Cggggggggg Essay Example

Cggggggggg Paper When Enron filed for bankruptcy protection on December 2, 2001, the financial world was shocked. How could this high profile leader in the world of energy trading have failed? Based in Houston, Texas, Enron was the seventh largest company by revenues in the United States, employing 25,000 people worldwide. Its performance had been lauded in the media, and business school cases had held it up as a glowing example of the transformation of a conservative energy company into a global player. It had frequently been cited in the McKinsey Quarterly as an example of how innovative companies can outperform their more traditional rivals. The drive to maintain reported earnings growth, however, had led Enron to aggressive accounting policies to accelerate earnings. In particular, the ‘special purpose entities’ (SPEs) Enron used to move assets and liabilities off the balance sheet attracted most attention. The financial involvement of Enron officers and employees in the SPEs led to further questions. Enron executives regarded themselves as an elite. The company had largely left behind the Texan ‘good ol’ boy’ culture – and certainly the culture of the regulated utility and had embraced the free market vision of Chairman Kenneth Lay. Encouraged by Jeffrey Skilling, who later became CEO, a highly paid army of financially literate MBAs sought innovative ways to ‘translate any deal into a mathematical formula’ that could then be traded or sold on – often to SPEs set up for that purpose. By the end, Enron had in excess of 3,000 subsidiaries and unconsolidated associates, including more than 400 registered in the Cayman Islands. We will write a custom essay sample on Cggggggggg specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Cggggggggg specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Cggggggggg specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The SPEs set up by Enron, often with auditor Arthur Andersen’s advice and approval, have attracted much criticism – but there is nothing inherently wrong with such vehicles. In fact, almost all major companies use various forms of SPEs to manage, for example, joint ventures in foreign countries, or investments in hostile environments. What was unusual in this case was the sheer number of SPEs involved. Enron’s accounting policies led to deals being struck that would be cash negative in the early years. In one example, Enron entered into a 12-year, ixed-price gas supply deal in the Far East at a price below the current ‘spot’, and as Enron did not have its own supply it had to go into the market to purchase at the higher price. Nevertheless, the forecast price curve was such that it showed a positive net present value and a profit was booked to reflect that. The manager who had done the deal was subsequently approached by his boss towards the end of t he quarter, and told that, as they were not going to meet budget, he should revisit the deal and ‘tweak the numbers’ to squeeze out a bit more. This process was so common that it was known as ‘marking up the curve’. Enron’s shares in the late 1990s had significantly outperformed the market (see Figure 1 in PDF or print magazine) and at their highest price the market capitalisation of the company reached $60bn. At this level, the share price implied a price-earnings multiple of around 60, or nearly three times the sector average. Although the ‘irrational exuberance’ of investors of the time may have contributed, Enron was not a simple ‘dot-com’ story. Indeed, when the Nasdaq index was falling through the floor, Enron shares continued to outperform the market. Performing well on the stock market brings its own problems by raising market expectations. Consequently, there was tremendous pressure on Enron to maintain earnings-per-share (EPS) growth, which in turn led to the need for new sources of revenue and capital. Large investments in major power projects needed cash. Such investments were not expected to generate earnings or positive cash flow in the short term, placing immediate pressure on the balance sheet. The much expanded trading book added to this pressure, especially after the creation of EnronOnline. is was resisted as it would dilute EPS and in turn affect the share price. The chosen solution was to get some of the assets and related debt off the balance sheet. This required finding outside investors willing to take some of the risk through equity participation in separate entities, which, in turn, could borrow from third parties (outside lenders). This would only work if these special purpose entities (SPEs) did not have to be consolidated in Enron’s results, otherwise it would defeat the objective of such financial engineering. Furthermore, the broadband venture was losing money, with no short-term likelihood of generating profits, while continuing to suck up capital expenditure. To make matters worse, the fall in the value of Enron’s share price was likely to trigger its guarantee obligations. To compound these problems, some hedge funds had become short sellers of Enron stock. On March 5, 2001, Fortune published an article by Bethany McLean in which she questioned the current stock market value of Enron. Her main arguments were that it was very difficult to ascertain how the company was making its profits, that these profits did not seem to be generating a commensurate amount of cash, and that there was a lack of transparency in Enron’s reporting and its handling of media questions. In the meantime, Enron’s share price continued to slide. A real blow came, when Skilling resigned after only six months as CEO, citing ‘personal reasons’. Lay resumed the role of CEO. Subsequently, in an interview with Business Week, Lay said, â€Å"There’s no other shoe to fall,† going on to add, â€Å"There are absolutely no problems [ ]. There are no accounting issues, no trading issues, no reserve issues, no previously unknown problem issues. The company is probably in the strongest and best shape that it has ever been in. † Enron watchers, fearing there was more to the story, were not convinced and the share slide continued. At the same time as seeking to reassure investors, Lay was cashing in his share options, netting himself more than $100m in the process. Watkins also called an acquaintance at Andersen and voiced her concerns. Andersen had been uncomfortable for some time with Enron accounting practices that it had previously accepted. Revisiting some of the SPEs, particularly in relation to the 3 per cent rule, it decided that, at least in the case of Chewco, there had been a breach and that Chewco would have to be consolidated. It also looked again at the Raptor transactions and came to the same conclusion. Accordingly, it advised Enron that the accounts would need to be restated.

The Principle of the Mercantile System (1776) Summary

The Principle of the Mercantile System (1776) Summary According to Adam Smith in this article, the basis of England's wealth is gold and silver, not in the lands, houses, or resources. He goes on the explain through the article that England has lost it's focus on the industry of the consumer and concentrated more on the importation of the money they receive from their colonies. The wealth is only considered to consist of gold and silver and, "that those metals could be brought into a country which had no mines only by the balance of trade, or by exporting to a greater value than it imported." Smith makes the point that England has started "a monopoly against their countrymen," because the market encourages the industry to import products from foreign countries and place high duties upon them.This is a nationalistic feeling because Smith is speaking for the people that the market in England is not for the people, but rather against them.Smith Street, Warwick - no's 55 to 61 Smith StreetIt is built for the rich man to make his silver and gold and not for the working class families who survived on "cottage industry" or home-industry. He sees the importance of the difference of economies in the big state, little-state scenario.

Clinical Biochemistry Essay Questions Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Clinical Biochemistry Questions - Essay Example s disease is an autoimmune disorder in which certain antibodies are developed in the body against the thyroid gland which includes thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI), thyroid growth stimulating immunoglobulin (TGI) and TSH binding inhibitor immunoglobulin (TBII). The TSI antibodies bind to the receptors on the thyroid gland where under normal conditions TSH binds and stimulate the secretion of the thyroid hormone. While bound to the receptor to block the effect of TSH they actually lead to the increased secretion of the thyroid hormone. Because of the increased thyroid hormone low levels of TSH hormone are found in the blood. This results in hyperthyroidism with an enlarged thyroid gland which leads to protrusion of the eyeball, dermopathy and high basal metabolic rates. Hashimotos disease is also an autoimmune disorder which leads to destruction of the thyroid epithelial cells. CD8+ cytotoxic T cells and CD4+ T cells act against the gland leading to destruction of cells. Other antibodies against the thyroid include anti-TSH receptor antibodies, antithyroglobulin and antithyroid peroxidase. These lead to inflammation of the gland followed by wear out of cells. Hypothyroidism is the result which leads to enlargement of the gland. The basal metabolic rate drops and bradycardia, weight gain and somnolence are observed. Levels of the thyroid hormones, TSH, antibodies and basal metabolic rate (BMR) are checked in both the conditions. In graves disease thyroid hormone levels are high, TSH levels are low, BMR is high and antibodies specific for this disease are seen. In hashimotos disease the levels of thyroid hormones are low, TSH levels are high, BMR is low and the antibodies specific for this disease are found in the blood. There are four types of diabetes mellitus. Type 1 is known as insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, type 2 is referred to as non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, the third type is

Strategy, Business Information and Analysis Essay - 1

Strategy, Business Information and Analysis - Essay Example In particular, Porter has contributed mainly the following: five forces model (1980); generic competitive strategies of cost leadership, product differentiation, and focus (1980; 1985); competitive advantage (1985; 1987); four corners model (1980); value chain (1985); diamond model (1990), and market positioning strategies. Since Porter’s contributions have created a pervasive influence on business theory and practice, a lot of strategists from different fields have considered examining, recommending or applying his ideas. Nonetheless, given that his contributions have received widespread attention, it is the case that his ideas have been subject to criticisms. As a matter of fact, despite the fact that it made his 1980 book entitled â€Å"Competitive Strategy† the ninth most influential management book of the 20th history (Bedeian & Wren, 2001: 223), Porter’s five forces model received criticisms. In this regard, this paper delves mainly at critically analyzing and evaluating Michael Porter’s contribution to the field of strategic management. In order to give more focus and attention to the works of Porter to the strategic management area, this paper is limited to evaluating only three contributions. Basically, it aims at answering three points. First, it plans to look at Porter’s concept of competitive advantage. After analyzing the concept, second, this paper examines one of the specific types of strategies, his five forces model. The consideration of choosing this particular contribution is because of the fact that despite this model made his book the ninth most influential management book of 20th history, still, it received criticisms. Third, it also intends to assess his generic competitive strategies of cost leadership, product differentiation and focus. This work is selected because he considers such strategies to be generic. Meanwhile, the exigency to critically assess Porter’s contribution is because there is a need to understand why he has happened to be one of the most influential characters in the field of strategic management. This paper is of significance because it offers a deeper understanding of key concepts, ideas and debates in the said field. Likewise, the importance of this paper is that it can offer a critique of Porter’s work. To pursue the objective of this paper, this paper is structured in giving initially an overview of each contribution of Porter which is then followed by a particular critique of his work: competitive advantage, five forces model, and generic competitive strategies of cost leadership, product differentiation and focus. Lastly, it discusses the outcomes of this critical assessment. A Critical Assessment of Michael Porter’s Contribution to the Field of Strategic Management Overview of Competitive Advantage As a concept, competitive advantage is meant by Porter (1980) as a competence achieved via attributes as well as resources in order for higher level performance relative to

Goodness of the Service Level and Current Structure Assignment - 22

Goodness of the Service Level and Current Structure - Assignment Example However, equation 2 and 4 only hold if y= 0, for non-negative values of x andy. Consequently, x= 4300 is the optimal number of vaccine doses that the facility can purchase for optimality. From the confidence interval formula for normal distribution, Z=(mean-Â µ)/(standard error) And mean-Â µ = zero and this means that Z is not defined. As Z approaches infinity, however, the probability of failure approaches zero. Therefore, at 4300 doses, the facility has a zero percent probability of failure. The optimal number of vaccines and chance of running out of vaccines Optimal profitability occurs when total cost equals total expenditure for generating the cost. Assuming that an organization purchases z doses of the vaccine and sells x doses and returns y doses to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the following are computations for the optimal number of vaccine doses and the chance of scarcity. Cost of vaccine= 4z= 4(x+y) Revenue= 15x+ y, based on $ 15 sales price and $ 1 buy back price. Reduction to lower levels such as $ 7 per dose would motivate people into and increase a total number of used vaccines. A reasonable profit level would, therefore, be possible, and even higher levels attained due to a higher number of unit sales. Such a reduction in price would also promote quality of health by preventing flue (Thompson 1). A hold on the buy-back policy is likely to reduce facilities’ stock level and therefore limit the availability of vaccines. In addition, unused vaccines would lead to greater losses and prompt facilities to charge higher prices on sales. Consequently, holding the buy-back is likely to reduce demand for vaccines and increase the burden of the flue.

Human Activities Global Warming And Climate Change Environmental Sciences Essay

Human Activities Global Warming And Climate Change Environmental Sciences Essay Climate change is a long-term change in the Earths climate, or of region on the Earth (Nasa.gov, 1975). Humans use energy in their daily life such as driving cars from one place to another place. However, most of their activities effect the environment. According to Nap.edu (1996), it states that global stability is threated by the human activities. This is because human activities emit amounts of carbon dioxide.Furthermore, Newscientiest.com (2007) also states that based on IPCC report (2001), 90% of the causes of climate change are from the human activities. Besides that, Nasa.gov (1975) also states global warming is the changes in the Earths average surface temperature due to ascending levels of greenhouse gases. Human activities such as deforestation, open burning and emission of greenhouse gases through transportation have become the largest contributors to global warming. So, there is a relationship between the human activities, global warming and climate change. This is becaus e human activities emit excess carbon dioxides that lead to carbon pollution and thus cause global warming and climate change. Nrdc.org (2012) states that the carbon pollution is the main cause of the Earth are getting warmer, increase the frequency of drought, and flood. Since the average temperature increases rapidly, human and other living things will face the consequences such as the melting of glacier, acid rain and the rising of sea level too. Hence, human activities such as deforestation, emission of greenhouse gases from transportation and open burning are the main causes of the global warming and thus climate change. In terms of deforestation, Climateandweather.net (2010) states that deforestation is causing the necessary function of trees to be lessened and affect the climate. It also states that forests store carbon dioxide, produce oxygen, control the climate, and purify our water and air. So, that means forests are vital for our life. However, there are reasons that cause deforestation to happen such as illegal logging operation and agriculture.Wwf.panda.org (2011) mentions that the logging activity keeps happen in violation of national laws.Most of the illegal loggings happen because of the ascending demand for papers and timbers. Therefore, the operation keeps continuing without permission from the government. Besides that, illegal loggings also include activities such as harvesting wood from restricted areas and exporting exotic species of trees. In terms of agriculture, Wwf.panda.org (2011) states that illegal logging can also occur when the forests are cleared for a plantation such as oi l palm or rubber plant. Even the plants also absorb the carbon dioxide as same as the forest, the plant need more times to grow up and able to absorb more carbon dioxide like forest do.Climateandweather.net (2010) mentions that most of agricultural crop and other smaller plants also draw in carbon and release amounts of oxygen, but the forests able to store up to 100 times more carbon dioxide than other plants. So, it emphasized that the forests are very important to stabilize the global warming. Besides that, water is also needed to reduce the excess carbon dioxide in the air. Since the forest is a place where the water is purified, the water can also help to reduce the carbon dioxide. The rainforest and sea play a big role in this aspect. According to Worldwatch.org (2012), it states the oceans are by far the largest carbon dioxide sink in the Earth. However, since deforestation keeps happening, even the sea becomes limited to sink all the carbon dioxides. Loss amounts of trees in crease the amounts of carbon dioxides at the atmosphere lead to global warming and thus climate change. Moreover, another factor of climate change is the emission of greenhouse gases from the vehicles on the road. Transportation produce energy from the burning of fossil fuels and change into motion. Only this way can makes them enable to move from one place to another place. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide are the most emitted gas from on-road vehicles. Epa.gov (2010) mentions transportation that use fossil fuels is the main source of carbon dioxide emission. There are many transportation sources for instance air travel, marine transportation and highway vehicles. Most of the vehicles use gasoline and diesel in order to transport good or people. G.Roger (2012) states excessive vehicles usage causes the transportation emission increases and leads to global warming. This is because uncontrollable greenhouse gases from the transportation will lead other heat-trapping gases and carbon dioxide gas to the atmosphere. So, there will be more and more excesses carbon dioxide will be pro duce and emit to the atmosphere. This matter will lead global warming and thus climate change since the global average temperature keeps increasing. Furthermore, based on Broadus (2012) states those greenhouse gases emissions are leading to sea level rises and thus floods in various places. Streams, rivers and reservoirs are not able to support and store excesses water since the sea level increase rapidly. Even the dams unable to stop the flowing water to entered the protected places. These problems lead floods to occur in various places especially in the cities and villages nearby the beach or rivers. Besides that, monsoon rains in certain places like Mumbai will be another problem to this matter. Broadus (2012) also mentions about heavier monsoon rains will make the floods worse. Thus, excesses transportation emission will lead to the dangerous change on climate change such as increasing the sea level and affect the monsoon circulation. Another catalyst of global warming and climate change is open burning in various places. It is an activity that produces really large amounts of carbon dioxide which change the Earths temperature and cause the melting of glaciers due to the global warming. This is because open burning release heat from the combustion that enhances the warming in the atmosphere. The open burning not only releases carbon dioxide, but also black carbon which is the second global warming agents after carbon dioxide. According to Kanittha and Savitri (2012) mentions in their research that warming effect from black carbon will be increase as it mixed with other particles in the air such as carbon dioxide. They also mention black carbon enable to enhance the melting of snow or glacier three times that of carbon dioxide. As the carbon dioxide also emitted together with black carbon, the affect must be fatal and more dangerous on global warming and climate change. Human activity such as open burning of agricu ltural residues after harvesting is the main source that leads black carbon and carbon dioxide emission to the atmosphere. Kanittha and Savitri (2012) also state the combustion of the crop waste is the significant source that release black carbon and other greenhouse gases. So, the production of carbon dioxide and black carbon trap tremendous amount of heat and raise the Earths temperature causing severe impact on the Arctic. As the global getting warmer, the melting of glaciers continues to occur in high speed which is also leads to increase the sea level. This unstoppable problem worries the whole nations in the world as they lost habitats and their life is in danger as the land become limited and covered by the water. Other living things such as animals and trees also are facing the same problems as they lost their habitats and most of exotic species become extinct. Therefore, open burning also has negative impacts to both of the environment and people. The climate is a major part of the Earths environmental system and cannot be replaced by human. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2007) states there are many ways to mitigate the global warming and climate change. However, the main key of the solution is the cooperation and unity from the people so they enable to make a different in order to reduce the carbon pollution and global average temperature. One of the solutions is to follow the regulation provided by the government such as prevent the illegal logging operations or deforestation. This method enables the trees using up the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The water is also able to use the carbon dioxide with sinking the carbon dioxide. Since it becomes limited, people need to reduce carbon dioxide more. Besides that, carpooling and limit the transportation usages on the road are also helps to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This is because the small amount of vehicles usage will lessen the emission of greenhouse gases especially carbon dioxide. People also can develop and use other alternative or renewable energy to replace fossil fuel such as solar energy. Tom (2012) mentions transportation that powered by solar electricity emit about less or zero percent of carbon dioxide is the most efficient way to reduce large amounts carbon dioxide. However, continuous researches and new environment-friendly technology need to conduct by human in order more alternatives can be used. Moreover, people also need to decrease their open burning activities. They can try recycling any reusable material or things in order to prevent the open burning. So, there are more and more carbon dioxide will be cut off. Hence, people need to try any ways to reduce deforestation, carbon dioxide emission from transportation and open burning in order to decrease global average temperature or global warming and climate change. Otherwise, the global warming will continue to affect the c limate change, and thus people, animals, and environment will have the difficult time to face the consequences.

Sir Joseph John Thomson :: biographies bio

"Could anything at first sight seem more impractical than a body which is so small that its mass is an insignificant fraction of the mass of an atom of hydrogen?" -- J.J. Thomson. * Sir Joseph John Thomson was born December 18, 1856 in Cheetham Hill near Manchester, England. * His dad was a bookkeeper in Manchester who died with Thomson was 16 years old. * He entered Owens College, now known as the Victoria University of Manchester, at age 14. * There he took courses in experimental physics and math. * In 1876, he obtained a scholarship for Trinity College, University of Cambridge, and remained there for the rest of his life. * In 1890, he married Rose Elisabeth. * He and Rose had a son, Sir George Paget Thomson, Emeritus Professor of Physics at London University, and a daughter. * Thomson taught mathematics and physics at Cambridge, succeeding Lord Rayleigh as professor of physics at the age of 27. * He became director of Cambridge's Cavendish Laboratory to do research from 1884 through 1919. * For his involvement in the scientific community, he was appointed president of the Royal Society, a position he maintained from 1915 through 1920. * He was invited to be professor of natural philosophy at the Royal Institute of Great Britain from 1905 to 1918. * He served as master of Trinity College from 1918 until his death. * He was also very active in many other fields of interest other than science. He was involved in politics, current fiction, drama, university sports, and the non-technical aspects of science. * His greatest interest outside of physics was plants. He enjoyed walks in the hilly regions near Cambridge, where he searched for rare botanical specimens for his garden. * He died August 30, 1940 at Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England. He was given the honor of burial in the Westminster Abbey. * J.J. Thomson attempted to solve the argument on the nature of cathode rays in 1897. For these investigations he won the Nobel Prize for physics in 1906.

Examining Social Structure Theory Essay

For the purpose of this paper in examining theories, I have chosen to view the Tent City, AZ video. â€Å"Located in the desert near downtown Phoenix, Tent City houses 2,000 inmates in canvas tents† (Films Media Group, 2007). Conditions are difficult for the inmates, and since there are no prison bars, maintaining control over the inmates is a constant concern for the guards (Films Media Group, 2007). I will show that the content of the video should be appropriately acknowledged as well as studied using a social structure theoretical application. I will review the social disorganization theory, the strain theory, and the culture conflict theory, and how they supported the social structure theory in relation to Tent City. I will identify the primary subjects of the video, and the social issues that are raised for the inmates in the Tent City facility. Additionally, I will examine the major principles of sociological theories and the ramifications of social process change. Letâ €™s begin with an explanation of the social structure theory and some examples from the video that supports these theories. Supporting Social Structure Theory In watching the Tent City video, it is apparent that it follows the social structure theory. The subcultures that are created by dividing the inmates into racial groups comes with some protection for the inmates from those in their racial group, but this protection can come with a price (Films Media Group, 2007). According to the text, there are three major types of theories that support the social structure theories. They include the social disorganization theory, strain theory, and culture conflict theory (Schmalleger, 2012, â€Å"Social Structures Theories/Types of Social Structure Theories†). The text goes on to explain that the â€Å"Social disorganization theory (which depicts social change, social conflict and lack of social  consensus as the root causes of crime and deviance)† (Schmalleger, 2012, â€Å"Social Structures Theories/Social Disorganization Theory†). The strain theory is defined â€Å"as the pressure that individuals feel to reach socially d etermined goals† (Schmalleger, 2012, â€Å"Social Structures Theories/Strain Theory†). The culture conflict theory â€Å"suggests that the root cause of criminality can be found in a clash of values between differently socialized groups over what is acceptable or proper behavior† (Schmalleger, 2012, â€Å"Social Structures Theories/Culture Conflict Theory†). The social disorganization theory, the strain theory, and the culture conflict theory are supported in this video by the following examples. The social disorganization theory is supported in the Tent City video by the segregation of inmates being housed with their same racial group. This causes the groups to stick to themselves for reasons of safety and protection from other racial groups and gives each group a sense of belonging and fitting in. The inmates are expected to follow the rules that include avoidance of involvement with contraband. The contraband is used by the inmates to get things such as money, commissary items, and power or status within their racial group as well as to the other racial groups. The strain theory is supported in the video because the restrictions of inmate belongings are enormous. The inmates are deprived of many things including condiments, tobacco, drugs, and anything that can be used to construct weapons. The inmates are subjected to frequent but random searches by the guards and the Special Response Team (SRT). They are often stripped down to their under ware during the searches, which gives the inmates negative feelings, and reduces their self-esteem as they are forced to cower to the guards. Additionally, the restrictions put strain on the inmates, causing some to disobey the rules, which puts them in a position of acting deviant to gain the things they desire. While, to some degree the inmates must depend on other inmates for safety, protection, and contraband items, they each know that they are on their own. The culture conflict theory is supported in the video in the aspect of racial segregation. This causes power and status struggles between the racial groups as they are struggling to survive their incarceration while attempting to maintain some form of self-worth. Primary Subject of Video The primary subject of this video is keeping control of the facility with the use of zero tolerance policies for the inmates of Tent City. It focuses on a new inmate named Ryan Merlina, who was â€Å"convicted of forgery, burglary, and most recently, possession of methamphetamine† (Films Media Group, 2007). Merlina, who has a long history of drug use and has been in and out of the juvenile system for a considerable amount of his teen years, at age nineteen came to Tent City, an adult facility (Films Media Group, 2007). In addition to the videos depiction of the circumstances faced by staff and inmates, it chronicles Merlinas’ personal struggles with his journey through incarceration at Tent City. On an Internet video, Films Media Group (2007) states that, the court offered Merlina a reduced sentence in exchange for him pleading guilty. â€Å"If he behaves himself, he’ll serve just six months at Tent City. But if he messes up, he’ll get 12 years in state prison† (Films Media Group, 2007). At Tent City, the inmates are not allowed to have certain things such as sugar, tobacco, drugs, and weapons. The prison system employs the Special Response Team (SRT), who conducts random and frequent searches to stay ahead of the inmate’s attempts to control and distribute contraband items. This is done to catch the inmates off guard, seize contraband, and find out who is responsible for the contraband, and hold that inmate accountable through punishments such as solitary confinement and in some cases the implementation of maximum sentences (Films Media Group, 2007). In a setting such as the one of Tent City, the inmates face social issues of their confinement. Social Issues Raised The social issues raised in the video relate to the subcultures created within the Tent City facility. The inmates are separated into racial groups. The newly arriving inmates are assigned to a tent that they share with twenty-one other inmates, all who are felons (Films Media Group, 2007). According to the video one guard stated, â€Å"Unfortunately, everything out here is organized by race. And when a new inmates comes into our system, they’ll be approached by someone from their race who will explain to them what the rules and expectations are out here† (Films Media Group, 2007). â€Å"Rule number one, stick to your own race. Each group has its own seating area and name† (Films Media Group, 2007). Because the inmates stick with their own racial group, this creates social issues amongst all inmates. â€Å"The groups claim  they exist to provide protection. Officers say their purpose is controlling inmates and contraband† (Films Media Group, 2007). Each racial group has leaders that generally involve themselves in contraband. It becomes a struggle for the inmates to try to control contraband while also trying to stay under the radar of the guards. â€Å"In this hostile environment, tensions run high and chaos is always just around the corner† (Films Media Group, 2007). New inmates quickly learn that, â€Å"sometimes it’s not a rival group inmates have to worry about, it’s their own† (Films Media Groups, 2007). â€Å"The DOs have ways of turning us against each other if we mess up. That’s their way of punishing us. They’ll make you look like a bad guy and get your tent tossed on you. Then it’s going to make everybody in your tent mad at you† (Films Media Group, 2007). For those inmates that break the rules of their group, they suffer punishments that are swift and painful (Films Media Group, 2007). The punishment for minor infractions such as a verbal insult will result in a punch in the jaw, but for major ones, such as not paying a debt, the inmate will receive a beating by three or more inmates of their racial group (Films Media Group, 2007). Due to the social issues tha t arise from incarceration, principles of the sociological theories are evident. Major Principles of Sociological Theory According to the text, social structure â€Å"theories look at the formal and informal economic and social arrangements (or structure) of society as the root causes of crime and deviance† (Schmalleger, 2012, â€Å"Social Structures Theories/Definition of Social Structure Theories†). In addition, the social structure theories look at the negative aspects of society’s structure, such as disorganization, poverty, and disadvantages associated with lack of educational success as the cause of criminal behavior (Schmalleger, 2012, â€Å"Social Structures Theories/Definition of Social Structure Theories†). The major principles of the sociological theory that are addressed in the video are Tent City’s social group arrangements of society that provides focus for study, group dynamics and subgroup relationships from which crime develops, society’s structure and degree of organization/disorganization, and specific behaviors that can statistically estimat e characteristics to engage in crime. The social groups formed in Tent City are racially motivated, meaning that each inmate is segregated to their own racial group to keep the  different racial groups separated from each other. The group dynamics in a population of criminals that are divided into subgroups by race offers two examples the major principles. One example relates to the group being made up of all criminals, and the second example relates to the racially segregated subgroups that keep the inmates with their own race. This can lead to struggles related to status amongst their own racial group, and to the other racial groups. Society’s structure, being a prison that is run under zero tolerance rules (organization), and the conflicting disorganization of the inmates and their desire for obtaining contraband, while they struggle to complete their sentence without getting into trouble. Additionally, the specific behaviors that each inmate possesses that brought them to commit crimes that resulted in their incarceration is a major principle of sociological theories. Criminal behaviors by individuals, grouped with the criminal behaviors of the other inmates, can be a cause for additional criminal behavior. Possible Ramifications for Social Process Change While integrating the inmates together and removing the racially segregated groups may seem like the appropriate thing to do, there are possible ramifications of changes in their social processes that need to be addressed. For the inmates, these racially segregated groups offer some form of protection. By removing the built in sense of protection, it can cause additional stress and anxiety for the inmates. The inmates are deprived of many â€Å"luxuries†, and tend to look to their fellow inmates to receive some creature comforts of home. Although the inmates can only depend on themselves, the racially segregated groups offer the inmates a sense of support by belonging to a group. Removing that element can open the door for cultural clashes. According to the text, the â€Å"Social process theories draw their explanatory power from the process of interaction between individuals and society† (Schmalleger, 2012, â€Å"Theories of Social Process and Social Development/The S ocial Process Perspective†). Social process changes within the Tent City facility can weaken the inmates established social bonds, which could result in them turning on each other because of different cultural practices and beliefs. According to the text, criminal behaviors are learned through the interaction with others  (Schmalleger, 2012, â€Å"Theories of Social Process and Social Development/The Social Process Perspective†). And social process â€Å"is seen as the primary route through which learning occurs† (Schmalleger, 2012, â€Å"Theories of Social Process and Social Development/Summary†). If changes are to be made, they have to be enacted in society during a person’s learning process, only then can it make positive change. Conclusion As you can see, the content of the video should be appropriately acknowledged and studied using a social structure theoretical application. I have shown how the subcultures created by dividing the inmates into racial groups comes with some protection for the inmates from those in their racial group, but this protection comes with a price (Films Media Group, 2007). The three major types of theories that support the social structure theories include the social disorganization theory, strain theory, and culture conflict theory. All of these theories are supported in the video by the conditions and circumstances presented to the inmates of Tent City both current and in the past. The primary subjects addressed in the video include the zero tolerance practices of the guards and its focus on the inmate named Ryan Merlina. For Merlina, it’s a daily struggle to do his time quickly by avoiding deviant behavior while for the guards it’s a constant struggle to maintain control over the inmates. This leads to how the social structure theories look at the negative aspects of society’s structure like disorganization, poverty, and disadvantages that cause criminal behavior (Schmalleger, 2012, â€Å"Social Structures Theories/Definition of Social Structure Theories†). The ramifications for social policy change discussed show that any changes to the current situational practices of the Tent City facility would cause problems for the inmates, and possibly create cultural clashes amongst the inmates. Since the inmates are deprived of â€Å"luxuries† and comforts, they depend on the friendships of other inmates for support and protection. By removing a built in sense of protection, it can cause additional stress and anxiety for the inmates. While it is obvious that the inmates can only depend on themselves, the racially segregated groups do offer the inmates a sense of belonging. To conclude, it is apparent to me that this video does provide some important facto rs that can be appropriately acknowledged and studied using a social structure theoretical  application. References Films Media Group (2007). Lockdown: Tent City [Video file]. Retrieved from Films on Demand website: http://digital.films.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=7967&xtid=40796 Schmalleger, F. (2012). Criminology Today: An Integrative Introduction (6th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection Database

Comparison between MLA and APA Formatting

Comparison between MLA and APA Formatting In the world of academia, sharing of knowledge plays a key role in development of a given area of knowledge. For instance, a researcher will look for information from existing researches in order to develop his thesis. As a result, referencing is an integral part of academia. Consequently, this paper seeks to shed light on how to utilize Internet resources in research and what to look for when researching and also show comparison between MLA and APA formatting.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Comparison between MLA and APA Formatting specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More APA formatting is highly used in referencing works cited in social science. In APA, the research work should be written in an essay form that is comprised of four main sections namely; the title page, abstract, main body and references. The title page must consist of the title of the paper, the name of the person who wrote it and the institution in which the writer is a student. Since the abstract seeks to explain the contents of the paper, it should contain the major points within the body. Then the main body of the research work should follow suit. It should contain a brief introduction, body and conclusion. Finally references should be provided in order to form a reference list and can also be used to build the in-text reference (Stolley par. 4). Other than APA, one can also opt to use MLA as his referencing style. The two styles are different. The following are some of the differences between MLA and APA. MLA (Modern Language Association) does not use headings and subheadings in their essays while APA (American Psychological Association) has several levels of headings and subheadings. When it comes to in-text citations, MLA uses signal phrase i.e. authors name then page number in brackets. For example; According to Charles Darwin, the world is evolving at alarming rate (50). Alternatively there can be no signal phrase with autho r name and page number in brackets (Rusell, Brizee Angeli 24). For example; it is seen that, â€Å"the world is evolving at an alarming rate† (Darwin 50). On the other hand APA uses signal phrase with author name then date in brackets i.e. Darwin (1998), noted that the world is evolving at an alarming rate or alternatively use of phrase with direct quote i.e. Darwin (1998) has indicated how â€Å"world has evolved at an alarming rate† (p.50). Another difference is block quotation where in MLA, the block quotations are used when the quotation is more than four lines long in the original text while in APA block quotations are used when quotation is more than forty words. Also it is worth to note that in MLA formatting both names of the author(s) are written in full starting with the last name and then the first name separated by a coma while in APA the author last name is written in full but the first name is designated with initials.Advertising Looking for essa y on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In MLA, the sources that are used to cite the research work are known as the works cited while in APA the very sources used to cite the research work are known as the reference list. However it should be noted that different articles have different formatting therefore it depends on the choice of the writer whether to use APA or MLA (UC Berkley Teaching Library Internet Workshops). A number of factors should be considered when utilizing Internet resources. First, one should always analyze the topic and search with a focused vision and this involves creating tools that would help in the process of searching. Such tools include directories and search engines. Second, it involves evaluating the web pages in order to ensure quality and authenticity of the research work. Third, the author should determine the style sheets for citing resources (i.e. MLA or APA). This should put into consideration both print and electronic. Last but not least an individual is expected to make a glossary of web and internet. When using Internet resources for research work, one should always open a new tab when searching for a different article. This is important because it makes it easier for the referencing work and also helps in avoidance of repetition of facts in the essay. An individual is expected to look for the bibliography of the research topic in order to obtain the reference list that will also be used in citation of the in-text (Stolley par. 7). Russell, Tony, Allen Brizee, and Elizabeth Angeli. MLA Formatting and Style Guide. The Purdue OWL. Purdue U Writing Lab, 4 Apr. 2010. Web. Stolley, Karl. MLA Formatting and Style Guide. The OWL at Purdue. 10 May 2006. Purdue University Writing Lab. 28 January 2011.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Comparison between MLA and APA Formatting specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn Mo re UC Berkley-Teaching Library Internet Workshops. Tutorial Table of Contents, 2005. Web.

The Bastille, and its Role in the French Revolution

The Bastille, and its Role in the French Revolution The Bastille is one of the most famous fortifications in European history, almost entirely because of the central role it plays in the mythology of the French Revolution. Form and Prison A stone fortress based around eight circular towers with five foot thick walls, the Bastille was smaller than later paintings have made it look, but it was still a monolithic and imposing structure that reached to seventy-three feet in height. It was built in the fourteenth century to defend Paris against the English and started to be used as a prison in the reign of Charles VI. This was still its most (in)famous function by the era of Louis XVI, and the Bastille had seen a lot of prisoners across the years. Most people had been imprisoned on the orders of the king with any trial or defense and were either nobles who had acted against the interests of the court, Catholic dissidents, or writers who were deemed seditious and corrupting. There was also a notable number of people whose families had deemed them stray and appealed to the king to have locked up for their (family’s) sake. By the time of Louis XVI conditions in the Bastille were better than popularly portrayed. The dungeon cells, whose damp hastened illness, were no longer in use, and most prisoners were housed in the middle layers of the building, in cells sixteen feet across with rudimentary furniture, often with a window. Most prisoners were allowed to bring their own possessions, with the most famous example being the Marquis de Sade who bought a vast quantity of fixtures and fittings, as well as an entire library. Dogs and cats were also permitted, to eat any rats. The governor of the Bastille was given a fixed amount for each rank of prisoner each day, with the lowest being three livres a day for the poor (a figure still better than some Frenchmen lived on), and over five times that for high ranking prisoners. Drinking and smoking were also allowed, as were cards if you shared a cell. A Symbol of Despotism Given that people could end up in the Bastille without any trial, it’s easy to see how the fortress developed its reputation: a symbol of despotism, of the oppression of liberty, of censorship, or royal tyranny and torture. This was certainly the tone taken by writers before and during the revolution, who used the very certain presence of the Bastille as a physical embodiment of what they believed was wrong with the government. Writers, many of whom had been released from the Bastille, described it as a place of torture, of living burial, of body draining, mind-sapping hell. The Reality of Louis XVI’s Bastille This image of the Bastille during the reign of Louis XVI is now largely believed to have been an exaggeration, with a smaller number of prisoners treated better than the general public had been led to expect. While there was undoubtedly a major psychological impact to being kept in cells so thick you couldn’t hear other prisoners – best expressed in Linguet’s Memoirs of the Bastille – things had improved considerably, and some writers were able to view their imprisonment as career building rather than life ending. The Bastille had become a relic of a previous age; indeed, documents from the royal court shortly before the revolution reveal plans had already been developed to knock the Bastille down and replace it with public works, including a monument to Louis XVI and freedom. The Fall of the Bastille On July 14th, 1789, days into the French Revolution, a massive crowd of Parisians had just received arms and cannon from the Invalides. This uprising believed forces loyal to the crown would soon attack to try and coerce both Paris and the revolutionary National Assembly, and were seeking weapons to defend themselves. However, arms needed gunpowder, and much of that had been moved to the Bastille by the crown for safety. A crowd thus gathered around the fortress, fortified by both the urgent need for powder, but by hatred for almost everything they believed was wrong in France. The Bastille was unable to mount a long-term defense as, while it had a forbidding number of guns, it had few troops and only two days worth of supplies. The crowd sent representatives into the Bastille to order the guns and powder be handed over, and while the governor – de Launay – declined, he did remove the weapons from the ramparts. But when the representatives left, a surge from the crowd, an accident involving the drawbridge, and the panicked actions of the crowd and soldiers led to a skirmish. When several rebel soldiers arrived with cannon, de Launay decided it was best to seek some sort of compromise for his men and their honor, although he did consider detonating the powder and most of the surrounding area with it. The defenses were lowered and the crowd rushed in. Inside the crowd found just seven prisoners, including four forgers, two insane, and one stray aristocrat. This fact was not allowed to ruin the symbolic act of seizing such a major symbol of once all-powerful monarchy. However, as a number of the crowd had been killed in the fighting – later identified as eighty-three instantly, and fifteen later on from injuries – compared to just one of the garrison, the crowd’s anger demanded a sacrifice, and de Launay was picked. He was marched through Paris and then murdered, his head being displayed on a pike. Violence had bought the second major success of the revolution; this apparent justification would bring many more changes over the next few years. Aftermath The fall of the Bastille left the population of Paris with the gunpowder for their recently seized weapons, giving the revolutionary city the means to defend itself. Just as the Bastille had been a symbol of royal tyranny before it fell, so after it was swiftly transformed by publicity and opportunism into a symbol of freedom. Indeed the Bastille â€Å"was much more important in its â€Å"afterlife† than it ever had been as a working institution of the state. It gave shape and an image to all the vices against which the Revolution defined itself.† (Schama, Citizens, p. 408) The two insane prisoners were soon sent to an asylum, and by November a fevered effort had demolished most of the Bastille’s structure. The King, although encouraged by his confidants to leave for a border area and hopefully more loyal troops, conceded and pulled his forces away from Paris and began to accept the revolution. Bastille Day is still celebrated in France each year.

True Grit by Charles Portis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

True Grit by Charles Portis - Research Paper Example However, Mattie goes after them and La Boeuf expresses his displeasure by switching her with her rod, and Cogburn intervenes. Mattie and her team, in their pursuit of Chaney, find two criminals, Moon, Quincy, and as Cogburn interrogates Moon, Quincy kills him, and thereafter Cogburn shoots Quinsy dead. The Pepper gang knowing the hideout of Chaney arrives at the dugout where Cogburn and Mattie hide. They kill two members of the gang but Pepper manages to escape. In the same hideout, Mattie meets Chaney and tries to kill him but to no avail. He grabs Mattie dragging her to Ned who intervenes by threatening to murder Chaney if he kills her. Consequently, she is saved by LaBouef who knocks Chaney. After this, they devise a plan on how to confront Ned and his gang. Cogburn decides to fight against Ned’s team, assassinating two and wounding Ned. LaBoeuf kills Pepper, and Mattie, using a rifle, kills Chaney. In the fight, Mattie loses one arm that results from snake bite and the movie ends by the death of Cogburn. The 2010 sequence of True Grit was produced by the two Coen brothers and it is borrowed from Charles Portis novel of 1968 entitled True Grit.The version stars Hailee Steinfeld, who takes the character of Mattie Ross, and Jeff Bridges, as Reuben J, a US Marshall. Other actors in the movie are Barry Pepper, Matt Damon, and Jeff Bridges. The production of the movie was in March 2010 and was officially released in the United States of America on December 2010 (Portis & Tartt 24).

Theory of Evolution and Evidence for Natural Selection Assignment

Theory of Evolution and Evidence for Natural Selection - Assignment Example Evolution occurs at different paces for different species. While it took a very long time for human beings to evolve from ape like primates into the modern Homo sapiens, for simpler organisms, evolution occurs over smaller time frames. For instance, quite a few bacteria have become resistant to anti-biotic drugs. Anti biotic drugs have been used only for the last eighty odd years and initially the bacteria could be killed by these drugs. But in recent times through evolution, the bacteria have become resistant to these anti-biotics. Evolution is caused by a process know an â€Å"natural selection† which was first coined By Charles Darwin in his famous book â€Å"On the Origin of Species† published in 1859. The idea behind natural selection is that certain features provides organisms with advantages that lead to easier survival in the environment. And this survival in turn leads to passing on of these features into future generations. A good example is that of the long neck of the Giraffe. Since longer necks allowed the ancestors of the Giraffe to access food located higher or more difficult places, those with longer necks survived better and thus the genes of the longer neck got passed on to future generations. Over time, the neck grew to the very tall stature that we observe today in the present day Giraffe. Taxonomy Taxonomy is the scientific classification of all living species. The classification is based upon a system of rankings. The primary unit in the process of classification in the domain of all living things is the â€Å"kingdom†. ... There are 5 possible kingdoms and all living things belong to any one of these with the notable exception of some symbionts like lichen which belong to two kingdoms. These are as follows: 1. Monera/Prokaryotes: simplest living organisms such as archaea and bacteria 2. Protista/Eukaryotes: unicellar organisms, i.e., living organisms with only one cell. 3. Fungi: moulds, mushrooms etc belong to this class. 4. Plantae: all plant life belongs to this kingdom, so instances are trees, grass, moss etc. 5. Animalia: is the kingdom of all animals which includes humans. The second rank in the taxonomy belongs to the Phyllum. So, the members of a certain kingdom are classified into different Phylla (plural form of Phyllum). Each Phyllum in turn is split into classes, and these classes are further divided into orders. For example, meat eating animals, known as â€Å"carnivora† are an order. These orders are further classified into families. The cat family, dog family etc are instances of families that belong to the â€Å"carnivore† order. Closely related members of each family are clubbed together under a â€Å"Genus† and the members of each genus which mate naturally are termed a â€Å"species†. There are many species in the world. For instance the crow and the raven, although similar are different species. But they belong to the same genus. These and other genus such as the magpie constitutes the crow family. The crow family along with other families such as the thrush family, swallow family are members of the order of â€Å"songbirds†. Songbirds belong to the class of â€Å"birds† and these are the members of the phylum â€Å"vertebrate†, and vertebrates belong to the kingdom â€Å"Animalia†, or the Animal Kingdom. Population Dynamics Population