleep. These drugs categories include barbiturates (Seconal and Nembutal) and benzodiazepines (Valium and Librium) (UNODC, 2003; Goulding and Hudson, 2010). Symptoms associated with withdrawal from these drugs are seizures, convulsion, heart attack, or death (UNODC, 2003; Goulding and Hudson, 2010). Overdose is common when used with alcohol (Goulding and Hudson, 2010). Heroin Heroin is a very addictive drug processed from morphine, a substance extracted from the seedpod of the Asian poppy plant. Heroin produces a feeling of euphoria (a rush) and often a warm flushing of the skin, dry mouth, and heavy feelings in the arms and legs. After the initial euphoria the user may go into an alternately wakeful and drowsy state. Heroin is the second most frequent cause of drug-related deaths. Prescription Drugs The abuse of prescription pain medications and sedative hypnotics, such as, Klonopin and Xanax, prevalence rate has increase in the United States for persons 12 and over higher than any other illicit drug, surpassing even marijuana (Holmes, 2011). The Centers for Disease Control and prevention has identified these drugs as an epidemic due to the rate of increase of use. United States is the epicenter for prescription drug use with 80% of Americans using drugs for the first time that were prescribed for someone else. The increase in these drugs has shown a decline in cocaine, cannabis, and heroin causing more persons to die from opioid overdose than motor vehicle accidents (UNODC, 2012; Holmes, 2012). Using a prescription drug in a manner other than the intended prescription constitutes drug abuse. Some of the more commonly abused prescription drugs are: Pain-relieving narcotics (Percodan, Codeine, Vicodin, Percocet) Tranquilizers and sedatives (Halcion, Xanax, Ativan, Valium, Phenobarbital) Muscle relaxants (Soma) Prescription amphetamines (Ritalin, Cylert, Adderall) OxyContin Cocaine Cocaine was considered a safe recreational drug in the 1980s and 1990s with declining use with the turn of the century (NIDA, 2006; SAMHSA, 2001; The Harvard Mental Health Letter, 1999). Cocaine is a powerful and addictive drug that approximately 21 percent of persons eventually become addicted after the first use (Prevention Handbook, n.d.; The Harvard Mental Health Letter, 1999; NHSDA, 2000. The route of use for cocaine is nasal, smoke, or intravenous. At small amount the drug can produce increased energy, alertness, and euphoria (Prevention Handbook, n.d.; The Harvard Mental Health Letter, 1999; NHSDA, 2000). The central nervous properties of dilates pupils, constricts blood vessels, increases blood pressure, body temperature, decrease appetite, loss of sleep, and increased pulse (Prevention Handbook, n.d.; The Harvard Mental Health Letter, 1999; NHSDA, 2000) . Although the use has declined, the drug is still the most frequently encountered illicit drug with the following medical complications: cardiac arrest, stroke, and respiratory failure (Prevention Handbook, n.d.; The Harvard Mental Health Letter, 1999; NHSDA, 2000). Cannabis Cannabis or marijuana is one of the most used drugs in the United States and considered a gateway drug (NIDA, 2012). Chronic use cause respiratory issues of cancer, asthma, or other lung diseases. The prevalence of marijuana use has increased among all populations from 13.7 percent in 2009 to 14.1 per cent in 2010 (36,37 ). Long term effects includes loss of ambition, apathy,, difficulty concentrating, and decrease in school and work performance. Marijuana (weed, or cannabis) is one of the most common drugs of abuse . Marijuana looks like a dry, shredded green/brown blend of flowers, stems, seeds, and leaves of a particular hemp plant. It usually is smoked as a cigarette, pipe, or in blunts, which are cigars that have been emptied of tobacco and refilled with marijuana. The main active chemical in marijuana is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), which quickly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream, and on to organs throughout the body, including the brain. Some of the short-term effects of marijuana use include problems with memory and learning; bizarre or distorted perceptions; difficulty in problem solving; loss of coordination; and increased heart rate. A study has suggested that a users risk of heart attack more than quadruples in the first hour after smoking marijuana. Manufactured Drugs The amphetamine like drug, methamphetamine rate has doubled from 1990-2002; 71 percent of new users of inhalants in 2002 were under the age of 18; Club drugs MDMA and GHB have leveled off but are not just used in the club culture; Ecstasy use has risen and has been associated with brain damage , kidney failure, and elevated body temperature; Rohypnol association with sexual assault has led to legislature that has made it the least available club drug. From 1998 to 2000 the number of the easily overdosed drug GHB emergency room visits quadrupled to approximately 5000 (Brown University Health Education, n.d.). Methamphetamine Methamphetamine (meth)is made in illegal laboratories and has a high potential for abuse and dependence. It is often taken orally, snuffed, or injected. Methamphetamine hydrochloride, clear crystals resembling ice, can be inhaled by smoking, and is referred to as ice, crystal, and glass.Use of methamphetamine produces a fast euphoria, and often, fast addiction. Chronic, heavy use of methamphetamine can produce a psychotic disorder which is hard to tell apart from schizophrenia (methamphetamine induced psychosis). The drug also causes increased heart rate and irreversible damage to blood vessels. Ecstasy Ecstasy (MDMA)is the so-called party drug, It has both stimulant (like cocaine) and hallucinogenic (like LSD) effects. Ecstasy is neurotoxic (poisonous to brain cells), and in high doses it causes a steep increases in body temperature leading to muscle breakdown, and possible organ failure. Side effects may last for weeks after use, and including high blood pressure, faintness, confusion, depression, sleep problems, anxiety, Hallucinogens Hallucinogens have existed for years. the drugs includes LSD, PCP, ketamine, and amphetamine variants(MDA,MDMA, and ecstasy). The use of these drugs takes you on a trip leading to pleasurable or a terrifying experience. The drugs are not always distinguishable by their color, odor, or taste. The CNS effects increases heat rate, respiration, pulse, blood pressure , and temperature leading to possible stroke, convulsions, heart attack, respiratory failure, or coma. Ketamine has been used as a date rape drug due to the dissociative anesthetic properties. Hallucinogens may lead to insanity or mental health disorders. and paranoia. Acid Acid (LSD)LSD, also called acid, is sold in the street in tablets, capsules, or even liquid form. It is clear and odorless, and is usually takenby mouth. Often LSD is added to pieces of absorbent paper divided into small decorated squares, each containing one dose. LSD is a hallucinogen and a very powerful mood-altering chemical. Over the Counter Drugs Many different types of over-the-counter drugs and other substances can be abused. Just a few examples include: Inhalants (paint thinners, nitrous oxide, model glue, magic marker fluid, spray paints, propane, butane, etc.)Dramamine, Mouthwashes, Diet aids Cough and cold medications (especially those containing DXM, like Drixoral Cough Liquid Caps, Robitussin AC, Dectuss, Phenergan etc.) Inhalants Inhalants are common household products that are huffed or sniffed that give a high or head rush. Included in this category of drugs are insecticides, paints, and aerosols products that when consumed causes lightheadedness. The drunken high is usually not long but due to the nature of the vapors may cause headaches, unconsciousness, suffocation, violent behavior, and death. Replacing the oxygen with inhalants depresses the CNS and may lead to the user to stop breathing. Long term use of inhalants causes brain damage, weight loss, and fatigue. Adolescent believe inhalants are safer. Concepts of Substance Abuse Four Dimensions of Addiction Chronic A disorder that is chronic continues for a long time. The opposite of chronic is acute, which means relatively sudden and short. Lets look at other examples of chronic vs. acute disorders Chronic: diabetes, hypertension, epilepsy Acute: flu, food poisoning, concussion Notice that acute disorders are treated once and theyre gone. Chronic disorders are managed, not cured. Primary A disorder that is primary means that it is not the result of something else. It is a disorder in its own right, requiring specific treatment. For example, a man may start drinking to control the painful feelings of depression. However, when that man becomes an alcoholic (addicted to alcohol), he now has a separate and primary disorder that needs treatment. Treating the depression does not mean the alcoholism will also go away. Progressive A disorder that is progressive tends to get worse over time. With drug addiction, we see that the consequences of the addiction tend to worsen over time. One important mechanism of this progressive quality is tolerance, which weve discussed. The development of tolerance tends to ensure that a person has to get more, spend more, hide more, and use more over time. Later well look at some of the particular consequences of progression, including medical problems. Incurable We say that addiction is incurable because the biological changes involved in addiction tend to be permanent. As a result, an addict will never be able to safely use the drug of abuse (or any other drugs of abuse). An alcoholic will never be able to drink normally. Likewise, a cocaine addict will never be safe using stimulating drugs (for example, ephedra, which is an over-the-counter stimulant). A person addicted to one drug can easily switch over the another drug and still be an addict. This is called cross-addiction(more on this later). We said incurable not untreatable. Remember the comparison with diabetes? We dont cure diabetes, we manage it with proper diet, blood sugar monitoring, and other acts of discipline. Unfortunately, the addict rarely wants discipline. Thats what makes it so hard. By definition, an addict wants to keep using! Stages of Change In order to determine the proper intervention the stages of change model is a means of describing the process to overcome addiction (Hartney, 2013 ; Norcross, J. C., Krebs, P. M. and Prochaska, J. O., 2011), The stages suggest that a person will go through the changes in sequence, but realistically they jump between stages and the stages will be different for everyone (Hartney, 2013; Norcross, J. C., Krebs, P. M. and Prochaska, J. O., 2011). Precontemplation This is the first phase of change where the persons has not had any negative consequences and does not see the addiction as problem (Hartney, 2013; Norcross, J. C., Krebs, P. M. and Prochaska, J. O, 2011). The experience is still pleasurable and leaves the person close-minded to any conversation on any negative consequences (Hartney, 2013; Norcross, J. C., Krebs, P. M. and Prochaska, J. O., 2011). During this stage the person needs encouragement to see the personal risk and self-awareness Contemplation Contemplation is the stage where the person thinks or contemplates changing the addictive behaviors by quitting, moderating use, or cutting down (Hartney, 2013; Norcross, J. C., Krebs, P. M. and Prochaska, J. O. (2011),). A person in this stage requires being give encouragement on the analysis of the pros and cons of the addictive behavior to promote a new goal (Hartney, 2013; Norcross, J. C., Krebs, P. M. and Prochaska, J. O. (2011),). Preparation After a person has contemplated a person makes preparation to follow through on the changes that were contemplated (Hartney, 2013Norcross, J. C., Krebs, P. M. and Prochaska, J. O. (2011). At this phase a person is trying to make decisions on how to proceed forward (Hartney, 2013; Norcross, J. C., Krebs, P. M. and Prochaska, J. O. (2011),). The stage is a time for encouraging the need for social support and taking small steps. Action The action stage is a time for following through on the preparations made by possible entering treatment for detox (Hartney, 2013; Norcross, J. C., Krebs, P. M. and Prochaska, J. O. (2011),). Living without the drugs and the drama of addiction is a strange feeling with the change of lifestyle(Hartney, 2013; Norcross, J. C., Krebs, P. M. and Prochaska, J. O. (2011), ). This is a real change of addictive behaviors which needs reinforcement and support to handle feelings and self-efficacy. Maintenance The maintenance phase is the time to seeks changing addictive behaviors through abstinence and changing behaviors (Hartney, 2013; Norcross, J. C., Krebs, P. M. and Prochaska, J. O. (2011), ). The person learns how to cope and not return to old behaviors when there is a resurfacing of addictive behavior (Hartney, 2013; Norcross, J. C., Krebs, P. M. and Prochaska, J. O. (2011),). Helping the person via support, encouragement, and internal reward reinforcement is required. Biological Bases of Addiction Addiction is associated with permanent changes in the brains neurochemistry. The addict is biologically programmed to need the drug in order to feel normal. This point that addicts just want to keep using brings us to an important point about addiction and its biological roots. Lets take a quick look at what happens in the brain of an addict (without getting too technical). Weve seen now how repeated drug use causes permanent biological changes in the brain. An important implication of these changes is this: An addict can never assume its safe to resume using addictive drugs. Using even once will get the addict back to Square One. 12-Step programs call this waking the tiger. In 12-step programs, a person commemorates the beginning of sobriety with a sobriety date. If a person relapses, he or she starts with a new sobriety date. This tradition emphasizes the fact that addiction never goes away. Reward Center First lets take a look at a part of the human brain which has been called the reward center deep in the brain. This area includes specialized neural pathways which process experience of pleasure. The reward center seems to process many experiences of pleasure, such as eating and sex. Experimental rats trained to stimulate their own reward centers with electric switches have been known to press on the switches thousands of times per hour! They neglect all other activities in order to keep stimulating themselves. (11) ). Cocaine is a central nervous system stimulant that causes the distribution of the chemical dopamine that is affects the brains pleasure center by causing constant signals of pleasure creating the intense cocaine high(The Science of Mental Health, 2003) Now, you may not be surprised to learn that many drugs of abuse stimulate the reward centers. As a result, using mind-altering drugs is pleasurable. The addict is almost like one of those experimental rats, stimulating itself again and again, neglecting anything else. Repeated use of certain drugs of abuse can result in depletion of brain chemicals that allow the experience of pleasure. What happens next is this: more and more of the drug becomes necessary to generate pleasure, and other sources of pleasure lose their effects. Eventually, the addict cant even feel just normal without the drug. As a result, the addict needs the drug to feel normal, and without it, they feel bad! Its no longer a matter of pleasureà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦its a matter of avoiding pain. This is the mechanism for tolerance. Dopamine The brain chemicals that help generate pleasure are called dopamine, a brain chemical belonging to a group called neurotransmitters. For example, both alcohol and heroin result in a build-up of dopamine, resulting in (temporary) pleasure. ). Cocaine is a central nervous system stimulant that causes the distribution of the chemical dopamine that is affects the brains pleasure center by causing constant signals of pleasure creating the intense cocaine high(The Science of Mental Health, 2003) As we discussed above, the brain adapts to this higher level of dopamine in the system. Its almost as if the body tries to normalize the new levels of pleasure by raising the bar to experience pleasure. These changes are referred to as neuroadaptation. In other words, neuroadaptation means that it gets harder and harder to experience pleasure as you use more drugs. Addicts get the point that only their drugà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.in ever-increasing amountsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦makes them feel good. Trap of addiction In a sense, addicts get trapped by their own drug. They started using it to feel good, but end up needing it just to avoid feeling bad. Addicts can learn to experience pleasure in ways other than using. Unfortunately, research and clinical experience shows that the biological changes are permanent. This is why addiction is considered incurable, as we discussed before. Cravings Giving up drugs isnt just a matter of giving up on the pleasure. It can be a very painful experience because of cravings. As weve discussed, the brain becomes used tothe drugs of abuse after repeated use. If an addict stops using, the brain (and the mind) will put pressure on the person to start againà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦to restore the balance. This pressure is experienced as cravings. Cravings can be very painful and difficult to resist. Managing and resisting cravings are an important aspect of treatment. Cravings are painful but manageable with training and discipline. A helpful thing to remember with cravings is that they come and go like a wave: they approach, get stronger, reach a crescendo, and then taper off. Knowing this, a person can ride outthe cravings by several means: Distract herself with something interesting (movie, game, etc) Contact someone else for support (sponsor, supportive friend) Go to a safe place where giving in is less likely Disease Model In many different treatment models, addiction is seen as a disease. It may be hard to appreciate why at first, because it seems different from other types of diseases like cancer or bronchitis. One of the reasons for defining addiction as a disease is in order to ensure that addiction is treated as a healthcare problem, thus allowing addicts access to the healthcare system. (13)Addiction is widely considered a disease, by such organizations as the World Health Organization (WHO), American Medical Association (AMA), and American Psychiatric Association (APA). Defining addiction as a disease carries several implications which tend to increase the healthcare available to addicts: it follows a predictable course of development, it causes disorder of bodily functions (affecting not only the brain but typically the liver, pancreas, and other organs), it causes significant mortality and morbidity (alcoholism is one of the leading causes of death in the U.S.),it can be tracked and measured by epidemiological research, it has a significant genetic loading . We wont settle the question of the Disease Model here. However, now you are familiar with the idea and some of the arguments on both sides. At any rate, the Disease Model is so prevalent today that most treatment programs you are likely to encounter in the State of Nebraska use the model. Whats more, the Disease Model is supported by the worlds largest organization devoted to helping people with addictionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Alcoholics Anonymous (and other 12-step programs such as Narcotics Anonymous). Psychology of Addiction Progression of addiction Weve already discussed how addiction is a progressive disorder (getting worse over time). As such, we can identify certain characteristics of early stageand late stageaddiction. However, its important to keep in mind that some people progress quickly to more serious problems, while others follow along progression. Early Stages A person uses drugs of abuse to achieve a feeling of euphoria or to relieve stress. Using is escapist, sociable, and fun. However, the person begins to need more and more. The fun begins to go out of the situation as the person realizes she cannot feel normal without her drug. The person begins to feel guilty and ashamed, and increasingly uses denial.There may be the first damaging consequences (problems at work, in the family, etc). (16) Late Stages Using drugs feels more like a necessity of survival than a form of recreation. The problems often begin tomount, and the person becomes increasingly unable to function. The addict loses interest in anything besides using. If the addict has been able to hide her using, this becomes more and more difficult as the addiction progresses.Typically, the later stages of addiction are characterized by increasing physical problems and illness. For example, an alcoholic may experience liver failure or hepatitis. Defense Mechanism Defense Mechanisms are psychological strategies for dealing with stress. These strategies are used by the mind (often unconsciously) to keep us from being overwhelmed with stress. Defense mechanisms are normal and necessary. We cant worry about everything at once, or we couldnt function! There has to be some filterfor keeping things from becoming too intense or too painful. However, sometimes defense mechanisms become so rigid that we lose our flexibility, and we find it hard to changeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦even when change would be good. (17) All defense mechanisms distort reality to some extent, because they tailorreality to feel a little more comfortable. The question becomes, just how much distortion is safe?In addiction, defense mechanisms often distort reality to a dangerous extent. It gets harder to cover up the truth when the consequences start to pile upà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦broken families, legal charges, ruined careers .Also, the defense mechanisms in addiction can harm the addicts loved onesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦some of them start to wonder if they are the crazy ones, because the addict is so adamant that they have no problems. Lets look at a list of some of the defense mechanisms that are commonly used to promote addictive behavior. Denial Denial is an example of a defense mechanism that is often seen with addiction. The defense of denial is to deny the truth. Denial is useful to an addict because it serves to cover up the extent of the problem, and allow the using to continue.Remember that in addiction, people become biologically programmedto need their drug at all costs. Denial is a powerful way of keeping the pressure offso the addict can continue to use. Rationalization is another example of a defense mechanism that is often seen with addiction. The purpose is to make the irrational sound rational through the uses of justification and excuses. Many addicts have a ready supply of rationalizations to use on themselves and others, such as:à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Im not hurting anybody.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢I can stop anytime I want (I just dont want to yet).à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢I had a hard day today. I deserve a drink.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢It relaxes me. Isolating is a behavior that also serves to protect the addiction. Although drug use may start out as a social behavior, addiction ends up driving a wedge between the addict and others. Efforts to hide and maintain the addiction distances them from loved ones, and the company of non-addicts becomes too intrusive and painful. As a result, some addicts end up shooting themselves up in dark rooms, or drinking alone, far from others. Others sink into a drug subculture,in which there are no true friendships, but only alliances of convenience in the continuing drive for self-gratification. Blaming It can be very convenient to point the finger at someone else, when we want to avoid notice! Blaming takes the heat off by putting it on someone else. Naturally, this is painful and frustrating for others, and self-defeating to the addict.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢If my husband had fixed that tail-light, I wouldnt have gotten this DUI.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢If you lived here, youd drink too.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢If my wife/husband treated me right, I wouldnt have to do this. Minimizing involves watering downthe problem by acting cavalier about the consequences, or dismissive of the wreckage caused by addiction.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢All my DUIsare five years apart.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢I never drink before noon, I cant be an alcoholic.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢At least I dont use as much as X.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢I may miss some work, but I still get more work done than all those other slobs. Relapse The disease model of addiction, discussed above, encourages us to think of relapsesin addictive behavior. A relapse is a return to a previously abusive level of using or drinking. The very idea of relapse suggests the idea of the disease model, because it describes addiction as a chronic condition that never goes away, but can only lay dormant. Relapse is a very important concept

Fair Division :: Essays Papers

Fair Division The problem of how resources can be fairly distributed has remained at the forefront of political, academic, and social life for centuries. According to political scientist Steven J. Brams (1996) and mathematician Alan D. Taylor (1996), the issue of fair division can be traced back to the Hebrew Bible, with King Solomon’s proposal to divide a baby in two in order to appease the claims of two mothers. Within the last century, questions regarding the fair division and allocation of property have arisen throughout various spheres—divorce claims, estate settlements, assessments of taxes—and attempts to solve these dilemmas have increased as well (Brams & Taylor 1996). It is my intention with this essay to better understand this issue of fair division by looking at two permutations of the fair division problem. I would like to look at two existing methods—Divider-Chooser and the Method of Sealed Bids—and criteria—cooperation, rationality , privacy, symmetry—in order to examine the ways in which people have used mathematical devices to guarantee a fair share. However, it is also my intention with this essay to a introduce a new criteria—manipulation—to see how it coexists with the existing criteria, and how well it works in accordance with the two methods. One historical problem concerning a fair share has been the selection of a new king from a list of several candidates, such that each candidate receives a fair share at the chance to become king. According to Theodore P. Hill (2000), there exist many legends explaining attempts to solve this problem—Darius became king when his horse was the first to neigh at the city walls, and O’Neill became king under the rule that â€Å"he who first touches Irish soil will be monarch,† by chopping off his left hand and tossing it ashore ahead of his competitors. The problem with these methods was that they lacked a central organizing premise, such that each participant would be satisfied that they received a fair shot. Imagine that little Hank and little Johnny have just mowed the backyard for their parents. As a reward for their efforts, Hank and Johnny’s parents give them a box of pastries from the local bakery. There are muffins, à ©clairs, cookies, and even a few Russian teacakes. Fair Division :: Essays Papers Fair Division The problem of how resources can be fairly distributed has remained at the forefront of political, academic, and social life for centuries. According to political scientist Steven J. Brams (1996) and mathematician Alan D. Taylor (1996), the issue of fair division can be traced back to the Hebrew Bible, with King Solomon’s proposal to divide a baby in two in order to appease the claims of two mothers. Within the last century, questions regarding the fair division and allocation of property have arisen throughout various spheres—divorce claims, estate settlements, assessments of taxes—and attempts to solve these dilemmas have increased as well (Brams & Taylor 1996). It is my intention with this essay to better understand this issue of fair division by looking at two permutations of the fair division problem. I would like to look at two existing methods—Divider-Chooser and the Method of Sealed Bids—and criteria—cooperation, rationality , privacy, symmetry—in order to examine the ways in which people have used mathematical devices to guarantee a fair share. However, it is also my intention with this essay to a introduce a new criteria—manipulation—to see how it coexists with the existing criteria, and how well it works in accordance with the two methods. One historical problem concerning a fair share has been the selection of a new king from a list of several candidates, such that each candidate receives a fair share at the chance to become king. According to Theodore P. Hill (2000), there exist many legends explaining attempts to solve this problem—Darius became king when his horse was the first to neigh at the city walls, and O’Neill became king under the rule that â€Å"he who first touches Irish soil will be monarch,† by chopping off his left hand and tossing it ashore ahead of his competitors. The problem with these methods was that they lacked a central organizing premise, such that each participant would be satisfied that they received a fair shot. Imagine that little Hank and little Johnny have just mowed the backyard for their parents. As a reward for their efforts, Hank and Johnny’s parents give them a box of pastries from the local bakery. There are muffins, à ©clairs, cookies, and even a few Russian teacakes.

The Cuban Embargo: An Economic Sanction that Never Achieved its Goals.

The Cuban Embargo: An Economic Sanction that Never Achieved its Goals. Close, But No Cigar. History of Events Before beginning my paper, I will give a very brief summary of the actions which caused the original embargo against Cuba in 1960 and the actions the US has taken since then. Reviewing this brief timeline will help to examine and critique the reasoning behind the embargo. In the early 20th century, Cuba was a nation in constant political turmoil ruled by militant dictators. Prior to the elections of 1952, Fulgencio Batista took power of Cuba in a bloodless coup. His rule left the island in discontent and led to many movements to return the country to its constitutional rule of 1940. On January 1st, 1959 Batista and his family fled Cuba. On January 7th, the United States officially recognized a government that Fidel Castro had taken control of with promises of a return to a constitutional government and democratic elections. Soon, Fidel began nationalizing all private businesses and land. When US refineries refused to refine oil from the Soviet Union, Castro ordered the nationalization of all US businesses on July 5th, 1960. In immediate response, President Dwight Eisenhower cancelled Cuba’s sugar quota on July 6th. On April 16th, 1961 Castro declares Cuba a Socialist state. The very next day, the United States, in a mission codenamed â€Å"Bay of Pigs,† backed a failed attempt by Cuban refugees to overthrow Castro. Immediately after this failed coup, the United States began progress in another operation to overthrow the dictator. This was known as Operation Mongoose, which was conceptualized in November 1961. The mission was not immediately carried out, as the military was constantly trying to reasse... ...he Politics of Passion. University of Texas Press, Austin, TX 2000. Horowitz, Irving Louis. Searching for the Sould of American Foreign Policy: The Cuban Embargo and the National Interest. Institute for Cuban and Cuban- American Studies Occasional Paper Series. University of Miami, Miami, FL 2000. Lopez, Juan J. Democracy Delayed. The Case of Castro’s Cuba. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD 2002. Suchlicki, Jaime. The U.S. Embargo of Cuba. Institute for Cuban and Cuban- American Studies Occasional Paper Series. University of Miami, Miami, FL 2000. Internet References Embassy of India. Havana, Cuba. Selected Economic Statistics of Cuba. March 11, 2005. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. < http://apps.fao.org/> March 11, 2005.

freedol Noras Freedom in Ibsens A Dolls House Essay -- Dolls House

Nora's Freedom in A Doll's House        Ã‚  Ã‚   Perhaps we have all felt the urge to "escape" to some tropical paradise. However, as individuals we have responsibilities and obligations to school, friends and family. These responsibilities and obligations usually keep us from "escaping". It is difficult to balance our personal need for freedom with our responsibility to others.   In Henrik Ibsen's play, A Doll's House, the character of Nora Helmer had suffered greatly to achieve her personal freedom.    A woman of the Victorian period, Nora Helmer was both a prisoner of her time as well as a pioneer. In her society women were viewed as a inferior to men and were not provided full legal rights. Women of that era were expected to stay at home and attend to the needs of their spouse and children. Nora was a free spirit just waiting to spread her wings; her husband Torvald would constantly disallow the slightest pleasures that she aspired to have, such as macaroons. (TEACHER COMMENT: THIS STATEMENT WOULD HAVE A BETTER EFFECT IF IT WERE DIRECTLY QUOTED FROM THE PLAY.)    Nora lived a life of lies in order to hold her marriage together. She kept herself pleased with little things such as telling Dr. Rank and Mrs. Linde, "I have such a huge desire to say-to hell and be damned" (Ibsen 59)! She did this just so she could release some tension that was probably building inside her due to all the restrictions that Torvald had set up, such as forbidding macaroons. The need for her to consume these macaroons behind her controlling husband's back was a way for her to satisfy her sense of needing to be an independent woman.    Upon the arrival of her old friend Kristine Linde, Nora took it upon herself to find her friend a job... ...ority says, or what's written in books. I have to think over these things myself and try to understand them (Ibsen 111).         In her leaving and the abandoning of her family and the memories that coincide with them, Nora was able to gain her freedom as an individual and was now in search for new responsibilities. We all have wanted to go out on our own and fulfill our responsibility to ourselves. However our need to find our individuality can lead to our downfall, or our success. In Ibsen's play, A Doll's House, an estranged wife, Nora Helmer; suffered to become an individual in her own right and took accountability for her actions to achieve her freedom.    Work Cited: Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll's House. Introduction to Literature: Reading, Analyzing, and Writing.2nd ed. Ed. Dorothy   U. Seyler and Richard A. Wilan. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice, 1990.

Four types of evidence in a criminal investigation Essay

What are the four types of evidence in a criminal investigation? A: Evidence is any actual data (information), which can be presented in various forms. The actual data relevant to the correct resolution of the case can be obtained (determined) by the court by explanations of the parties, third parties and their representatives, testimony, written and material evidence, expert opinions. Basic types of the evidence comprise physical, documentary, demonstrative, and a testimony kind. The evidence is a type of information concerning certain issues received by the investigatory process. Physical evidence is a type of evidence is an actual object that can be touchable and investigated. Documentary evidence can be in the form of a letter, receipt, testaments, etc. Photos and videos or chats can present demonstrative type. Witnesses usually deliver testimony kind of evidence. What are individual characteristics? Give an example of an individual characteristic? A: Individual characteristic is a type of evidence that presents an induvial description of a certain object. Here an expert takes into consideration while examining a certain subject, particularly evidence. All marks, irregular features, and imperfections are taken into account. The DNA can present a bright example of an individual characteristic. DNA profile from a bloodstain can present one of the useful and significant types of evidence in a criminal investigation procedure. What is the difference between individual characteristics and class characteristics? A: An individual characteristic is usually based on the analysis of certain objects. This particular object is investigated, and its main marks and features are described. On the contrary, a class characteristic is a characteristic presenting feature of a certain class of objects. It is related to a certain group. The second type of features, particularly class characteristics turned to be more useful and efficient in the investigatory process, as it enables to receive more data acting according to the exclusion method. What are physical and chemical properties? Give an example of each. A: Each object, particularly evidence, possesses some properties enabling to identify this particular object within a variety of available ones. There two basic type of properties – physical and chemical. Physical properties can be examined without the conduct of any experiments. Moreover, they cannot influence chemical properties of an object. To the physical properties of an object belong, for example, color and smell. Chemical properties can change the chemical features of a matter, and they influence molecular composition. These chemical features can undergo various reactions and change its characteristics. To this group of properties belong, for example, the reactivity of water, the content of liquids in blood, etc. What do forensic scientists do to collect and preserve soil samples? A: The task of forensic scientists is to carefully collect soil samples and take them to the lab, maximally avoiding an influence of external factors. Their samples are very sensitive and specific. The soil is a physical type of evidence, and it can change the influence of various factors. That is why an expert has to be maximally careful to receive exact and credible results. They have to try to maximally preserve the primary features of the evidence. Critical thinking questions Why do you think forensic scientists are so careful that the tests they do are sensitive, reproducible, and specific? What might happen if they were less careful about this? A: In my opinion, the task of the forensic scientists is to be maximally careful to preserve all the chemical data that the soil samples may enable to get. If they are less careful about their samples, the test results may be not very accurate. What is more, the samples may provide no info, which may be useful in the investigatory process. Which type of evidence do you think is most useful in an investigation? Why? A: I believe the most credible and useful type of criminal evidence is a physical sample. Physical evidence includes material objects that have properties that reflect the circumstances of a crime in the form of traces, origin, etc. The information contained in material objects, transmitted through direct perception of the features of the subject is the most credible way to receive data that may apply to the investigatory process. Why do you think that forensic scientists continue to look for class characteristics given their limitations? A: The task of forensic scientists is demands the responsible attitude, as they need to provide the investigatory experts with the data, that may enable them to reveal a crime. A tendency according to which they continue to look for class characteristics given their limitations turned to be the most prolific. The reason for that is simple – it enables to receive the data enabling to find the answer maximally quickly and effectively. For example, the characteristics of various types of guns can be used as a helpful tool in the determination of weapons used by a criminal in the process of committing a crime.

Pardoners Tale/ Beowulf Essay

The comprehension of literary history gives us insight into the past, recognition of historical events and corruption written into the works of those who were present. By including societal behaviors, political tensions, and common folklore, authors have indirectly provided the reader with a broader and deeper understanding of the literature, as well as the period in which it was written. Besides insight into society as a whole, literary history has provided future writers with models of poetic device, style and content influencing literary works in todays present. Literary history is a vehicle to understanding the past and plays a major role in its influence on literature up to and including the present day. Knowledge of historical literature gives us insight into the traditions and societal conventions of the time in which the piece was written. One outstanding example comes from Anglo-Saxon times. Beowulf is a literary work which enables a reader to glimpse not only the societal customs but into the savage and seemingly uncontrollable environment of the first century. In the fight between Grendel and Beowulf it appears as though Grendel is represented by the degraded form of human life attempting to gain power through violence, in his attempt to overthrow Hrothgar and take control of Heorot, he is fatally wounded by Beowulf. The Beowulf poet describes Grendel and Beowulf as â€Å"Both .. enraged, fury filled, the two who meant to control the hall. † (Beowulf 36). The fight over control of the hall, could be seen as a representation of the struggle between good and evil, or perhaps the control of the king, over uncontrollable people. Taking into account the explanation of Grendel, a reader may also reason that the dragon symbolizes a threat from outside the human realm. One notes that the dragon is not given the humanistic qualities of Grendel, he has no kin and appears to have no mortal thoughts. Due to his lack of humanistic characteristics, the reader may believe that the dragon is less representative of a human threat such as a human-like enemy. One begins to understand a little from the Anglo-Saxon period as well as some of the pagan values from reading this piece of work by the Beowulf poet. Another, much later example supporting historical representation in a literary work, in this case religious tension, is evident in Chaucer’s The Pardoner’s Tale. The Pardoner’s Tale was written in a time when the â€Å"Age of Faith was passing into an age of skepticism and all authority was being called into question by the English public. † The church was corrupt at a time when, if anything, it should have been protecting its followers. It was making no attempt to secure faith through true belief but instead portraying salvation and redemption as an item to bought and sold by the church. In Chaucer’s description of the Pardoner’s feelings about being the absolver of sins he writes â€Å"For myn entente is not but for to winne [for my intent is not to but make money]† (Chaucer 67) . Chaucer’s use of satire and his description of the Pardoner’s morals is a deep reflection of the religious and corrupt tensions of this period in history. Literary history generates great interest in the modern world and it is also imperative that we understand it so that we are aware of its vast influence all over the world. It engulfs whole historical periods and allows the audience a glimpse into the life and times of the author. Through the reading of Beowulf a reader is able to catch a glimpse of the Pagan societal culture. In Chaucer’s poem The Pardoners Tale one can see the shift in faith from the devout, to the skeptic. Through his satire, the audience is able to grasp the idea that the world was changing. Following the line of literary history, one observes the influences of one writing style over another and can understand that it plays an important role in understanding our present world. It explains major literary traditions, movements and authors of a country and region, it also allows the audience a porthole in which to experience the past and use it to influence future literary works.

War Destroys Trust: a Long Way Gone

War Destroys Trust In the book Long Way Gone Ishmael Beah struggles between trust and survival in the midst of a gruesome war. He laments how, â€Å"the war had destroyed the enjoyment of the very experience of meeting people† throughout the book there are many examples of this upsetting truth. The consequences of this mistrust in people are clear as he travels through Sierra Leon while being incessantly threatened and assumed a member of the RUF. Most of this book is about the ongoing struggle within Ishmael between trying to stay alive and deciding who to trust.The phenomena of war and trust can coexist only if you have an ability to differentiate your friends from enemies. Ishmael struggles throughout the book to stay alive, and thus decides to trust no one, but this could be detrimental to his survival. Ishmael gives an example of the repeated mistrust he encounters saying â€Å"Many times during our journey we were surrounded by muscular men with machetes who almost kill ed us before they realized we were just children running away from the war†. A repose old man in a village once told Ishmael and his friends, â€Å"My children this country has lost its good heart.People don’t trust each other anymore† explaining just how much trust had been destroyed and replaced with fear and accusation. Because of the continuous mistrust in the country when Ishmael has any contact with a new person they automatically suspect each other, and things become very tense. In chapter fifteen Ishmael and his travel companions come across the ocean for the first time, but the excitement is short lived. They soon find themselves in a virulent fishing village which heard the rumor about the, â€Å"seven boys† and believed them to be rebels.They attacked the boys and took away their shoes, chased away from the village they were forced to walk on burning sand for hours. The mistrust of the fisherman caused these boys great pain and suffering, but lu ckily they got through it with the help of a benevolent fisherman, â€Å"we stayed in the hut for a week. Our host brought us food and water every morning and night†. After spending months in the forest a morose Ishmael finally comes into contact with some young people his age, Alhaji, Musa, Kanei, Jumah, Saidu, and Moriba.They all immediately froze in fear until Ishmael smiled to break the tension, and then talked about how they were going to Yele and he decided to follow them. This was most likely a lifesaving decision, he decided to trust them and in turn they trusted him and helped each other survive. They provided emotional support for each other throughout their journey such as when Kanei tried to talk to Ishmael for the first time, â€Å"He tapped me on the shoulder as if he knew what I had experienced.Circumstances will change and things will be fine, just hold on a little more, he said, tapping my shoulder again and nodding†. Mistrust and war are two inseparab le concepts, mistrust leads to war and war leads to mistrust. This is clearly shown throughout the novel; Ishmael conveys how war and fear combined can lead to savage thoughts and behaviors. He did not recognize himself any longer because he did not trust others or even himself. Through what he had seen and what he had done he was permanently separated from who he once was. Within a three year span Ishmael became in his own words, â€Å"a long way gone†.

Pricing Strategy Essay

Pricing refers to the process of setting a price for a product or service and more than any other element of your marketing mix, will have the biggest impact on the amount of profit you make. Developing an effective pricing strategy is a critical element of marketing because pricing is the only element of the marketing mix that creates sales revenue; the other elements create costs and sales volume. An effective pricing strategy will help you: meet your profit objectives meet or beat your competitors’ prices retain or increase your market share match the image or reputation of your business, product or service match your offer to market demand To arrive at a price for your product or service you’ll need to: Establish what it costs to offer and deliver your products. Without this knowledge, you’ll have no idea whether your prices are sufficient to not only cover all your costs, but to return a profit. Few businesses have failed because their prices are too high, however, many have folded because their prices weren’t high enough to cover costs or generate a profit. Conduct market research to establish what price your competitors are charging and what is the optimum price customers would be willing to pay for your product. Your price will inevitably fall somewhere between that which is too low to produce a profit and that which is too high to generate any demand. The pricing structure A pricing structure consists of a base (or list) price and a variety of price modifiers which depend on the type of product you are selling and the type of market in which you operate. The most common price modifiers are outlined below: Quantity discount – an incentive to buy more. Settlement discount – an incentive to pay quickly. Promotional discount – a discount for a specific period of time. Seasonal discount – an incentive to clear seasonally sensitive stock. Cash rebate – an after-sale incentive linked to a specified target. Ranging allowance – paid to a reseller in return for them stocking your product. Promotional allowance – for participation in a promotional campaign. Delivery fee – an amount you charge for delivering the product. Credit card fee – an amount you charge on credit card purchases. At the end of the day, your objective should be to achieve the best possible price for your products or services taking into account: The value they provide for your customers – ie: how they satisfy their needs and wants in terms of features, benefits, utility value and prestige. Your cost structure – what is your break-even point and how much profit do you want to make? Go to the Financial section for more information on calculating your break-even point and determining profit targets. The competitive environment – what do your competitors charge for similar products and services? Your competitive advantage – do the products or services provide advantages that warrant a price premium? The economic and market environment – what is the level of demand in your industry? A business can use a variety of pricing strategies when selling a product or service. The Price can be set to maximize profitability for each unit sold or from the market overall. It can be used to defend an existing market from new entrants, to increase market share within a market or to enter a new market. Businesses may benefit from lowering or raising prices, depending on the needs and behaviors of customers and clients in the particular market. Finding the right pricing strategy is an important element in running a successful business.[1] Method of pricing in which all costs are recovered.The price of the product includes the variable cost of each item plus a proportionate amount of the fixed costs. Contribution margin-based pricing[edit] Main article: Contribution margin-based pricing Contribution margin-based pricing maximizes the profit derived from an  individual product, based on the difference between the product’s price and variable costs (the product’s contribution margin per unit), and on one’s assumptions regarding the relationship between the product’s price and the number of units that can be sold at that price. The product’s contribution to total firm profit (i.e. to operating income) is maximized when a price is chosen that maximizes the following: (contribution margin per unit) X (number of units sold). In cost-plus pricing, a company first determines its break-even price for the product. This is done by calculating all the costs involved in the production, marketing and distribution of the product. Then a markup is set for each unit, based on the profit the company needs to make, its sales objectives and the price it believes customers will pay. For example, if the company needs a 15 percent profit margin and the break-even price is $2.59, the price will be set at $2.98 ($2.59 x 1.15).[2] Creaming or skimming[edit] In most skimming, goods are sold at higher prices so that fewer sales are needed to break even. Selling a product at a high price, sacrificing high sales to gain a high profit is therefore â€Å"skimming† the market. Skimming is usually employed to reimburse the cost of investment of the original research into the product: commonly used in electronic markets when a new range, such as DVD players, are firstly dispatched into the market at a high price. This strategy is often used to target â€Å"early adopters† of a product or service. Early adopters generally have a relatively lower price-sensitivity – this can be attributed to: their need for the product outweighing their need to economise; a greater understanding of the product’s value; or simply having a higher disposable income. It will maximize profits for the better of the company. This strategy is employed only for a limited duration to recover most of the investment made to build the product. To gain further market share, a seller must use other pricing tactics such as economy or penetration. This method can have some setbacks as it could leave the product at a high price against the competition.[3] Decoy pricing[edit] Method of pricing where the seller offers at least three products, and where two of them have a similar or equal price. The two products with the similar prices should be the most expensive ones, and one of the two should be less attractive than the other. This strategy will make people compare the options with similar prices, and as a result sales of the most attractive choice will increase.[4] Freemium[edit] Main article: Freemium Freemium is a business model that works by offering a product or service free of charge (typically digital offerings such as software, content, games, web services or other) while charging a premium for advanced features, functionality, or related products and services. The word â€Å"freemium† is a portmanteau combining the two aspects of the business model: â€Å"free† and â€Å"premium†. It has become a highly popular model, with notable success. High-low pricing[edit] Method of pricing for an organization where the goods or services offered by the organization are regularly priced higher than competitors, but through promotions, advertisements, and or coupons, lower prices are offered on key items. The lower promotional prices are designed to bring customers to the organization where the customer is offered the promotional product as well as the regular higher priced products.[5] Limit pricing[edit] Main article: Limit price A limit price is the price set by a monopolist to discourage economic entry into a market, and is illegal in many countries. The limit price is the price that the entrant would face upon entering as long as the incumbent firm did not decrease output. The limit price is often lower than the average cost of production or just low enough to make entering not profitable. The quantity produced by the incumbent firm to act as a deterrent to entry is usually larger than would be optimal for a monopolist,  but might still produce higher economic profits than would be earned under perfect competition. The problem with limit pricing as a strategy is that once the entrant has entered the market, the quantity used as a threat to deter entry is no longer the incumbent firm’s best response. This means that for limit pricing to be an effective deterrent to entry, the threat must in some way be made credible. A way to achieve this is for the incumbent firm to constrain itself to produce a certain quantity whether entry occurs or not. An example of this would be if the firm signed a union contract to employ a certain (high) level of labor for a long period of time. In this strategy price of the product becomes the limit according to budget. Loss leader[edit] Main article: Loss leader A loss leader or leader is a product sold at a low price (i.e. at cost or below cost) to stimulate other profitable sales. This would help the companies to expand its market share as a whole. Marginal-cost pricing[edit] In business, the practice of setting the price of a product to equal the extra cost of producing an extra unit of output. By this policy, a producer charges, for each product unit sold, only the addition to total cost resulting from materials and direct labor. Businesses often set prices close to marginal cost during periods of poor sales. If, for example, an item has a marginal cost of $1.00 and a normal selling price is $2.00, the firm selling the item might wish to lower the price to $1.10 if demand has waned. The business would choose this approach because the incremental profit of 10 cents from the transaction is better than no sale at all. Market-oriented pricing[edit] Setting a price based upon analysis and research compiled from the target market. This means that marketers will set prices depending on the results from the research. For instance if the competitors are pricing their products at a lower price, then it’s up to them to either price their goods  at an above price or below, depending on what the company wants to achieve. Odd pricing[edit] In this type of pricing, the seller tends to fix a price whose last digits are odd numbers. This is done so as to give the buyers/consumers no gap for bargaining as the prices seem to be less and yet in an actual sense are too high, and takes advantage of human psychology. A good example of this can be noticed in most supermarkets where instead of pricing at $10, it would be written as $9.99. This pricing policy is common in economies using the free market policy. Pay what you want[edit] Main article: Pay what you want Pay what you want is a pricing system where buyers pay any desired amount for a given commodity, sometimes including zero. In some cases, a minimum (floor) price may be set, and/or a suggested price may be indicated as guidance for the buyer. The buyer can also select an amount higher than the standard price for the commodity. Giving buyers the freedom to pay what they want may seem to not make much sense for a seller, but in some situations it can be very successful. While most uses of pay what you want have been at the margins of the economy, or for special promotions, there are emerging efforts to expand its utility to broader and more regular use. Penetration pricing[edit] Main article: Penetration pricing Penetration pricing includes setting the price low with the goals of attracting customers and gaining market share. The price will be raised later once this market share is gained.[6] Predatory pricing[edit] Main article: Predatory pricing Predatory pricing, also known as aggressive pricing (also known as â€Å"undercutting†), intended to drive out competitors from a market. It is  illegal in some countries. Premium decoy pricing[edit] Method of pricing where an organization artificially sets one product price high, in order to boost sales of a lower priced product. Premium pricing[edit] Main article: Premium pricing Premium pricing is the practice of keeping the price of a product or service artificially high in order to encourage favorable perceptions among buyers, based solely on the price. The practice is intended to exploit the (not necessarily justifiable) tendency for buyers to assume that expensive items enjoy an exceptional reputation, are more reliable or desirable, or represent exceptional quality and distinction. Price discrimination[edit] Main article: Price discrimination Price discrimination is the practice of setting a different price for the same product in different segments to the market. For example, this can be for different classes, such as ages, or for different opening times. Price leadership[edit] Main article: Price leadership An observation made of oligopolistic business behavior in which one company, usually the dominant competitor among several, leads the way in determining prices, the others soon following. The context is a state of limited competition, in which a market is shared by a small number of producers or sellers. Psychological pricing[edit] Main article: Psychological pricing Pricing designed to have a positive psychological impact. For example, selling a product at $3.95 or $3.99, rather than $4.00. There are certain price points where people are willing to buy a product. If the price of a product is $100 and the company prices it as $99, then it is called  psychological pricing. In most of the consumers mind $99 is psychologically ‘less’ than $100. A minor distinction in pricing can make a big difference in sales. The company that succeeds in finding psychological price points can improve sales and maximize revenue. Target pricing business[edit] Pricing method whereby the selling price of a product is calculated to produce a particular rate of return on investment for a specific volume of production. The target pricing method is used most often by public utilities, like electric and gas companies, and companies whose capital investment is high, like automobile manufacturers. Target pricing is not useful for companies whose capital investment is low because, according to this formula, the selling price will be understated. Also the target pricing method is not keyed to the demand for the product, and if the entire volume is not sold, a company might sustain an overall budgetary loss on the product. Time-based pricing[edit] Main article: Time-based pricing A flexible pricing mechanism made possible by advances in information technology, and employed mostly by Internet based companies. By responding to market fluctuations or large amounts of data gathered from customers – ranging from where they live to what they buy to how much they have spent on past purchases – dynamic pricing allows online companies to adjust the prices of identical goods to correspond to a customer’s willingness to pay. The airline industry is often cited as a dynamic pricing success story. In fact, it employs the technique so artfully that most of the passengers on any given airplane have paid different ticket prices for the same flight.[7] Value-based pricing[edit] Main article: Value-based pricing Pricing a product based on the value the product has for the customer and not on its costs of production or any other factor. This pricing strategy is frequently used where the value to the customer is many times the cost of  producing the item or service. For instance, the cost of producing a software CD is about the same independent of the software on it, but the prices vary with the perceived value the customers are expected to have. The perceived value will depend on the alternatives open to the customer. In business these alternatives are using competitors software, using a manual work around, or not doing an activity. In order to employ value-based pricing you have to know your customer’s business, his business costs, and his perceived alternatives.It is also known as Perceived-value pricing. Other pricing approaches[edit] Other pricing strategies include Yield Management, Congestion pricing and Variable pricing. Nine laws of price sensitivity and consumer psychology[edit] In their book, The Strategy and Tactics of Pricing, Thomas Nagle and Reed Holden outline nine â€Å"laws† or factors that influence how a consumer perceives a given price and how price-sensitive they are likely to be with respect to different purchase decisions. [8][9] They are: Reference Price Effect – buyer’s price sensitivity for a given product increases the higher the product’s price relative to perceived alternatives. Perceived alternatives can vary by buyer segment, by occasion, and other factors. Difficult Comparison Effect – buyers are less sensitive to the price of a known or more reputable product when they have difficulty comparing it to potential alternatives. Switching Costs Effect – the higher the product-specific investment a buyer must make to switch suppliers, the less price sensitive that buyer is when choosing between alternatives. Price-Quality Effect – buyers are less sensitive to price the more that higher prices signal higher quality. Products for which this effect is particularly relevant include: image products, exclusive products, and products with minimal cues for quality. Expenditure Effect – buyers are more price-sensitive when the expense accounts for a large percentage of buyers ’ available income or budget. End-Benefit Effect – the effect refers to the  relationship a given purchase has to a larger overall benefit, and is divided into two parts: Derived demand: The more sensitive buyers are to the price of the end benefit, the more sensitive they will be to the prices of those products that contribute to that benefit. Price proportion cost: The price proportion cost refers to the percent of the total cost of the end benefit accounted for by a given component that helps to produce the end benefit (e.g., think CPU and PCs). The smaller the given components share of the total cost of the end benefit, the less sensitive buyers will be to the components’ price. Shared-cost Effect – the smaller the portion of the purchase price buyers must pay for themselves, the less price sensitive they will be. Fairness Effect – buyers are more sensitive to the price of a product when the price is outside the range they perceive as â€Å"fair† or â€Å"reasonable† given the purchase context. The Framing Effect – buyers are more price sensitive when they perceive the price as a loss rather than a forgone gain, and they have greater price sensitivity when the price is paid separately rather than as part of a bundle.