Monday, January 20, 2020

Elizabeth Barrett-Browning and Virginia Woolf Essay -- Biography Biogr

Elizabeth Barrett-Browning and Virginia Woolf      Ã‚  Ã‚   I chose to compare and contrast two women authors from different literary time periods.   Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861) as a representative of the Victorian age (1832-1901) and Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) as the spokeswoman for the Modernist (1914-1939) mindset.   Being women in historical time periods that did not embrace the talents and gifts of women; they share many of the same issues and themes throughout their works - however, it is the age in which they wrote that shaped their expressions of these themes.   Although they lived only decades apart their worlds were remarkably different - their voices were muted or amplified according to the beat of society's drum.   Passages from Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Aurora Leigh can be contrasted with Virginia Woolf's portrayal of Isabella in The Lady in the Looking Glass: A Reflection.    The Victorian Era is known as the Age of Inquiry when all the foundational truths of the past were open to examination and reconsideration.   Despite this new desire for certainty, Victorians were slow to release the safety of the past - trying rather to meld the old and the new together and struggling with the mismatched pieces.   Modernists, on the other hand, rebelled openly and loudly against their past which resulted in an extreme sense of loss and instability - reflected in the works of the time.   Elizabeth Barrett Browning writes as one who is looking through a rain drenched window at a scene that is vaguely familiar but quite unclear.   She is attempting to remove the distortion to see what the vista holds.   Rather than direct analysis, Victorian authors often tried to offer a form of practical advice f... ...ted forth..." but, "Isabella did not wish to be known".   Not because she knew herself to be a fraud but because she was inexplicably complicated and the embodiment of contradiction - a truly modern woman.    Both of these women were intuitive authors who had deep messages to convey through their works.   Elizabeth was able to probe the perimeter of difficult issues while maintaining one foot on the firm ground of her upbringing and faith.   Virginia abandoned all to forge into the complexities of Modern thought and despite her bravery she was herself a victim of the despair that comes with a loss of moorings.    Longman citations   refer to page numbers of Eng 103 course text, Spring 2001: Damrosch, David, et al., ed.   The Longman Anthology of British Literature:   Ã‚  Ã‚   Vol. B.   Compact ed.   New York: Longman - Addison Wesley Longman, 2000.

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Financial Analysis of Mitchells & Butlers 2007 Annual Report

Title Page Date: 12/12/09 The following report is designed for the purpose of a business analysis. I have chosen to analyse Mitchells & Butlers PLC by firstly, looking closely at the annual report produced by the company over a two year period and secondly, by researching their financial activities further than the annual report explains. I will compare and contrast ratios to help give the reader a better understanding of the company’s profitability, liquidity, activity and leverage. Summary In my analysis of Mitchells and Butlers PLC accounts for the years ending 2007 and 2008 I found that the Group has a very complex financial structure. Especially with the occurrence of a financial disaster which ended in the loss of two years worth of earnings, which, in turn resulted in the departure of the finance director and calls for further boardroom departures from the disgruntled shareholders. Mitchells & Butlers is a high geared business and therefore a risky investment venture. The company are well positioned in the market for long-term success but the ratios do let down the attractiveness of investment by their much lower percentage of current assets to current liabilities, high gearing and low net profit margins. *Brief Historical Background* Mitchells & Butlers is one of the UK’s largest operators of managed establishments with a strong portfolio of branded and unbranded pubs and restaurants with a mass market appeal. Their popular brands include All Bar One, Harvester and Ember Inns. Founded in Smethwick Birmingham as a result of the Beerhouse Act of 1830 easing the law on domestic brewing, Henry Mitchell’s and William Butler’s breweries merged in 1989. The company acquired rival breweries and rapidly expanded and merged with Bass in 1961, emerging as Six Continents before separating into hotel and retail businesses and becoming Mitchells & Butlers once again. Implication of Ratios on Mitchells & Butlers *(M&B)’s Financial Position* Mitchells & Butlers Gross1 profit ratio for both 2008 and 2007 is 25% and 24. 9% respectively. An increase of 0. 1% is satisfactory during these trying times for Mitchells & Butlers PLC. This indicates that operating costs account for 75% of the sales revenue. These huge costs are largely down to M&B’s ‘value and volume’ strategy. The company feel they are well placed in the troubled economy as they offer great value for money. This strategy makes for a high sales turnover but not a huge mark up on the product. They are constantly striving to be as efficient as possible and have a low paid and low skilled workforce to help combat high operating costs, and gain a competitive advantage. The Group have faced a turbulent year, dealing with the economic downturn in consumer spending and the inevitable decline in alcoholic beverage sales across the sector as a whole. This was not helped by the introduction of the smoking ban in England and Wales, following suit from Scotland and Northern Ireland, and costs such as fuel and energy spiralling ever higher. It’s no surprise then, when we look at the Net Profit Margin2 and see that it has decreased by 1. 5% from 10. 9% in 2007 to 9. 4% in 2008. In the midst of a depression this decline is not too alarming. With a Gearing ratio3 of 2. 4:1 in 2008 and 1. 5:1 in 2007 there is a high risk involved when investing in this company. From analysing M & B’s debt structure it seems further leveraging of its balance sheet would be difficult given the harsh, current conditions in debt markets. The Group’s pension fund deficit creates further problems when trying to attract prospective private equity buyers. As you can see it has become a considerably higher geared company in 2008 and this is due to the considerable loss faced by the company in an unexpected twist in the Mitchells & Butlers story. When entering into a property venture with company R20, both groups were advised by the bank, as part of their loan agreement, to take out hedges against interest rates and inflation. This investment would prevent Mitchells & Butlers from losing as much money as they would have, had they not taken out the hedges in the instance that the market turned against them. The bank also advised the companies to do this, two weeks prior to the investment being made as the hedges could take some time to execute. The hedges were purchased mid July, by the end of July the credit crunch had kicked in and the bank withdrew its credit approved terms. Both companies were left with hedges in place but no investment to back them against. M & B held onto their hedges until January 2008 hoping for an upturn in the market. By January 2008 it had become apparent that this was not going to happen and M&B disposed of them. Using them would have been very risky, especially since finance director Naffah had already been let go. â€Å"At the end of last financial year, an exceptional accounting loss of ? 155m post tax was booked in respect of the hedges. The above settlement of the majority of the hedges results in a further ? 119m post tax exceptional loss which will be taken in the current year,† the company said in a statement. Looking equally bleak is M&B’s current ratio4 of 0. 888:1 in 2008 and 0. 391:1 in 2007. Many believe that businesses must have a current ratio of at least 2:1 to survive, proving Michells & Butlers as an unorthodox company. Unbelievably it functions with a negative working capital6, this is due mainly to the company keeping stock levels impeccably low and thus giving the acid test a similar result with a quick ratio5 of 0. 794:1 in 2008 and 0. 343:1 in 2007. Most of the stock is perishable, for example food served in their restaurants. A stock turnover7 of 9. 95 days in 2008 and 9. 75 days in 2007 is quite acceptable in the food and beverage sector. Low stock levels keep the business as liquid as possible. This gives the company some leverage when incorporated with the debtors8 and the creditor’s9 turnover which works out in favour of M&B’s debt structure. Debtors, pay-up within an average of 14. 3days. Contrast this with the creditors who give M&B, on average between the years 2007 and 2008, 66. 4 days of credit. That’s nearly five times as long as M&B allow their debtors. Another consideration I wish to highlight concerning the worryingly low current ratio is that for the most part M&B’s non-current assets are made up of property, plant and equipment. If the company found themselves with cash flow problems these assets could become non-current assets held for sale to help increase the current ratio. Return on Capital employed10 is 20. 18% and 19. 7% in 2008 and 2007 respectively. This is evidence that M&B is still a profitable company contrary to the problems arising in the last two years and are still gaining market share year on year. A three year plan has been put in place to rectify the hedging mishap. Ordinary Shareholders will not receive any dividend pay-outs for the next year three years as well as board members forfeiting their bonuses in a bid to pay off their ? 74m deficit. *How the inclusion of a Cash Flow* helps in the Analysis of the company’s financial position There are several advantages to preparing a cash flow statement along with the balance sheet and profit and loss account. The cash flow statement provides data which allows the reader to better understand where cash has come from, where cash has moved to, and why. If a company has no cash it cannot pay wages or bills or suppliers. Employers won’t come to work if you don’t pay them. Energy companies will cut off their supplies, as could the suppliers if the bills are not paid. If this happens the company may not be able to operate. This is why cash flow statements should be taken seriously by managers and done as often as daily if cash flow is tight. The cash flow statement explains where the cash and cash equivalents on the balance sheet come from in greater detail. It takes operating profit and adds back exceptional items, depreciation and amortisation to give us a better understanding of how much cash is to hand, as well increases and decreases in debtors and creditors. In M&B’s cash flow statement we can see that in 2007 M&B acquired ? m worth of Whitbread Pub Restaurants and made additional pension contributions of? 40m. In the cash flow statement figures can be compared more easily, they also aide preparation of forecasts. In both years a considerable amount of cash is spent on property, plant and equipment. It may be that these assets have not had time to realise their full potential. We can see that M&B has increased its cash and cash equiva lents by ? 12m at the end of 2008 compared to its previous year. Differences between the spread of cash year on year is quite apparent. In 2008 shareholders received ? 480m worth of dividends less than in 2007 as part of M&B’s three year strategy to eliminate hedging debt amounting to around two years worth of earnings. Conclusion At first glance, the ratios I have calculated show the illusion of a company in the midst of a financial crisis. But Mitchells and Butlers are breaking all the rules and coming out with a profit, succeeding where many competitors are failing, due to the down turn in the alcoholic beverage market and consumer spending overall. The hedging losses have no doubt affected a great deal of critical decision making regarding Mitchells and Butlers finances including investment attractiveness, risk taking and dividend payouts. The high amount of non-current assets is due to the extensive property portfolio which helps diffuse the worrying situation of such a low current and quick ratio. This company is constantly expanding and is year on year gaining market share. It adapts appropriately to its ever changing environment, as it keeps up to date with the economic climate and responds quickly to consumers needs. The ‘value & volume’ strategy is working well and the brands are becoming very well established in the UK. Debt payment is accounted for in the long term financial plan and the future looks far from dismal. I see a company trying to be as efficient as possible whilst waiting for the storm to pass. Appendix Gross Profit Ratio Gross profit x 100 Sales (turnover) 2008 – 477/ 1908 x100 = 25% 2007 – 472 / 1894 x 100 = 24. 9% Net Profit Margin Ratio Net Profit Before Interest & Tax x100 = Sales / Turnover 2008 – 179 / 1908 x 100 = 9. 4% 2007 – 207 / 1894 x 100 = 10. % Gearing Fixed Income forms of Finance : equity Fixed Income forms of Finance = Borrowings 2755 + Debentures 33 + preference shares 14 =2802 Equity – Capital Share 34 + reserves 2008 – 2802 : 1175 = 2. 4:1 2007 – 2317 + 47 + 14 = 2378 : 1576 = 1. 5:1 Current Ratio Current Assets : Current Liabilities 2008 – current assets 253 + non-current assets held for sal e 114 = 367 367:413 = 0. 888:1 2007 – current assets 303 + non-current assets held for sale 6 = 309 309:790 = 0. 391:1 Non assets held for sale within the next twelve months Quick Ratio / Acid Test Current Assets – stock Current Liabilities 2008 – 367 – 39 = 328. 328/ 413 = 0. 794:1 309 – 38 = 271 271 / 790 = 0. 343:1 Working Capital Days of Inventory /Stock Turnover Stock at the year end x365 Cost of goods sold 2008 – 39 / 1431 x 365 = 9. 95 days 2007 – 38 / 1422 x 365 = 9. 75 days Debtors Collection Period Debtors Turnover x365 Sales 2008 – 80 / 1908 x 365 = 15. 3 days 2007 – 69 / 1894 x365 = 13. 3 days an average of 14. 3 days Creditors Payment Period Trade Creditors x365 Cost of Sales 008 – 276 / 1431 x 365 = 70. 4 days 2007 – 243 / 1422 x 365 = 62. 4 days An average of 66. 4 days Return on Capital Employed Ratio Profit before interest & tax x 100 Capital employed 2008 – 179 / 1058 x 100 = 16. 9% 2007 – 207 / 1202 x 100 = 17. 2% Profit & Losss Account is profit after tax + any interest paid = 127 + 171 Capital Employed represents Share Capital =Called up shared capita l and share premium account = 34 + 14; the balance on the profit and loss account + 127 + 171 and any other reserve accounts in the balance sheets + 3 + 697 + 12 = 1058 for 2008

Saturday, January 4, 2020

How the physical effects of ageing affect an elderlys self...

How the physical effects of ageing affect a persons self esteem and self confidence As a person becomes old they seem to lack in confidence. For some this isnt the case but ageing can affect it in many ways. Not only positively but negatively too. Self esteem is how someone feels about themselves as a person but self confidence is how they protray themselves to others around them. Some being very confident but others not being confident at all. Compared to when they were young the elderly may lose there self confidence as they begin to age and there are many reasons for that. A lot of people tend to be very negative towards life because some may be embarassed about themselves such as the old ageing look grey hair, wrinkles and†¦show more content†¦Not everyone feels that they have to stay in just because they are old and worthless. Every person is different in there own way, whether they lack in confidence or not. I can understand why old people do tend to lose confidence as it isnt very nice to have to walk around with wispy grey hair and old wrinkly skin. It is embarassing for them and if they do love to take pride in there appearence then seeing themself as old can knock there confidence a lot. A lot of people are very insecure with the way they look as they dont want to be stared or laughed at. It is very understandable for an elderly person to be the way they are. Its not everyones cup of tea to go out and socialise, many like to stay in there own environment where it is comfortable but by being forced to go out to these centres it could actually make a person gain confidence despite the fact they dont have any at all. It is a real ice breaker and I even feel that it is a really great way to help someone to become happy again. It says that it caters for everyones needs, even the ones that struggle with every day life. They dont leave anybody out so nobody has an excuse to not socialise. It is a confidence boosterShow MoreRelatedUnit 4 - Developing Through the Life Stages - Task 3, P4, P53808 Words   |  16 Pagesthe life stages Task 3 P4 amp; M2 P5 amp; M3 P4 amp; M2 Because people don’t always age in the same way as others there are different possibilities of what may occur during ageing, some people may develop serious problems in their fifty’s while others may not develop any problems until they’re in their nineties. Physical changes The menopause occurs when the hormone levels oestrogen and progesterone in a woman falls and the body stops producing eggs, once this starts to occur then menstruationRead MoreEssay about Improving Senior Health2015 Words   |  9 Pageswebsite, â€Å"The world is rapidly ageing. While this is an important challenge for the developed world, 70% of all older people now live in low or middle-income countries. Population ageing is also occurring much faster in these countries. This means they will have a much briefer opportunity ti build the infrastructure necessary to address this demographies trend†(Our Ageing World). Now that the elder population is increasing the main focus should be on the elderly and spending more time taking careRead MoreDis Engagement Theory And The Active Theory2072 Words   |  9 Pagesdevelopment. Socio Dis-engagement theory shows that the ageing claims that elderly people are disengaged from society and social role models due to their inevitability of death. However disengagement theorists have said that that elderly people begin to disengage themselves from previous social groups realising that they will die in the near future. Moreover the people from the dis engagement theories were one of the first theorists of ageing that were developed and acknowledged by social scientistRead MoreUnit 4:P4: to Describe Two Theories of Ageing –Disengagement and Activity P5 – Describe Physical and Psychological Changes Due to the Ageing Process M3: Use Examples to Describe the 2 Theories of Ageing D2: Evaluate the2204 Words   |  9 Pagesdescribe two theories of ageing –disengagement and activity P5 – Describe physical and psychological changes due to the ageing process M3: Use examples to describe the 2 theories of ageing D2: Evaluate the influence of 2 major theories on health and social care provisions. The activity theory The Activity Theory was originally an idea that was proposed by Lemon Bengtson amp;Peterson this proposal was seen to have a much more hopeful and positive view on ageing in comparison to the disengagementRead MoreHealth and social care unit 4 p53291 Words   |  14 Pagesï » ¿P5, 5a, 5b – M3 Explain the physical and psychological changes which may be associated with ageing. Physical changes that you can see as you begin to get older are: You’re Organs: As you begin to get older your muscles within your digestive tract can start to become really weak and would possibly start giving you the risk of having a lot of constipation. Also as you get older your heart is beginning to get less efficient and would not be able to pump the blood around your body like what itRead MoreSemiotics, The, And The Greatest Obsessions Of Beauty By Hayao Miyazaki1577 Words   |  7 Pagesforms which exists in symbolic visualisations and consist of significant meanings behind a message. By analysing the syntagmatic structure of the film, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, one can gather that the film s overall intent is portraying the effects of war and pacifism and the greatest obsessions of beauty by juxtaposing signs, symbols, denotation, connection and myth. My analysis is separated into 4 juxtapositions: war, pacifism, beauty, ugliness and consumerism; each identifying the signifiesRead MoreCare of the Older Person Essay3297 Words   |  14 PagesHow can nurses ensure that older people are treated with respect and dignity whist being cared for in hospital or in the community? The aim of the following essay is to explore how nurses can ensure that older people are treated with respect and dignity whist being cared for in hospital or the community. The essay will seek to gain an understanding of the biopsychosocial influences associated with dignity which affect the older person. Age concern describe dignity to mean that everyoneRead MoreThe Information Behavior Of The Elderly6585 Words   |  27 PagesThe Information Behavior of the Elderly Who are the elderly? For the purposes of this paper the elderly, who may hereafter be referred to as seniors, senior citizens, and/or older adults is defined as persons over the age of 65. Senior citizens are one of the fastest growing populations in both the United States and Canada. It has been projected that the population of senior citizens in the U.S. will double by 2026. This population is by no means homogenous and, for the purpose of studies, isRead MoreMusic Therapy in Dementia Care2952 Words   |  12 Pagesis an extremely common disease among the elderly, with 4 million Americans currently suffering from the Alzheimer’s type alone. Figures show that 3% of people between the ages of 65-74 suffer from the disease, rapidly increasing to 19% for the 75-84 age bracket, and as high as 47% for the over 85s. Therefore, it is easy to see why Dementia is such a large part of many people’s lives, whether they are suffering from the condition themselves, or have an elderly relative who r equires full time care justRead Moreageisum2235 Words   |  9 Pages Modern society view’s aging as a form of sickness and the elderly as persons who are closer to dying and death. This is what is often portrayed in our mass and social media. When considering issues of aging sociologists have found that more positive characteristics are often said for persons under sixty five years than for over sixty five years. For instance , growth and development, beauty, good health, happiness are more likely to be listed as characteristics of being under sixty

Thursday, December 26, 2019

Immigration And The United States - 1464 Words

Immigration has always been a complex issue in the United States. Previous and current administrations have had great difficulties in setting policies and programs in place to address this problem. During the course of American history, laws were enacted to address such issues. There were numerous legislative milestones in regards to immigration in the United States. In order to understand the current issues regarding immigration, we have to look back at the policies that were in place along with the goals that they intended to serve. According to (Barusch, 2012), the United States had an open immigration policy; which means that anyone could relocate to this country. As a result of this policy, the government had to redefine†¦show more content†¦(Presidential candidate .org). The objective of the immigration policy is to address all issues, not just prevalent issues. Immigration issues have been a problem throughout history. This Society holds different perceptions on the topic. Some people favor the flow of immigrants while others oppose it. Immigration is a social problem that must constantly be reviewed due to the complexity of the problems. In this situation, different factors such as the quality of life for immigrants, how they impact the economy, how the implementation of policies would benefit them, have to be taken into consideration. Immigration policies affect all aspects of today’s society. The key figures in the immigration issue are immigrants, documented/undocumented, political figures. Immigration reform has been an issue in previous and current administrations. Policy makers experience difficulties in setting policies/ programs in place to address the issue. This policy was chosen for analysis because it affects us all. Immigration has always played a central role in the life and growth of the nation. (Civilright .org). In selecting this policy for analysis, I took into consideration that I, too, was an immigrant before I became a naturalized citizen. I was able to benefit from the policies in place at the time of my arrival in this

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

The Policy Categories And Be Able For Cite Examples

1) Review the policy categories and be able to cite examples: a) Constituent policies – involves the structure that makes up the government. Constituent policies are concerned with the establishment of government structure, establishment of rules or procedures for the conduct of government, rules that distribute or divide power and jurisdiction within the present and future government policies might be made. A structural example of constituent policy is the creation of the Department of Homeland Security. In 2002, President George Bush did not see the need of a department to manage terrorism, however, he changed his mind and called on Congress to create a Department of Homeland Security. A procedural example of constituent policy is the Federal Administrative Procedure Act of 1946 with outlined the procedures to be used by agencies to ensure openness and fairness in agency decision-making. Constituent policies also include matters that involve personnel practices and budg etary actions. b) Distributive policies – the allocation of benefits or services, at no cost, to particular segments of the population—individuals, groups, companies, or communities. These benefits or services include subsidies, grants, loans, technical assistance, information (as on the weather), contracts, unemployment benefits, and river and harbor improvement actions. The cost of these benefits and services are paid from the public treasury, which means taxpayer generally. c) SubstantiveShow MoreRelatedUnited States On International Trade1223 Words   |  5 PagesThe CITES is an international agreement that entered in force the 1st of July 1975. It is designed to prevent any threat, caused by international trade, towards the survival of specimens of wild animals and plants. The global scale of the trading network nowadays imposes this convention to have an international scope, thus to include 181 parties protecting more than 35,000 species This treaty has 2 main purposes: it aims to improve the working of the Convention, also, ensure that CITES policy developmentsRead MoreThe Truth And Reconciliation Commission1660 Words   |  7 Pagesbeing revealed, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission had to be tasked with discovering and revealing past wrongdoing by a government in the hope of resolving conflict left over from the past. (cite) The Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established on June 2, 2008, and was completed in June 2015 (cite). The Commission was established in order to implement Canada s Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, as well as to educate Canadians on Residential Schools and the wrongdoing theRead MoreSaks Fifth Avenue Case Study Essay1188 Words   |  5 Pagesthe human aspects of internal controls. Of note are Saks’ zero-tolerance policy of employee theft, anti-harassment policy and complaint procedure. Also, the case study highlights control activities in a major retail store. Finally, it questions what an auditor’s role is concerning employee’s work environment. Question #1 In your opinion, was Saks’ zero-tolerance policy for employee theft reasonable? Was the policy likely cost-effective? Defend your answers. The case presented only one instanceRead MorePresidential Power Over Immigration Throughout From The United States1480 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout From the Constitutional Convention to Recent American History The Constitution grants the U.S. President ample power regarding almost every aspect of governing the nation; yet, it grants him none directed specifically at immigration policies. In fact, the Constitution was silent on immigration altogether. â€Å"None of the congressional powers [in the Constitution] explicitly mentions immigration†¦ [which] led some to suggest that immigration was left exclusively to state control. HoweverRead MoreCyber Bullying : The Third Leading Cause Death For American Youths901 Words   |  4 Pagesthat repeatedly communicates hostile or aggressive messages intended to inflict harm or discomfort on others† (Foody, Samara, Carlbring, 2015). Cyber bullying is unique to other forms of bullying in many ways. A cyber bully is able to hide behind social media and is able to maintain secrecy while posting cruel messages to a vast audience. The perpetrator may also not realize the true effects of his actions because he is unable to see his victim whil e online; reducing his feeling of responsibilityRead MoreA Study of Keynesian Economics1073 Words   |  4 PagesWhich fiscal policies might activist Keynesian economists recommend to help a depressed economy regain full employment? Explain how they work. Keynes and Keynesian economists propose two large categories of measures to help a depressed economy regain full employment. These are either monetary measures or fiscal measures. Monetary measures rely on the decrease of interest rates and the reasoning behind this approach is as follows. The individual in an economy has two basic option of utilizingRead MoreIt 244 Access Control Policy Appendix F838 Words   |  4 PagesAssociate Level Material Appendix F Access Control Policy Student Name: Patricia Manter University of Phoenix IT/244 Intro to IT Security Instructor’s Name: Kevin Swinson Date: June 24, 2012 Access Control Policy Due in Week Seven: Outline the Access Control Policy. Describe how access control methodologies work to secure information systems 1 Authentication Describe how and why authentication credentials are used to identify and controlRead MoreEssay on Does CSR Work?942 Words   |  4 Pagesincrease in corporate social responsibility (CSR) stems from three reasons: 1) companies have made themselves targets by doing â€Å"bad† things in the past (Shell in Nigeria; Nike in Indonesia), 2)public perception that the global marketplace is more police-able and international rules and standards are more enforceable, 3) companies large growth as made them the only ones capable of policing themselves in a global capacity. However, two questions arise from this new branch of the corporate hierarchy: 1)Read MoreAccess Control Policy1679 Words   |  7 PagesAssociate Level Material Appendix F Access Control Policy Student Name: Charles Williams University of Phoenix IT/244 Intro to IT Security Instructor’s Name: Tarik Lles Date: December 4, 2011 Access Control Policy Due in Week Seven: Outline the Access Control Policy. Describe how access control methodologies work to secure information systems Access control is used to restrict operations, which authorized users can perform. Access control does exactly what it says,Read MoreEssay995 Words   |  4 PagesCourt’s decision completely recognizes that in certain circumstances, like that of war, the president might have to act before Congress is able to authorize action. Yes, because the Court’s opinion was that the President had the authority to use the military in case of an attack or for defense. â€Å"Curtiss-Wright, so I’m right† in other words presidents routinely cite the Curtiss- Wright case as authority to do as they wish in the area of foreign affairs. I don’t think it is consistent with the constitutional

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Achilles Anophtheis Essay Example For Students

Achilles Anophtheis Essay Achilles Anophtheis Achilles revisited The director walked onto the stage, gingerly adjusting his radiation mask in order to fit the microphone beneath it. His nervous cough boomed through the hall. After shuffling the papers on the podium before him, he began. Welcome ladies and gentlemen of the Pre-Apocalypse Archaeological Society. We have called this session to impart to you a matter of the utmost importance, a discovery of the highest order. As you are aware, our teams have only recently been able to sift through the debris of the razed cities of our belligerent predecessors, thanks to the efforts of our colleagues at the Physical Research Society who, with the aid of Allah, have made our task infinitely easier with the invention of a radiation suit which allows our field workers to work even in areas of the highest radiation concentration: the cities of what was formerly the United States of America. The discoveries are literally pouring in, and we have our hands full simply cataloguing the numerous finds. Our first find was a small rectangular object, containing a spool of thin ribbon, which one of our historians identified as what was known as a cassette. Simply put, it was a device on which sounds could be recorded. From its small size, our historian conjectured that it was of a type designed for recording the human voice rather than music. Armed with this belief, we managed to convince the Censor Society to allow us to reconstruct the primitive machine to play back the message we hoped it would contain. They agreed; on the condition that we did not do so until they had a chance to screen it for the negative influences that caused the downfall of the last corrupt civilization. They duly approved it and we are now ready for its first public presentation. Before we begin, I would like to explain some of the terms used in the recording, for those of you who lack the benefit of an historical training. The tape is evidently the recording of a psychologist. You are all aware that the sacrilege which led to the destruction of the Nuclear Age was primarily caused by the decline in religious belief and values. A psychologist was the person who supplanted the role of the confessor in this blasphemous time. He labored under the delusion that the immortal soul was accessible on a scientific, human level; and, like most of the scientists of the day, impiously discounted Allah as an unnecessary complication. We found an infamous saying which pervaded much of the Pre- Apocalypse literature: `Religion is the opiate of the peoplequot;. Well, psychology became the new `opiate of the people. quot; The patient with whom the doctor is dealing with in the recording, has been identified as a prominent businessman of the day. He is what was called an arbitrageur. A man who specialized in dealings on their stock market, a term I am sure all of you are familiar with. In any case, an arbitrageur bought and sold companies for a profit. In the few pieces of literature we have been able to recover, it seems that such men were regarded as the heroes of their age. I refer of course to the numerous copies we have of the autobiographies of Donald Trump, Robert Campeau and the like. Evidently the culture considered these books to be of great importance, for we found huge amounts of them in large buildings. This was apparently for safekeeping since the storage facilities were located well away from the centres of attack in the event of a nuclear war. The periodicals of the day also reflect the reverence in which these men were held, as they are frequently mentioned. It is another mark of the degradation of the society that the primary estimate of a manquot;s worth became the amount of money he earned. It is difficult in this holy age to conceive of such blasphemy, but it is necessary that we do so in order to avoid the same traps into which they fell. We have managed to reconstruct the scenario as far as was possible, but we endeavored to retain all of the original conversation in addition to our own narration. I donquot;t think that there is anything further that you need to know about the recording, except perhaps that it appears to be incomplete. I would ask that you remain as silent as possible, because the tape is of very low quality and the accent is very difficult to understand. If you are having trouble, I suggest that you follow along in the transcripts with which we have provided you. The Director signaled for the tape to begin, and left the stage. Dr. Zeis loaded the cassette into the machine and tested it. It wouldnquot;t do to have it chew up the tape again, especially not for so important a patient: the sort of patient who could make his career . . . or break it. He knew he couldnquot;t afford to squander his good fortune. As his mind wandered over the seemingly endless ramifications of success, the static crackle of the intercom interrupted his reveries. It was his secretary warning him that Mr. Reussi was on his way in. The doctor rewound the tape and offered up a quick prayer that it would work. The door swung open and one of the worldquot;s richest, most powerful men strode in. Mr. Oswald Achilles Reussi had made his fortune by taking over companies and turning them around. He was able to start at such a high level because of the substantial inheritance he had received from his father. He was rich enough to ensure that he received only the best sort of publicity, and that was why he had been so irate when the media learned that he was in therapy and had printed the story with a glee that only those who made their living from sordid details were capable of acquiring. Dr. Zeis had regretted his indiscretion, but that sort of publicity was simply too tempting to resist. He had only been able to calm the fuming man by convincing him that it was essential that he not be afraid of the stigma of therapy in order for it to work for him. An old dodge, but it had performed its function and placated the incensed patient. Oswald crossed the room with a gruff greeting Dr. Zeis had learned early that this was not a man to waste time. He took his customary position, sprawled on the couch. Ap Art History Essay ThemesdYou see, you were never really around your parents when you were a child, and because they spent so little time with you, they were loathe to scold you. Also you said yourself that you frequently suffered comparison with your father when you were a child, and this served to enhance the sense of competition. So now I am attempting to suggest a therapy that will aid you in overcoming your dysfunction. But how will helping Alexander accomplish anything? asked Oswald dubiously. The only way to triumph over the problem is to consciously avoid behaviour that it causes. And the scenario you have just presented to me involving your friend, Mr. Atreides, is just such behaviour. explained the doctor. You mean to say that I am merely acting under a compulsion when I refuse to aid Alexander? asked Oswald dubiously. The doctor nodded. But wouldnquot;t you do the same thing if a friend of yours stabbed you in the back like he has done to me? and stolen my dream? asked Oswald. I anticipated this objection. said the doctor complacently. That is why I have a third reason. Ask yourself, if you were in his position would you have acted similarly? Well . . . hesitated Oswald. You see that such behaviour is common in the business world, and you would probably have done the same had the roles been reversed. said the doctor triumphantly. What you must realize is that all these years of competition have made you unable to accept defeat. The only way you can accept losing to Mr. Atreides without causing yourself considerable mental anguish, is by being a factor in his destruction, taking your revenge. I still donquot;t know, said Oswald doubtfully, I canquot;t- The sound of a telephone ringing broke into the conversation. A look of anger passed across the doctorquot;s face as he stood up to answer it. I apologize Mr. Reussi, he said. I thought I told my receptionist to hold all my calls. No need to apologize, said Oswald, pulling a handsized, rectangular object from his pocket. I believe itquot;s my phone. He unfolded the phone and extended a concealed antenna. Yes? he said tersely, and listened for a few seconds, his face growing taut. Are you sure? he asked. After listening for a few more seconds, he folded the phone back up and folded the antenna. That was a friend of mine, he explained, Robert Patrolo, telling me that his company was just taken over by Trojan. Hectorquot;s first move upon gaining control was to have him removed from the chairmanship. Hector knew that would get me. He remained seated for a few seconds and then stood up, pulling on his jacket. I believe you are right doctor. he said. I am going to help Mr. Atreides; and when we succeed Iquot;m going to throw Hector out like a dog. and so saying, he left the room. The doctor sat down again. He wondered over the manquot;s motives, and came to the conclusion that he had not accomplished very much. All Reussi was doing was transferring his wrath from Mr. Atreides to Hector. Ah well, he thought, I shall have to try a different approach next week. He pressed the stop button on his tape recorder. The Director returned to the stage and signaled for the tape to be stopped. I believe, gentlemen, that you are all aware of the profane theories of Sigmund Freud? he glance around the auditorium observing their nods. Well, for the first time, we are able to see those fanciful theories in actual application, rather than in text. The members of the Censor Society have graciously permitted us to listen to this recording in order to allow us to see the depths to which rationality can plunge. We must remember, as we attempt to rebuild our society, that the only way is Godquot;s way, as specifically set out in our sacred Books. I hope that you have gleaned the dire lesson that this recording has to offer. We must, at all costs, avoid the unplumbable depths of depravity to which the Nuclear Age descended, and construct our Society in accordance with the decrees of God. Praise God! The audience rose and emphatically returned his farewell, well aware that they were being closely observed, and that any failure could result in the severest consequences. Epilogue The first order of business seems to be to acknowledge my debt, both in order to avoid accusations of plagiarism and subsequent litigation. The difficulty is that my debt extends to every book I have read since the age of five. I can, however, endeavor to mention the more obvious ones. The idea of couching the main story in a larger context of a later civilization is borrowed from Margaret Atwoodquot;s The Handmaidquot;s Tale, and the main story is an attempt an enormously presumptuous one at that to compress and modernize Homerquot;s Iliad. I also owe a great deal to Sigmund Freudquot;s writings, although I am certain that he would not admit to being the source of this perversion of his theories, were he alive to object. All that now remains is to offer a brief explanation of the story itself, perhaps something along the lines of Dantequot;s letter to Can Grande Della Scala. The story is basically a modernization of the themes of the Iliad. In order to retain the father-son theme, I used an unresolved Oedipus complex. Achillesquot; wrath is again shifted from Agamemmnon to Hector, although, as they say, the names have been changed to protect the innocent. I was at a loss to include an invocation to the Muse, but I eventually came up with the idea that a tape recorder might be a solution to the problem. What else is a tape recorder if not an aid to memory? In fulfillment of the will of Zeus is another theme of the Iliad. In order to include it, I interpreted the gods as psychological phenomena, and, therefore, the compulsions of the unresolved complex which affects Achilles behaviour is the re-internalization of Homerquot;s externalization of internal psychic activities. I think drawing a diagram may help you decipher that last sentence. The last theme, of corpses being left as carrion for the dogs, was relegated to a minor position: a few gratuitous remarks of Achilles to the way he was going to treat Hector. The task is now complete. I hope you enjoyed the story as much as I hated writing it. Before you mark it, allow me to interject a quick quote from Shakespeare: The quality of mercy is not strainquot;d. Thanks for an illuminating, enchanting course.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Technology Helpful or Hurtful Essay Example For Students

Technology Helpful or Hurtful Essay Everyday we hear about the astounding technological advances discovered year after year. Thirty years ago, who would have thought that we would soon be able to communicate with a person half way around the world through a computer? The possibilities of technology are endless and beyond belief, but are these possibilities always beneficial in society, or are they causing more harm then help? Authors Pete Hamill, Grant Fjermedal and Roger Rosenblat take a look at certain forms of technology and the beneficial and detrimental aspects that have and will come from its advances. The family television is one of the oldest, most loved pastimes, and is thought to be one the greatest inventions. By the push of a button a person can leave their problematic life and live the perfect one of their favorite soap star, action hero or villain. In other words, with the push of a button a person is simply taken out of reality. Pete Hamill, the author of the article, â€Å"Crack and the Box,† div es further into the effects of the invention of the television and influence it has the generation raised with it. Hamill relates the drug epidemic of today with the increase of televisions believing they work on the same level. Like television, drugs take their user out of reality and into a different world. Hamill is a firm believer that televisions have had a dominant role in the great increase in current drug use. In 1955, when televisions were less than six times the number they are today, there were a mere 1,234 felony drug arrests; in 1988 that number rose to 43,901 (Hamill 374). That could coincidence of facts but according to Hamill our cherished television is to blame. TV is just one of the millions of pieces of technology. It is in no way as sophisticated as others, like the computer, yet it may be a prominent cause for one of the world’s largest problems, drug abuse. If something as old and simple as the television may have had such an impact, just imagine what ha rm will come from recent and even future forms of technology. We will write a custom essay on Technology Helpful or Hurtful specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Roger Rosenblatt, author of â€Å"Who Killed Privacy,† states, â€Å"This is the age where everything is known, everything told† (Rosenblatt 378). This observation could not have been said any better. In our day and age everybody has to know everything about everyone. Privacy is no longer existent; technology has taken all forms of it away from us. An Atlanta mail-order house offers a product called Listenaider, which amplifies nearby sounds and is designed to look like a Walkman (Rosenblatt 379). Avid movie watchers are quite familiar with what a voice changer is. To disguise your voice all you would need is one of these. Speak into a small device and you are instantly transformed into a man, woman or, as in the movies, a killer. For those nosey people who have to know every conversation on every home phone, a scanner is now available. What happened to privacy?!? As Rosenblatt states privacy was â€Å"killed† by the all too popular technology. How can any of thi s be beneficial to society? It is sad that a person can’t have a phone conversation without worrying that somebody is listening in. It is frightening about what is out there and what can be done. It gets more and more complicated and sophisticated everyday. It is even more frightening about what the future holds. Grant Fjermedal, author of the essay â€Å"Artificial Intelligence,† looks into the future with technology and what we have to look forward to. Fjermedal gives a very vivid description of what our lives will be like in the future:â€Å"You are in the operating room. A robot brain surgeon is in attendance†¦. Your skull but not your brain is anesthetized. You are fully conscious. The surgeon opens your brain case and peers inside. Attention is directed to a clump of neurons†¦. The surgeon determines the three-dimensional structure and chemical makeup of the neural clump†¦. A program is written that models the behavior of the clump and starts running on the computer sitting next to you. That computer is your new brain† (535-534). Fjermedal looks into the future as a place where humans will be immortal. The only change will be robotic bodies. A brain that is identical to a certain persons will be placed inside a robot and humans will live forever. Why must te chnology interfere so much with what we are today? We were placed on this earth to be born, make a difference and then pass on. What is wrong with that? This essay by Fjermedal shows what technology is bringing our way. Every year scientists, engineers, computer specialist and others are paid to improve the technology of today and make it better. Does that mean that this technology will make our societies better? According to Hamill, Rosenblat and Fjermedal it will do just the opposite. The advances in technology are causing our societies to deteriorate. Increases in drug use, the absence of privacy and computers running our world are all we have to look forward to. What ever happened to the simple life? It does still exist but the rate technology is at today it soon will be nonexistent. Bibliography: