Hersheys Chocolate Essay

Hershey’s company originated with candy-manufacturer Milton Hershey’s decision in 1894 to produce sweet chocolate as a coating for his caramels. Located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the new enterprise was named the Hershey Chocolate Company. In 1900, the company began producing milk chocolate in bars, wafers and other shapes. With mass production, Hershey was able to lower the per-unit cost and make milk chocolate, once a luxury item for the wealthy, affordable to all. A company on the move. The immediate success of Hershey’s low-cost, high-quality milk chocolate soon caused the company’s owner to consider increasing his production facilities. He decided to build a new chocolate factory amid the gently rolling farmland of south-central Pennsylvania in Derry Township, where he had been born. Close to the ports of New York and Philadelphia that supplied the imported sugar and cocoa beans needed, surrounded by dairy farms that provided the milk required, and the location was perfect. By the summer of 1905, the new factory was turning out delicious milk chocolate. New products, hard times. Throughout the next two decades, even more products were added to the company’s offerings. These included MR. GOODBAR Candy Bar (1925), HERSHEY’S Syrup (1926), HERSHEY’S chocolate chips (1928) and the KRACKEL bar (1938). Despite the Great Depression of the 1930s, these products helped the newly incorporated Hershey Chocolate Corporation maintain its profitability and avoid any worker layoffs. HERSHEY’S chocolate goes to war. With the outbreak of World War II, the Hershey Chocolate Corp. (which had provided milk chocolate bars to American doughboys in the first war) was already geared up to start producing a survival ration bar for military use. By the end of the war, more than a billion Ration D bars had been produced and the company had earned no less than five Army-Navy â€Å"E† Production Awards for its exceptional contributions to the war effort. In fact, the company’s machine shop even turned out parts for the Navy’s antiaircraft guns. A family friend becomes a family member. The postwar period saw the introduction of a host of new products and the acquisition of an old one. Since 1928, H.B. â€Å"Harry† Reese’s Candy Company, also located in Hershey, had been making chocolate-covered peanut butter cups. Given that Hershey Chocolate Company supplied the coating for REESE’S â€Å"penny cups,† (the wrapper said, â€Å"Made in Chocolate Town, So They Must Be Good†), it was not surprising that the two companies had a good relationship. As a result, seven years after Reese’s death in 1956, the H.B. Reese Candy Company was sold to Hershey Chocolate Corp. Growing up and branching out. The following decades would see the company – renamed Hershey Foods Corporation in 1968 – expanding its confectionery product lines, acquiring related companies and even diversifying into other food products. Among the many acquisitions were San Giorgio Macaroni and Delmonico Foods (1966); manufacturing and marketing rights to English candy company Rowntree MacKintosh’s products (1970); Y&S Candies, makers of TWIZZLERS licorice (1977); Dietrich Corp.’s confectionery operations (1986); Peter Paul/Cadbury’s U.S. confectionery operations (1988); and Ronzoni Foods (1990). The Hershey Company enters a new century. Today, The Hershey Company is the leading North American manufacturer of chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery and grocery products. As the new millennium begins, The Hershey Company continues to introduce new products frequently and take advantage of growth opportunities through acquisitions. HERSHEY’S products are known and enjoyed all over the world. In fact, the company exports to over 90 countries. The Hershey Company remains committed to the vision and values of the man who started it all so many years ago. A New Company: 1894 In the beginning, the Hershey Chocolate Company was simply a wholly owned subsidiary of Milton Hershey’s Lancaster Caramel Company. Using chocolate-making equipment purchased at the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago, the company produced baking chocolate, cocoa and sweet chocolate coatings for the parent company’s caramels. But things changed with the hiring of William Murrie to sell the excess product to other confectioners. Murrie was so successful a salesman that the Hershey Chocolate Company quickly turned into a viable concern on its own. Milton Hershey became even more convinced that his future in the candy business lay in chocolate, not caramels. Sweet Chocolate Novelties: 1895 – 1909 By 1895, the Hershey Chocolate Company was manufacturing 114 different items in all sorts of sizes and shapes. Many were flavored with vanilla and given luxurious-sounding names like LeRoi de Chocolate, Petit Bouquets and Chocolate Croquettes. Chocolate â€Å"segars† and cigarettes were also quite popular. Some chocolate cigarettes and cigars, such as Vassar Gems and Smart Set Cigarettes, were purposely marketed to women as an alternative to the tobacco variety. Chocolate was also touted as a source of quick energy for athletes. The Baby in the Bean: 1898 On August 1, 1898, the company adopted a very distinctive symbol for its trademark. The small child in a cocoa bean pod appeared on cans of HERSHEY’S COCOA up until 1936, when it was finally replaced by the block lettering familiar today. The â€Å"Baby in the Bean† went through many incarnations, sometimes holding a cup of cocoa, sometimes a chocolate bar. Even the child’s hair and facial expression underwent changes over the years. The logo symbol was finally retired in 1968, when the company was reorganized as Hershey Foods Corporation. Finding the Formula: 1895 – 1904 While his company was successful enough selling sweet chocolate products, Milton Hershey was certain the real market lay in milk chocolate. The problem was in developing a formula for manufacturing it cheaply and efficiently, while still maintaining a high level of quality. Hershey built a milk-processing plant on the family farm in Derry Township in 1896 and spent the next several years developing a viable formulation for milk chocolate. Hershey worked day and night, going back and forth between the condensing room and the creamery, rarely even stopping for meals. Finally, in 1899, he cracked the recipe and became the first American to manufacture milk chocolate. Hershey Goes to Cuba: 1916 With the onset of World War I, the European beet sugar, which Hershey had been using to make his milk chocolate, became increasingly scarce. So, searching for a more dependable source, Milton Hershey started acquiring cane sugar plantations and constructing refineries in Cuba. Typically, he also established a planned community for the workers, called Central Hershey, based on the Pennsylvania model. Hershey’s Cuban holdings eventually included 60,000 acres of land, five mills, a 251-mile railroad and, not surprisingly, a school for orphaned children. By the end of World War II, the company found it no longer needed its Cuban sources, and its sugar and railway interests were sold to the Cuban-Atlantic Sugar Company. Expanding and Innovating. Stepping Stones Many Hershey products that are familiar today were originally produced for the confectionary trade and were later reformulated for consumers. HERSHEY’S powdered cocoa, for example, has been manufactured continuously since 1894. Also, Hershey was the first to sell chocolate syrup for home use beginning in 1926. Not all products under the HERSHEY brand were so successful in the marketplace. HERSHEY’S mint-flavored chewing gum, introduced in 1915, enjoyed only brief popularity. And a creation named the Not-So-Sweet bar was introduced in 1934, only to be discontinued in 1937. A Kiss and Tell Story Of course, the very first addition to the HERSHEY’S product line of milk chocolate confections was HERSHEY’S KISSES Chocolates way back in 1907. Originally, each one was hand-wrapped in a square of silver foil, but in 1921 machine wrapping was introduced, along with the addition of the unique â€Å"plume† which marked it as a genuine HERSHEY’S KISSES Chocolate. The chocolates were not produced at all from 1942 through 1949 due to the rationing of silver foil during and immediately after World War II. HERSHEY’S KISSES Chocolates were wrapped in colors other than silver for the first time in 1962. HERSHEY’S KISSES with almonds were introduced in 1990 and the first successful HERSHEY’S product using white chocolate, HERSHEY’S HUGS, in 1993. Sweet Inventions Two of the most successful products launched during ‘20s were the MR. GOODBAR and KRACKEL bars. MR. GOODBAR, combining milk chocolate and peanuts, was introduced in November of 1925. According to popular legend, Milton Hershey himself named the new product. Upon tasting it, he is said to have exclaimed, â€Å"Now, that’s a good bar!† The KRACKEL bar was introduced on September 14, 1938. During its first few years, the formula for the confection changed several times, with almonds, and then peanuts, being included along with crisped rice in milk chocolate. Finally, the nuts were eliminated altogether in 1943, leaving the crispy milk chocolate recipe enjoyed by millions ever since. Mr. Reese and his Cups In 1923, a former Hershey employee named H.B. Reese decided to start his own candy company out of the basement of his home. He made several different kinds of candy, but it wasn’t until five years later that he hit upon his greatest idea: a confection of peanut butter covered by milk chocolate (purchased, incidentally, from the Hershey Chocolate Company). During World War II, he discontinued his other product lines and concentrated on producing only REESE’S peanut butter cups. Despite its dependence on only a single product, Reese’s company prospered, and in 1963 the H.B. Reese Candy Company was purchased by the Hershey Chocolate Corporation. Since then, the REESE’S product line has grown to include REESE’S PIECES candies, the NUTRAGEOUS candy bar and REESESTICKS. Going to War The Ration D Bar The U.S. Army’s requirements were quite specific. For troops engaged in a global war, they needed a ration bar that weighed about four ounces, would not melt at high temperatures, was high in food energy value, and did not taste so good that soldiers would be tempted to eat it except in an emergency. This last objective in particular was certainly a new one for the Hershey Chocolate Corporation. Nevertheless, its chocolate technologists came up with something that passed all tests. Named â€Å"Field Ration D,† it was so successful that by the end of 1945, approximately 24 million bars were being produced every week. More successful still was HERSHEY’S Tropical Chocolate Bar, a heat resistant bar with an improved flavor developed in 1943. In 1971, this bar even went to the moon with Apollo 15. Growing Global Advertising to the Nation Except for a TV and billboard campaign in Canada in 1964, the company had never really done advertising on a national scale. In 1968, the newly renamed and reorganized Hershey Foods Corporation announced plans for a nationwide consumer advertising campaign spearheaded by the famous Ogilvy & Mather ad agency. Starting with a Sunday newspaper supplement in July, 1970, followed two months later by television and radio commercials, the campaign was an immediate success. Sales of REESE’S peanut butter cups and HERSHEY’S KISSES Chocolates, in particular, rose dramatically. But while the company today continues to advertise in all media, the quality of our products is still our best form of advertising. Milton Hershey would have liked that. E.T. Makes a Good Choice In the early 1980s, Hershey executive Jack Dowd met with Hollywood producer Steven Spielberg and struck a deal to include REESES’S PIECES candy in Spielberg’s upcoming film, E.T.: The Extraterrestrial. When Hershey Chocolate Company President Earl Spangler first saw the movie’s promotional materials, he told Dowd, â€Å"That’s the ugliest creature I’ve ever seen.†After its successful premiere, the movie was screened by the company’s managers and top brass. When the film ended, there was first silence, then wild applause. Like many others, Spangler emerged from the theater with moist eyes. â€Å"Is he still ugly, Earl?† Dowd asked. Replied the company president, â€Å"He’s beautiful!† Both the lovable alien and his candy of choice became instant hits nationwide. Hershey Goes International In addition to being the leading producer of chocolate and non-chocolate confectionary and other grocery products in North America, The Hershey Company also carries on a significant international presence with operations in more than 90 different countries. Hershey’s International division exports HERSHEY’S chocolate and grocery products worldwide and maintains licensing agreements with partners in nations such as South Korea, Japan, the Philippines and Taiwan. We don’t believe Milton Hershey would have been at all surprised to learn that his HERSHEY’S KISSES Chocolates are especially popular in Japan. Top of the Charts Through unceasing technological modernization, strategically astute acquisitions and continued new product development, The Hershey Company grew spectacularly in the last 30 years of the 20th century. From $334 million in 1969, the company’s net sales soared to $4.4 billion in 2004. The Hershey Company is the leading North American manufacturer of quality chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery and chocolate-related grocery products. The company also is a leader in the gum and mint category.

International Classification of Accounting Systems

Classification of Accounting Systems Critically evaluate to what extent past research into classification of accounting systems has become irrelevant because of international harmonization efforts. Let us remind that IASC was replaced in 2001 by IASB (International Accounting Standards Board). We are going to start this paper with the different classification researches, taking for example Hofstede and Gray’s studies. Then we will draw the main differences between GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) and IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards). We will also speak about the Americanocentrism problem. To finally dealing with the differences and harmonization. *Two Main Example*s* of Past Studies*: *Hofstede’s* societal dimensions and Gray’s accounting values Different Classification Researches The first one is the deductive or judgmental method. Environmental factors are identified and they are linked to national accounting practices. Then, international groupings and development patterns are proposed. The second one is the inductive or empirical approach where individual practices are analyzed; the grouping or development patterns are identified, and where the explanations are based on economic, social, political and cultural factors proposed. In the deductive approach, Mueller developed four approaches to accounting development. Macroeconomic pattern: where business accounting is tied to national economic policies (Sweden, France, Germany) Microeconomic pattern: where accounting is a branch of business economics (Holand) Independent discipline pattern: where accounting is a service function derived from business practices (US, UK) and where accounting is considered to be capable of developing its own conceptual framework from business practice. Uniform Accounting pattern: where accounting is an efficient mean of control and administration. It takes into account that culture and historical roots are very important. Hofstede define four societal dimensions: individualism versus collectivism, large versus small power distance, uncertainty avoidance: degree to which a firm is ok with ambiguity, masculinity: preference for achievement, assertiveness, material success. Now let us focus on Gray who has developed the following pairs of contrasting accounting values: Professionalism VS Statutory Control: there is a preference for individual judgment, self regulation. Uniformity VS flexibility: there is a preference for enforcement of uniform practices. Conservatism VS Optimism: there is a preference for cautious approach. Secrecy VS Transparency: there is a preference for confidentiality. There are a lot of international pressures like the growing international interdependencies and the harmonization of the regulatory framework. But also the new opportunities, joint ventures and alliances. *GAAP/*IFRS Let us start by an analysis of the GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles). Financial accounting relies on certain standards of the GAAP. Principles of GAAP derive from tradition. There are seven main principles: regularity or consistency, sincerity, permanence of methods, non compensation, prudence, continuity, and periodicity. In any report of financial statements (audit, compilation, or review), the auditor must indicate to the reader whether or not the information contained within the statements complies with GAAP. The convergence of accounting standards, that the majority of the industrialized countries support is advantageous for the companies in the Stock Exchange: they should not have to produce several financial statements and thus save important sums of money. The financial risk is reduced. The investors, for their part, can better compare and examine the financial data of companies wherever they are established. Their decision making is thus improved. This international harmonization is a process making it possible to arrive to a basic bringing together various accounting standards One big advantage can be seen when we face a merger or an acquisition. Decisions are much easier to take. However, the experience of convergence IASB/FASB shows that many years are necessary to ensure the convergence of two reference frames however based on the same Anglo-Saxon culture of the businesses. This is due primarily to an existence of an opposition between an approach by the rules in the case of FASB and an approach by the principles which follows IASB. IASB is at the center of the convergence movement. The IFRS are described like founded on principles, which means that they leave a big freedom of action to the companies about the evaluation of the accounting data. The US GAAP are described like founded on rules and they aim to regulate all the possible aspects of the presentation of the accounts. These standards thus require very detailed information on behalf of the companies. In the case of convergence between IASB and FASB, the harmonization of the IFRS and US GAAP is currently working and common solutions have already been found. That do not prevent from the divergence of several points of view, among the principal aspects to be solved one we think about the financial instruments and the presentation of the performances. Some of the differences between US GAAP and IFRS are embodied in the standards themselves. They are intentional deviations from US requirements. Americanocentrism Some countries adopted some international standards coming to replace their national standards or to supplement them. Some stock exchange places, first of all the London one, admitted companies of which accountancy is in conformity with standards IAS and more than 200 great groups (majority domiciled in Canada, in France and Switzerland) produced a second set of accounts established according to these standards. SEC even conceded at certain foreign companies the right to observe certain rules IAS as the standard relating to the table of financing (IAS 7), to currencies (IAS 21), companies (IAS 22) and inflation effects (IAS 29). Within the European Union, some harmonization efforts about accounting methods were undertaken. Those however knew the same fate than others and must still produce tangible effects. Moreover, European countries have adopted the principle of mutual recognition of the standards. In spite of the creation of an ad hoc work group in 1990, the accounting harmonization is not a priority anymore, no proposal nor declaration has been made since. It is use consider American standards as the reference. That does not imply their superiority that just reflects economic and political reality. Unless standards IAS are not accepted by the SEC, the companies which follow them do not meet the conditions to be allowed on the American stock exchange places. To be allowed, a German group like Daimler-Benz must satisfy the regulations and specifications of the Stock Exchange where its shares will be exchanged and to match the regulations imposed by the SEC, slightly amended for the foreign transmitters. SEC requires in particular that foreign companies present either their accounts in conformity with the US GAAP or a table showing together the US GAAP rules and the accounts drawn according to the accounts chart of their own country (Germany in the case of Daimler-Benz). Few companies choose the first method; nevertheless, even the second method is expensive. If the American Stock Exchange remains one of the more world significant markets, standards IAS non in conformity with the American rules will become obsolete. But if the SEC persists in its exclusive attitude, the domination of the American Stock Exchanges could be compromised. Can we solve the problem? Is harmonization the answer? Then harmonization in accounting standards shall serve many of the following benefits: Decrease in the costs of data collection Increase in the comparison of the information, Development in the capital markets, Facilitation in the fund movements Provision of competition advantage in favor of the firms Decrease in the audit costs and increase in the efficiency of the audit For multinationals, the advantages of harmonization are much more important. The impacts are cultural and social, on the employment and consumption pattern for example which are significantly influenced. The SEC made understand that any international reference moving away from philosophy and specificity of the American standards would not be acceptable. It profits from the support of Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), insofar as generalized acceptance of standards IAS could compromise the credibility of standards FASB. *Why do the differences persist? And w*hat is *mainly *stopping* the harmonization*? Let us take another example. In Japan, Keiretsu is a group of companies undertaken with cross participations which maintain very close relations of customer-suppliers type. Similar systems exist in Korea. The relations between these companies are not comparable with those which bind a holding and its subsidiary companies; this system is running in United Kingdom and the United States. Moreover, no economic argument could be brought to justify the regulation of the accounting standards. Why the practices differ o clearly from one country to another? We can for sure think about culture, tradition and history. Then, external environment, legal systems (Common law & Codified Roman law), taxation, the level of inflation, accidents and external influences (such as the framing of law in response to economic or politic events for example) are the main causes of international differences. Also, liabilities, consolidation, segment reporting and foreign currency translation can be big issues in international accounting. However, the economists privilege the explanations relating to factors such as the legal system and the legislation on the property rights, even if, in the final analysis, these factors themselves form part of each culture intrinsically. Conclusion While convergence and harmonization are admirable goals with a lot of benefits, that may not easily or quickly achieved. The success will not depend only on the ability of the FASB and IASB to work together, but also on the willingness of national regulators to cooperate and to avoid issuing local interpretation of IFRS. In April 2005, SEC published the road map. This is an article by then Chief Accountant discussed the possible elimination of the US GAAP reconciliation for foreign private issuers that use IFRS. This Road map laid out a series of milestones which if achieved would result in the elimination of the US GAAP reconciliation by 2009, so quite soon. It is often noted that the process of IASC standards are influenced by Anglo-American approach, which partly explains the reserve of certain countries to adopt the international accounting standards. The difference between Anglo-American philosophies and European ones can be explained by the importance attached to two essential characteristics of accountancy: reliability and relevance. To conclude, despite the existence of many convergence points, this research show several major differences between two countries supposed to follow relatively similar rules. This thus tends to catch our attention on the difficulty of international harmonization. This study seems to illustrate perfectly (unfortunately? difficulties of the international accounting harmonization. It could be interesting to carry out a reflection on other ways of making accountancies comparable in order to avoid a fundamental opposition. However, new laws gave (or will give) to companies of several countries, including France and Germany; the possibility of presenting their group accounts according to the international standards, in particular those of the IASC and USGAAP, rather than the national rules. Almost all th e companies having a world activity do it already, or will probably do it soon. BIBLIOGRAPHY †Evolution of research on international accounting harmonization : a historical and insitutional perspective â€Å", Socio-Economic Review, October 2007 Bosco T. , Corporate Accounting Information Systems Cook D. Connor L. , UK/US GAAP Comparison Wolk H. , Dodd J. , Accounting Theory, 7th edition Elliott B. and Elliott Jamie, Financial Accounting and Reporting, 8th edition Ernst & Whinney, L’Impact de la septieme directive: la consolidation des comptes en Europe, ETP, 1985 Heem G. t Aonzo P. (2003),  « La normalisation comptable internationale: ses acteurs, sa legitimite,ses enjeux  », Revue d’Economie Financiere IASC, International Accounting Standards Explained, Wiley, 2000 Ortiz E. (2005),  « GAAP choice by European companies  », European Business Review POWER Michael, La Societe de l’audit, La Decouverte, 2005 Price Waterhouse Coopers ; â€Å"IFRS 2005 divergences France /IFRS† ; Editions Francis Lefebvre Street D. L. and Gr ay S. J. et Brayant S. M. 1999),  « Acceptance and observance of International Accounting Standards  », The International Journal of Accounting â€Å"Trends in research on international accounting harmonization â€Å", The International Journal of Accounting, September 2007 Weetman P. E. , Jones A. E. , Adams C. A. and Gray S. J,  « Profit measurement and UK accounting standards: a case of increasing disharmony in relation to US GAAP and IAS’s â€Å". Websites: www. wikipedia. fr www. lesechos. fr www. focusifrs. com www. fasb. gov www. investopedia. com www. ey. com www. authorstream. com

How to Meet Service Users Needs Essay

In this report the service users I am going to be focused on is disabled people and how Ealing promotes diversity. The legislation that relates to disabled people is the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. This act makes it unlawful to discriminate against disabled people. This legislation is designed to: * Make sure that people who have a disability get their medical needs * Makes sure that service providers access for disabled people by making reasonable adjustments * Ensure the rights of people with disabilities with regard to employment, access to education, transport, housing, facilities and services. This group of service users might be at risk of discrimination because of their disability. For example, an employer refuses to employ someone even though they are suitable for the job, because they are in a wheelchair. This is direct disability discrimination. Another example, they may be a policy applies to all individuals in a work place, puts those who share the same disability at a particular disadvantage when compared with those who don’t share it. This is indirect discrimination. Carers must take responsibility and work with service users without discriminating against them. A health and social worker is very important in a disabled person’s life, and they play an important role because they make sure that they are in safety at all times. (They may be someone that is partially deaf, so she needs her hearing aid to communicate with people. So a health and social worker will probably show her how to put her hearing aid in effectively and keep them clean, or the health and social worker may do it for them) A health and social care worker needs to help them maintain their dignity so that they keep their self-respect. The Disability Discrimination Act (1995) and The Disability Discrimination Act (2005) organisations to protect individuals from being discriminated against in employment, education and management activities. They also protect people from discrimination in facilities and services. In 2002, the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 were introduced. This Act requires schools, colleges, universities, adult education providers and youth services to take the same steps as other service providers in ensuring that they do not discriminate against disabled people and make reasonable adjustments to their services and premises. The Codes of Practice provide a clear guide to the standards of practice and conduct that all those who work in UK social care should meet. Every social care worker should have a copy  of the Codes. It is important that social care workers and their employers understand how the Codes link with other care standards. The types of health care workers that support this group are nurses, doctors, home care workers and support workers. These health care workers work in a hospital, or they come to your house and support you from your home. GSCC makes sure that service user’s rights are protected. In the GCSS Code of Conduct it says that Social Care workers must: * Protect the rights and promote the interests of service users and carers (treating each person as an individual and supporting service users’ rights to control their lives) * Strive and establish and maintain the trust and confidence of service users and carers (being honest and trustworthy, and communicating in a appropriate, accurate and straightforward way) * Promote the independence of service users white protecting them as far as possible from danger or harm (promoting the independence of service users and assisting them to understand and exercise their rights) * Respect the rights of service users whilst seeking to ensure that their behaviour does not harm themselves or other people (Taking necessary steps to minimise the risks of service users from doing actual or potential harm to themselves or other people) * Be accountable for the equality of their work and take responsibility for maintaining and improving their knowledge and skills. Ealing promotes diversity. For example, they have provided ramps at the back of all Ealing buses for people with wheelchairs so they are able to get on. This would make them feel like they are just as important as someone that can walk, as they are just important. Also, a Freedom Pass is provided by Ealing borough to give older and disabled people free travel on almost all public transport in London. Ealing is also giving three disabled people the chance to make their voices heard at this autumn’s political party conferences. They are willing to pay for a conference pass and travel costs for one disabled campaigner at each of the Liberal Democrat, Labour and  Conservative conferences. A pass and travel for a carer can also be arranged if extra support would help them to attend the conference. I think this is very good because it shows that the community cares about what disabled people think as well, in result I feel that disabled people will feel very happy & important. There is also The Willow Tree PlusBus service which offers dedicated journeys, mostly for shopping and leisure purposes, from the Islip Manor area. There’s The PlusBus service that is available for disabled people who cannot use public transport. Ealing also has a couple of day centres for disabled people. Like for example, Carlton Road Centre is a council-run day service for adults with learning disabilities. The service provides support to adult’s learning disabilities. The centre provides art, games, independent living skills, health promotion, a sensory room, community based projects, speech and language therapy, physiotherapy and music therapy. The service is provided to promote and support people to become more independent and access their community through community-based projects. There is also The Michael Flanders Centre. This is a day care for residents over the age of 65 with physical disabilities or sensory impairment . The centre’s aim is to enable older people with physical disabilities to live as independently as possible in their community. These day centres promote diversity because they are providing centres for disabled people that have disabilities. I think the disabled people that attend these day centres feel equal & accepted because it shows that Ealing cares about them & if they didn’t they wouldn’t have day centres available. Also, it’s a great way for disabled people to make friends because there’s going to be people there that are just like them & they can relate to what they go through in life. I think that if these services were not in place, there would be no diversity in Ealing whatsoever. I think that disabled people in Ealing will feel like their individual rights have not been met. If there were no ramps on buses, then disabled people will feel like they’re not being respected and that they’re not able to use preferred methods to travel. This will make them feel useless. They may be disabled but they have places to attend and people to see just like everyone else. I think that these services are all good. However, it’s hard for people that are in crutches or wheelchairs to walk up and down the stairs in a tube station. So if a person that was unable to walk, and they had no one there to support them I think they will feel like the individual rights have not been met (to be treated equally and not be discriminate and to be respected) So to improve the service I would suggest for them to install stair lifts. A stair lift is a motorized seat that runs up and down a staircase on a track / rail. Stair lifts are also known as ‘stair elevators’, ‘inclinators’ ‘stair chairs’, ‘staircase lifts’. Or they could get Stair climbers. These are operated by an assistant or carer and are designed to climb up and down a flight of stairs. They are not attached to the staircase so they can be transported and used on different staircases.

Drinking age Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Drinking age - Essay Example Using the research conducted in 2005 by White and Hayman via ‘Australian Secondary School Students and Drug Use Survey’, reports show that approximately 40% out of samples from the 16-17 year-old drinking Australian population confessed that parents bear chief influence in alcoholic consumption. Additionally, such findings had no substantial variance from among those who obtained influence from friends through the peer pressure of drinking on a weekly basis. Still the question remains what age must one be legally allowed to drink and to what extent should it be tolerated relative to other forms of addiction. White and Hayman (2006) examined whether parental control of drinking may be attributed to the occurrence of risky drinking for short-term harm (RSOD) and alcohol-related difficult behaviors such as physical and verbal assault from a sample of underage drinkers. Research indicates that 86% of adolescents 16-17 years of age are existing alcohol consumers whereas some 20% appear to be weekly RSOD and more than 34% get involved in at least one case of alcohol-linked problem with conduct. Moreover, it is found that mere banning of alcohol drinking for the sake of youth 18 is not practically sufficient. Fresh plans for appropriate mediation and avoidance are apparently essential according to the study of parental supplication that was figured to impact lesser rates of RSOD and alcohol-related social behavior. This rather implies the likelihood that by changing the normal supply of alcohol from the source other than the parents to the parents alone, the shift may bring about good restrict ion to the amount of consumption and injury among the adolescents. However, as much as parental guidance toward alcohol supply control is considered one positive approach, it is quite unexplored and must therefore undergo thorough investigation as promising alternative (Dietze, Livingston,

Project Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Project Proposal - Essay Example Till now, the human resource department’s services have been performed informally by the top management that has been multitasking, but now the need of a proper department with established procedures and distribution of authority is just too serious to be ignored. This research leads to a convenient, cost effective, and quick way of establishing the HRD at Arzaq. Project Proposal Both primary and secondary sources will be consulted to identify the most suitable way to establish the HRD at Arzaq. Literature review and market analysis leads to the information that the best way to establish the HRD is to review the organizational structure of other organizations of comparable size and ideally performing similar services, and the way the HRD is functioning in them. A good company to compare in this case is Naeem Foods (2005) that is based in a number of cities in Saudi Arabia including Riyadh, Dammam, and Jeddah. HR Director of Naeem Foods can be interviewed for guidance regarding how to start with establishing the HRD at Arzaq, what technology to purchase, and where to get the workers trained from. Project milestones and timing The main objective of this project is to successfully establish the HRD at Arzaq that quickly fits into the organization’s culture and helps the company improve the quality of performance of the workers.

Designing Networks Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7750 words

Designing Networks - Thesis Example Surrey University needs an infrastructure that supports all the demanded needs and also manages future trends of rising technologies. Many Universities have implemented a Campus area network for online learning. In fact, this is more feasible because it connects two or more than two networks of the educational institution, universities or corporate campus. The connectivity includes library, sections, student halls of residence (Campus Area Network. 2007).The network devices and computing equipment have to be consistent and extendable, if the faculty staffs increases. The Surrey University has 4 sites or branches which are Harrow, Wembley, Leicestershire and Camden. The governing body has determined to implement an IP based network. The network layout of the Surrey University needs an expandable and efficient network which will fulfill the requirements of the Surrey University staff. The Surrey University will activate studies on a new innovative technology named as Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). â€Å"According to a JISC’s Introduction to managed learning environments, the term ‘virtual learning environment’ (VLE) refers to the components in which learners and tutors participate in online interactions of various kinds, including online learning† (, what is a VLE? at UKCLE).The presence this technology will certainly change the trends in education and research. Student will participate in a particular lecture or test from home or from a remote location. The progress of a student and test schedules will be available on the site. The inbound communication of staff for the Surrey University will be conducted by the Surrey University’s internet. The VLE will provide virtual learning features along with video and voice communication features within the Surrey University branches as well as from the IP telephony. 2 Profile The Surrey University requires a redundant computer network that adequately manages network operations, st udent management and business processes. Moreover, the university that is categorized in to two sites needs to cope up with the new technological trends, in order to avoid network security threats and vulnerabilities. 2.1 Project Scope and Objectives A brand new network structure is deployed by the Surrey University. A modern technology is utilized by this network in terms of both hardware and software. Moreover, software application execution includes the new innovative Virtual Learning application. The hardware technology deployment includes Cisco routers, switches and ‘access points’. The University has 4 sites and wants to coordinate the university activities by connecting all the networks together, either with wireless or wired technologies in a protected way. The objects for this given scenario are: Research suitable hardware and software for the design of the Camden wired LAN only Wireless link between Wembley and Harrow site Design a wireless LAN for the Camden site Design a network management system 3 Wired Network In order to implement the local area network (LAN) for Camden site, an appropriate selection of computing and network devices should be selected. This implementation starts at initial level because networks are not implemented there before. 3.1 Network Topology Star topology is suggested for the wired local area networ

Architectural ACOUSTICS-The Athens Concert Hall Dissertation

Architectural ACOUSTICS-The Athens Concert Hall - Dissertation Example ......... p. 34 eiv. †¦................ p. 36 F. THE ATHENS CONCERT HALL †¦................ p. 38 fii. †¦................ p. 39 fiii. †¦................ p. 40 G. CONCLUSIONS †¦................ p. 40 gi. †¦................ p. 40 REFERENCES †¦................. p. 43 B. ARCHITECTURAL ACOUSTICS bi Acoustics represents the scientific discipline whereby the construction of the building can be influenced in the initial design stages to maximize desired audio qualities, while minimizing unwanted noise. As such various items will be discussed throughout this analysis describing mechanisms for the isolation of sound from where it is not wanted, as well as other strategies to amplify desired sounds within the specified areas of the structure. The characteristics of architectural acoustics is characterized by fundamental rules which have stood the test of time. Design rules in the past were relatively simple, but as the science of acoustics advances a greater c omplexity is permitted in architectural designs, with the potential of room acoustic simulations and newer analytical tools integrated for the improvement of the old techniques. With the proper understanding acoustic design can meld with standard architecture as an integral component of the overall design process, rather than an intrusive addendum. During the course of this analysis, there are many opportunities where an approach grounded in physics would be possible, but the focus in this instance will represent structural choices more than pure mathematics. Mathematics are included as necessary for comparison purposes, but the number of equations used will be limited. As the physics of architecture has its purpose, but there are a wide range of design choices which might prove equally viable from a purely scientific standpoint, but the architect must render aesthetic and stylistic choices in some cases, as well as a consideration for efficiency. There are many structures possible based upon pure physics, but financial considerations, as well as the preferences of the presumed occupants eliminate certain choices made valid from the perspective of pure science. The architect's role is to bridge the gap between pure aesthetics and hard mathematics. One equation will be included as an example, but there are many avenues the architect may choose from, and this analysis will diminish the role of physics in favor of economic considerations; as well as those concerning appearance. bii. Acoustics are an essential process even for structures not specifically dedicated towards the enhancement or amplification of particular types of sounds. Clearly, optimization of certain sounds are critical for concert halls and opera houses, which require specialized engineering to optimize the abilities of peripatetic performers playing within the structures1, but acoustics are also essential as even for more mundane structures such as office buildings or homes. The principal object ives for these buildings is to permit sound transmission with in the same enclosed area – often from one person to another. Yet at the same time as unwanted noises from outside the building or enclosed room should be impeded as much as possible. This fundamental principle could also extend to opera houses and concert halls, but with more specialized requirements. However, it may not be desirable to completely cancel all external noises from an interior room, for the sake of emergency information. The noise from an alarm or an explosion should be audible within an enclosed room so that

Ohio Infant mortailiy rate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ohio Infant mortailiy rate - Essay Example The two journal articles are â€Å"The Impact of Prenatal WIC Participation on Infant Mortality and Racial Disparities† (Khanani et al., 2010) and â€Å"Infant death among Ohio resident infants born at 32 to 41 weeks of gestation† (Donovan et al., 2010). The journal article by Khanani et al. (2010) entailed a research project that sought to assess the significance of Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children as a measure to enhance birth outcomes and reduce racial disparities in Ohio. On the other hand, the journal article by Donovan et al. (2010) entailed a research project that sought to assess the infant mortality rate of Ohio children born at 32 to 41 weeks. Apparently, the two journal articles have different research questions. The article by Donovan et al. (2010) sought to determine the gestational age-specific and the adjusted infant mortality rates for Ohio residents. The journal article by Khanani et al. (2010) sought to establish how prenatal Women, Infants, and Children services influence infant mortality rate and racial disparities in Ohio. Notably, the two articles used a retrospective cohort design to collect data. In the article by Donovan et al. (2010), the research relied on a multivariable regression analyses to collect data on all Ohio births and infant deaths from 2003-2005. In the article by Khanani et al. (2010), the research relied on data from the Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Nutrition Services, and Department of Vital Statistics. The data collected included infant deaths, live births, and WIC prenatal participants from 2005 to 2008. The research excluded duplicate records and used a Visual Basic program to link the WIC prenatal enrollee data to the live birth data using specific data elements (Khanani et al., 2010). The research also used the infant death certificate to collect infant death data and linked the infant death records using

Zeitgeist of the Twentieth Century - H. R. Giger Essay

Zeitgeist of the Twentieth Century - H. R. Giger - Essay Example Another important point of inspiration in his work is culture, to be more precise – the integration of all cultures into one phenomenon. Art has been a focal point for a variety of cultures since the history of time   new dimension of art. It is an expression of how a race or a group of people perceive themselves in relation with the world around them. In this context, an important premise remains the fact that art is born from within and from influences that come from the outside. This has been studied from the perspective of various art forms, ancient, medieval and modern so as to demonstrate how cultures are capable of affecting art forms and rendering finer detail to the structure. His inspiration has conceptualised the way art has been seen and used since 1985 with the advent of mass media and especially the Internet. This conceptualisation has reached a phase where the influx of ideas related with the use of technology and mass media has grown to such heights where it accommodates a whole new dimension of art.It is said that the way something is built has a large bearing on how it is perceived. In the case of art, the use of mass media has accentuated the play of technology to the extent that the very way that an art form is conceptualised depends on the factors that are a part of the culture surrounding it. Since 1985, the play of mass media has begun on a note that has created the scope to create art beyond what has been seen in the conventional sense.... It is an expression of how a race or a group of people perceive themselves in relation with the world around them. In this context, an important premise remains the fact that art is born from within and from influences that come from the outside. This has been studied from the perspective of various art forms, ancient, medieval and modern so as to demonstrate how cultures are capable of affecting art forms and rendering finer detail to the structure. His inspiration has conceptualised the way art has been seen and used since 1985 with the advent of mass media and especially the Internet. This conceptualisation has reached a phase where the influx of ideas related with the use of technology and mass media has grown to such heights where it accommodates a whole new dimension of art. It is said that the way something is built has a large bearing on how it is perceived. In the case of art, the use of mass media has accentuated the play of technology to the extent that the very way that an art form is conceptualised depends on the factors that are a part of the culture surrounding it. Since 1985, the play of mass media has begun on a note that has created the scope to create art beyond what has been seen in the conventional sense. The rise of technology has been accentuated by the west. Technology has come from the west and is associated with the west. Thus, an important premise here is that most of world sees western culture as an amalgamation of technology along with an ethic that is associated with the same. Communication forms in the form of electronic, print and other media has had a major role in deciding how western culture is perceived to begin with. Thus, art has been accepted in context of these communication forms that dominate the various

Mexican War and the Spanish American War Essay Example for Free

Mexican War and the Spanish American War Essay Both the Mexican War and the Spanish War were a result of unfair treatment against weaker nations. The origins of the Mexican War lay with the United States and its expansionistic policies. Most Americans believed they had a divine right to bring their culture among others, because they were superior. This belief was put forth by Manifest Destiny, which had been circulating around the United States for a long time. The ignorance possessed by the Americans show no courtesy toward the Mexicans. Under the administration of President Polk, America adopted an aggressive expansion policy that often ignored many inferior countries. In 1492, it was Spain whom sailed across the Ocean and colonized the Amerindian nations of the Western Hemisphere. At its greatest extent, the empire that resulted from this exploration extended from Virginia on the eastern coast of the United States south to Tierra del Fuego at the tip of South America excluding Brazil and westward to California and Alaska. The ambitious United States paid no attention to Spain and aggressively sought more territory and influence in Cuba, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico. The war started when the United States declared war on Spain after the sinking of an American vessel (Battleship Main) in Havana harbor on February 15, 1898. They war ended on December 10, 1898 after the unfair Treaty of Paris, in which Spain lost all of its overseas possessions including Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippine Islands, Guam, and many others. Both the Mexican War and the Spanish American War were a direct result in the abusive ways of superior power and influence. Manifest Destiny was more encouraged when Polk became President. He was elected president because of his strong support in bringing Oregon and Texas into the Union. President Polk was clearly the antagonist when he sent troops under General Zachary Taylor into land that Mexico held sovereignty, sparking a war. Polk now drafted a message to Congress: Mexico had passed the boundary of the United States, had invaded our territory and shed American blood on American soil. Whether the Mexicans had fired the first shot or the Americans, whether the armies were on Mexican territory or American territory, Polk got his war. Despite the plea of innocence, Mexico cannot escape blame for the war. Mexico never had a strong centralized government to negotiate with a foreign state. Mexico was never even  successful in governing themselves for the time being. Mexico was on the verge of bankruptcy and their army was inadequately trained and equipped. The country was awash with political turmoil throughout the war, indeed, throughout the century, making it near impossible for them to ever conduct a sound defense of the country. Nevertheless, the United States, as a superior nation under Polks Presidency assumed an aggressive war like attitude toward Mexico without consideration of the Mexican stance. The conflict between the Spanish and Americans grew dramatically when General Valeriano Weyler began implementing a policy of Reconcentration that moved the population into central locations guarded by Spanish troops and placed the entire country of Cuba under martial law in February 1896. The American government was once again looking to exploit their defenseless neighbors and gain more influence in the countries. The main targets were Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. Cuba was the first to initiate its own struggle for independence from Spain. America, being the closest superior power intervened in Cubas affairs. The Philippines were also growing intolerable to Spanish rule, and the United States took interest in the Philippines. Following its declaration of war against Spain issued on April 25, 1898, the United States added the Teller Amendment asserting that it would not attempt to exercise hegemony over Cuba. Under Commodore George Dewy at the Battle of Manila Bay on May 1st, the Spanish fleet under Rear Admiral Patricio Montojo was destroyed. The most disrespect followed the signing of the Treaty of Paris when Spain lost all of its overseas possessions. The superior powers, such as the United States, are always looking to profit themselves. During the Mexican war and the Spanish-American War, the dominance and ethnocentric ideals that America held flourished in many un-called-for, disrespectful disputes. The aggressive stance the troops held under Zachary Taylor under the orders of President Polk did not give room for negotiation. If the United States did not get what they wanted, they would insist by force, not by allowing the inferior nation in their eyes to make suggestions that regard their country and dignity. Both the Mexican War and the Spanish-American War resulted because of the unfair and unjust treatment that the United States held in their so-called foreign policy. Hispanic Division Library of Congress http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/1898/intro.html A People A Nation 6th Edition The Mexican American War Memorial Homepage -from UMAN The Mexican American War Memorial Homepage -from UMAN Hispanic Division Library of Congress http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/1898/intro.html Hispanic Division Library of Congress http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/1898/intro.html

Concealed Carry Laws Debate

Concealed Carry Laws Debate Mark Derham The study of crime in all its forms by scholars is a mainstay of academia. Research on this topic spans across a wide breadth of related issues, but the main concern of this essay is crime and the effect concealed handgun laws have on it. These laws provide citizens a legal means by which to carry a concealed handgun by having them undergo a background check through their local law enforcement agency to ensure they have no criminal history and are not suffering from a mental health illness (Lott and Mustard 1997).This particular issue was brought to the forefront of the academic debate by Lott and Mustard (1997) in an attempt to apply empirical, quantitative analysis to the issue to assist in the formulation of public policies regarding handguns and the right-to-carry. Following the publishing of Lott and Mustard (1997), numerous other scholars joined in the debate on concealed handgun laws and the effect such laws have on the crime rate (see Bartley and Cohen 1998; Black and Nagin 1 998; Ludwig 2000; Plassman and Tideman 2001; Ayres and Donohue III 2003; Plassman and Whitley 2003; Moody and Marvell 2008; etc.). What has resulted is a collection of work showing a divide amongst scholars and a debate on whether or not concealed handgun laws have a negative, neutral or positive effect on crime rate and the proper method for analyzing the available data. School shootings, gunmen attacking innocent civilians in public areas, and other forms of gun violence continue to put people on high alert when it comes to the issue of guns, their availability, and the ease in which one can lawfully carry said guns. These forms of crime in relation to gun laws also continue to play a big role in local, state and national elections, with party lines having already been drawn at all levels. As a result of the national attention crime receives and the impact it has on political debates, it is critical to understanding the issue of crime, and how local, state and national laws impact crime levels. With this information in mind, this essay is specifically concerned with the following question: why does the crime rate vary? With such a question, it is expected that there are numerous reasons that variance is to be found, and several variables will be set up and reviewed to determine their effect on the crime rate. The literature surrounding concealed carry laws is extensive due in large part to Lott and Mustard (1997) providing a spark for other scholars to join the debate. The results in the literature also reveal that scholars are deeply divided on the effects concealed carry laws have on the crime rate, and the methods by which researchers believe this issue should be addressed also widely vary. While there are not necessarily key findings due to the divide amongst scholars, there are several generalizations that can be gathered from the literature. First, crime data can be difficult to interpret due to inconsistency in reporting and classification of crimes over time (Lott and Mustard 1997; Ludwig 2000; Ayres and Donohue III 2003). Second, the independent variables used to control for other factors that affect the crime rate can have a significant impact on the end results, which comes as no surprise (Ludwig 2000; Ayres and Donohue III). Third, the unit of analysis used to study the issue has been shown to have a significant impact on the results due mainly to crime reports and different independent variables affecting different regions (Ayres and Donohue III; Black and Nagin 1998; Lott and Mustard 1997; Ludwig 2000). Fourth, the majority of the literature maintains even when lower violent crime rates cannot be attributed to concealed carry laws, there is also little evidence of higher violent crime rates as a result of these laws (Bartley and Cohen 1998; Black and Nagin 1998; Lott and Mustard 1997; Ludwig 2000; Moody and Marvell 2008; Plassman and Tideman 2001; Plassman and Whitley 2003). With such variance over all aspects of concealed handgun laws effects on crime rate, there is also a large variance in the results that scholars have achieved. Lott and Mustard (1997) originally determined that concealed handgun laws reduce murders, rapes, and aggravated assaults; property crimes increase when the laws go into effect; and the laws deter all types of crime with murder, rape, and aggravated assault being the most affected. Bartley and Cohen (1998) found a reduction in violent crime rates and no substitution effect for property crimes. Plassman and Tideman (2001) saw a deterrent for murder, rape and robbery in ten of the states they analyzed, but also recognize the potential for an increase in crime for the other half of states they reviewed. Plassman and Whitley (2003) conclude the laws do reduce murder rates, and Moody and Marvell (2009) also conclude there is generally a reduction in overall crime. Thus, even amongst the scholars that see a positive effect on conceal ed carry laws, the results are varied on what the precise effect is. The other side of the debate generally recognizes that the laws maintain a neutral effect on overall crime, although, Ayres and Donohue III (2003,2009) argue that their model shows an increase in crime once concealed handgun laws are put in place.They also reject the majority of the literature supporting a reduction in crime based on issues with the original data sets utilized by Lott (2000). Once the data sets are extended to include the years up to 2000 and corrections are made to original coding issues, the results of previous studies (Lott 2000; Plassman and Whitely 2003) are reversed (Ayres and Donohue III 2009). Once the data sets extend up to 2006, the issue becomes more complicated and only shows an increase in aggravated assaults with no significant results for murder and robbery (Ayres and Donohuee III 2009b).Black and Nagin (2008) argue in their analysis that there is too much sensitivity for the model and sample size and qualify this by showing that Lott and Mustardâ€⠄¢s (1997) results are dependent on Florida being included in the analysis. Once Florida is removed from the sample, there is no deterrence effect for murder and rape and assaults are unaffected. They conclude that Lott and Mustard’s results should not affect public policies due to the sensitivity of the analysis (Black and Nagin 2008). Finally, when analyzing only homicide rates and attempting to control for unobserved variables by using juveniles as a control group, there is a positive effect for concealed carry laws, but it is not significant (Ludwig 2000). Once again, the varied results complicate the overall analysis and provide questions on the overall reliability and accuracy of the results. The data used to study this issue were derived by pulling statistics and information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Uniform Crime Report (UCR) and then supplementing that data with state reported statistics obtained through various state agencies for conviction rates, sentencing length, and concealed handgun permits issues (Lott and Mustard 1997). This data pool is criticized to an extent due to the known issues with the UCR data being a victim of non-reporting, incomplete reporting, and under reporting (Ludwig 2000). However, there appears to be an agreement that this is the best available data since the majority of the available literature utilized Lott and Mustard’s data to conduct their own analysis (Ayres and Donohue III; Bartley and Cohen 1998; Black and Nagin 1998; Lott and Mustard 1997; Ludwig 2000; Moody and Marvell 2008; Plassman and Tideman 2001; Plassman and Whitley 2003). There has also been work completed to supplement Lott and Mustardâ⠂¬â„¢s data by including additional years of statistics up to 2006 (Ayres and Donohue III 2009b; Moody and Marvell 2008). There is also the issue of obtaining data regarding a state’s concealed handgun permits. Since there only six states that had any reportable data available regarding the number of concealed handgun permits issued, there was also agreement that a dichotomous value was required to assess the status of a states concealed handgun laws (Ayres and Donohue III 2003; Bartley and Cohen 1998; Black and Nagin 1998; Lott and Mustard 1997; Ludwig 2000; Moody and Marvell 2008; Plassman and Tideman 2001; Plassman and Whitley 2000). This continues to be a contentious point amongst scholars since there is no measure for the number of issued concealed weapon permits by state. The unit at which the studies were analyzed varied, and there is some level of debate as to which unit of analysis is best able to interpret the available data. Lott and Mustard (1997) argue that the county is the best unit of analysis based on the heterogeneity of states and the effects this carries over to state level analysis. Additionally, they argue that the city level isn’t appropriate due to the lack of time-series data once the laws are put in place (Lott and Mustard 1997). However, the county as the unit of analysis is rejected by several other scholars. Black and Nagin (1998) use the county as their unit of analysis but reject Lott and Mustard’s results based on their acceptance of all counties, which results in the dropping of a large amount of data due to some crimes not being present in all counties each year. Thus, Black and Nagin (1998) set a population limit on the counties being accepted into the analysis. On the other hand, Plassman and Tideman (2001) find that limiting counties by size results in a loss of significant value to the models and instead use the state to discover a significant variation in results across multiple states. Finally, Ayres and Donohue III (2003, 2009b) run models utilizing both state and county levels to test for reliability and accuracy of the available data. Additionally, the state level data was able to be extended using the UCR through 2006. Utilizing county level data is dangerous due to the sheer inaccuracy of it, amongst other issues (Ayres and Donohue III 2003).What is clear from each of these studies is that the unit of analysis can certainly vary, and it is necessary to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each before moving forward. The methods used by scholars are the true dividing force in the debate over concealed handgun laws. There seems to be little agreement on which methods produce the most accurate results and each subsequent scholar that joins the debate finds a new method to interpret the available data. The only consensus that is to be found in the literature supports a cross-sectional, time series study. Following that, the models used to analyze the data vary widely. Lott and Mustard (1997) utilized a least squares regression model along with Black and Nagin (1998) and Bartley and Cohen (1998). Plassman and Tideman (2001) found this causes unreliable results since the least squares method is not suitable for the low levels of occurrence for some of the crimes. They argue that a Poisson-lognormal model is much more accurate based on the available data (Plassman and Tideman 2001). Ludwig (2000) utilizes only the homicide data, due to the unreliability of other nonviolent crime data, to run a differen ce-in-difference-in-difference (DDD) model at the state level. Ayres and Donohue III (2003) also reject the least squares regression model based on the re-running of the analysis with their additional data sets and instead favor a hybrid model that incorporates state trends, state post-law dummies, and state post-law trends. This latter model has also been rejected due to the restriction of Ayres and Donohue III’s post passage analysis to only five years. When the model was extended by one more year, the results shifted completely (Moody and Marvell 2009).This is also dangerous since there was only one to three years worth of data available for the 25 states originally reviewed, so extending the analysis an additional year could have caused errors in the results (Ayres and Donohue III, 2009). The available research on right to carry laws and their effects on the crime rate show that there is much disagreement surrounding the available data, at what level the data should be analyzed, measures utilized, and models used for the regression analysis. As a result, there is still room to provide input into this issue and no true key findings amongst scholars exist, though, general findings can be surmised. With regard to the data, there will always be inconsistencies with how crime is reported and provided to the public in the UCR. Regardless, this is the best available source for crime data and the real debate should be on what level that data is analyzed and how to control for the inaccuracy of the available data. All of the research has used either state or county level data due to the lack of city level data prior to 1985. The measures utilized also show a discrepancy amongst research as to the most appropriate variables necessary to account for other factors that affect cri me. This is certainly a problem all of its own due to the demonstrated effects on results of removing certain variables and accounting for others. Thus, more work is necessary to discover the most appropriate variables to control for during the analysis. Finally, a host of models have been used to run regression analysis with each finding differing results. This calls into question the reliability of the results and the need for additional research. With this information in mind, this study will approach the issue of the crime rate in a quantitative method. The dependent variable will be the crime rate since the issue at hand is what causes variance in the crime rate. The units of analysis will be states and time represented over a calendar year. Treatment and control states will be utilized to account for other factors that can be expected to impact crime rates. The primary variable this article will analyze is the presence of concealed handgun laws. The second variable this study expects to affect crime rate variance is the metropolitan population percentage of a state. With the dependant and independent variables having been established, there are two hypotheses this study puts forward. First, if concealed handgun laws are in place, then the crime rate should be reduced over time. Second, if a state’s metropolitan population percentage decreases over time, then the crime rate should decrease over time. Thus, for the independent variable of concealed handgun laws, this study expects to see a positive impact to the crime rate. For the metropolitan population percentage variable, it is expected that a lower percentage over time will have a positive impact to the crime rate, and a higher percentage over time will have a negative impact. Works Cited Aikens, Steven and Slider, Gary. 2014. â€Å"US State Pages.† Accessed on March 3, 2014.http://www.handgunlaw.us/. Ayres, Ian and Donohue III, John J. 2003.â€Å"Shooting down the More Guns, Less Crime Hypothesis.†Stanford Law Review 55 (April): 1193-1312.  ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚ ­Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚ ­Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚ ­. 2009. â€Å"Yet Another Refutation of the More Guns, Less Crime Hypothesis – With Some Help From Moody and Marvell.† Econ Journal Watch 6 (January): 35-59. – ­Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚ ­Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚ ­Ã‚ ­Ã¢â‚¬â€œÃ‚ ­. 2009b. â€Å"More Guns, Less Crime FailsAgain: The Latest Evidence from1977 – 2006.† Econ Journal Watch 6 (May): 218-238. Bartley, William A. and Cohen, Mark A. 1998. â€Å"the Effect of Concealed weapons Laws: An Extreme Bound Analysis.† Economic Inquiry 36 (April): 258-265. Black, Dan A. and Nagin, Daniel S. 1998. â€Å"Do Rightà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ toà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Carry Laws Deter Violent Crime?† The Journal of Legal Studies 27 (January): 209-219. Lott, John R. and Mustard, David B. 1997. â€Å"Crime, Deterrence, and Rightà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ toà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Carry Concealed Handguns.† The Journal of Legal Studies 26 (January): 1-68. Lott, John R. 2000. More Guns, Less Crime. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Ludwig, Jens. 2000. â€Å"Gun Self-Defense and Deterrence.† Crime and Justice 27: 363-417. Moody, Carlisle E. and Marvell, Thomas B. 2008).â€Å"The Debate on Shall-Issue Laws.†Econ Journal Watch 5 (September): 269-293. Plassman, Florenz and Tideman, Nicolaus. 2001. â€Å"Does the Right to Carry Concealed Handguns Deter Countable Crimes? Only a Count Analysis Can Say.† Journal of Law and Economics 44 (October): 771-798. Plassman, Florenz and Whitley, John. 2003. â€Å"Confirming More Guns, Less Crime.† Stanford Law Review 55 (April): 1313-1369.

Compare And Contrast Tcsec And Cc Information Technology Essay

Compare And Contrast Tcsec And Cc Information Technology Essay To evaluate a computer system or product to see it meets the security requirements based on the information security evaluation standards. Trusted Computer System Evaluation Criteria (TCSEC) was the first computer security evaluation standard which was published by the U.S. defense department in1985. TCSEC influenced other European countries and very soon some countries based on TCSEC to develop their own security evaluation standards. In 1996, America combined with 5 European countries (UK, France, Germany, Netherlands and Canada) and NSA (National Security Agency) and NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) developed a new criterion which was called Common Criteria (CC). In 1999 Common Criteria (CC) was recognized by ISO and named ISO/IEC 15408-1999. In this essay TCSEC and CC will be discussed, compared and contrasted to find out the similarities and differences and the strength of CC will be indicated. The answers for the topic are based on research on relevant articles and journals and most of the resources are from the internet. The materials are then analyzed and discussed. The outline of the report is as follows: Introduction- brief description of the topic. Background- explanation of TCSEC and CC. Compare and contrast the two standards Describe the similarities and differences between the two standards and state the advantages of CC. Some journals, articles and books are used in this report which can be found in the references. Background This session discusses TCSEC with the evaluation class of TCSEC. And also describes the CC and evaluation of assurance level of CC and the evaluation process. TCSEC Evaluation Class CC- Assurances Levels D Lowest protections EAL1 Functionally tested C1 Discretionary Protection EAL2 Structurally tested C2 Controlled Access Protection EAL3 Methodically tested checked B1 Labeled Security Protection EAL4 Methodically designed, tested, reviewed B2 Structured Protection EAL5 Semi-formally designed and tested B3 Security Domains EAL6 Semi-formally verified design and tested A1 Verified Protection EAL7 Formally verified design and tested Table 1- Evaluation Class of TCSEC and Evaluation Assurances Level CC TCSEC is commonly called the Orange Book (the cover of book is orange). TCSEC has 4 divisions and 7 evaluation classes. Each class contains security requirements and it is used to determine the level of trust of a computing system. The divisions of TCSEC are A, B, C, D and the seven evaluation classes are: D (lowest), C1, C2, B1, B2, B3 and A1 (highest). A is more secure than D, and 2 is more secure than 1. (See Table 1) Level D: non-secure system Level D only contains D1 evaluation class. D1 is the lowest protections and only provides security protection for file and user. Level D can be applied to any system which has been evaluated but did not meet the higher evaluation class requirements. Level C: Discretionary protection Level C provides audit trial protection and Level C includes C1 and C2.C1 is discretionary security protection and its class is lower in Level C. C1 provides discretionary access control and it has the responsibility for Identification and authentication. C2 has all the security features of C1 and has the function of audit trail and access protection. C2 requires single- user log-in with password and an audit trail system. C2 works through log-in process, security event and source isolation to increase access. Level B: Mandatory Control. There are 3 classes in Level B and they are B1, B2 and B3.B1 has all the requirements of C2 and it also has some new requirements: each object has a label which is under system control. It uses sensitivity labels as a basis of all the access control and labels the object which will import to the system. When the system administrator adds a new communication channel or I/O mechanism, he has to manually assign security level to the channel and mechanism. The system uses user password to determine the user access level and it also uses audit to record any unauthorized access [13]. B2 has all the requirements of B1. Besides that, the B2 administrator must have clear and documentation style of security policy for trusted computing base. B2 has some new security requirements: system must immediately inform any changes between user and associated network, only user is able to do initial communication in the trusted path and the trusted computer base supports inde pendent administrator and operator. B3 has all the requirements of B2. But B3 has stronger ability to monitor access and anti-interference. B3 system has to set the security of the administrator. The new security requirements for B3 are: provide a readable security list, some objects are not allowed for certain users to access, the system has to provide a description of the users and to identify user before any operation and the trusted computing base establishes security audit trail for each labeled object [13]. Level A has the highest security. Level A only has A1 class. A1 is similar to B3. A1has the obvious features a developer of system must adopt for a formal design specification to analyze a system. After analysis, the developer has to use verification technology to ensure that the system meets the design specifications. The entire installation operation must be done by the system administrator and each step has to provide formal documentation. In TCSEC, to identify the security and to give some assurance to the system, it has to meet the security requirements [14]. The TCSEC was replaced by CC. CC is a framework of mutually recognized evaluation criteria and it contains 3 parts: security model, security functional requirements and security assurance requirements. Security assurance components are the basis for the security assurance requirements and it expresses in Protection Profile (PP) or Security Target (ST) [15]. A Protection Profile is the security requirements of customers and a company of users for a class of Targets of Evaluation (TOE) [15]. A PP uses a template independently to express security requirement. This is useful when implementing a product line or a family of related products [7]. Protection Profile copy TCSEC security requirements of C2 and B1. Protection Profile include: a template of commercial security profile, Firewall profiles which use for packet filters and application gateways, Smart card profiles, Database profile and a role which is based on control profile [16]. A Security Target consists of a collection of security requirements and used to evaluate computer system or product [7]. Figure 1 The PP/ST specification framework [7] Evaluation is that use defined criteria to evaluate a computer system or IT product [16]. Figure 1 shows specification framework to the Targets of Evaluation. The Common Criteria evaluation process starts from identifying a TOE (Target of Evaluation), and then input an ST which describes the security functions of the TOE [16], the example of TOE is computer system or product, To see if the result of the system is secure, it should meet a set of security requirements or protection profile [7]. Common Criteria provides a set of Evaluation Assurance Levels (EAL) from EAL1 (lowest) to EAL7 (highest) and it will be awarded to products and system upon successful completion of evaluation (see Table 1). The Common Criteria is absorbed by ISO (NO. 15408) EAL1- Functionally tested. For the correct operation of EAL1, it requires a certain confidence of occasion. This situation is of the view that the security threats are not serious [7]. EAL1 provide the evidence of testing and its documentation. EAL2- Structurally tested. In the delivery of the design information and test results, EAL2 requires the developer collaboration. But do not spend too much energy beyond the good commercial operation of consistency. EAL3- Methodically tested checked. Without a lot of changes on the premise of reasonable development practices, it allows a conscientious developer to obtain maximum assurance during the design phase from the correct security engineering. EAL4- Methodically designed, tested, reviewed. It allows the developers to obtain maximum guarantee from the correct security engineering, the security engineering is based on good and strict commercial development practice. This development practice does not need much professional knowledge, skills or other resources. In the rational economic conditions, and to renovate an existing production line, EAL can achieve the highest level of result [7]. EAL5- Semi-formally designed and tested. It enables the developers to obtain maximum security from the security engineering. The security engineering is based on a strictly commercial development practice. It relies on the appropriate application of professional safety engineering technology for support. EAL6- Semi-formally verified design and tested. It enables the developers to gain a high level of certification through the application of safety engineering technology and strict development environment, and. This is to produce a costly TOE to protect high-value assets against major risks [16]. EAL7- Formally verified design and tested. It is applicable to safe TOE development and it applies to places where the risk is very high, or high value assets that worth higher expenses. In this session discussed TCSEC and CC, an explained evaluation class of TCSEC, evaluation assurance level of CC and the evaluation process. Those discussions are very important that helps to find out the similarities and difference of TCSEC and CC. Next session, TCSEC and CC will be compared and contrasted based on the above discussion. Compare and contrast TCSEC and CC This session will discuss the similarities and differences between the security standards based on the above description on TCSEC and CC. It will also state the strength of CC and to explain why CC is a relatively successful security evaluation standard. Similarities Even though TCSEC has been replaced by CC, they still have some similarities. Both of them are security evaluation standard and evaluate computer system by security level classification and each level has security requirements. Both of them provide confidentiality security functionality and evaluate Computer Operation System. Differences Although CC has some similarities as TCSEC, but both of them are different. TSCEC is only used in U.S. In the beginning, it was proposed that TCSEC was to focus on independent computer system and it suited evaluation of military operating system. TCSEC does not involve security criteria for open system and it is the criteria for static model. TSCEC just considered protecting system owner and operator but did not cover user security area especially for the security of telecommunication system user. And also only considered confidentiality for documents of system owner and it did not address integrity and availability. From Table 1 we see that the evaluation of TCSEC is mix security and functionality. So if any hardware of software is changed, it will start to evaluate the system again. But CC is recognized by ISO organization and it applies to nations. Compared CC with TCSEC, CC is more complete. Common Criteria is not only focus on operating system but also for Network and Database. Common Criteria involve security criteria for open system and the criteria for dynamic model. CC keeps system confidentiality, availability and integrity through TOEs security specifications. CC has distinguished security and functionality, any change does not affect the evaluation. The evaluation process of both also is different. TCSEC checks system to see if it is secure by using the security requirements which is classified by evaluation class. In a Common Criteria evaluation, use Common Criteria to evaluate the product or computer system. The evaluation stages are: Protection Profile evaluation, Security Targets evaluation, TOE evaluation and Assurance maintenance.CC evaluates system starting from identifying a TOE, and then developing a set of criteria to the TOE for evaluation. For each step, detailed information will be added. To get to know if the system is secure, it should meet a set of security criteria or protection profile. Finally TCSEC has been substituted by CC. That means TCSEC was abandoned but CC is still the ongoing security evaluation standard. The advantages of CC Form the above comparison of the differences between TCSEC and CC, we can point out that CC is a relatively successful security evaluation standard because CC has some advantages. CC is an international security standard and many countries acknowledge the testing result. CC is absorbed in security objectives and the related threats and the evaluation process help to enhance confidentiality, availability and integrity of the system. CC provides a set of security criteria in detail and the criteria details are easily understood by customer and supplier. Customer can use them to determine the security level of the products and also to find out their own security requirements. So that supplier can design product for them and also use them to identify their product or system security features. Customer can trust the evaluation because the testing is done independently and not by the supplier. In this session, the similarities and differences between TCSEC and CC have been discussed and after comparison, the advantages of CC have been indicated. Conclusion To sum up, through the discussion of the evaluation process and assurance level of TCSEC and CC, we found out the similarities and differences between the two standards and also the advantages of CC. TCSEC is firstly a security standard and it develops 4 levels and 7 evaluation classes. Each evaluation class contains security requirements and using the requirements it will help to identify the security level of the system or product. TCSEC has provided identification and authentication for user to access the system document and also to provide audit trial and access protection. TCSEC evaluates system or products by checking security requirements to see if the system meets them. TCSEC has been replaced by CC and CC is an international security evaluation standard. CC provides Protection Profiles and Security Targets which are documents for specifying security requirements. [2] CC has 7 Evaluation assurance levels. Because CC came from TCSEC, they have some similarities but actually they are quite different. TCSEC only applies to operation system and it focuses on the demand of confidentiality. CC has full description of security mode, security concepts and security functionality. Compared with TCSEC, CC has some advantages. The testing result is accepted by nations, supplier can design product for customer based on their requirements. CC keeps system confidentiality, availability and integrity. After comparison we can say that CC is relatively a successful security evaluation standard.

costs and affects of quarrying in National Parks Essay -- essays resea

Mining and quarrying were the backbone of Britain’s economy since the start of the industrial revolution. Due to cleaner methods in energy production, which have been enforced during last 100 years and the course of developments in modern technology, Britain’s principle wealth is now governed mainly by the success of her tertiary businesses synonymous with the larger towns and cities. Nevertheless our standard of living also depends on the supply of aggregates, the most basic of building materials but most commonly used in the construction of buildings, transport networks, tunnels railroads and airports. According to Foster Yeoman (1994) the aggregates industry is five times the size of the domestic coal industry. However, such material often comes from quarries located in areas of high scenic value, which are often National Parks or Areas of Natural Beauty (AONB’s) and is raising cause for concern among environmentalists and local communities, but for different reasons. The National Parks of England and Wales were designated as such under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act of 1949. The purposes for which they were designated were to: ‘conserve the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of its area and to provide for the enjoyment and understanding of its special qualities by the public’ Association of National Park Authorities (ANPA 2001). Furthermore the National Park Authorities (NPAs) are also required to foster the social and economic well being of the communities within the park.’ Scotland however had a much smaller population; therefore the pressures on the land were deemed not to be as great. Consequently places of natural beauty did not warrant the designation of national park status. Nevertheless, the new Scottish Parliament is currently implementing National Park areas throughout Scotland. Described by Simmons (1974) protected landscape is a non-consumptive resource: the crop is of a visual nature and when this has been taken in by the consumer; the source remains the same and it is the aim of the management to perpetuate this attribute. It is the duty of the NPAs (and their governing body ANPA) to promote methods of sustainable development, which is commonly achieved by each NPA having a ‘balanced membership’, consisting of local people and those representing the national interest by virtue of their individual knowl... ...01 http://www.qpa.org/profile_ohme.html  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  02 May 2001 http://www.peakdistrict.org/Pages/Facts/fz2tour.htm  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  02 May 2001 http://earth.leeds.ac.uk/~visimp.htm  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  07 May 2001 REFERENCES Wallis E.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Geofile: UK Mines and Quarries  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  April 1992   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Edition 194 McGarvie M.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Foster Yeoman 75  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Butler & Tanner   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A Pictorial History  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1998 Simmons I.G.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Ecology of Natural Resources  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Edward Arnold   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1974 http://www.anpa.co.uk http://www.yeoman-poland.pl/e_ofirmie2.html http://www.qpa.org/profile_ohme.html

Temptations :: essays research papers

Temptation I. Introduction: Temptation is a vast topic. The bible is filled with temptation from cover to cover, mostly about how God dealt with our problem of sin and giving us victory. God deals with temptation and we deal with it too. It is reality that everybody gets tempted from time to time by the devil. Jesus also was tempted but never sinned , temptations goal is to lure you away from God. There are a lot of ways the devil can tempt you, just make sure to stay focused and filled with the Spirit. And understand the goals of the devil to want to send temptation to us. II. Today’s situations of getting tempted to do wrong. A. Temptation is everywhere Picture this: Like a scuba diver in the ocean, we feel engulfed with water and alluring sights. B. The ways a person can be tempted are through materialism, pride, laziness, sexually, greed, envy, gluttony, and lying. III. FILLING: of the Spirit A. No wonder the Bible instructs believers to get filled with the Spirit of God: Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you. Then you will sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, making music to the Lord in your hearts. And you will always give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Eph 5:18-19 B. See how God helps? It is in our distress, when we feel weak, the Spirit prays for us. It is all about trust and dependence on God. God will work things out. So stand firm in truth that God assigns no blame, truly forgiven of sins. No condemnation for those in Jesus (Rom.8:1 ff.) So the Spirit of life dwells in all true believers and it is His Spirit that continues to help. Apart from God we have no life. IV. Goal of Temptation A. Temptation’s Lure: Find life apart from God -That is what Satan wanted to do with Jesus – go for the â€Å"do it yourself, instant fix† B. Strategy: Twisting Scripture That is what Satan specializes in. He knows the Bible well enough to twist it with some from of innocent looking deception. What’s wrong with telling a stone to become bread? V. Conclusion Jesus has promised to help, let go of the seeds and seek His help. The story of Jesus’ temptation reminds us Jesus knows the experience really well, the battle isn’t over, Satan will want to get at us at an "opportune time", but he is able to help, be like Jesus, full of the Spirit, full of God’s acceptance and love.

Family and Young Boy Charley

Book Report â€Å"For One More Day†, By Mitch Albom Made by: Kitti Kristanti, Sec 1d For One More Day â€Å"This is a story about a family, and as there is a ghost involved, you might call it a ghost story. But every family is a ghost story  . The dead sit at our tables long after they have gone. † This is a beautiful, haunting novel about the family we love and the chances we miss. It explores the question, â€Å"What would you do if you could spend one more day with the ones you love? †Ã‚   The story  covers a conversation  Charley Benetto has with a sports writer.Throughout the conversation he goes back and forth between  the one last day he had with his mother and the important  events in his life, sharing his feelings– both past and present– about them. I particularly enjoyed the   way he shared throughout the book little vignettes of the times his mother stood up for him and the times he didn’t stand up for her. As a mother myself, I couldn’t help wondering if someday my own children would be able to look back and see with clarity the sacrifices I have made for them.Throughout the book I ‘heard’ some of the same things from the young boy Charley that I hear from my own children. It was rewarding and brought hope to see him come to a realization of how his interpretation of the events had been inaccurate and skewed by emotions in the moment. Perhaps my children will also understand someday As a young boy Charley Benetto makes the choice to be a daddy’s boy and does everything his father asks him to. Then his father disappears, leaving a broken family and an embarrassing situation for the young Charley to endure.Being raised by a single mother has it’s challenges and plenty of embarrassment, many that Charley takes out on his mother. â€Å"So he chooses his father, and he worships him- right up to the day the man disappears. An eleven-year-old Charley must then turn to his mother, who bravely raises him on her own, despite Charley’s emabarrassment and yearning for a complete family. †   Ã¢â‚¬ Decade later, Charley is a broken man. His life has been crumbled by alcohol and regret. He loses his job. He leaves his family. He hits bottom after discovering his only daughter has shut him out of her wedding.And he decides to take his own life. † â€Å"He makes a midnight ride to his small home-town, with plans to do himself in. But upon failing to do that, he staggers back to his old house, only to make an astonishing discovery. His mother- who died eight years earlier- is still living there, and welcomes him home as if nothing had ever happened. † â€Å"What follows is the one ‘ordinary’ day so many of us yearn for, a chance to make good with a lost parent, to explain family secrets, and to seek forgiveness. Somewhere between this life and the next, Charley learns the things he never knew about his mother and h er sacrifices.And he tries, with her tender guidance, to put the crumbled pieces of his life back together. † I related to this story on many levels. As a single mother myself I could relate to many of the experiences described and gained insight into what my children may be experiencing as a result of events they have no control over. As a daughter  who has at times experienced a  strained relationship with my own mother,   I gained  valuable insights into my own childhood memories and interpretations and was  reminded, again, that there is much more to the story that I do not completely understand.And as always– the betrayal revealed in the end made the recent and  painful betrayal of my own life seem small and insignificant in comparison. This clever story, told in Mitch’s masterful storytelling style, has left me with a new appreciation and understanding for those I love and has motivated me to be more intentional in valuing and cherishing the rel ationships I enjoy with those I love so that I will not be left with regrets for the experiences and the love lost. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever been a part of a family, who has ever lived with regrets, and who has ever questionned the value of their very existence.

Federal government of the United States Essay

 © 2010 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. All rights reserved. The Carnegie Endowment does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented here are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Endowment, its staff, or its trustees. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the Carnegie Endowment. Please direct inquiries to: About the Author Nathaniel Ahrens is a visiting scholar in the Carnegie Energy and Climate Program, where his research focuses on climate, energy, and sustainable development issues in China. He is the president of Golden Road Ventures Ltd., a business development and strategic advisory firm that provides expertise and support for critical projects in China, including sustainable development, government procurement, agriculture, and media. Previously, Ahrens was senior product manager and director of international sales for Intrinsic Technology, a Shanghai-based telecommunications software provider. He also founded Shanghai Pack Ltd., a luxury-brand packaging company based in Shanghai and Paris. Ahrens is a member of the National Committee on U.S.–China Relations, the Asia Society, and serves as an honorary ambassador for the State of Maine. Indigenous innovation1 has become the greatest immediate source of economic friction between the United States and China. This trend is not unique to these two countries; policy makers globally are actively trying to stimulate domestic innovation. The burgeoning markets for biotech and environmentrelated products and services and, potentially even more important, countries’ efforts to emerge from the global economic slowdown all reinforce this trend. Mindful of this global scene, China has made indigenous innovation one of the core elements of its attempt to make a structural shift up the industrial value chain. Recently, however, indigenous innovation has been tarred with a protectionist brush. In both China and the United States, there have been increasing calls for buy-local stipulations and the erection of tariffs and non-tariff barriers to trade. In China, these measures primarily take the shape of government â€Å"local content† mandates and through the preferential treatment given to products officially classified as â€Å"national indigenous innovation products† (NIIP) in the government procurement process. In the United States, they have taken the form of buy-local provisions and efforts to shut out foreign companies. The conflict has been escalating dangerously. In the run-up to the recent Strategic and Economic Dialogue, the U.S. business community ranked indigenous innovation in China as its number one policy concern, above even the currency issue. As of this writing, the key points of contention remain unresolved. Yet despite the loud cries of protest against it, the global trend toward â€Å"homegrown† innovation is a healthy, positive development. Without innovation, countries cannot continually raise wages and living standards.2 Government procurement should play an important role in stimulating innovation, but maintaining open markets and international linkages is critical. But instead of following its current approach of short-term product substitution and picking winners by protecting them from competition, China should focus on proven, market-friendly ways of stimulating innovation. Government procurement’s primary roles should be market signaling, de-risking R&D, bridging the finance gap, and stimulating demand. The United States would also benefit by refocusing its government procurement policies along the lines indicated in the key findings of this paper, especially concentrating on facilitating more open markets and elevating the importance of sustainable procurement. The following set of specific recommendations for China will stimulate innovation through open markets and the effective use of government procurement