Guns and Gun Control

Gun control has been one of the biggest topics facing our nation aside from abortion and homosexual marriages. There are so many different angles and arguments that surround it, its no wonder a definite decision can not be made. Violent crimes remain one of the most serious problems in the United States, in many of the violent crimes committed guns are used but an actual link between the two remains pretty unclear. Studies generally find no relationship at the ecological level between gun availability and nonfatal violent crime rates, but do find a small relationship between gun availability and homicides†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ ‘Perhaps the most important question in the gun control debate is whether handgun ownership by law-abiding citizens raises or lowers their risk of becoming violent crime victims. ’ (Barkan, 2007, p. 93) For those opposing gun control, they believe taking away the right to carry a gun would leave them more vulnerable to become victims of crime however thos e supporting gun control believe that if gun use was effectively controlled, there would be less crime. Media does not help in this constant debate since many feel as though outlets such as TV shows, movies and games promote violence especially in youth. However in studies where children were observed before and after viewing violent shows on TV, they did become more aggressive meaning there is a correlation between watching TV and acts of aggression but that connection doesn’t necessarily mean watching that particular show caused it to happen. Meaning a child acting out in violence could have been acting out on his aggression but not because he saw it happen. A conservative conclusion is that mass media violence has a small effect on real-life violence that is eclipsed by other influences†¦ we should remain skeptical of mass media effects until the empirical evidence becomes compelling†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Barkan, 2007, pp. 290-291) In 1999 Martin O’Malley was elected as mayor of Baltimore, MD. At this time I also resided in Maryland as a sophomore in High School. Mayor O’Malley changed the focus of how public safety would be handled since crime was so high in the urban communities especially in the downtown are as of Baltimore. It was during this time he stressed the importance of neighborhoods and authorities pulling together to reduce crime and violence which turned out a 40% reduction in violent crime. (Maryland, 2009) The fact that he was able to get such a tough community to work together with officials to take charge of an ever growing crime rate is something that should be admired and mirrored throughout other states. To cut back on the types of firearms used in today’s streets I believe would start from the source, gun shows and or shops. My suggestion to control the types used every applicant must go through a very thorough background search as well as an interview with a law enforcement official to see if they are competent enough to own a firearm. From there I think a class should be offered to all individuals as well as a mandatory waiting period of at least a month. Heavy artillery weapons should not be issued to anyone other than those with certain clearances, military or otherwise since they are not needed unless they are being fired at by insurgents. As far as where I stand on the issue of gun control, I believe everyone has the right to bear arms as it’s stated in the 2nd amendment of the U. S. Constitution. I also fully believe in the slogan ‘guns don’t kill people; people kill people’ however those that are supportive of gun control possess a very strong argument when they state that if handguns were controlled effectively, it could possibly reduce the number or homicides and violent crimes. An example of this would be ‘†¦in 1975 Washington D. C. , banned the sale and possession of handguns. Gun crimes there decreased, especially for homicides resulting from family and acquaintance disputes. More generally, gun homicides and gun suicides decreased†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Barkan, 2007, p. 295) In addition in a study that was conducted one scholar noted ‘†¦guns are more likely to be used when you’re drinking and you have a fight with someone you know. It indicates that people tend to use guns not for the reason they brought them into the house, but in fights with family members and friends. ’ (Barkan, 2007, p. 294) Had a gun not been present in the first place it probably would have kept this situation from becoming yet another statistic. References Barkan, S. A. (2007). Criminology (3rd Edition ed.). Upper Saddle River , NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Maryland, S. o. (2009, January 16). Martin J. O'Malley, Governor of Maryland. Retrieved January 18, 2009, from MD Manual: http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/08conoff/html/msa13090.html

American Beauty – Paper

American Beauty In the movie â€Å"American Beauty† there is a list of interpersonal conflicts. Lester and Carolyn Burnham are a seemingly ordinary couple in an anonymous suburban neighborhood, whose marriage and lives are slowly unraveling. They both have become so distant but remain together to keep up appearances. This relationship shows all the factors that Daniel Dana considers being a conflict. Two people are independent; they each need something from the other, both parties blame the other or find fault with them for causing the problem, one or more of the parties is angry or emotionally upset, the parties’ behaviors are affecting their relationship with each other and/or their relationships with others. †(Dana, 2000) In the movie there are many conflicts but the interpersonal conflict that stands out is that between Lester and Carolyn. The conflict between Lester and Carolyn is hard to ignore. They have stopped communicating effectively to one another. Les ter is a middle aged man, whom sees no satisfaction in his life anymore.Carolyn is a middle aged woman, whom only shows her satisfaction, but it is a mask; to make it seem that she is happy. Lester, at first, seems to have a passive communication style, compared to Carolyn’s aggressive communication style. In the narration from Lester in the beginning of the film; he seems to be tired of his life and how it is going. They live in a big white house with a red door and a white picket fence; living the American dream. Unfortunately it is anything but. They have a daughter Jane who Lester believes he has failed. One night, Lester and Carolyn go to one of her work functions.Almost immediately they go their own ways at the function. Carolyn is being entertained by the â€Å"King† of real estate, drinking. While Lester has found himself outside with the new neighbor boy Ricky Fitts, smoking the illicit drug marijuana. When they go home and are in bed, their problems come to f ruition. At this point the â€Å"blame game† comes into the picture; with much negativity. They fight back and forth sarcastically, saying hurtful things, until Carolyn jumps up out of bed and bursts out â€Å"This isn’t a marriage†. Then Lester finally speaks up and tells her what he has been feeling for years.One factor is the lack of sex between them. Also, he states that he has been her puppet for years; since she received her realtors license, and finally that he has been extremely unhappy. Then he continues saying that the only reason she is mad and saying anything is because he is finally fighting back. His dramatic and angry speech makes Carolyn silent. At this point in the film, I am more aware that they haven’t had effective communication to resolve their conflicts, for many years now. This situation escalated from their root cause of both of them becoming withdrawn, and not resolving their conflicts. When conflict erupts, emotions are involved, and the relationship can be threatened if the conflict is not resolved amicably. †(Sole, 2011) I think what started their downfall, years ago, is that they avoided conflict. This can be destructive in any relationship and/or marriage. If you don’t have the skills of resolving conflict; you run the risk of ruining your marriage, separate friendships, and shatter your family. Since both parties did not obtain the skills necessary to resolve their conflicts, it resulted in Carolyn stepping out of their marriage; to have an affair with her real-estate rival, Buddy Kane the â€Å"King†, of real-estate.Also, resulting in Lester acting out, quitting his job, smoking marijuana, buying a 1970 Pontiac Firebird, and working out to impress a 17 year old girl; what some may call a mid-life crisis. Amazingly enough, this could have all been resolved, as long as they both are willing with positive emotions during their conflicts. Research has shown that interjecting positive e motions, along with negative emotions, during discussions result in happier marriages.I think that is Lester and Carolyn would have used some basic elements like humor, light-hearted fun, or some playfulness during their conversations, their marriage could have remained happy. Then if they could know and understand one another’s communication style, they would be better at resolving conflicts between them. Lester started out having a passive communication style, and then it quickly moved to a passive-aggressive communication style. I believed this happened because he was fed up with how his life was going and started to display resentment.With negative feelings, this indirectly sabotaged his life. If Carolyn held an assertive communication style, rather than an aggressive communication style, I believe they would have been able to eventually resolve their conflicts. All in all, if they had effective interpersonal communication, they would have continued to go down the path, t o be a happily married couple. References Sole, K. ,Making Connections: Understanding Interpersonal Communication,(2011),BridgePoint Education Inc. Retrieved From: https://content. ashford. edu/books

Family Health Assessment Essay

Introduction Family is considered the natural and fundamental unit of the society. The family members make up the family as a structure. Family includes members of different age group from newborns to elders. The family’s activities and reactions influence the patterns of the family as a whole (Edelman, Kudzma, & Mandle 2014, p.2014). The ultimate goal of the nursing is to expedite the health of the family. Family health assessment defines the assessment of actual and potential problem of individual (Gordan 1994). The goal of nursing is giving direct and indirect care to the person and community in terms of assessment, diagnosis, nursing interventions, implementation and evaluation. Historically conceptual models are using to assess the family in nursing practice. Health assessment included with subjective and objective data. Here Gordan’s 11 functional health assessment patterns are using to assess this family. The Gordon’s functional assessment patterns are a valuable tool for assessing and evaluating the family’s traditional health patterns, and permitting the health care provider to look at the inside of the overall health of the particular family. Family Background The family I selected belongs to an African ethnic group. This essay discuss the health pattern and functions of Nyennoh’s family. This is a nuclear family with mother of age 32 father 34 and three children of age groups eleven years old boy, nine years old girl and five years old boy. Both of the parents are working, and splitting their days to taking care of the children. Mother is working as a nurse at the hospital for three days and father working as a respiratory therapist at the neighborhood hospital for  three days. They all going to neighborhood school. Among their three children nine year old girl is diagnosed with sickle cell anemia since her birth. They are Christians and true believers in God. â€Å"Values and Health perception means the level of the individual’s level of commitment to maintain health’’ (Gordon 1994). Read more:  Essays About Assess Individual in Health Care This particular family is very efficient to manage their day today living effectively regardless of the health issues. They both in health field, they know how to manage the condition and their perception of sickle cell anemia is excellent. Assessment of nutritional status is the intake of healthy eating and drinking pattern and adequate amount of healthy food. Types of food including the growth and development of the family and restrictions and concerns about their perception of health. They maintain healthy eating habits through having restrictions. Their main food items include vegetables, rice, fish and fruits. They are very attentive to balance their diet to prevent anemia as a family. Parents always encourage kids to eat healthy food and drink plenty of water to keep them healthy especially the girl with sickle cell anemia. Adequate rest and sleep is essential to maintain good health. Inadequate sleep may lead to physiological problem and psychological problems. A person should sleep average 6-8 hours at night. Nyennoh’s family has no sleep deprivation. They go to bed at 9 o’clock and get up 6 o’clock in the morning. They have a good sleeping pattern so they never use any medication to induce sleep. The elimination pattern is varies in individual. This family is not experiencing any bladder or bowel problems. There is no evidence of diarrhea or constipation in the family. Bowel movements and regularly in every day. Parents always take special attention to the children to avoid constipation especially girl with sickle cell anemia to prevent any cuts and bruises. To maintain the concept of health activity and exercise pattern are the effective indicator of individual’s life. This family is very active. They are very particular about activity and exercise. They go for walks everyday as a family 30 minutes in the neighborhood or park. The girl with sickle cell has some restrictions to away from vigorous activities to prevent any dehydration or joint pain or cuts or bruises. She is a very knowledgeable girl about her illness.

Intro to business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Intro to business - Assignment Example Secondly, the difference between home and workplace environment loses meaning among the individuals working from home. This is contrary to the expectations of many employees who yearn to go home from work since they associate home with some degree of enjoyment of the free time. As a result, employees working from home will integrate their working hours with other activities normally done during free time like answering the personal emails; hence, boundary on time is a factor that is challenging for an employee working from home. Thirdly, home environment is prone to destructions when compared to an environment where strict supervision is mandatory. As a result, production levels for employees working from home may be a considerable challenge due to such distractions like phone calls, family demands or any other thing or person sharing the same home space. Treating home as a professional environment will thus decrease the production. Fourthly, the isolation that comes with working from home denies the employee socialization and camaraderie. There is a lot of solitude at home environment; this is challenging to employees who may be social. Many employees face challenges of striking a balance between their careers and personal life, especially when working from home. This can be addressed through proper management of time where tasks are organized efficiently, and actions required for both work and home should be fulfilled with the realistic expectations. Prioritization of tasks is essential, and time is estimated for every task. However, scheduling for the personal events is crucial for the welfare of the family. This ensures that a balance is reached between your work and the family requirements. From the tasks filed, a home professional should ensure the accomplishment of tasks within the stipulated time. This distinguishes the time allocated for home life with that allocated for professional work. A constant evaluation may be critical to ensure

Marketing Action Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing Action Plan - Research Paper Example For the analysis, a healthy FMCG snacks products has been selected. The company is new in the market and does not have a huge capital to use the promotional mix together. As a new comer in the market the company should focus on its budget. It is important for a new brand to create more and more awareness among the customers by raising the reach of the promotion. But new brand has some budget constraints also. After analysis of all the factors some strategic action plan has been discussed in the report. Discussion Action Plan 1: For availing maximum number of customers it is important for the company to provide television advertisement but as the budget constraint prevails, the company would focus on newspaper advertisement first as newspaper is the second important media through which maximum people can be approached. For the FMCG products it is important to select the newspaper that is mostly popular in urban and rural area both. It should target the mass customers for its products. The elements of the good layout are Border, Heading, price, color, signature, creativity. Using more of whitespace encourages the differentiation of the advertisement from the cloud of all other ads but it is advisable to keep a minimum white space as the company’s budget is low. The company logo should be used in the top of the newspaper add. The ad will be given in 3rd or 4th page of the newspaper and not in the front page as it is costly to give ad in the front page of the newspaper. In the content the price, product details should be given (Rossiter,p. 34). Action Plan 2: The local business should be formed strongly. Developing local business means strengthening the network with the local distribution channels. The FMCG market largely depends on the distributors and word of mouth communication. The company can apply pull strategy which is known as a short term strategy for increasing the sales. In the pull strategy, the company provides more commission than its competito r to keep their products in the distributor’s house. Action 3: Social Media is a very effective tool for any new comer. Uploading an ad in you-tube or face book is a common phenomenon of doing business. It is to be noted that the cost is very minimum in this media but the reach is maximum. The snacks item is the low fat healthy item that can target the health conscious young generation. The young generation throughout the world is the major user of the social media. The 3 minutes ad can be enough to win billions hearts. Action 4: The radio advertisement has a worldwide demand. In developing countries the radio advertisements had high influence in the rural consumer’s mind. The radio advertisement is costly but it is not that costly like television advertisement. Initially, the radio advertisement should have a pulsing schedule. A month later they should focus on non-continuous advertisement schedule. Initially it should come mainly in the evening schedule at least betw een three programs. Later on for the purpose of reduction of cost, the ad should be given in special circumstances like in between any major games or in between special programs. Action 5: The mobile marketing tool is also highly efficient tool for a new comer. The cost is relatively low for mobile marketing. In this case, company should have a tie up with the major telecom service provider. As the company is new comer in the market, it is suggested to have a tie up with

Landscape Painting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Landscape Painting - Assignment Example Thus romanticism style of art involved exotic, more authentic, familiar and distant modes in harnessing imagination power as portrayed in landscape paintings that were prepared during this period. Romanticism went beyond the confines of population, industrialization unlike it preceding periods, the classical period and medievalism. In fact, romanticism exalted subjectivism, imagination, irrationalism and individualism. The art was highly characterized and influenced by artists’ fascination by their passions, nature, their moods, their mental potentials and the heroes. On the other hand, the Impressionism movement thrived in France between late 1860s and 1890s. This movement was inclined to optical realism since it sought to relate art to visual experience and the effect of light on appearance of various objects. The form of art in impressionism involved transcription of the artists’ visual sensation towards nature, which was unconcerned with the actual depiction of the objects. The main ideas of impressionism were, a quick painting of a landscape could depict it actual physical appearance and that art is promoted by a naà ¯ve vision, free from influence by intellectual preconceptions which were realist traditions and naturalist traditions. In comparison, the romanticism form and style of art applied to landscape paintings is distinguishable from the impression form art employed in landscape painting. This is evident from a keen observation of the following paintings, soleil levant by Claude Monet.

Control abandoned dogs and cats by student Essay

Control abandoned dogs and cats by student - Essay Example This has raised eyebrows on what to do with this increasing number of stray animals in the USA. There is the need to educate people on how to handle their animals so as to reduce the population of dogs and cats which eventually becomes unwanted. There is also the need of having laws that condemn cruelty of animals and ways of ensuring that every cat and dog is well taken care of by having vets check on the regularly (Calum N. L. MacPherson page 5). Students should be advised on the benefits of having dogs and cats, how to take care of them, what is required of them from time to time to ensure that the animals are well protected. They should also be informed of the difficulties of owning an animal and what to do if they cannot keep up with the pressure of keeping the same. This will reduce stray animals in the streets as all measures will be taken if the students are well informed. The main problem that is causing stray dogs and cats to increase rapidly in USA is that they do not know that animals need as much attention as human beings. They have no idea that owning an animal requires extra source of income or having to do away with some things to be able to take care of the animals (Office of Technology Assessment page 320). There will be need to squeeze in extra time for the dog or the cat and that’s why it reaches a point where they have to let go the animals if they cannot handle the stress they bring along. There is also the problem of a family being able to take care of one animal but later on the gives birth, and there are more animals where there are forced to let go the extra burden and the easiest place to send animals is the streets. People should be educated on ways of controlling animal’s births and the importance of the same. This can be through neutering and spaying the animals after giving birth to number of off springs the owner can manage without abandoning the cats or the dogs to

Alex Ovechkin Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Alex Ovechkin - Research Paper Example Like most hockey players, Ovechkin found his love for the game at a very young age.   He was two years old when he first picked up a hockey stick  in Moscow department store. Whenever he saw a game on television he would drop what he was doing and not allow his parents to change the channel. He soon became obsessed with hockey and rarely missed a televised game. He was yearning to soak up every ounce of knowledge he could. His parents say they knew he would be an athlete when Alexander chose to run up the steps to their apartment rather than take the elevator. He began playing hockey at the age of 7, having been introduced to it formally by his older brother Sergei. In 1992, he started playing for Dynamo youth team. Unfortunately, most of the other players on his team had already been playing hockey for some time. Alex was especially concerned when the coach asked the team members to skate backward figure eights. He was not familiar with how to skate backward at all. But, his coa ch still noticed his enormous talent. During this time, Alex’s favorite team was Moscow Dynamo. His hero was Alexander Maltsev, the club ’s greatest star. Maltsev retired a year before Alex was born, but through stories and TV highlights, the boy decided that Matsev was his man. At one point, his parents were no longer able to get Alex to hockey so Sergei stepped in and made sure that he could get his little brother wherever he needed to go.   He was one of the first to notice the talent in Alex, and he wanted to be sure he was able to use it. Unfortunately, years later an event would happen that would change Ovechkin’s life forever.   His older brother Sergei, in his early 20?s at the time,  was tragically killed in a car accident.   To this day Ovechkin still credits his brother for introducing him to and pushing him to continue playing hockey.   Many say his passion for the game comes from this tragic event and to this day, when he scores, Alex will often kiss his glove and point to the sky in a salute to his brother. As Alex moved up the ranks of Moscow Dynamo’s competitive youth hockey program, he began to draw attention with his powerful skating and quick, accurate wrist shot. He was a hard worker and though very offensive-minded, he was a devoted team player. Alex could raise spirits with a goal, a pep talk or a good back-check. He had that extra dimension as a person and was a player who was clearly the product of a terrific sports family. Before becoming a professional, Ovechkin was already making a name for himself in the Dynamo Moscow  system when at 11 years old he broke Pavel Bure’s record of 53 goals by scoring 56 of his own. He began his professional hockey career at the age of 16 for Russian hockey power Dynamo Moscow  during the 2001-02 season.   By the time he was 18, he won the  Russian Superleague award for the best left-wing  in the league for the 2003-04 season and was the youngest pl ayer ever to lead Dynamo Moscow in scoring. This was his breakthrough. He netted 23 points in 53 games and was voted the Superleague’s top left wing. At first glance, his stats did not seem to warrant superstar talk, but this perspective soon changed. Comparisons to Ilya Kovalchuk, the Russian star drafted first overall by the Atlanta Thrashers in 2001, were inevitable. The two were indeed similar players, although Alex was a bit more of an end-to-end performer. Kovalchuk, by contrast, was never known for his

A strategic external analysis of a company and industry dynamics Essay

A strategic external analysis of a company and industry dynamics - Essay Example In just twenty-two years since inception, the UK based Vodafone Group PLC has grown to become the world’s largest mobile communications company. It is in the high growth frontline technology industry group with global perspective. Technologies commencing with voice communications over analog networks in the early eighties to paging, fax, data, SMS and other communications over digital networks, global systems for mobile telecommunications (GSM) with national and international roaming etc. and to today’s satellite mobile phone services are all in its portfolio. With a customer base of nearly 180 millions spread across five continents and dozens of countries, Vodafone is a giant in the industry. Consistent growth in business volumes and profitability are being achieved, year after year. It has built up its own brands or acquired other brands with unmatched zeal. Vodafone in Europe and Verizone Wireless, a partner, in the USA are well-recognised brands. Networking partnerships exist in several countries for promotion of global business under dual brand logos. Competing with rivals like AT&T and Cingular in the US market who use ‘time division This paper attempts to focus on dynamics of the industry to which Vodafone belongs and further to carryout a strategic external analysis of the company itself. However, before we get into these aspects, it is necessary to define the specific classification of the industry itself so that in the analysis that follows here, we are on the right track. For industry classification, one generally refers to the Standard Industrial Classification system (SIC) of Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) or its later replacement namely, the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS). Here two entries viz., the telecommunication industry (SIC 6420) and the radiotelephone communications industry (SIC 4812) appear as appropriate to define Vodafone class. Difficulty arises to exactly

Financial Analysis 334 Math Problem Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Financial Analysis 334 - Math Problem Example In this case, if subtract the stock from current assets, still both companies can pay off their debts quite easily as their Acid-Test Ratio is equal to or greater than 1. This shows that to pay every single dollar of debt the company has the backing of adequate current assets. However, if we look the firms through the lens of Interest Coverage Ratio and if our debt commands interest from the company than, we can clearly see that Jones company can cover much higher rates of interest. As a result, Jones Corporation won't default and will be able to pay all its debts and hence a short-term loan should be made to Jones Corporation given the two different scenarios. However, one must also state that if our loan does not command any interest, then this loan should be made to Smith Corporation. b) If we look at the profitability condition of the two companies, we can clearly see that Jones Corporation is more profitable. This can shown by the companies greater net profit over sales ratios as compared to Smith Corporation Ratios. In the light of these ratios, Jones Corporation is earning around $7 on every $100 worth of sales. Similarly, Smith Corporation is earning $4 on every $100 worth of sales.

Evidence of a Glass Ceiling Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Evidence of a Glass Ceiling - Assignment Example It would send a very positive message throughout the organization and externally if the company affirmatively recruited a pool of candidates in which there is adequate representation by women and minorities. This does not mean that a woman must be selected if she is not most qualified, but rather than an effort must be made to bring in qualified female candidates. The next time there is an opening within the senior leadership, the employees at large should draft a petition demanding this kind of affirmative action. If women and minorities had access to equal pay and opportunities for advancement, everyone would benefit in some way primarily because it would be truly just. When people are treated differently because of their gender or skin color, it sets up a severely unethical system that ultimately harms everyone in an organization, and contributes to the harm of society at large. Even if white men currently earn more on average than women and minorities, they are not really benefiting, particularly since the expectation is not that their pay would be reduced, but rather that the pay of women and minorities be increased in order to achieve equality. Real justice ultimately benefits everyone, and so there are no stakeholders who would not benefit. I once attended a business lunch with clients from the Far East.

Tylenol Murders Essay Example for Free

Tylenol Murders Essay 1. If Johnson Johnson had decided to â€Å"tough out† the first reports of the deaths instead of recalling the product things would have gone differently for the company. Their customers would have felt like they were betrayed because the company didn’t do anything about the deaths. It was their job to make sure the product was not the only reason for the deaths and to also reassure their costumers that the capsules are safe to take. 2. They did a good job in responding to the first round of Tylenol murders. They could have giving a press release explaining how the Tylenol capsules were not the only factor for the murders, or showing the process of how the capsules are made and each ingredient that goes into them. 3. Tylenol has been in the business for a long time. If they proved that their capsules weren’t the cause of the murders I don’t see any problem in them reintroducing extra-strength Tylenol. In my opinion, they should have waited a certain period of time to take them out in the market again. Everyone was still trying to see the factors of the murders and having the company reintroducing the product rapidly was not such a good idea. 4. I think they did a good job by removing it fast because in that way the consumers could see that the company cared about them. If they had left the products on the shelves like if nothing had happened, then there would have been more chaos. People would judge Tylenol to the extremes and would not take them serious again since they didn’t do anything about it. 5. Johnson Johnson handled the public properly. The people in charge of the company addressed the media immediately and tried to do the best they could to stop the crisis. It was a good move to use the media as a weapon and because of that they were able to find a solution. 6. The media was pretty helpful when the Tylenol crises occurred. They responded to each of their messages and gave them the solution they needed. If the crises occurred today everything would have been worst. There is much more criticism nowadays than before. Tylenol’s prestige and reputation would have been ruined forever. No one would trust them because I am sure the media would have giving them the worst criticism ever. 7. These sections demonstrate how Johnson Johnson are interest in the safety of their customers. They want the best for them and want to help them in any way they can. They have these sections to show how they want their product to be the best and see the reaction they get from their customers. If a new health scares appears again, they would manage it much better. Now they have everything to prove that they want to satisfy their customers and not harm them. Also they are move involved with the public and are much more concerned with what they produce, so a new scandal would be strange.

Increasing Time Efficiency of Insertion Sort

Increasing Time Efficiency of Insertion Sort Increasing Time Efficiency of Insertion Sort for the Worst Case Scenario Surabhi Patel, Moirangthem Dennis Singh Abstract. Insertion sort gives us a time complexity of O(n) for the best case. In the worst case where the input is in the descending order fashion, the time complexity is O(n2). In the case of arrays, shifting is taking O(n2) while in the case of linked lists, comparison is coming to O(n2). Here a new way of sorting for the worst case problem is proposed. We will use arrays as data structures and take more space. We will take 2n spaces where n is the number of elements and start the insertion from (n-1)th location of the array. In this proposed technique the time complexity is O(nlogn) as compared to O(n2) in the worst case. Keywords. Insertion Sort, Time Complexity, Space Complexity Introduction Insertion sort is a simple sorting algorithm[1], a comparison sort in which the sorted array (or list) is built one entry at a time. It is much less efficient on large lists than more advanced algorithms such as quicksort, heapsort, or merge sort. Every repetition of insertion sort removes an element from the input data, inserting it into the correct position in the already-sorted list, until no input elements remain. The best case input is an array that is already sorted. In this case insertion sort has a linear running time which is O(n). During each iteration, the first remaining element of the input is only compared with the right-most element of the sorted subsection of the array. The worst case input is an array sorted in reverse order. In this case, every iteration of the inner loop will scan and shift the entire sorted subsection of the array before inserting the next element. For this case insertion sort has a quadratic running time which is O(n2). The average case also has a quadratic running time of O(n2). Literature Survey In an insertion sort algorithm, there are always two constraints in time complexity. One is shifting the elements and the other one is comparison of the elements. The time complexity is also dependent on the data structure which is used while sorting. If we use array as data structure then shifting takes O(n2) in the worst case. While using link list data structure, searching takes more time, viz. O(n2). We will take the following examples: Sort 50, 40, 30, 20, 10 using arrays. Shifting = 0, Comparison = 0 Shifting = 1, Comparison = log1 Shifting = 2, Comparison = log2 Shifting = 3, Comparison = log3 Shifting = 4, Comparison = log4 Time Complexity in Shifting: O(n2) Time Complexity in Comparison: O(nlogn) Total time complexity: O(n2) Here as the array is sorted, we can use binary search for comparison which will lead to a time complexity of O(nlogn) but Shifting takes O(n2). Therefore the total time complexity becomes O(n2) To solve this problem, link list can be used as illustrated in the following example. Sort 50, 40, 30, 20, 10 using link list. In a link list shifting takes O(1) as new elements can be inserted at their right positions without shifting. Comparison = 0 Comparison = 1 Comparison = 2 Comparison = 3 Comparison = 4 Time Complexity in Shifting: O(1) Time Complexity in Comparison: O(n2) Total time Complexity: O(n2) Here as we cannot use binary search for comparison which will lead to a time complexity O(n2) even though shifting takes a constant amount of time. As we have observed in the examples illustrated above, in both the cases the Time complexity is not getting reduced. Hence we are proposing an improvised insertion sort taking additional space to sort the elements. As space complexity is less important than time complexity[2][3], we have concentrated more over the time taken instead of space. Proposed Work In the insertion sort technique proposed here, we will take 2n spaces in an array data structure, where n is the total number of elements. The insertion of elements will start from n-1th position of the array. The same procedure of a standard insertion sort is followed in this technique. Finding the suitable positions of the elements to be inserted will be done using binary search. In the following cases we will discuss the details of our work. Case 1 For the best case scenario in a standard Insertion Sort is the input elements in ascending order using proposed technique. e.g. 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 Shifting =0 , Comparison = 0 Shifting =0 , Comparison = 1 Shifting =0 , Comparison = 1 Shifting =0 , Comparison = 1 Shifting =0 , Comparison = 1 Total Shifting =0, Total Comparison = n-1 Therefore time complexity is O(1)+O(n) = O(n) Case 2: For the worst case scenario in a standard Insertion Sort is the input elements in descending order using proposed technique. e.g. 50, 40, 30, 20, 10 Shifting =0 , Comparison = 0 Shifting =1 , Comparison = log1 Shifting =1 , Comparison = log2 Shifting =1 , Comparison = log3 Shifting =1 , Comparison = log4 Total Shifting =n-1, Total Comparison =log( 1*2*3*4) =log((n-1)!) =log((n-1) (n-1)) =(n-1)log(n-1) =nlog(n-1) log(n-1) Therefore time complexity is O(n)+O(nlogn) = O(nlogn) Case 3: For the average case scenario in a standard Insertion Sort, the input elements are in random order. We are following the same procedure but comparison is done via binary search algorithm. Hence it takes O(nlogn) for comparison. For shifting the elements, the time taken tends to O(n2) but is not equal to O(n2). As we have more spaces, there are possibilities that the shifting of some elements may be reduced because elements may be inserted both at the end as well as in the beginning. Results Now we compare the time complexities of proposed sorting technique and the standard Insertion sort. Conclusion We are decreasing the time complexity of worst case scenario in Insertion sort algorithm by increasing the space complexity. Our future scope of work includes decreasing time complexity of the average case which is O(n2) currently. There are promising results shown in the average case scenario where the time complexity may be reduce from O(n2), if the probability of the input elements is a combination of increasing and decreasing order. Acknowledgement We would like to thank Prof Anirban Roy, Department of Basic Sciences Christ University Faculty of Engineering for helpful discussions and support. REFERENCES Insertion Sort,http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Insertion_sort.html Michael A. Bender, â€Å"Insertion Sort is O(nlogn),† Third International Conference on Fun With Algorithms(FUN), Pages 16-23, 2004 H. W. Thimbleby, â€Å"Using Sentinels in Insert Sort,† Software Practice and Experience, Volume 19(3), Pages 303–307, 1989.

Soft Power in Japan and South Korea

Soft Power in Japan and South Korea The term ‘soft power’ is often used in the discussion of popular culture. This essay will utilise knowledge obtained through scholarly enquiry and education in Asian studies to discuss popular culture as a form of soft power. Firstly, I will provide a summative outline on the theory of soft power. Following this I will discuss Japanese and South Korean popular culture and whether they are consistent with the theory of soft power. The thesis of this essay will argue that soft power is a useful term in relation to the discussion of popular culture. Joseph Nye, who focuses on international relations, developed the theory of soft power in 1990. Nye suggested that power is influencing others to achieve a desired outcome. Similarly, the term ‘soft’ power may be understood through a state’s ability to achieve the outcomes it desires by leading as an example for other states[1]. This conveys that soft power is the ability of a nation to attract others to mirror interests consistent with their own. The desired outcomes of soft power vary, however most nations have broad aims for international stability and consistency, which may prevent or address global and national issues. For example, the United States has used mediums of soft power to justify actions towards ‘weapons of mass destruction’ by presenting American culture as attractive through its liberalism, democracy and human rights. This conveys that soft power is an intangible resource which uses ideologies, culture and economics to address intern ational issues[2]. Soft power has been used in contemporary international relations due to the interdependent nature of nations, making direct force costly. For example, a nation’s militarization incurs political and economic costs, which in return could reduce rather than increase a nation’s power. Rather, soft power is used in other resources such as transnational corporations, which allow more leverage of the global system as a whole. Contemporarily, these resources generate more power for nations because of a shift in power structures. Modernization, urbanization and increased communication have diffused power from the government to private sectors. The spread of power into the private sphere, in regards to transnational corporations, means that the most powerful form of soft power is popular culture. Ideologies of nations can be imbedded into products and communication. These commodities are introduced to other nations through transnational corporations and privat e sectors, who market their products to be attractive, consumerable and resultantly, popular. Since the mid twentieth century, Japan has been increasingly integral to global popular culture. Central to Japanese exports are manga and anime, the most distinguished forms of Japanese popular culture; hence their potential as forms of soft power. Japan’s ‘International Exchange Research Programme’ of 2003, reported the potential for Japanese popular cultures assistance in international diplomacy[3]. It was theorised that positive national images should be embedded into popular culture; mainly through the pre-existing subculture of manga and anime. The report’s recommendation was facilitated, and organisations such as the ‘Japan Cartoonist Association’ were created to reward artistic innovation. In conjunction with Japan’s conveyance of its national image, McGray suggests that Japanese popular culture is seemingly egalitarian; devoid of perspective and hierarchy[4]. This suggests that popular culture has effectively used ideologies, in accordance with culture and economics, to embed a positive national image. Therefore, popular culture that embeds national ideologies is a form of soft power. The Japan Cartoonist Association generates most of its interest and revenue from foreign states, which suggests that manga and anime are attractive to other nations. Hills argues that its appeal comes from the characters within manga and anime narratives, who are internal and selfless[5]. For example, Spike, the hero from ‘Cowboy Bebop’ was not a saint; a paradigm of the right morals, or always successful in his ventures. This conveys an opposition to Western ideologies of individualistic heroes, who fight on the right side of justice and always succeed. In accordance, its attraction may be sourced from manga and anime’s postmodernism; which allows an escape from modern Western culture. Therefore, popular culture that attracts others, generating international interest and revenue is a form of soft power. Market forces and consumer preferences drive the production and global consumption of manga and anime[6]. For example, the production company, Studio Ghibli has been increasingly popular in the market due to the international consumer desire for Japanese anime. Otmazgin argues that consumer desire is notably expressed in increasing trade, production and interdependence, with the importance of intra-East Asian trade tripling over the last forty years[7]. In accordance, corporations and organisations have had increasing influence and power in transnational relations, such as shaping economic relations and improving perspectives of Japanese culture. In accordance, corporations and organisations have had increasing influence and power in transnational relations, such as shaping economic relations and improving perspectives of Japanese culture. Therefore, popular culture that empowers corporations and private sectors’ leverage over global systems is a form of soft power Post-war perceptions, such as the Japanese being aggressive or imperialistic, and policies have prevented some of the Japanese state’s diplomatic aims. Mainly, Japan wishes to attain permanent membership on the UN Security Council[8]. In conjunction, the Japanese state has realised the potential of popular culture in facilitating the state’s desired outcome. Popular culture has generated economic prosperity, as well as conveying ideologies of a positive, progressive Japan. These resources may be considered effective in disassembling post-war perceptions and regulations. Equally, popular culture’s economic success has allowed Japan to become the second largest contributor to the UN’s budget, giving leverage over their diplomatic aim. Therefore, as Nye outlines, popular culture that influences a state’s desired outcome is a form of soft power. In the late 1990’s, South Korea was propelled into global popular culture. So profound was the movement, it has been described as the Korean Wave; with popular exports such as Korean films and music. Korean popular culture may be termed as a form of soft power. The Kim Dae Jung administration, in 1998, designated the media and entertainment sectors as a focus for development. In accordance to these political agendas, entertainment based private sectors increased their national significance. For example, the film industry doubled its Korean market share within the year. Central to the recognition of these industries is that they contain cultural content, which can enhance images of Korea. Joo argues that Korea attempts to embed into its cultural exports the idea that Korea is refined, sophisticated and prominent[9]. This suggests that Korean popular culture uses ideologies, in accordance with culture and economics, to embed a positive national image. Therefore, popular culture that embeds national ideologies is a form of soft power. Korean industries are increasingly obtaining status, interest and revenue from foreign states. Taiwanese television currently pays almost double to broadcast a Korean drama over a Japanese production. This suggests that Korean popular culture is attractive, which may be due to its balance of traditional and modern cultural values. For example, the Korean drama, ‘Winter Sonata’, encapsulates social conservatism, employing traditional morals of being sensitive, gentle and caring, yet presented in a modern environment. In accordance, South Korea provides a model for other conservative Asian states; how to modernize and keep traditional values. Therefore, popular culture that attracts and leads as an example for others is a form of soft power. With the adoption of Neo-Liberal approaches in South Korea, power was diffused from the government to private sectors[10]. Neo-Liberal strategies invoked privatisation and deregulation, which in return allow capitalists to govern systems of production, advertisement and consumption. For example, Korean music is governed by private sectors to be resonant with the Asian youth, which would have previously been stymied by the Korean nationalist government. This conveys that private sectors have more determination in generating what popular culture constitutes, and in conjunction perspectives of Korean Culture. Therefore, popular culture that empowers corporations and private sectors’ leverage over global systems is a form of soft power. Post-Cold War perceptions of South Korea may be summarised as contemptuous, inferior and economically weak; which were supplemented by the Korean financial crisis in the 1990s. Though, the Kim Dae Jung administration realised the potential of popular culture in granting diplomatic power; by conveying ideologies of an influential and prominent nation. By creating cultural markets and consumer demand, the state has effectively facilitated their desired outcomes. South Korea now ranks in the top 15 market economies, and feelings of affinity towards South Korea have increased unanimously, and by almost double in Japan during the Korean Wave[11]. Effectively, The South Korea state now constitutes a substantial amount of power, conveying the success of soft power in achieving their diplomatic aims. Therefore, popular culture that influences a states desired outcome is a form of soft power. Japan and South Korea have both provided examples of soft power that is derived from popular culture. In Japan, popular culture was able to generate power and influence in their diplomatic aims; conveying a positive image of Japan and gaining leverage over permanent membership on the UN Security Council. Similarly in South Korea, popular culture was able to convey a refined, sophisticated and prominent nation in conjunction with facilitating their prominence on the global market. Therefore, soft power is a useful term in relation to the discussion of popular culture. References Er Lam, Peng, â€Å"Japan’s quest for soft power: attraction and limitation.† East Asia 24, no. 4 (2007): 349-363. Hills, Mat, â€Å"Transcultural Otaku: Japanese representations of fandom and representations of Japan in anime/manga fan cultures.† Media in Transition 2, (2002): 1-13. Joo, Jeongsuk, â€Å"Transnationalization of Korean Popular Culture and the Rise of Pop Nationalism in Korea.† The Journal of Popular Culture 44, no. 3 (2011): 489-504. Joseph Nye Explains the Term Soft Power, Educational Film, directed by Allen Greg (Canada: Conversation, 2004). Kaori, Hayashi, and Eun-Jeung Lee, â€Å"The Potential of Fandom and the Limits of Soft Power.† Social Science Japan Journal 10, no. 2 (2007): 197-216. McGray, Douglas, â€Å"Japan’s Gross National Cool.† Foreign Policy 130, no. 1 (2002): 44-54. Nakarmura, Toshiya, â€Å"Soft Power and Public Diplomacy: How Cool Japan Will Be.† International Studies Association, (2011): 1-26. Nye, Joseph, â€Å"Soft Power.† Foreign policy, (1990). Otmazgin, Nissim, â€Å"Contesting Soft Power.† International Relations of the Asia-Pacific 8, no. 1 (2008): 73-101. Yang, Jonghoe, â€Å"The Korean Wave in East Asia.† Development and Society 41, no. 1 (2012): 103-147. [1] Allen Greg, â€Å"Joseph Nye Explains the Term Soft Power,† Educational Film, (Canada: Conversation, 2004). [2] Joseph Nye, â€Å"Soft Power.† Foreign policy, (1990): 161. [3] Nissim Otmazgin, â€Å"Contesting Soft Power.† International Relations of the Asia-Pacific 8, no. 1 (2008): 81-82. [4] Douglas McGray, â€Å"Japan’s Gross National Cool.† Foreign Policy 130, no. 1 (2002): 47. [5] Mat Hills, â€Å"Transcultural Otaku: Japanese representations of fandom and representations of Japan in anime/manga fan cultures.† Media in Transition 2, (2002): 10. [6] Peng Er Lam, â€Å"Japan’s quest for soft power: attraction and limitation.† East Asia 24, no. 4 (2007): 350. [7] Nissim Otmazgin, â€Å"Contesting Soft Power.† International Relations of the Asia-Pacific 8, no. 1 (2008): 85. [8] Toshiya Nakarmura, â€Å"Soft Power and Public Diplomacy: How Cool Japan Will Be.† International Studies Association, (2011): 14-15. [9] Jeongsuk Joo, â€Å"Transnationalization of Korean Popular Culture and the Rise of Pop Nationalism in Korea.† The Journal of Popular Culture 44, no. 3 (2011): 496. [10] Jonghoe Yang, â€Å"The Korean Wave in East Asia.† Development and Society 41, no. 1 (2012): 107. [11] Hayashi Kaori and Eun-Jeung Lee, â€Å"The Potential of Fandom and the Limits of Soft Power.† Social Science Japan Journal 10, no. 2 (2007): 213.

I and Thou Essay -- Essays Papers

I and Thou What exactly is a soul mate? What does this mean, and how do we know if we have found the one we are supposed to live with for the rest of our lives? Is it an instant feeling that you have for another, or is it an instant response and action you have with another? Martin Buber spent much of his life determining questions such as this, yet in a more concise manner. Buber focused on the relationship of man with man and what it ought to be, or perhaps could be. "The relation can obtain even if the human being to whom I say You does not hear it in his experience. For You is more than It knows. No deception reaches this far: here is the cradle of actual life" ( Buber, 1970, p.59). This quote comes from Martin Buber's book I and Thou and is, in essence, connected to his Theory of Dialogue. In class we briefly went over Buber's definition of dialogue and his explanations of an I-Thou dialogue versus an I-It monologue. However, Buber's Theory of Dialogue is the foundation of his theory of hu man existence. intimacy. The I-Thou dialogue is the definition of intimacy. In this paper I will be addressing Buber's Theory of Dialogue and the applications his theory has on every human being's intimate relationships. I will apply Buber's theory to my personal situation and critique the theory's strengths and weaknesses. I will also explain how this theory relates to humanistic and scientific standards, and ultimately explain the significance of Buber's theory. First, it is necessary to receive some sort of comprehension on the different dimensions of Buber's theory. There are two main dimensions that Buber writes about. The preferable relationship, according to Buber, is the I-Thou relationship. Yet, in order to have the I-Thou rel... ... to be this way: that is what choice is for. All in all, I respect Buber's theories and hope to live up to them the best way that I can. I would like to end with a simple quote from Buber (1970) that, I feel, is inspirational considering the argued difficulties of his theories: Believe in the simple of magic of life, in service in the universe, and it will dawn on you what this waiting, peering, 'stretching of the neck' of the creature means. Every word must falsify; but look, thing beings live around you, and no matter which one you approach you always reach Being ... all actual life is encounter (p.67). References Buber, M. (1970). I and Thou. (W. Kaufmann, Trans.). New York: Charles Scribners's Sons. (original work never published in U.S.: written in 1937) Friedman, M. (1960). Martin Buber, The Life of Dialogue. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

Teenage Depression Statistics Essay -- Psychology, Pessimism, Social

Twenty percent of teens in America today suffer from at least one symptom of depression.( Teenage Depression Statistics ) Depression is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts, that affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. Depression symptoms include loss of emotional expression, feelings of hopelessness, pessimism, and social withdrawal (Teenage Depression Statistics )Holden Caulfield, in J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, suffers from symptoms of depression. Because of his mental illness, he is a misunderstood, confused young character who is in search of his identity and place in the world. He suffers from symptoms of depression, which are rooted in a lack of closure concerning his brother's death. The devastation Holden experiences after Allie's death is understandable. This unfortunately leads to a lack of personal motivation, low self esteem and compulsive lying. Holden's inability t o self-reflect and his stubbornness in overlooking the obvious has resulted in a chronic lack of motivation. Holden lacks the necessary ability to motivate himself, which is required to survive in the 'real' world. Holden feels no need to self motivate, because all those who survive in the 'real' world, he considers phonies. He is unable to realize the importance of progress, maturity and responsibility. Compulsive lying is a trait that Holden demonstrates. Holden would lie to people simply so they could not become closer to the real Holden. Holden tells lies on several occasions attempting to gain sympathy from others. Holden pathetically informs Mrs. Morrow, " I have to have a tiny operation... it isn't very serious. I have this tiny little tumor ... ...ing thoughts In conclusion, Holden Caulfield is a troubled young man who is isolated from the 'real' world and the adult wold. Holden is stuck the path of moving from adolescence and innocence to to and adult world he considers insensitive and phony. Holden has issues discovering his personal identity as he isolates himself. Shutting the world out and scrutinizing those whom he considers to be "phonies." Because he is so eager to criticize the world around him. Holden thus is differentiated from those in society. It is an undeniable fact, that each one of use at some point or another must grow up. Holden is unable to grasp this idea and this leads to his nervous breakdown . If Holden had a less traumatic past and had the ability and willingness to connect to others and create and maintain relationships he would have a less unsettling furture ahead of him.

Kings Speech Rhetorical Analysis

Addressing the Nation When any artist or director embarks on the journey of creation, they use a variety of different techniques to aid in the conveying of their message. Their main goal is to create something special for their audience, or rather call them witnesses. Convincing them that a personal piece of art, whether it be a painting, a novel or a movie, is different than all the rest. Rhetoricians create an author’s idea, their own unique perception of reality, for a vast and diverse viewing audience. The Kings Speech is a movie about talking, and the importance of talking well.The way humans communicate is really the most important challenge we face in our everyday lives. Speaking is hugely important on an intimate, personal level; when the task is to interact with one person. But a leader of a nation has to address all of his subjects, which requires that leader to be able to speak eloquently in a dramatic political context. As Bertie so finely delivers his lines in the closing moments, as King George VI is about to first address his subjects with war on the horizon: â€Å"The Nation believes that when I speak, I speak for them.But I cannot speak. † This superb film is about a person finding his voice, finding that he can speak. The Duke of York, later King George V, a. k. a Bertie is a perfect example of a leader; he has it all except for one thing – he lacks delivery skills. The hero has a single problem, the conflict that needs resolving; any intelligent viewer will keep their eyes on that detail through the entire plot. A well-written story will gradually reveal information, leaving the audience with a thirst to know if and how this issue will be solved.What makes the King’s battle with speech even more powerful is that this specific detail is not only about a speaking impediment that can be a burden to its owner but it is also about the drama in several other layers of the story. As the duke mentions, his people look up t o him as he who speaks for them and in their name. Not only can it be frustrating for a nation not to have a voice; that nation is in war with another nation whose ruler can â€Å"say it rather well†.Bertie is up against some large obstacles on his path to becoming King, and the stakes are high, the fate of an entire country lies in the words of its future leader, the King better be able to say those words clearly. This is far more than a movie about a King finding his voice. The Kings Speech is an exposition of the power that language has over individuals, and vast audiences. Rhetoric depends upon audience, and Bertie’s impediment was due as much to the pressure of his Imperial audience as it was his horrid father and family in how they treated him and his need for â€Å"corrections. Our hero in this story has to overcome the painful memories that compose his troubled royal childhood. The King’s complex past appeals to the audience’s sense of Pathos, so that every time he stammers over a sentence we remember who and what it is that causes Bertie’s handicap. Seeing the King start to succeed and triumph over his condition appeals to the viewer’s emotions for the same reason, because they have witnessed the cold, harsh environment where Bertie was raised. Audiences rejoice because seeing the main character master their own problems gives them hope and strength to take on personal matters of their own.Another aspect of the King’s troubled past is his relationship with his brother. He lived in the shadow of his brother Edward VIII for much of his life, and Edward was the actual heir to the throne when their father died. However, Edward abdicated the throne when he revealed that he wanted to marry an American socialite. This places further pressure on George VI to succeed in delivering this important speech to prove himself to his family and people as a strong and able leader. Being part of the Royal family means yo u have the best medical care that England has to offer at your disposal.Every doctor the Duke visited had a new treatment to test out, but nothing seemed to improve his speech impediment. One of the doctors instructed Bertie to chain smoke cigarettes, because the theory was that the smoke would â€Å"relax his larynx† and calm his nerves. In this scene, the director uses dramatic irony and appeals to logos to toy with viewers, because an informed audience knows that this tactic will likely fail and in our modern time, we all know that cigarettes are hazardous to one’s health.There are many other scenes where the King is seen smoking, and in every instance he had a specific look on his face. This is the look of a desperate man, full of frustration and expectation, praying that this little stick of tobacco will answer all his questions. The scene that follows shows one of many failed treatments by a specialist to cure him of his speech problem. The Duke becomes frustrate d during the treatment and asks his wife, Elizabeth, the Duchess of York (Helena Bonham Carter), to promise that he won't have to see any more doctors.This leads the Duchess of York to secretly visit an unorthodox speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). Mr. Logue explains to the Duchess that although he is willing to help the Duke, he will only assist on his terms and they must come to him and follow his rules. The Duchess agrees, and sets an appointment. Mr. Logue’s favorite phrase is â€Å"My castle, my rules†, even though he is a commoner, not royalty; someone who is not enough â€Å"regal† to actually own a castle. Yet this speech therapist knows exactly what he is saying.He too recognizes the importance of rules, a frame of reference and a place which is the proper place. If you’ll put him to the rhetoric test you will find he too has it all except for one thing – apparently he is part of no ethos. He is a commoner, and eventually we f ind out he has no credentials; which is even worse than being an Australian in Britain. Logue lacks legitimacy, which he knows is not important for his ability to help others, but is a frustrating disposition if you take his rules seriously.The King looked past Logue’s lack of formal education and abrasive nature because I believe that he sensed something special about the doctor. Plus I believe the Duke and Logue shared a similar love of law and order, and the strict rules Lionel set allowed the Bertie to follow them with ease. These rules forced Bertie to trust the doctor completely, which establishes a strong bond of ethos between the two men. While the person in question happens to have been an English monarch, his trepidations and fears are no different from any public speaking student that Mr.Logue encountered over the years. So, Logue treats Bertie as though he were a regular, stuttering child and expects him to adhere to the same rules as everyone else. This is also a movie about education, as much as it is about politics and royalty. â€Å"Turn the hesitations into pauses,† Logue tells the King in one scene. â€Å"Bounce into it. † Rather than force his student into a mold, the teacher lets the student be the guide. He turns the awkwardness into something better; he re-defines the terms on which the King’s Speech was judged.Indeed, pauses can signify confidence; taking time to choose the right words to say gives the listener the impression that what you have to say is really important. This rhetorical device is also used by our very own President Obama, being the brilliant speaker that he is. The President is in a similar position of power, like King George, and when delivering a speech to millions of people it is best to take time and choose your words carefully so that your message is communicated correctly. The final speech is the defining factor in establishing King George VI’s credibility.In his previous speeche s, he had struggled with his impediment, but in this address to his country he speaks slowly, clearly, and confidently when his people needed him to do so the most. Ethos is also established in this speech because he is King, the ultimate authority figure; therefore, all people throughout the nation will be listening to his every word and reacting in a positive way. He directly calls on his people â€Å"at home, and my people across the seas, who will make this cause their own†. He is asking the people of Britain to take charge and become active participants in the difficult journey that is about to begin.The all-powerful phrase â€Å"With God’s help we shall prevail† is placed at the peak of the drama, the climax when the newly appointed King delivers his speech to all of England. This phrase appeals to pathos, evoking a sense of pride in his people, and reassuring them that England can and will win the war. It seems that every word in this movie was chosen, wh ether consciously or un-consciously, through a deep understanding of the rules of rhetoric because this phrase demonstrates superb decorum. Copywriters pray for the moment they will be able to come up with such a brilliant phrase.Not because it is full of tricks since there is no trick, but with the power to echo the utmost desires wanting to be solved through all the plots and sub-plots of the rhetoric event, presenting real desires in the real world from the deep back-story to the private and personal. This also meets a dramatic high point for England at that particular moment in time, the real events took place during WWII had yet to be unraveled, but watching the movie sixty or so years later, knowing how it turned out, and listening to the final lines in the King’s speech can still send icy shivers down one’s spine.King George IV was able to deliver his speech perfectly through the help and support of his wife and new friend Lionel Logue, winning the hearts of Eng land and preparing them for the days to come. Rhetorically, The Kings Speech is a masterpiece; transporting audiences back to pre-war England and telling them an emotional tale of a King finding his voice.

LAW 421 Theory to Practice Essay

Theory to Practice Questions 1.At one point, if ever, did the parties have a contract? The parties had a contract when they agreed on the key terms of the distribution contract. The first agreement was a 90-day negotiation agreement and the second was an oral distribution agreement in a meeting prior to the end of the 90-day negotiation. The oral agreement was followed by an e-mail sent to Chou in which the terms of the agreement were reiterated by the manager of BTT. The manager of BTT showed objective intent to contract. In addition, â€Å"faxes, e-mails, letters, memos, and receipts help establish [a] handshake deal† (Hartline, 2007, para. 3). In other words, when BTT sent the email stating all the key terms orally discussed between the parties were agreed upon, both parties showed intent to contract, therefore the agreement of key terms should be considered under contract. 2.What facts may weigh in favor of or against Chou in terms of the parties’ objective intent to contract? Favor: †¢Chou received payment from BTT, leading Chou to believe BTT had intent to come to agreement. †¢The meeting ended with an oral agreement. †¢There is proof of the oral agreement via the BTT e-mail. †¢The e-mail may be considered a rough draft of the contract. †¢The manager sent the e-mail including all of the key terms the parties agreed upon. †¢Even though a month had passed, BTT still requested a copy of the distribution agreement draft. †¢The amount of time spent on the contract and in contact with both parties shows intent to contract. Against: †¢No signatures from either party to bind the contract. †¢The 90-day negotiation deadline passed with only a written agreement, even though the negotiation agreement stated only a written contract was valid. †¢The contract wasn’t drafted until BTT requested a copy a month later. †¢The e-mail did not use the words â€Å"contract†. 3.Does the fact that the parties were communicating by e-mail have any impact on your analysis in Questions 1 and 2 above? The fact that the parties were communicating via e-mail did not impact the analysis of  questions 1 and 2. E-mail is a viable and effective form of communication in today’s world, especially in business. E-mails can be saved and used as evidence in many court cases. According to the mailbox rule, the e-mail was sent prior to the 90 days and was considered accepted when it was sent (Melvin, 2011). 4.What role does the statute of frauds play in this contract? The statute of frauds applies to the sale of goods over $500; sales over that amount need to be in writing (Melvin, 2011). The provisions of the statute of frauds are satisfied if the writing contains several items, including quantity, signature, and clear, concise language (Melvin, 2011). The textbook states that key terms were discussed and agreed upon in the e-mail, however I am not sure if that included quantity. However, BTT provided an electronic signature in the e-mail and the language in the e-mail could be interpreted by a reasonable person as intent to form a contract. Therefore, the e-mail pretty much satisfies the statute of frauds conditions. 5.Could BTT avoid the contract under the doctrine of mistake? Explain. Would either party have any other defenses that would allow the contract to be avoided? I don’t think BTT can void the contract under the doctrine of mistake. A contract is void under the doctrine of mistakes because of misunderstanding in the parties involved such as unilateral mistakes and mutual mistakes. Nothing in the text indicates BTT made a mistake; their reason for not fulfilling contract was a change in management. Chou made the mistake of thinking the e-mail was a draft of the contract, however the fact that BTT requested a copy of the draft a month later gave Chou the impression the company still wanted to conduct business. 6.Assuming, arguendo, that this e-mail does constitute an agreement, what consideration supports this agreement? In order for a contract to be binding, it must be supported by agreement and consideration. The promise (Chou) was willing to give up something of value (his game) and the promisor’s (BTT) promise was part of a bargain for exchange (the key terms in the agreement, specifically price and time frames). BTT led Chou to believe that they were under contract because of their mutual agreement and consideration. References Hartline, K. (2007, September). Oral contracts: Do they carry any weight?. Legal Zoom. Retrieved from http://www.legalzoom.com/business-law/contract-law/oral-contracts-do-they-carry Melvin, S.P., (2011). The legal environment of business: A managerial approach: Theory to practice. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Retrieved from: The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database

Significant Differences Between Accounting and Oil and Gas Operations and the Conventional Accounting for Manufacturing or Mechanize Operation.

SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ACCOUNTING AND OIL AND GAS OPERATIONS AND THE CONVENTIONAL ACCOUNTING FOR MANUFACTURING OR MECHANIZE OPERATION. By Demoore Suleman ———————– Conventional Manufacturing Account 1. Definition: Manufacturing account, the term I use to describe business organizations engaged in the manufacture of goods for sale. These company maintain a manufacturing account. 2. Cost Method: Expenses are the cost of unsold products and are reported as assets. These expenses include wages, electricity in offices outside of the factory (sales and marketing, general administrative offices) are reported immediately as expenses in the accounting period that they are used cost outside of the factory do not become part o the product cost. Under the accrual method of accounting, period cost such as selling, general and administrative expenses are reported in the income statement in the accounting period in which they are used up or explore. Variances from purchase are recorded at that time the raw materials are purchased and re – classified into raw materials inventory, Accounting for oil and gas operation 1. Definition : Oil and Gas Account: The term is used to describe the books of account of companies involved in the exploration an development of crude oil and natural gas. 2. Cost Method Accounting for oil and gas operations follow one of two methods of financial accounting. a. Full Cost Method: All property acquisition exploration and development cost, even dry hole cost are capitalized as oil and gas properties. These cost represent fixed asset, amortized on a country – by country basis using a unit of production method based on volume produced and emaining proved reserves. Acquisition and development activities are capitalized expenses irrespective of whether or not the activities resulted in the discovery of reserve. b. The successful effort (SE) method: allows a company to capitalize only those expenses associated with successful locating new oil and natural gas reserves. automotive, electrical, agricultural, medical and aromatic indu stries. Stocks are recorded as current assets and are classified into i. Raw materials and consumables ii. Work in Progress iii. Finished goods and goods awaiting sale v. Prepayment for stock in transit The Financial Accounting Standard Board issued it concept statement No 6 Element of financial statements which defines terms as expenses, loses, revenues, assets e. t. c 3. Accounting Policies Goodwill is not subject to amortization instead the companies must conduct periodic impairment testing. The Net unauthorized capitalized costs are also amortized on unit of production method whereby property acquisition cost are amortized over proved reserves and property development cost are amortized over proved developed reserves. The Net Unamortized capitalized cost of oil and gas properties less related deffered income taxes may not exceed a ceiling consisting primarily of a computed present value of projected future cash flows, after income taxes , from the proved reserves. Amortization is computed by lease or property) or field. Accounting standard disclose for the petroleum downstream activities engaged in a. Refining and petrochemical b. Marketing and Distribution c. Liquefied Natural Gas Accounting Policies are captioned rather than as notes in the financial statements. ork in process inventory, finished goods inventory, and cost of good sold. Profit margins set are Standardized cost and represented graphically as break even point analysis. 3. Accounting Policies a. Disclosure requirement for balance sheet:- Goodwill are reported in the balance sheet as deffered charges and are long term asset. Accounting policies prominently disclosed as note to individual items in the financial statement of convention al manufacturing accounting. Disclosure requirement refers to the minimum amount of information which should be presented on financial statement. The disclosure requirement for balance sheet and profit and lost account is regulated by the second schedule of the company And Allied Matters Act in Nigeria (CAMA) 1990 while for the others part of the financial statement, it is regulated by the statement of accounting standard issued by the Nigerian Accounting Standard Board. They act under Section 335 sub-section 1 provides: For unsuccessful or (dry hole) results, the associated operating cost are immediately changed against revenue for that period. Acquisition and Mineral Right Prospecting cost associated with pre licensing are incurred in the period prior to the acquisition of legal right to explore for oil and gas in a particular location, such cost include the acquisition of speculative seismic data and expenditures on the subsequent geological and geophysical analysis of the data. Other licensing faces are oil exploration license, oil mining lease license. Oil prospecting license (OPL). In the course of acquiring the right to explore, develop and produce oil or natural gas, expenses relating to either purchase or lease to the right to extract the oil and gas from a property not owned by the company. Acquisition costs also includes any lease bonus payment to the property owner along with legal expenses, and title search, broker and recording cost. Under both SE and FE accounting methods acquisition cost are capitalized â€Å"The financial statement of a company prepared under section 334 of this Decree shall comply with the requirement of schedule 2 to the Decree (so far as applicable) with respect to their form and content, and with the accounting standards laid down in the statement of accounting standards, issued from time to time by the Nigerian Accounting Standard Board.. Provided such accounting standards do not conflict with the provision of this Decree or Schedule 2 to this Decree†. 4. Operations: The manufacturing process result in the continuous flow of intermediate product which serve as industrial input for the production of wide varieity of end product in building, textile, packaging, automotive, electrical, agricultural, medical and aromatic industries. Stocks are recorded as current assets and are classified into i. Raw materials and consumables ii. Work in Progress iii. Finished goods and goods awaiting sale iv. Prepayment for stock in transit The Financial Accounting Standard Board issued it concept statement of Exploration Costs: Typical of exploration costs are changes relating to the collection and analysis of geo-physical and Seismic data involved in the initial examination of a targeted area and later used in the decision of whether to drill at that location. Other cost involved those associated with drilling a well, which are further considered as being intangible or tangible. Intangible cost in general are those incurred to ready the site prior to the installation of the drilling equipment whereas tangible drilling cost are those incurred to install and operate that equipment. Treatment: All intangible cost will be charged to the income statement as part of the periods operating expenses for a company following the successful method . All tangible drilling cost associated with the successful discovery of new reserves will be capitalized while those incurred in an unsuccessful effort are also added to the operating expenses for that period. Capitalized means being added to the balance sheet as a long term assets. Development Cost: Involved in the preparation of discovered reserves for production such as those incurred in the construction or Disclosure Requirement for Value Added Statement Value Added simply refers to the difference between input value and output value. S. 35 (4) of the CAMA 1990 requires that â€Å" the value added statement shall report the wealth created by the company during the year and its distribution among various interest groups such as the employees, the government, creditors, proprietors and the company†, while emphasizing on the importance of the statement as apart of the financial statement, SAS 2 pointed out that the statement will enable companies to ensure the public that they do not exist for the length of their owners only but rather for the society at large. Possible uses to which the statement could be put include: i. Predicting managerial efficiency ii. Indicating the company’s wage paying ability iii. Evaluating the relative rewards of â€Å"shareholders† and other claimants against the company. the construction or improvement of roads to access the well site, with additional drilling or well completion work, an with installing other needed infrastructure to extract (e. g. pumps), gather (pipelines and store tanks) the oil or natural gas reserves both ST and FC allow for the capitalization of all development costs Production cost: Ensured costs in extracting oil or natural gas from the reserves are considered production costs. Typical of these cost are wages for workers and electricity for operating well pumps. Production cost are considered part of periodic operating expenses and are charged directly to the income statement under both accounting methods. Full cost accounting provides more meaningful financial statement. The primary asset of an oil company are the underground oil and gas reserves but not the individual well drill (expenses) in producing the oil. Its been further argued that the amortization of full cost over time produces more meaning income statement through improved matching of cost is to be released revenue. No 6 Element of financial statements which defines terms as expenses, loses, revenues, assets e. t. c Disclosure Requirement for Profit and Loss Account The Profit and Lost Account is an account which report the revenue and expenses of an enterprise for a given accounting period. The objective of the profit and loss account as stated under S. 335 (2) of CAMA 1990 is to give a true and fair view of the profit and loss account of the company for the financial year. The minimum information are disclosed in the profit an loss account are disclosed in schedule 2 paragraph 13 of CAMA 1990. Disclosure Requirement For Fund/Cash Flow Statement Statement of Accounting Standard (SAS) 2 defined a funds flow statement as a statement which provides information on the derivation and utilization of funds during the period covered by the financial; a statement. A funds flow statement show the movement in net current assets of a company Companies are required by law under S. 335(3) of CAMA 1990 to prepare and publish such statements and to give a detailed information on the various sources of funds on its disposition during the accounting period covered. 4. Operation: in the oil and Gas companies are refining which is simply the breaking down of the hydrocarbon mixture of crude oil into useful petroleum products. This is done through distillation cracking, reforming and extraction process these operations can be subdivided into i. Crude oil acquisition, ii. Crude oil storage iii. Processing iv. Blending v. Finished products stages Oil and gas companies are affected by periodic changes for depreciation depletion and amortization (DD &A) of costs relating to expenditures for the acquisition and development of new oil and natural gas reserves. They include the depreciation of certain long – lived operating equipment, the depletion of costs relating to the acquisition of property or properly mineral rights, and other amortization of tangible non – drilling cost incurred with developing the reserves. The periodic depreciation, depletion and amortization expense charged to the income statement is determined by the unit of production method in which the percent of total production for the Note to the account: does not become necessary if the balance sheet profit and lost account provides sufficient disclose in the accounts to give a true and fair view of the company’s state of affairs and the profit and loss position. This is however contained in S. 335 (7) of the CAMA 1990 which states as follows: â€Å"if the balance sheet or profit and loss account drawn up in accordance with these requirements would not provide sufficient information to comply with subsection (2) of this section, any necessary additional information shall be provided in that balance sheet or profit and loss account or in a note to the accounts†. Total production for the period to total proven reserves are the beginning of the period is applied to the gross total of cost capitalized on the Balance Sheet. Depletion is the means of expending the cost incurred in acquiring and developing oil and gas using unit of production method. Depletion rate per barrel is completed as:- Capitalized Cost / output Depletion expense is computed as:- Depletion Rate x No of Out-put Produced |Accounting treatment of cost | | SE FC | |Acquisition | Capitalized |Capitalized | |Geolog & Geophy |Expense |Capitalized | |Explorating dry hole |Expense |Capitalized | |Development Dry hole |Capitalized |Capitalized | |Production cost |Expense |Expense | Expense is associated with income statement, capitalization is associated with Balance sheet extract. References J. Vitalome , Accounting for Differences in Oil and Gas Accounting,http://www. investopedia. com S. Abubakar (2007), Lecture Note Oil and Gas Accounting Department of Accounting Faculty of Administration Ahmadu Bello University Zaria. Federal Government of Nigeria (1990), Company and Allied Matters Act, Lagos Government Printers NASB(1985), Information to be Disclosed in Financial Statement, Statement of Accounting Standard 2

Startegic Analysis (Sherwin Williams)

The Sherwin-Williams Company SHW (NYSE) Strategic Analysis ————————————————- SWOT ANALYSIS StrengthsWeaknesses Strong financial performanceHigh debt to equity ratio Wide product portfolioIncrease in current liabilities Strong market presence OpportunitiesThreats Global demand for coatings market Consolidation in chemical industry Opening new storesForeign exchange risks Strategic acquisitionEnvironmental regulations The Sherwin-Williams Company is viewed as one of the leading paint manufacturing and retailing companies in the US. Some of their key strengths are a strong market presence, wide product portfolio, and strong financial performance. Some major areas of concern are a high debt to equity ratio and increasing current liabilities. Going forward, the risks associated with foreign exchange risk, environmental regulations, and consolidation in chemical industry may impede its business growth. However, ample growth opportunities for the company are obtainable through strategic acquisition, opening new stores and increasing global market for coatings. Strengths: Strong financial performance FY2010 reflected an impressive financial performance for the company. They registered total revenue of US$7,776. 42 million in the FY2010, up 9. 62% on an annual basis from US$7,094. 25 million in the FY2009. The increase in revenue was principally due to the acquisition of two industrial wood finishes businesses(Sayerlack and Becker Acroma). These two acquisitions increased revenues for FY2010 by more than US$440 million. Also, their operating profit increased by 8. 82% from US$622. 82 million in the FY2009, to US$677. 78 million in the FY2010. Simultaneously, the company net income increase by 6. 11% to US$462. 49 million in the FY2010 from US$435. 5 million in the FY2009. Based on such strong financial performance, the company can aggressively pursue its growth and expansion plans. Wide product portfolio Having a broad business portfolio helps the company to serve the diverse needs of its customer base. Sherwin-Williams develops, produces, distributes and retails paints, coatings and related products. They also produce paints, stains, painting tools and equipments for a wide variety of customers such as residential and commercial builders, architectural and industrial painting contractors, property owners and managers. Their portfolio includes products for their Paint Stores group segment, Consumer Group segment, and the Global Finishes Group segment. In addition to its merchandise offerings, it also provides painting related services such as color sampling, wood finishing systems and services, inventory management and equipment repairs. This broad product portfolio has allowed them to obtain a higher market share and increase their revenues. Strong market presence A strong market position allows them to attract a huge customer base, ensuring strong top-line performance. Sherwin-Williams is one of leading manufacturers in the coating industry in the US. In Europe, their subsidiaries, Sayerlack and Becker Acroma are recognized as the leading coating companies. Another subsidiary, Pinturas Condor is the largest paint and coatings company in Ecuador. The company offers a wide portfolio of market leading brands such as Sherwin-Williams, ProMar, SuperPaint, A-100, Duron, PrepRite, Duration, Master Hide, ProClassic, Classic 99, MAB, Columbia and ExpressTech. Such a strong market presence of the company helps it to generate increased demand for its offerings, driving the revenue. Weaknesses: High debt to equity ratio This ratio may place the company in a risky position in paying off its high interests. Their debt to equity ratio was 70. 12 in the FY2010, which was much higher than Chemicals – Commodity industry’s average debt to equity ratio of 29. 91. The increased debt to equity ratio was due to 27. 79% annual increase in debt, from US$817. 61 million at the end of the FY2009 to US$1,044. 79 million at the end of the FY2010. This higher debt to equity ratio compared to the industry may indicate that the company’s poor ability to meet its obligations, which in turn may affect its business operations. Increase in current liabilities Substantial increase in current liabilities weakened the company’s liquidity position. Its current liabilities were US$2,063. 94 million at the end of FY2010, a 48. 09% increase compared to the previous year. However, its current assets recorded a marginal increase of 25. 07% – from US$1,770. 02 million at the end of FY2009 to US$2,213. 72 million at the end of FY2010. Following this, the company’s current ratio declined from 1. 27 at the end of the FY2009 to 1. 07 at the end of FY2010. A lower current ratio indicates that the company is in a weak financial position, and it may find it difficult to meet its day-to-day obligations. Opportunities: Global demand for coatings market The growing market for global coatings will certainly benefit the company. Market analysts expect the global coatings market to reach US$98. 69 billion by 2015. This expected increase is primarily due to economic activity, rapid industrialization, and increasing demand from automotive and construction sectors in developing countries. The Asian market is also forecast to increase at a compounded annual growth rate of 4. 2% through 2015. Being a manufacturer of paints and coatings, the company can tap this growing market. Opening new stores The company’s expansion plans of new stores will attract huge customer base. During the FY2010, the company’s Paint Group segment opened 49 new stores, of which 40 in the US, six in Canada, two in Trinidad and one in Jamaica. Also, during the FY2001, the company increased its total stores to 3,390 compared to 3,354 in the FY2009. For FY2011, the company is planning to open 50 to 60 new stores. This expansion plan will provide competitive edge over its peers in the industry. Strategic acquisition Their focus on expanding its global presence will provide further growth opportunities. As an example, the company acquired Becker Industrial Products AB in September 2010, one of the largest manufacturers of industrial wood coatings globally. Becker Acroma operates nine manufacturing facilities, 19 mixing sites and 13 technical centers around the world. This acquisition will allow them to expand its quality products and customer service while also strengthening its growing global platform to better serve customers around the world with outstanding technology, assets, and people. Strategic acquisitions such as this will enhance the company’s global expansion, ensuring top-line performance. Threats: Consolidation in chemical industry Merger and acquisition activities in the chemical industry could present a potential threat. The global chemical M&A deals are expected to be more active in 2011. In the first three quarters of 2010, total global chemical M&A transactions amounted to US$32 billion, which was higher than full year 2009 value of US$25. 4 billion. Sherwin-Williams may face competition from its peers, which are financially and operationally stronger, apart from becoming a target of such M&A deals. Foreign exchange risks Because they operate in many parts of the world, they are exposed to the fluctuations in foreign exchange rates. Their business operations are conducted in many currencies worldwide. Significant part of its revenue is denominated in other currencies such as the Russian Ruble, Euro, Brazil Real, Chile peso, and Japan Yen, among others. Although the company has forward currency contracts, there can be no assurance that such hedging activities or measures will significantly limit the impact of movements in exchange rates on the company’s results of operations. As a result, a loss of US$3. 82 million and US$2. 84 million was reports in FY2010 and FY2009 respectively, due to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. If the same scenario occurs, the company’s business and results of operations may be adversely affected. Environmental regulations These regulations may be affected by the environmental regulations governing the global chemical industry. REACH (Registration Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals) is an example of the stringent environmental regulations that are set to affect chemical producers. REACH regulates the products manufactured and marketed in Europe by mandating that all companies develop and submit dossiers containing datasets about their chemical products and detail their potential impact and risk on environment. This could be a challenge while launching a new product as it is a time-consuming and expensive process. It could also result in phasing out many existing chemicals from the market, which may be regarded as toxic and hazardous. REACH directly applies to over 30,000 different chemical substances that are produced or sold in Europe and its implementation is expected to cost European chemical industry about US$3 billion. Regulations for other countries are expected to follow the same model. Similar regulations have already been implemented in the US with the reform of Toxic Substances Control Act. Such stringent environmental regulations could affect both existing and new products for the company. KEY PERSONNEL Christopher M. Connor, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer Since 2000, ? Age 54 Mr. Connor has been the Chairman of the company, since 2000 and has also been the Chief Executive Officer since 1999. From 2005 to 2006, he served as the President of the company and was the vice chairman from 1999 to 2000. He served as the President, Paint Stores Group of Sherwin-Williams from 1997 to 1999. He is also a Director of Eaton Corporation and National City Corporation. John G. Morikis, Chief Operating Officer, President Since 2006, ? Age 47 Mr. Morikis has been the President and the Chief Operating Officer of the company, since 2006. Prior to this, he served as the President, Paint Stores Group from 1999 to 2006. He joined the company in December 1984. Sean P. Hennessy, Chief Financial Officer – Finance, Senior Vice President Since 2002, ? Age 53 Mr. Hennessy has been the Chief Financial Officer the company, since 2002. He has also been the Senior Vice President – Finance of the company, since August 2001. Mr. Hennessy joined the company in September 1984. CORPORATE CULTURE AND SOCIETAL EXPECTATIONS/RESPONSIBILITIES Corporate Culture Sherwin Williams has a positive corporate culture and through education assistance is willing to give its employees the skills to become what they would like to be. Additionally they have excellent training that is provided in a scheduled manner to make sure that everyone has the up to date information. They also have cutting edge technology that facilitates the sales process. Sherwin-Williams has been recognized among Fortune Magazine's 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2005, 2006, and 2008. Seven core values drive their culture and guide Sherwin-Williams as a team and as a company. These values are Integrity, People, Service, Quality, Performance, Innovation and Growth. The company ensures that these values are reflected in their people, their products, and their business practices and relationships. They also provide opportunities for advancement. More than 90% of placements into managerial and professional positions in the Paint Stores Group come from within the company. Over 700 college recruits are hired every year into their Management/Sales Training Program and receive training in different divisions and functions. Sherwin-Williams is also well respected for their benefits package. Is considered one of the best in the business. Besides the common short-term benefits like health and dental insurance, they also offer benefits that grow over a lifetime. They offer: * Health ; Dental Insurance * Group Life ; Accidental Death ; Dismemberment Insurance * Supplemental Life Insurance * Voluntary Personal Accident Insurance Disability Insurance (Short ; Long-term) * Matching 401(k) and Pension Programs * Vacation and Holidays * Employee Discount Program * Tuition Aid * Adoption Assistance Societal Expectations Sherwin-Williams believes that it is their calling to manufacture and market innovative products while still operating a safe, clean and friendly workplace and observing the highest ethical standards in business. In 2009, they presented their first, Corporate Social Responsibility Report — a report that demonstrated the actions behind their beliefs. To them, Corporate Social Responsibility means to act in a way that reduces their impact on the world around us. They believe they have the most comprehensive line of environmentally responsible products. They also have a number of other brands sold around the world that seek to reduce their impact on the environment. Sherwin-Williams believes it’s important to participate in healthy discussions — and create action plans — with input from those around them. That is why they are actively engaged with government agencies and industry organizations that value sustainable practices as much as they do. Some of these agencies are: * U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Climate Leaders Program * National Paint ; Coatings Association Coatings Care Program * CLEARCorps National Lead Extraction Program * EPA Smart Ways Fuel Efficient Transportation Program * U. S. Green Building Council * National Association of Home Builders — Green Building Council In July 2008, Sherwin-Williams launched EcoVision, an internal company-wide initiative that challenges every employee to look for and implement ways to reduce the company’s impact on the environment. The programs mission is to assist Sherwin-Williams to be recognized as a leader in the development of sustainable processes, product and activities that are profitable, preserve natural resources, and contribute to social improvement. Their contribution to social improvement has been demonstrated through The Sherwin-Williams Foundation. In 2007, the Foundation launched the Sherwin-Williams Grant, a $50,000 cash award given annually to a charity committed to either children’s health or educational programs that lead to economic independence.