LAW FOR BUSINESS Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

LAW FOR BUSINESS Assignment - Essay Example Thus the law on tort has allowed and provided compensation in respect of economic losses that arise directly out of the physical loss, which has not been problematic, but there have been instances when a causal link with the injury and the economic loss could not be made. (Pritchard v. Cobden)1. The problem that lies is in the compensation for losses which are financial or pecuniary in nature, or in other words the loss cannot be in any attributed to or have no connection whatsoever with the personal or physical harm that has been caused to the claimant, this is what has been termed as pure economic loss. These type of losses can include the financial loss or expenditure which resulted from the negligence of the defendant. Therefore for the majority of cases under this head there is an exclusionary rules which bars recovery in these cases and liability is the exception. (Deakin et al 2003) It has been argued that the courts in the instance of personal injury tend to compute loss of f uture earnings which are as difficult to calculate as would be pure economic loss. Furthermore in Canadian National Railway v. ... ment that has been most often cited by the court is that the if the exclusionary rule is not present than the ‘floodgates’ in respect of such liability would open, whereby there would endless claims against the defendants. This has been argued to be a weak argument because extensive liabilities can be found in respect of claims of physical damage for example large scale pollution. (Elliott et al 2007) A better argument in that respect would be the fact that if such an open ended duty of care is imposed in respect of economic loss then there remains the danger of indeterminate liability that is unpredictability in respect of the number of claimants as well as the size of claim. An important example that has been given in this respect is where due to an accident on the highway the motorist who was negligent is held to owe a duty to all those who were stuck in a traffic jam as a result of the accident in respect of their loss of earnings. (J.Stapleton, ‘Duty of Care a nd Economic Loss- A Wider Agenda’)3. Therefore a line of exclusion has been drawn. There has been an argument from Professor Feldthusen that all cases in respect of pure economic loss should not be covered under one heading and therefore a disctinction in this respect should be made for each area. Question 2Â   In the case of Hedley Byrne v. Heller4 the courts did not find any negligence misstatement because of the fact that there had been a disclaimer in the remarks that is the term without responsibility whereby the possibility of a duty of care was extinguished.The position in respect of accountant’s liability can be seen from the decision of House of Lords in Caparo v. Dickman5 whereby for the establishment of a duty of care a reformed three stage test was laid down. The first requirement was

Macbeth explores ambition and its consequences Essay Example for Free

Macbeth explores ambition and its consequences Essay Macbeth explores ambition and its consequences and I am going to show how he successfully portrays this exploration and where in the play examples of this can be found. In scene three of act one, the witches for the second time in the play are seen. This time they are bragging about their unnatural actions and their powers over the human world. Macbeth and Banquo appear on what Macbeth describes as an unusually, foul and fair day. A foul day would be commenting on the weather but a fair day since they have just been triumphant in a defeat in battle. This description of the day by Macbeth could also mean something else too. It could also represent what is about to happen as well. Fair prophecies are to be told soon, but at the same time they may turn out to be foul. When Macbeth and Banquo confront the witches, they are unsure of what or who they are. Unsure of whether they are mortal or immortal due to the things they are saying and how they appear since they have beards like men. This can be seen when Banquo says, What are these,/ So withered, and so wild in their attire,/ That not look like th inhabitants o th earth,/ And yet ont? Live you, or are you aught/ That man may question? You seem to understand/ By each at once her choppy finger laying/ Upon her skinny lips. You should be women,/ And yet your beards forbid me to interpret/ That you are so. Then each of the witches hail Macbeth in three different ways. The first is Thane of Glamis. The second witch, Thane of Cawdor. The third witch hails Macbeth and speaks of him as King of Scotland thereafter. Banquo then questions the witches as to what they have to say to him. The first two witches build up to the third witchs comment that Banquos descendants will be kings. After this, Macbeth begins to question the witches for more information as to how these prophesies are to come true and how they know this information. All of a sudden the witches vanish into thin air leaving Banquo and Macbeth to talk about what has just happened and what has been said. Ross and Angus (two of Macbeths men) arrive and tell Macbeth of his elevation to Thane of Cawdor, and that the former thane is to be executed for treason. Macbeth and Banquo are in disbelief after being told this since what the witches have told them is really happening. Macbeth is now intent in believing he is to be king due to this occurrence of him becoming Thane of Cawdor. Banquo warns Macbeth that evil is at work even though such good things are being predicted and happening. Banquo is sure there is something sinister behind it all. Macbeth doesnt want to hear what Banquo is telling him and begins to imagine what King of Scotland would mean for him. Macbeth and Banquo decide to let future take care of itself and agree to discuss this matter at a more convenient time. It is already clear that the two men arent in agreement about the situation. Macbeth believes what the witches have told them, since part of what they have already said has come true. Banquo on the other hand is doubtful about what is happening and believes something evil and sinister is happening. Banquo is thinking logically and being very conscious about the current situation. Already ambition and temptation is effecting Macbeths actions and thoughts. Doubtfulness and a disagreement in opinion is the only thing challenging their relationship so far but it could get a lot worse. At this point the reader may feel that Banquo is trying to tell Macbeth to not read too deeply into these prophecies told by the witches since they are believed to be evil by him. But on the other hand Banquo may be regarded as jealous towards Macbeth about his good fortunes that are occurring. I think Banquo being regarded as jealous, is thought of more by Macbeth rather than the reader. Macbeth may see Banquo as a threat since his descendants may challenge Macbeths position in years to come when he believes he shall be king of Scotland. Macbeths ambition within this scene has not yet caused consequences but may do in later scenes to come. When Macbeth enters and Lady Macbeth explains to him what her plans are of killing the king Macbeth does not appear as enthusiastic about the idea and is hesitant. He immediately explains that Duncan will be departing next day. But Lady Macbeth simply says that he shall not see tomorrow and to leave the plans to her. It is understandable for Macbeth not to be all that enthusiastic about the idea of killing the king due to many aspects. These aspects include, Duncan being a relative of Macbeths, the potential of being caught, and also a matter of killing someone just to steal a title which belongs to an ally of his. Ambition from Lady Macbeth seems to be a threat towards Macbeth. Her violent, blistering soliloquies in act one, scene five, testify to her strength of will, which completely eclipses that of her husband. The witches are the cause of Lady Macbeths actions and ideas. Their prophecies have so far influenced both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, although Lady Macbeth considerably more so at this point within the play. In scene six Duncan arrives at Macbeths castle and is greeted warmly by Lady Macbeth. A very false greeting since the thoughts and ideas running through her mind are far more different than what she is expressing to Duncan in greeting him. This is false sense of security from Lady Macbeth towards Duncan. Ambition is feeding this false sense of security from Lady Macbeth towards Duncan since this is part of her plan to kill the king. Scene seven begins with Macbeth debating to himself the options he has in murdering or not murdering Duncan. He says that the deed would be easy if he could be certain that it would not set in motion a series of terrible consequences. He then considers the reasons why he ought not to kill Duncan. The reasons include: Macbeth is Duncans kinsman, subject and host. For someone to be related to and host someone else, then murder them is seen upon as inconceivable. He then comes to the decision to not kill Duncan since the only thing to drive his actions of killing the king would be his ambition, which he sees as an unreliable guide. Lady Macbeth is now expressing outrage towards Macbeth and trying to gain sympathy from him towards her since she has just told him that he is not providing her with enough love just because he wont kill Duncan. This is a very desperate resort that further expresses Lady Macbeths character towards the audience. Ambition is driving her evil actions. As Macbeth begins to waver after Lady Macbeths insults towards him, she then explains her plan. Immediately after she has explained her plan, Macbeth is surprised by her well thought out plan and her boldness/attitude. He then decides to proceed with the murder. Lady Macbeths attitude and ambition is influencing Macbeth to such an extent as to change his feelings and ideas towards the subject. This emphasises the power of ambition expressed from one person towards another. The witches prophecises and Lady Macbeths ambition together have made Macbeths ideas and opinions change completely. In act two, scene 1, Banquo and Fleance are walking along the hall way of Macbeths castle. Banquo tells his son, Fleance, about him being unable to sleep properly due to cursed thoughts and dreams. This shows that the three witches are having an effect upon Banquo. When Banquo and his son are confronted by Macbeth in the hall way, Banquo speaks of the witches telling some truth. Macbeth replies in an innocent way and says, I think not of them./ Yet when we can entreat an hour to serve,/ We would spend it in some words upon that business Macbeth is telling Banquo a blatant lie about his thoughts and feelings about the witches. Macbeth tells Banquo that he has thought nothing of them since the night they both confronted them. They then both agree to talk about the subject of the witches and their prophecies at a later time. Lady Macbeths plans have made Macbeth lie to his own friend and a great friend of that who he fought with side by side in battle. If Macbeth had told Banquo the truth in that he had been thinking about the witches a lot of the time, Banquo may suspect something when the king is killed in Macbeths own home and then Macbeth becomes king! Banquos knowledge of the witches prophecy makes him both a potential ally and a potential threat to Macbeths plotting. For now, Macbeth seems distrustful of Banquo and pretends to have hardly thought of the witches, but Macbeths desire to discuss the prophecies at some future time suggests that he may have some sort of conspiratorial plans in mind. The appearance of Fleance, Banquos son, serves as a reminder of the witches prediction that Banquos children will sit on the throne of Scotland. We realize that if Macbeth succeeds in the murder of Duncan, he will be driven to still more violence before his crown is secure, and Fleance will be in immediate and mortal danger. Ambition and determination from both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth will drive someone to killing Fleance or Banquo or even both at some point since these characters are potential threats in preventing Macbeth to remaining king of Scotland. As soon as Macbeth and Fleance depart and leave Macbeth alone, Macbeth imagines that he sees a dagger leading/pointing him in the direction to Duncans room. Macbeth tries to grasp the weapon and fails. He wonders whether what he sees is real or a, A dagger of the mind, a false creation,/ Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain? Macbeth decides that the vision of the dagger was simply a manifestation of his unease over killing Duncan. It is obvious that Macbeth is not overly confident nor enthusiastic about the matter of murdering Duncan but his lover has literally forced him into this position through mockery and ambition. As Macbeth hears the signal of the bell rung by Lady Macbeth he heads off to the kings room and commits the murder and says, I go, and it is done./ The bell invites me./ Hear it not Duncan, for it is knell/ That summons thee to heaven or to hell. This is Macbeths concluding speech before going on to commit the murder of Duncan. In act two at the beginning of scene one, Lady Macbeth is waiting for Macbeth to return, is found contemplating to herself about drugging the kings guards and congratulating herself as to how bold she is to carry out such actions. She also asks herself what gave her such courage, evil or sinister spirits perhaps as she asked for earlier on in the play? She says this at the beginning of scene two act one, That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold;/ What hath quenched them hath given me fire./ Hark! Peace! She obviously doesnt want anyone else to hear what she is saying since she appears startled when Macbeth enters. Macbeth appears dazed and obsessed with thoughts of damnation after committing the murder. Lady Macbeth notices the blood drenched daggers within the hands of Macbeths. She tells him to pull himself together after this dreadful mistake and also shouting, Whos there? What ho! Lady Macbeth warns Macbeth that he may have woken the guards after that silly act of shouting and tells him to return the daggers to the guards as planned. Macbeth refuses and so Lady Macbeth places the daggers next to the guards herself. Effects of shock and disbelief are gradually setting into Macbeth and this can be seen by his type of language spoken. This can be seen when Lady Macbeths tells him to return the daggers and he replies, Ill go no more./ I am afraid to think what I have done./ Look ont again I dare not. Macbeth appears to be unable to face up to what he has done, not even to himself, and is ashamed of himself after carrying out the murder. He is in shock and in denial over the whole situation. Macbeth appears scared and frightened of his own actions and all of this because ambition from Lady Macbeth and Macbeth. As the two go to wash their hands and prepare to get changed into their night clothes there is a knocking on the door of the castle and the murderer and his accomplice frantically get changed so to enable no one to suspect them as the possible murderers. The effect on Lady Macbeth after her trip into Duncans bedroom is particularly striking. She claims that she would have killed Duncan herself except that he resembled her father sleeping. This is the first time Lady Macbeth shows herself to be at all vulnerable. Her comparison of Duncan to her father suggests that despite her desire for power and her harsh chastisement of Macbeth, she sees her king as an authority figure to which she must be loyal. Also after the murdering of Duncan an important aspect to remember is that physical evidence can be washed away, like the blood to be washed off the skin of the hands, but emotional and mental feelings cannot be so easily removed and disposed of. This can be seen a little later in the play when Macbeth begins to act disturbingly and struggles to hold in his feelings. In the first scene of act three, Banquo is summing up the current situation. He has now witnessed two of the witches prophecies coming true, why not the next? If the next prophecy comes true that means Banquos descendants shall become king. Ambition and hope is now feeding Banquos motivation towards believing that the next prophecy shall come true. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are now attempting to put Banquos mind at ease by inviting him to a feast. Doing this they hope to prevent Banquo getting suspicious about the murder of Duncan and so not think it was Macbeth and Lady Macbeth who were involved in the murder. If they both tried to avoid any sort of contact with Banquo, it would seem suspicious and suspect since he is such a good friend of Macbeths. Macbeth goes onto tell Banquo that they must discuss the problem of Malcom and Donalbain fleeing and therefore possibly intending to plot against the crown. So far, Macbeth is covering is guilt very successfully and appearing genuine and true towards Banquo. A false sense of security is given from Macbeth towards Banquo. When Banquo departs, Macbeth remains on stage and begins a soliloquy. The soliloquy is of Macbeths thoughts about Banquo and the threat he holds with Fleance too. He speaks of how he may have killed Duncan only for their sake in the future to come. He fears killing Duncan has assisted them in becoming king a lot sooner than Macbeth wants. Macbeths best friend is now is worst threat. Banquo and Fleance are a great threat towards Macbeths position of kingship. Macbeths and his Ladys ambition for wanting everything and nothing but the best in kingship is beginning to have its consequences. Macbeth now knows he must get rid of both Banquo and Fleance so to prevent any such threat remaining towards Macbeth and his position as king of Scotland. He speaks with two murderers to whom he had already spoken the day before, assuring them that their misfortunes are Banquos fault. He tries to urge them to take revenge upon Banquo and his family. He tries to persuade the two murderers that if they carry the intended job out, that then proves them to be real men. They agree to the proposed job Macbeth is telling them to do and he stresses to kill both of them, Banquo and Fleance. Macbeth is now needing more people killed (to feed his ambition and determination in becoming king) although not carrying the offence out himself. This may be due to the fact that killing Duncan is taking effect and that Macbeth can not bear to kill another friend of his just for his good. This killing is an act of selfishness, greediness and desperation. He may not be carrying out the murder himself because he feels he is unable to kill such a dear friend and a friend he has fought side by side with in battle. He also may not want to murder Banquo and Fleance because it may appear suspicious if another murder occurs and no witnesses available to say where Macbeth was at the time. If people know where Macbeth is, they cannot suspect him of being guilty for the murder. Macbeth doesnt want to risk being caught by anyone and so has appoint these two men to do the job for him. Macbeth has no hesitation in killing Banquo and Fleance, which shows his ambition and determination is driving his actions. Macbeths conscience is no longer a part of his decisions he makes. Ambition appears to have replaced common sense. He is organising the death of one of his best friends and his friends son just so he can remain as king. Its hard to believe that the murders Macbeth is responsible for (in carrying out and planning) have all been down to prophecies told and Macbeths and Lady Macbeths ambition and determination in making the prophecies happen. Macbeth now appears more able and independent, since Lady Macbeth has had no say in the plan of killing Banquo and Fleance, that we are aware of. Lady Macbeths ambition and determination earlier on in killing Duncan is now consequently making Macbeth more determined to remain king. This is an awful consequence due to the fact that innocent friends and relatives of Macbeths are dying just so Macbeth and Lady Macbeth can preserve their hierarchal status. These are very selfish and ambitious ways of keeping it their own way, the way they want it to be. In scene two, act three, Lady Macbeth is urging Macbeth to put the past behind him due to being uneasy about how Macbeth is. Macbeth hints that he has a plan that is intended to be carried out that evening. He gives no details but he believes she will approve of his plans and actions. Macbeth, through Lady Macbeths eyes, is now appearing to be in full control of making sure that he remains king and she remains queen of Scotland. It is clear that Lady Macbeth is uneasy about it, but she covers her feelings when around Macbeth. After all it was her motivation and ambition that has made Macbeth what he is now both king but at the same time a ruthless killer if needs be just to hold the current position of king. It is clear now that Macbeths ambition is feeding his motivation. In scene four, this is where it all starts to go wrong for Macbeth and for Lady Macbeth too. Macbeth learns that only Banquo was murdered and Fleance escaped from the attempt at killing both. Macbeth is angered at this result and tells himself, There the grown serpent lies;/ the worm thats fled Hath nature that in time will venom breed He basically talks of how Banquo (the grown serpent) lies dead but the younger and growing boy, Fleance (the worm) is still at large and later in life he will pose a threat. Shakespeare refers to the pair as snakes and worms due to the fact that they can strike at any time and are hard to kill or catch. This sums up Fleance perfectly since he could strike at any time and therefore pose a threat, and also is hard to kill. This is disastrous for Macbeth and Lady Macbeth because it is Fleance that must be killed since he is the main threat towards Macbeths kingship. If Banquo survived suspicions would arise, but with Banquo dead and Fleance still alive, suspicions are still going to occur and also the threat is still at large for Macbeth and his lady. As the banquet begins and Macbeth sits down with his friends to eat he finds a ghost of Banquo sat in his seat. Invisible to anyone else at the banquet, Macbeth begins to talk to the ghost in the chair although through the eyes of the people attending the banquet it would appear to be Macbeth talking to a chair. If he starts saying too much he may give away information about murders that they have planned and carried out to the other guests. The side effects of the deception, ambition and lies are now beginning to take effect on Macbeth. He is hallucinating images of his victim which means he is worrying about the matter a great deal. All this is a consequence of over ambitious actions carried out by both Lady Macbeth and Macbeth himself. Shakespeare fundamentally shows ambition in two different ways in Macbeth. He shows how ambition can have dreadful consequences and how it can ruin your life. In Macbeths case he dies which is the ultimate price to pay for his ambition and attempting to change natures course. Shakespeare also shows ambition as a good thing through Banquos actions as he stays level headed and lives life each day at a time. Banquo and his role in Macbeth represent the better side of ambition but Macbeth represents the worst side of ambition. Ambition is generally looked upon as a good aspect to a person, but Shakespeare successfully shows how ambition can be both good and bad and what consequences can occur if you have too much of it in Macbeth.

Belief in a God is necessary for a moral society Essay -- essays resea

Belief in a God is necessary for a moral society Religion in the world has always been considered a rather important aspect of society. Although this is true, there are still people that question the existence of God. A survey done among 1000 people showed that 65 percent of Americans believe that religion is losing its influence on American life (Sheler, 8). Even so, Belief in a God is necessary for a moral society because since the beginning of history man has always made up some sort of role model to explain events and situations that seem inexplicable, God gives people a sense of comfort and hope to know they aren’t alone, and when a society believes in a God, there is a religion behind it that gives ethics and values that they must comply to. Historically, the world has always used a higher being for a reason for the events that occur in their lives. They would look upon the bible to find answers from God or they would just use prayer to find them. The bible has always been used for the purpose of spreading the word of God. However, it is looked at in many different ways. Technically it is said to be the actual word of God to be taken literally, word for word. Historically, the bible was a book written by the existing disciples of Jesus Christ, the son of God who is said to be the Savior (Sheler, 8). For the most part the bible isn’t interpreted that way anymore. People consider the bible to be a book that is full of the inspired of word of God, but something not to b...

Examining a Business Failure – Tyco

Examining a Business Failure – Tyco Examining a Business Failure – Tyco Introduction This paper will describe how specific organizational behavior theories could have predicted the failure Tyco International (Tyco). This paper will discuss the contributions of leadership, management, and organizational structures to the organizational failure of Tyco. Organizational Behavior Organizational behavior is a field of study, meaning that it is a distinct area of expertise with a common body of knowledge.Organizational behavior studies three determinants of behavior in organizations: individuals, groups, and structure. In addition, organizational behavior applies the knowledge gained about individuals, groups, and the effect of structure on behavior in order to make organizations work more effectively. Organizational behavior is concerned with the study of what people do in an organization and how their behavior affects the organization’s performance (Robbins & Judge, 2 007).In the case of Tyco, the organizational behavior of the company in 2002 was unethical in nature. Tyco's former CEO Dennis Koslowski, former CFO Mark Swartz, and former General Counsel Mark Belnick were accused of giving themselves interest-free or very low interest loans (sometimes disguised as bonuses) that were never approved by the Tyco board or repaid. Some of these â€Å"loans† were part of a â€Å"Key Employee Loan† program the company offered. They were accused of selling their company stock without telling investors, which is a requirement under SEC rules.Koslowski, Swartz, and Belnick stole $600 million dollars from Tyco through their unapproved bonuses, loans, and extravagant â€Å"company† spending. Rumors of a $6,000 shower curtain, $2,000 trash can, and a $2 million dollar birthday party for Koslowski's wife in Italy are just a few examples of the misuse of company funds. As many as 40 Tyco executives took loans that were later â€Å"forgivenà ¢â‚¬  as part of Tyco's loan-forgiveness program, although it was said that many did not know they were doing anything wrong.Hush money was also paid to those the company feared would â€Å"rat out† Kozlowski. Essentially, they concealed their illegal actions by keeping them out of the accounting books and away from the eyes of shareholders and board members (http://money. howstuffworks. com/cooking-books9. htm). In an organizational world characterized by cutbacks, expectations of increasing worker productivity, and tough competition in the marketplace, it is not surprising that many employees feel pressured to cut corners, break rules, and engage in other forms of questionable practices.What constitutes good ethical behavior has never been clearly defined. Employees see people all around them engaging in unethical practices. (Robbins ; Judge, 2007). Leadership Failure The senior managers at Tyco failed as leaders. They forgot that leadership was about serving others and no t themselves. But it was also a failure of those who followed the leaders such as the corporate lawyers who failed in their duty to keep the leaders in check. Tyco lawyers wanted to please their bosses; instead they should have stepped in when corporate corruption was evident. Most of the people who became infamous for their misdeeds ; helip; were not evil people,† said William Lytton (general counsel for Tyco in 2002). As Lytton sees it, they lost sight of the cultural boundaries, blinded by their own career advancement goals. That is where the role of the corporate lawyer becomes critical. While it might prove difficult to stop bad things from happening, â€Å"Sometimes, you do need to just say no† (http://www. vermontlaw. edu/x7845. xml). Management FailureTyco’s top executives ignored their responsibilities to the laws governing corporate management; ignored responsibilities to their investors and ignored responsibilities to their employees. The planning and management strategies of these executives seem to have been more focused on personal gain than on the best interests of the company and its shareholders. As a result of their greed and fraudulent activities, the top executives at Tyco were indicted and convicted of fraud charges for improper accounting practices as well as unauthorized use of company funds for personal gain.One viewpoint on leadership is that it occurs only when people are influenced to do what is ethical and beneficial for the organization and themselves. This definition of leadership does not include influence attempts that are irrelevant or detrimental to followers, such as a leader’s attempts to gain personal benefits at the followers’ expense (Yukl, 2006). In the case of Tyco, when Ed Breen took over as CEO, he fired 290 of the 300 managers who were employed at Tyco during the Kozlowski era along with the other senior managers.He wanted to bring in new management and employees who would help build Tyco’s reputation up and create an ethical firm that consumers and shareholders could trust again. Organizational Failure While the organization was not solely to blame for Tyco’s failure, Tyco could have taken preventive measures which would have avoided this situation entirely, such as: o created codes of ethics to guide employees through ethical dilemmas o implemented policies for enforcing those codes create a corporate governance department and hire experienced professionals to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations are adhered to o offer seminars, workshops, and similar training programs to try to improve ethical behaviors Today’s manager needs to create an ethically healthy climate for his or her employees, where they can do their work productively and confront a minimal degree of ambiguity regarding what constitutes right and wrong behaviors.In upcoming chapters, we’ll discuss the kinds of actions managers can take to create an ethi cally healthy climate and help employees sort through ethically ambiguous situations. We’ll also present ethical-dilemma exercises at the end of each chapter that will allow you to think through ethical issues and assess how you would handle those (Robbins ; Judge, 2007). Summary In 2002, Tyco was controlled by unethical businessmen more interested in personal gain than creating a successful company that shareholders, employees and consumers could trust, respect and benefit from.They failed as leaders and managers; and as a result, made the organization as a whole suffer. They acquired businesses quickly, falsified accounting records, took out personal loans, withheld information from the public as well as shareholders, and caused the market share of the company to drop dramatically. All of this unethical business activity could have been avoided had an official corporate governance department been in place and a company code of ethics policy implemented.References Robbins, S . P. ; Judge, T. A. (2007). Organizational Behavior, Twelfth Edition: Prentice Hall. Obringer, L. (1998-2009). How Cooking the Books Works. http://money. howstuffworks. com/ cooking-books9. htm: HowStuffWorks, Inc. Staff Report (2008). Lessons of Tyco: Just Say No. http://www. vermontlaw. edu/x7845. xml: Vermont Law School. Yukl, G. (2006) Leadership in Organizations, Sixth Edition: Pearson Prentice Hall. ming

Electrochemistry experimen Essay

Introduction: Redox reactions are reactions where the oxidation states of the atoms change. The atoms are either oxidized or reduced, depending if they lose or gain electrons. Electrochemical cells are devices that cause a current from redox reactions. It is set up so that electrons lost from one of the reagents can travel to another reagent. This creates a voltage, which is also known as the electric potential difference. This voltage can be read if a high-resistance voltmeter or multimeter is connected to the circuit. Salt bridge is used to allow migration of ions between two electric cells to maintain neutrality of solutions. It is usually made up of a filter paper moistened with an inert solution or an inert solution/gelatine salt bridge to prevent oxidation of certain ions. This experiment is divided into 2 parts: part A and part B. Part A Objective: To investigate the effect of change in lead(II) ion concentration on the potential of the Pb2+(aq) |Pb(s) electrode Introduction: This experiment investigates the e. m. f. of the cell: Cu(s) |Cu2+(aq) |Pb2+(aq)|Pb(s). Keeping the ion concentration in the copper electrode system constant(1M) and varying the ion concentration in the lead electrode system, the effect of change in lead(II) ion concentration on the potential of electrode as well as the Kc of the above reaction can be found. Chemicals: Copper foil x1, lead foil x1, 1M Cu2+ solution, 0. 1M Pb2+ solution, saturated potassium nitrate solution Apparatus: 250 cm3 beakers, 50cm3 beakers multimeter, distilled water bottle, filter papers, electrical wires with electrode holders, forceps, 100ml volumetric flask,10ml pipette x2, dropper Procedure: 1. The 0. 1M, 0. 01M, 0. 001M, 0. 0001M Pb2+ solutions were prepared from 0. 1M Pb2+ solution by dilution(1 portion solution plus 10 portions water). 2. The copper and lead electrodes were cleaned with a sand paper. 3. The circuit was connected as the diagram below. 4. The e. m. f. was recorded when the data shown was stable. 5. The above steps(2-4) were repeated with 0. 01M, 0. 001M and 0. 0001M Pb2+ solutions. Safety precaution: Potassium nitrate solution: Contact with combustible material may lead to fire 1M Copper(II) sulphate solution: harmful and irritating to eyes and skin. –>Safety goggles should be worn. Experimental set-up Results: [Pb2+]/M log[Pb2+] E/V 0. 1 -1 0. 482 0. 01 -2 0. 502 0. 001 -3 0. 521 0. 0001 -4 0. 545 Graph of E against log [Pb2+]: Trend shown: Given the ion concentration in the copper electrode system constant, it is found that the potential of the cell drops as the lead(II) ion concentration increase. The electrode potential is inversely proportional to the ten folds of ion concentrations. Calculation: When the reaction Cu2+(aq) + Pb(s) –> Pb2+(aq) + Cu(s) achieves equilibrium, the net e. m. f. of the cell=0 volt. The equilibrium expression of this reaction is: Kc= [ Pb2+(aq)][ Cu(s)] /[Cu2+(aq)][ Pb(s)] The effective concentration of Pb(s)/ Cu(s) are independent of its amount present and can be considered as constant. This reduces the expression to Kc= [ Pb2+(aq)] /[Cu2+(aq)] = 1Ãâ€"1021 Conclusion The potential of the cell decreases ad the ion concentration of Pb2+ increases. Further Analysis: Using the Nernst equation: E=E? -0. 059/n log[ox]/[red], Take [Pb2+]=0. 1 M as an example, E=0. 47-0. 059/2 log(0. 1/1)=0. 4405(V) [Pb2+]/M log[Pb2+] E/V(calculated) E/V(measured) %difference 0. 1 -1 0. 4405 0. 482 9. 42% 0. 01 -2 0. 529 0. 502 5. 10%.0. 001 -3 0. 5585 0. 521 6. 71% 0. 0001 -4 0. 588 0. 545 7. 31% It is shown that difference is present between the calculated value and measured value. This may be because of different conditions, resistance of the multimeter or errors in preparation of various concentrations of solutions. Part B Objective: To find out the equilibrium constant by e. m. f. measurement Introduction: The equilibrium constant for the below reaction is found out: Ag+(aq) + Fe2+(aq) Fe3+ (aq) + Ag(s) By e. m. f. measurement on the cell Pt |Fe2+(aq), Fe3+(aq)|Ag+(aq)|Ag(s) Chemicals: 0. 1 M Fe3+ solution, 0. 2 M iron(II)sulphate, 0. 2M barium nitrate, 0. 4M silver nitrate, platinum electrode, silver electrode Apparatus: gelatine salt bridge, 250 cm3 beakers, 50cm3 beakers ,multimeter, distilled water bottle, electrical wires with electrode holders, forceps, 10ml pipette x2 Procedure: 1. Equal volumes of 0. 2M FeSO4 and 0. 2M Ba(NO3)2 were mixed and the precipitate was allowed to settle without disturbance. 2. Equal volumes of 0. 1M iron(II) nitrate solution obtained and the iron(III)nitrate solution were mixed. This was the Fe2+(aq)/Fe2+(aq) half-cell. 3. The 0. 4M, 0. 2M, 0. 1M, 0. 05M, 0.025M silver nitrate solutions were prepared from 0. 4M silver nitrate solution by dilution. 4. The silver electrode was cleaned with a sand paper. 5. The circuit was connected as the diagram below. 6. The e. m. f. was recorded when the data shown was stable. 7. The above steps (4-6) were repeated with 0. 2M, 0. 1M, 0. 05M, 0. 025M silver nitrate solutions. Safety Precaution: Silver nitrate: harmful and oxidizing; 1) Poisonous if swallowed or inhaled 2) Skin contact with silver nitrate solid or solutions is likely to leave silver stains on the skin. Barium nitrate is poisonous and very harmful if swallowed. It is also a strong oxidizer, so may be hazardous if mixed with flammable materials. Experimental Set-upResults: [Ag+]/M log[Ag+] E/V 0. 4 -0. 398 0. 023 0. 2 -0. 699 0. 005 0. 1 -1 -0. 030 0. 05 -1. 301 -0. 050 0. 025 -0. 025 -0. 053 Graph of E against log[Ag+(aq)]: Calculation: When the reaction reaches equilibrium, both forward and backward reactions proceed to the same extent. This means that both the half cell reactions would have the same potential to proceed, so that the net e. m. f of the cell =0 volt at equilibrium. From the graph, the x-intercept is log[Ag+(aq)]=-0.72, hence,[Ag+(aq)]eqm=0. 1905 Ag+(aq) + Fe2+(aq) Fe3+ (aq) + Ag(s) KC= [Fe3+ (aq)]/ [Ag+(aq)][ Fe2+(aq)] =0. 1/ (0. 1905X0. 1) =5. 2493(mol2dm-6) ~5. 25(mol2dm-6) Conclusion: The equilibrium constant for the reaction between Fe2+/Fe3+ and Ag+ is 5. 25 mol2dm-6. Discussion(for both parts): 1. Possible Errors: -The electrodes (Cu(s),Pb(s),Ag(s)) were not cleaned very well with a sand paper so that they are not conducting electricity in all parts. The e. m. f. measured may hence be underestimated. -The same ammonium nitrate/gelatine salt bridge was used several times in part II of experiment. Ions of previous measurement may remain in the salt bridge and change the concentration of ions in the next measurement. -The apparatus including pipettes, beakers and volumetric flask may not be washed to be very clean. The error in concentration may be enormous when handling very dilute solutions (e. g. 0. 001M, 0. 0001M, 0. 025M) -The electrode touched the salt bridge once so that the accuracy of measurement of e. m. f. was affected. The solution is not exactly passed. -Air gap may be present in the ammonium nitrate/ gelatine salt bridge, increasing the resistance of ion migration. 2. Difference in effect of ion concentration on electrical potential of cell: -In part A, the cell e. m. f. increases as [Pb2+(aq)] decreases. However, in part B, the e. m. f. drops as [Ag+(aq)]. This suggests that when the species is a stronger oxidizing agent in the reaction and undergoes reduction, the presence of its ions tends to increase the e. m. f. whereas the one which undergoes oxidation tends to reduce the e. m. f. The species with more positive standard reduction potential has a positive effect but the one with less positive potential has a negative effect. Reference: Physical Chemistry II by TM Leung and CC Lee( p. 295-298 &299-301).

The conquest of ireland essays

The conquest of ireland essays ENGLISH IMPERAIALISM UNDER HENRY II In 1155 Pope Adrian IV issued a significant bull that changed the history of Ireland and England forever. The papal bull issued gave Henry II, King of England (1154-1189), the right to conquer Ireland . Ireland has gained and lost as a result of English rule. It was rewarded with a stronger Church and a more centralized government. It lost some of its cultural values and customs, as well as its own system government for example; its clan-based hierarchy was removed. Henry IIs control of Ireland was not solely based on the word of Adrian IV, there were a number of nobles who made it possible. One of the most important was Dermot MacMurrough, the king of Linster (an Irish city-state). Linster held in its bounds the main port city between Ireland and England. Being the King of Linster MacMurrough had control over trade and all other maritime activities of Ireland while he was king. Because of their close proximity, trade, and other maritime activity MacMurrough and Henry II developed a close relationship . Shortly after Adrian IV issued the bull, MacMurrough went to Henry II asking for help because he had been banished from Ireland his other Irish nobles. Henry II saw the weak Irish government and the internal quarrels that it created as an opportunity to act on the bull issued to him and agreed to help MacMurrough. Henry II wrote a letter to MacMurrough upon hearing his request for assistance; it is the best evidence of such sentiment. "Henry, king of England, duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, and count of Anjou, to all his liegemen, English, Normans, Welsh, and Scots, and to all other nations subject to his dominion, Sendeth, greeting, Whensoever these our letters shall come unto you, know ye that we have received Dermitius [Dermot], prince of Leinster, unto our grace and favor, -Wherefore, whosoever within the bounds of our territories shall be willing to give him aid, as...

The Inventors Behind the Creation of Television

The Inventors Behind the Creation of Television Television wasnt invented by a single person. The efforts of many people working over the years, together and separately, contributed to the evolution of the technology. At the dawn of television history, two competing experimental approaches  led to the breakthroughs that eventually made the technology possible.  Early inventors attempted to build either a mechanical television based on Paul Nipkows rotating disks or an electronic television using a  cathode ray tube  developed independently in 1907 by English inventor A.A. Campbell-Swinton and Russian scientist Boris Rosing. Because electronic television systems worked better, they eventually replaced mechanical systems. Here is an overview of the major names and milestones behind one of the most important inventions of the 20th century. Mechanical Television Pioneers German inventor  Paul Gottlieb Nipkow developed a rotating disc technology in 1884 called the Nipkow disk to transmit pictures over wires. Nipkow is credited with  discovering televisions scanning principle, in which the light intensities of small portions of an image are successively analyzed and transmitted. In the 1920s, John Logie Baird patented the idea of using arrays of transparent rods to transmit images for television. Bairds 30-line images were the first demonstrations of television by reflected light rather than back-lit silhouettes.  Baird based his technology on Nipkows scanning disc idea and other developments in electronics. Charles Francis Jenkins invented a mechanical television system called Radiovision and claimed to have transmitted the earliest moving silhouette images on June 14, 1923. His company also  opened the first television broadcasting station in the U.S., named W3XK. Electronic Television Pioneers German scientist  Karl Ferdinand Braun entered history books by inventing the cathode ray tube (CRT) in 1897. This picture tube, which for years was the only device that could create the images viewers saw, was the basis for the advent of electronic television. In 1927, American Philo Taylor Farnsworth  became  the first inventor to transmit a television image- a dollar sign- comprising 60 horizontal lines. Farnsworth also developed the dissector tube, the basis of all current electronic televisions. Russian inventor  Vladimir Kosma Zworykin invented an improved cathode ray tube called the kinescope in 1929. Zworykin was one of the first to demonstrate a system with all the features that would come to make up televisions. Additional Television Components In 1947 Louis W. Parker invented the Intercarrier Sound System to synchronize television sound. His invention is used in all television receivers in the world. In June 1956  the TV remote controller first entered the American home. The first TV remote control, called Lazy Bones, was developed in 1950 by Zenith Electronics Corp., then known as Zenith Radio Corp. Marvin Middlemark invented rabbit ears, the once-ubiquitous V-shaped TV antennae, in 1953. His other inventions included a water-powered potato peeler and a rejuvenating tennis ball machine. Plasma TV display panels use small cells containing electrically charged ionized gases to generate high-quality imagery. The first prototype for a plasma display monitor was invented in 1964 by Donald Bitzer, Gene Slottow, and Robert Willson. Other Television Advances In 1925, Russian TV pioneer Zworykin filed a patent disclosure for an all-electronic color television system. Following authorization by the FCC, a color television system began commercial broadcasting on Dec. 17, 1953, based on a system invented by RCA. TV closed captions are hidden in the television video signal, invisible without a decoder. They were first demonstrated in 1972 and debuted the following year on the Public Broadcasting Service. Television content for the World Wide Web was rolled out in 1995. Historys first TV series made available on the Internet was  the public access program Rox.

5 Ways to Reach the Level of Ronald Reagan Speech Writers

5 Ways to Reach the Level of Ronald Reagan Speech Writers 5 Ways to Reach the Level of Ronald Reagan Speech Writers A speech is a kind of presentation that is essential to prepare correctly. Your speech has to captivate the audience and move them in a way that other presentations do not. Ronald Reagan’s performances were always superb, and following his masterful example can give us inspiration to write better. Of course, if we want to reach the highest level of speech writing, we have to practice a lot and sharpen our skills. Here are 5 tips on how to create a perfect speech in the same vein as the famous Ronald Reagan speech writers do this. 1. Profound Research Really do your research – not surface skimming of a few short pieces, but profound research. If you always mull over what you want to talk about for a while before you have to do it, your ideas will not be such a thing that you read off a paper and forget instantly. Instead, they will be a part of you, and your preparation will show in your confidence. A speech is a kind of presentation that you can’t just do off the cuff if you don’t know what you really feel about the particular topic. It should take you some research. 2. Target Audience Try to understand the audience. It is quite important to know whom you will be speaking to. If you’re addressing students, they won’t be interested in knowing how to withdraw an annuity, and if your audience is nothing but pensioners, they won’t be interested in risky investments that take about 30 years to be worthwhile. If there are special interest groups, think about their particular concerns and find a way to involve them in the body of your speech. Don’t think they won’t notice if you leave them out. Seeing things from your audience’s point of view is essential to connect with them while speaking. 3. Personal Experience Tell authentic stories from your own life or the lives of other people whom you know. Nothing gets an audience interested in, like a story where they want to keep listening so they can find out what will happen at the end. It doesn’t have to be a sensational story, and you definitely shouldn’t exaggerate what really happened. Even a short anecdote can help your main points sink in and make them more relatable to your audience – in other words, they bring the speech down from an abstract level to real life. 4. Created List Make a list of points to cover before you begin. In order not to miss anything, you have to make some notes. The order is essential here. You can still look up into the faces of the audience and speak extemporaneously on the same level, but you have to make sure that you are not missing an essential building block. 5. Expressed Emotions Use the emotion of beautiful, poetic language. In no speech of Reagan’s was this more true than in the difficult address he gave following the Challenger’s explosion and the deaths of six crewman and a schoolteacher. Peggy Noonan, a little-known speech writer, has created the perfect words for the occasion by remembering a poem from her childhood and including phrases from it in the speech. Who can forget Reagan saying, â€Å"We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye and ‘slipped the surly bonds of earth’ to ‘touch the face of God.† It is never too late, or too early to practice your writing as well as to sharpen your writing skills. Follow these tips to make your speeches catchy and memorable for the audience.

Learning Outside the Lines by Johathan Mooney and David Cole Essay

Learning Outside the Lines by Johathan Mooney and David Cole - Essay Example There are many students among the class but all the students are not same. Few of them are slow learners and they required special treatment, special efforts for learning. This book is an experience of slow learners who were being criticized for their stupidity. Apart from the constant dereliction they received from everybody they completed their high school and surprisingly they secured their bachelor degree from Ivy League institutions. This book gives very beneficial hints for those students who are struggling with the problem of dyslexia. Moony and Cole in this book also explains about the useful methods of note making, test taking techniques etc. The book is really an ideal guide for the teacher to adopt the ideal methodology of teaching which will be useful for intellectual development of every child. This book is also a source of inspiration for the slow learners and a great motivation for them which they rarely get from the people surrounding them. The stories of both of thes e authors are really inspirational. According to the twenty Forth Annual Report to Congress, US Department of Education, 2002, "As many as 1 out of every 5 people in the United States has a learning disability. Almost 3 million children (ages 6 through 21) have some form of a learning disability and receive special education in school. In fact, over half of all children who receive special education have a learning disability." It means that this number is really remarkable and in such case these children need special provision and study method. They are just in need of motivation to come out of this situation. On this background this book is a very good guide especially for teachers and the parents of such children. Jonathan Moony and David Cole during their school days were insulted and blamed for being stupid students with no ability of learning due to their inability to grasp quickly. Moony says in this book, â€Å"Education is one of the most beautiful and liberating

Application of PPP in the Short Run Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Application of PPP in the Short Run - Essay Example International trade has then been seen to lead to an equalization of purchasing power which economist describe as parity. However, this theory has been seen to have many shortcomings (Wallace, 2007: 34). For instances, the prices of different goods cannot be the same in all countries. This is because there are barriers to trade which lead to the prices increasing gradually as they pass from one country to the next. These include the tariffs, taxes and shipment costs. For instance, a car in America may cost only $5000 but when it is shipped a country such as South Africa, its final cost is $2000 higher than the price it is sold at in America. Other commodities of trade because of their nature cannot be imported to another country. These include services such giving haircuts or other products such as real estate. Moreover, a person in a rural village in Brazil may not have the luxury of choosing different goods or services on the international market and may just end up buying good on the prices offered in their country. Moreover, not all types of goods and services have demand in every country. For instance, America may not have a specific price for a rice harvester because it does not grow rice. The price of a rice harvester would thus only be determined by the countries which have a demand for it such as Vietnam. The cost of living in different countries is different and this definitely affects their purchasing power. For instance, the cost of living in China is way low compared to the cost of living in America (Ullrich, 2009: 78). China applies the strategy of reducing the cost of living in her country so that it can pay her workers lower wages reducing the production cost. This makes her exports cheaper compared to that of other players in the global market giving it a competitive edge. In some instances, PPP has been used to position the exchange rates of new countries or even predict expectations on future exchange rates. There are two versions of PPP that have been used by economist all over the globe. These are relative and absolute PPP. Absolute PPP is the equalization of good’s prices in different countries. Relative PPP on the other hand asserts that the change of exchange rates over time between different countries is relative to the change in prices of standards goods in these countries (Obstfeld &Taylor, 2004: 318).PPP has been seen to prove to hold true in its assumptions in the long run. This is because as a result of removal of trade barriers and enhancement of free trade in the globe, the price of standard goods without the inclusion of costs such as shipment costs, tariffs and taxes is similar around the globe. It would take years for prices of products to be equalized in the globe. However, various economists have argued that PPP do not hold true in the short run. This is because the exchange rates are controlled by the news in the short run. News regarding change in the perceptions of the development of exchange rates in the future has an immediate effect on the current exchange rate. The rates are also influenced by other announcement such as interest rate changes. This paper studies PPP and exchange rates in EU and US to show how PPP cannot hold in the short-term. In the developing countries, PPP is measures using a comparison of the official

Engineering Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Engineering Ethics - Essay Example The NSPE codes of ethics relevant to this case include (NSPE, 2007): 1. â€Å"Engineers shall disclose to their employers or clients potential conflicts of interest or any other circumstances that could influence or appear to influence their professional judgment or the quality of their service.† From the facts presented in this case, I have an obligation to my employers or clients (NSPE, 2007). After conducting research with this local company, I got appealing results, which does not necessarily mean that the results would be in tandem with their expectations. Since I am not sure that the company’s product, urethane, is closest to matching the human muscle response, I should search for more evidence. Otherwise, blindly accepting their concept as true will be acting in violation of the NSPE codes, which states that engineers shall disclose any situation that may impact engineer’s professional judgment or service quality. Therefore, asking for additional funding should allow ample time for establishing the correct results that should be presented to the company leaders. Severally, such moves may be misinterpreted for conflicting interest in an established business venture (Harris, Michael, & Michael, 2009). As such, I should make all my intentions regarding the p roject clear before the company officials prior to requesting for additional funding. This will ensure that doubts that may have existed about my intention of requesting for additional funding are eliminated. ... nces that could influence or appear to influence their professional judgment or the quality of their service.† From the facts presented in this case, I have an obligation to my employers or clients (NSPE, 2007). After conducting research with this local company, I got appealing results, which does not necessarily mean that the results would be in tandem with their expectations. Since I am not sure that the company’s product, urethane, is closest to matching the human muscle response, I should search for more evidence. Otherwise, blindly accepting their concept as true will be acting in violation of the NSPE codes, which states that engineers shall disclose any situation that may impact engineer’s professional judgment or service quality. Therefore, asking for additional funding should allow ample time for establishing the correct results that should be presented to the company leaders. Severally, such moves may be misinterpreted for conflicting interest in an esta blished business venture (Harris, Michael, & Michael, 2009). As such, I should make all my intentions regarding the project clear before the company officials prior to requesting for additional funding. This will ensure that doubts that may have existed about my intention of requesting for additional funding are eliminated. In that sense, I will have acted in the right manner and without violating the NSPE codes of ethics that require engineers to disclose their plans for participating in projects. 3.0 Case Study Three The NSPE codes of ethics relevant to this case include (NSPE, 2007): 1. â€Å"Engineers shall at all times strive to serve the public interest.† 2. â€Å"Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public.† 3. â€Å"Engineers shall disclose to their employers or

Discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Discussion - Assignment Example A good leader to be followed has to possess profound human traits even that are above conventional concept of authority. The qualities of a good leader require skills and knowledge applied in a reliable manner. Leadership is a profound concept, which has more increased complex implications; these are driven by the fast changing world. The leadership role is inevitable reflection of a person’s requires analysis of life’s challenges. In business he have faced numerous challenges one of them being government regulations which include vehicle registration, renewal fees which are sometimes restrictive to new car owners, this may be prohibitive to our business growth. Place licenses are not easy to come by since there are many requirements to be fulfilled before acquiring them. Car inspections have to be done regularly and these may be a problem since it requires a lot of money to achieve it (Ellis 56). Discussion 1b Science and Technology Even, though, technology is on the r ise, it gives them extra work of developing software’s in languages understood by people from certain languages. If not attained, then it is only normal that people will not be able to communicate hence reducing global contact. Science differences range from organization culture to culture of a given community. The given organization is likely to have cultures that do not support the use of internet for communication purposes. Many employees spend many hours in social networking sites that just make them unproductive in terms of their work. On the other side some cultures in communities do not embrace technology use and still embrace the modes of communication that were used in the olden days. It is through such problems that social media does not go to lengths that it would probably reach. The level of education of the user of these technologies off communication also matters in that various gadgets may be produce to ease communication, but not all the people will understand the technology. The individual linguistic activity comes in as, they use difficult terms that may not be conversant with people from older generations are likely to slow down communication process. Misinterpretation may also come in; most people are like to try to interpret the wrong thing to the new trends, people do not like to look outdated. The fact that technology is dynamic everyone will not be able to grasp the new technologies (Ellis 72). Discussion 2a Ethics Business ethics has been defines many researchers differently one being the ability of a business to run without breaking the given laws. This definition shows the link between ethics and legal aspects and how they come in handy. Others have described it as the ability to avoid habits that may tarnish the image of the company to its consumers. On looking at this, it is important for any person planning to venture into a foreign country especially those that are undeveloped to have in mind that the definitions above can act as an important point to note because this could easily result into big losses of money in terms of lawsuits or customer withdrawal. So as the new investor plans to venture into the new country it is important that he trains his employees so that when they go to the new market they are able to work with the new rules that govern business there. The link between business ethics and law is

Reducing the driver texting while driving can significant reduce the Essay

Reducing the driver texting while driving can significant reduce the number of car accident - Essay Example Texting while driving kills thousands of people each year. To stop these completely preventable accidents, every person who drives needs to stop texting in the car and wait to answer the phone. Distracted driving, which is the practice of not paying full attention to the road, is a big killer, and cell phone usage is one key factor. According to the FCC, in 2012 alone â€Å"driver distraction was the cause of 18 percent of all fatal crashes,† totaling more than 3300 deaths and over 421,000 injured people (FCC). While there are a number of ways that drivers could be distracted in their car, text messaging stands out as a very notable culprit. There are a huge amount of at-risk drivers who use cell phones. A poll from 2014 showed that 90% of all Americans own cell phones, 64% of which are smartphones (Pew Research Center). On top of that, studies have found that â€Å"text messaging creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted† (FCC). This is because, as can be imagined, the driver of a car who is trying to text has his or her attention split between a screen and the road. Distracted driving accidents have increased a lot in the past decade due to an increase in cell phone and smartphone usage. From 1999 to 2008, there was an increase of almost five percent in the number of fatal accidents which involved distracted driving (Wilson & Stimpson 2214). This makes sense when thinking about the increase in cell phone usage during that time. And the last few years of this period are the biggest increase, which ties in with more smart phones being popular for teenagers. Just from 2005 to 2008 there was an increase of 28% in distracted driving deaths (Wilston & Stimpson 2214). But there is still hope for the texting disaster. As Alosco et al. showed in a simulated driving study, texting as well as eating caused â€Å"impaired performance,† and interestingly, those who took part in the study after the fact understood that â€Å"texting

Memo Revision Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Memo Revision - Assignment Example The Vice President’s office wishes to inform all employees that relocation to new the building will commence on Thursday next week. It will not commence on Monday and Tuesday according to initial plans. This decision has been arrived at following planned visits by managers from the central office on Monday and Tuesday. The Vice President’s office does not anticipate experiencing any form of embarrassments when managers visit to find things in disorder. The office wish to express regret, in advance, for any confusion or inconvenience the change might cause. All affected personnel are, through this memo, urged to extend maximum cooperation during the planned move. All personnel will pack their items in standard size boxes during relocation. Monday or Tuesday marks the date of issuing the standard size boxes subject to confirmation after relevant consultations. The reason for it is to make everything proceed smoothly as planned. Issuance of standard size boxes also avoids reoccurrence of horrible scenes witnessed during the previous relocation. All personnel should be present during issuance of boxes and await official communication. The following is the schedule analyzed by the Human Resource manager after thorough considerations and consultations stipulating the order in which personnel and their packed boxes will move from different floors to the new building: 1:00 PM: First and second-floor personnel 2:00 PM: Third and fourth-floor personnel 3:00 PM: Fifth-floor personnel All personnel should take charge of their items as losses or damages incurred shall be upon the individual. Teamwork is hereby encouraged to have a smooth switch to the new offices. The Vice President’s office wishes all personnel an easy relocation to their new offices.

Reducing the driver texting while driving can significant reduce the Essay

Reducing the driver texting while driving can significant reduce the number of car accident - Essay Example Texting while driving kills thousands of people each year. To stop these completely preventable accidents, every person who drives needs to stop texting in the car and wait to answer the phone. Distracted driving, which is the practice of not paying full attention to the road, is a big killer, and cell phone usage is one key factor. According to the FCC, in 2012 alone â€Å"driver distraction was the cause of 18 percent of all fatal crashes,† totaling more than 3300 deaths and over 421,000 injured people (FCC). While there are a number of ways that drivers could be distracted in their car, text messaging stands out as a very notable culprit. There are a huge amount of at-risk drivers who use cell phones. A poll from 2014 showed that 90% of all Americans own cell phones, 64% of which are smartphones (Pew Research Center). On top of that, studies have found that â€Å"text messaging creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted† (FCC). This is because, as can be imagined, the driver of a car who is trying to text has his or her attention split between a screen and the road. Distracted driving accidents have increased a lot in the past decade due to an increase in cell phone and smartphone usage. From 1999 to 2008, there was an increase of almost five percent in the number of fatal accidents which involved distracted driving (Wilson & Stimpson 2214). This makes sense when thinking about the increase in cell phone usage during that time. And the last few years of this period are the biggest increase, which ties in with more smart phones being popular for teenagers. Just from 2005 to 2008 there was an increase of 28% in distracted driving deaths (Wilston & Stimpson 2214). But there is still hope for the texting disaster. As Alosco et al. showed in a simulated driving study, texting as well as eating caused â€Å"impaired performance,† and interestingly, those who took part in the study after the fact understood that â€Å"texting

Cost Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Cost Management - Essay Example Using learning lessons from General Electric, and through referencing personal experiences with cost management, learning associated with cost management and future projections about competent business planning can be developed. It is necessary to understand the demand environment and operational costs in order to successfully meet budget guidelines and secure effective cost management. Main Issues Mattel company did not fully understand its demand environment, thus the business was making decisions, strategically for long-term financial gain, that would not be sustained according to models of product life cycle. The product life cycle model recognizes the gains associated with new product launch and then follows the viability of products throughout the time period where product would be accepted by consumer markets. The life cycle model recognizes that products will eventually reach a maturity stage where new technologies or innovations begin to make demand volumes obsolete, thus th e business must be equipped to launch new products to offset any losses that occur. Dooley (2005) offers that it is extremely difficult to predict whether a product will have a long and profitable life cycle or whether the product, due to competition or even changing social and lifestyle needs, will have a long period where profit is sustainable. Mattel acquired a software company, Learning Co., as a means of diversifying its product portfolio and thus offering customers more selection of product and to ensure the business sustained its quality brand in the minds of buyers. Some of the main software titles were Carmen Sandiego and other relevant software characters that were associated with lifestyle and child values. Mattel believed that this decision would provide software titles with significantly-long product life cycles, thus offering more profitability through sales volumes. Soon after acquisition, Mattel realized that the decision to utilize these particular software names wa s not leading to the profit expected, thus leading to higher operational costs without sales volumes to sustain projections. It was assumed that the Carmen Sandiego, and other relevant brands, would have a much longer growth period in the life cycle than consumers actually favored. The end result: Mattel was left with very high operational costs, such as inventory and supply chain, which left the business with little options but to divest some of its business holdings. General Electric, on the other hand, understands the importance of not only diversifying its portfolio of products, but to create systems and feedback mechanisms that recognize the majority of costs during the planning process. Mattel was looking too closely at the consumer environment without realizing that some products would ultimately reach the maturity stage long before projections suspected. What did this indicate? It suggested that Mattel was not proactive in creating a well diversified product line, the firm d id not understand fully what was driving consumer demand ratios, and that Mattel had significant failures associated with manufacture and related operational costs. Mattel, in its proverbial effort to put all of its eggs in one software basket, did not create a supply chain methodology that would sustain unique product innovation and growth

Human Services Essay Example for Free

Human Services Essay The book, â€Å"Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus† by John Gray, generally, explores the claim that men and women are different and it is this difference that makes relationships fail and/or succeed. Using an allegorical backdrop, he presented his hypothesis by narrating how men originally was from Mars, where, they value success, titles and positions and how women originally was from Venus, where they value relationships, communication and empathy. At a particular point, lives on both planets became meaningless until a Martian glimpsed a Venetian and the Venetians felt loved and cherished, thus, they fitted the gap missing in their lives and opted to live on earth. This story was carefully enhanced as each personality is explored, taking into account their background, their reactions, feelings, expectations as well as coping mechanisms. I can see how positive Gray is, in pursuing his claim, presenting the facts, examples as well as possibilities of the situation. I can also say that most of his concepts are true – that women are indeed very â€Å"emotional† and that men are very â€Å"logical†. On the other hand, this will only be applicable for couples who are willing to make a relationship work. I do not think this will work effectively in a relationship where, let’s say, the man does not understand how a woman think or where a man does not know that women are like â€Å"tides†. I think in the end, women are still going to give – that they will still be â€Å"trapped† in such situation where they have no choice but to give and obliged to understand men. In a way, I don’t like the idea that men fill in the void the women feel when they encounter their down moments. I don’t like the idea that a Venetian is in need of a Martian. Perhaps, I’m just in a rebellious state that I feel that way but I never liked the idea that a woman can’t live without a man in her life. I believe that women are able and are very capable to sustain a living. Such that if a woman is being beaten by her husband, or if a woman is being abused, or if a man validates his vices as a coping mechanism when he is in his cave, the woman has every right to fight back or even leave her husband. She shouldn’t disregard her needs as a woman just because she is waiting for her husband to come out of his cave or have his rubber band pulled back. She shouldn’t let anybody step over her boundaries just because she is naturally, understanding. In the field of human services, the information about men and women will greatly help in dealing with people. It’s hard to separately discuss how acting out, catharsis and repression is related to concepts mentioned in the book so I will be citing possible examples instead. In cases of teenage drug abuse, it is important to trace how it started, or particularly, why it did. Getting these people to talk, be it a man or a woman is never easy. For one, their current coping mechanism may be a result of continuous nurturing of repressed emotions. While time is a big element in these types of situation, using Gray’s concepts teach us to allow them space until they are ready to discuss their issues. Force rarely works in these scenarios, nor is immediate rehabilitation. For youngsters, parents’ participation in this process is very crucial as children may have repressed emotions that need attention. Parents should be educated on â€Å"how to listen† while children will have to be â€Å"advised† on how to â€Å"accept† or â€Å"communicate. † For adults, one’s behavior or treatment greatly matters. Gray’s notes on how to motivate a man or a woman, or encourage them to talk will help in these types of scenarios. In child abuse or rape cases, they say it’s far easier to assign a woman to interview the victims. This is true, because women in general, know how to empathize with the victims as well as understand the situation. Men, normally, try to put on their â€Å"Mr. Fix It Personality† to help a victim feel better – which rarely works and usually pushes the victims into their own comfort zones – choosing not to talk, instead. Gray’s notes on how to make people talk starts from the very basic – being silent and being ready at any time to accommodate the victim. In dealing with the elderly or senior citizens, it will be very different. The provider has to understand that not only does gender matter here but also the psychosocial stage a person is in. Dealing with senior citizens do not constitute a relational aspect, some may even feel insulted if you try to look at it in that perspective. Gray’s ideas in considering the person’s culture (or background) and understanding the person’s individuality (gender and personality) will help in making such relationship fruitful and successful. Health services may seem very specific and require lesser attention or relational aspect. This is true. In a manner of speaking, health provided is based on the results of a test or exam conducted/surveyed on a specific community. On the other hand, some people may refuse to accept help or decline it outright; thinking that they don’t need it or their pride has been insulted. Thus, it is important for health providers to be relational, helping people understand the benefits of the help being provided so that it can be accepted more freely. Imagine, how you can convince a tribe or group to accept vaccine if they had been practicing herbal medicine all throughout their lives? Or how you can convince a community to take advantage of vaccines when their families have opted not to take them for the longest period of time? Although, I believe this is very rare, Gray’s concepts will help a person get acquainted with his/her patients by merely taking into account how men and women vary in reacting to various factors. Knowing that Gray focused on how to make relationships work, it becomes easier to apply his concepts to something general, such as human services – where people deal with other people. Gray’s concepts may even be applied or associated to a group, for Martians did belong to one culture and Venetians belong to another, and very likely, together they share or may have built a different culture too. With this in mind, relating to others will become an everyday adventure, rather than a routinary assumption and prediction of behaviors. It will constitute facts and bases on how personalities can be so similar, yet so different.

Wheres the Honor in Honors Kids?(cheating habits of students) :: social issues

Where's the Honor in Honor's Kids?(cheating habits of students) Contrary to popular belief, honors students cheat just as much or more than students in regular classes do. Honors students are assumed to be hardworking, responsible, and honest. Yet these â€Å"above average† students are frequently taking part in the same dishonest conduct of the ordinary students, performing the task better and getting away with it more than the regular students. Explaining why honors students are better at cheating is difficult because every cheating student follows the same unwritten process to guide him to victory. The process is simple. First a cheater decides how he is going to cheat. He has many options including inscribing answers on various body parts (hand, thigh, etc.), creating pocket-sized notes, asking an earlier class for the answers, and plagiarizing. He can also place his hand upon his face (next to his eyes) angled away from the teacher while turning his head slightly in the opposite direction of the teacher and look at his neighbor’s paper. The following tactics are risky and are reserved for the more adventurous kids. They are snatching the teacher’s answer key, asking for assistance with a question while peeking at the answer key (at a teacher’s desk), hacking into a teacher’s computer for grade adjustments, and opening a textbook on the ground while taking a test. One of the most creative strat egies I’ve heard of is peeling the wrapping from a clear water bottle off to write the answers on the blank side; then taping the wrapping back onto the bottle exposing the answers when one looks through the clear bottle. Of course some regular students have been known to try these conniving techniques, they have been mastered by the honors students. The second step in the cheating process is when a student realistically imagines himself using the technique he chose in the first step. This is a planning stage that requires a student to pretend and prepare his developing plan of cheating. The better the student can imagine himself cheating, the more likely he is to succeed. After all, practice makes perfect. For example, if a student wanted to write answers on the inside of his band-aid, he needs to picture himself taking the test and slyly pulling off the band-aid when the teacher’s back is turned to reveal the answers. There is no wrong way to accomplish this step, but many prefer to ask themselves questions to prepare themselves.

Two Views of Affirmative Action Essay -- Affirmative Action Race Essay

Two Views of Affirmative Action "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal†¦." Even before it became a nation, America was heralded as a land of equality. Thomas Jefferson's statement begs more than a few questions, one of which is: "How can we ensure equality to everyone?" Beginning in the late 1960s, the federal government provided an answer to this question in the form of affirmative action. In recent years, many people have called this policy into question. Interestingly, affirmative action is sometimes attacked by the people it helps, and defended by those it hurts. In particular, two recent essays demonstrate that people's race does not necessarily determine their beliefs on the issue of affirmative action. "Why I Believe in Affirmative Action" is by Paul R. Spickard, a white man who is defending affirmative action, while "A Negative Vote on Affirmative Action" is by Shelby Steele, an African-American who is attacking the program. When the two essays are considered as respon ses to each other, Steele's logical explanations of the effects and implications of affirmative action expose the flaws in Spickard's ethical arguments supporting it. Both authors structure their arguments to appeal to their respective audiences. Since Spickard's essay is written for Christianity Today, he makes a lot of ethical appeals that a Christian audience could easily relate to. Steele, on the other hand, is writing for The New York Times Magazine, so he relies on logic that would appeal to a more general audience. Spickard begins his ethical appeal by establishing his credibility through focusing on his support of affirmative action even though he has been denied employment because of the program. He says, "I a... ...demonstrating the absurdity of trying to make up for what our ancestors did. According to Steele, these attempts to pay for the wrongs of our ancestors grow out of a need "to impose on the world a degree of justice that simply does not exist." In other words, affirmative action seeks to correct wrongs that cannot be corrected because the people who were involved are no longer living. When Spickard's essay is examined alone, its arguments are quite convincing. However, Steele's essay effectively addresses the arguments of his opposition. As a result, his essay becomes much more effective than Spickard's, because he is able to point out all of the faults in Spickard's arguments. When these essays are read together and compared to each other, Steele's logic is much more convincing than Spickard's moral appeal, and exposes the flaws in the affirmative action program.

Choosing a Right University Essay

Choosing a university is a serious life-decision, because a university is a model of the real world and a place to stay for four years. In a university, we can chase for genuine knowledge, expand social networking, and learn about how to interact with people, etc. If we choose the wrong school, we might miss a lot of opportunities to learn and experience. In order to choose the right university, we have three important factors to consider: academic resources, activity resources, and accessibility. Since studying is the first priority for a university student, there is no doubt that we should first consider whether the school contains the academic resources that fit our interest . On one hand, if the students have interests in disciplinary fields, then they should choose a comprehensive university instead of a single field university. On the other hand, for students who have interest in specific field, they should choose the school that is dominant in that particular field. That is to say, to investigate whether the school owns the academic capability of the field that we are curious about is vital. Besides studying, how the students spend their free time is the second important factor to think about. Do the students spend all their spare time fooling around, or play on-line games? Or do they have various opportunities to experience life? In other words, we have to know whether the school offers chances of meaningful experiences for student to explore the world, such as international conferences, enlightened speeches, exchange programs, volunteering works and student clubs, etc. After viewing academic and extracurricular resources provided by the school, we can then take a look at the accessibility of the school. The reason why the accessibility of school need to be considered carefully is because there are still lots of things happen out of the campus. For example, exhibitions, intern, and speeches etc. all take place in the city center. As a result, we need to check whether we have the convenient access to the city center, for having chances to get connection with the real world. Choosing an ideal university is a complicated matter, but follow the factors which mentioned above might help us cross out some unsuitable options. To conclude, first is to know about the academic background of the school, then to see what extracurricular opportunities the school offers, and finally to know whether the access from to the real world is convenient or not.

Annotated Booklist of Children’s Literature Essay

Mr. and Mrs. Mallard fly north to look for a place to live. Their first choice is the Public Garden in Boston, but when Mrs. Mallard is almost run over by a bike she decides that it is not a good place to bring up a family. They finally decide on a spot on the Charles River and meet a Policeman called Michael who feeds them. Mrs. Mallard lays eight eggs. Mr. Mallard then decides to explore the rest of the river and agreed to meet the whole family the following week in the Public Garden. When the ducklings are born Mrs. Mallard teaches them to swim and dive and to follow in a straight line so she can take them to meet their father in the Public Garden. As they wade ashore and start to cross the road, the cars begin to honk their horns. The ducklings respond to this by quacking at them. Michael sees what is happening and stops the traffic so the ducklings can cross the road. Once they are across, he contacts other police officers to help him hold traffic to make way for the ducklings so that Mrs. Mallard and her family are able to cross the street safely into the Public Garden. Mrs. Mallard and the ducklings then swim across the pond across to the little island where they found Mr. Mallard waiting for them. The ducklings like their new island so much that they decide to live there. Personal Response: †¢ Did this book resonate with you? If so, in what ways? If not, why not? I enjoyed reading this book as an adult, remembering it from childhood.  Reading it as an adult, I realize the some of the lessons I learned as a child such as following instructions from my mother for example. †¢ Would you recommend this book? If so, to whom and why? If not, why not? I would highly recommend this book to preschool and early education teachers who are looking for an entertaining story that can be used to teach the children about such things as following instructions. For older children a big thing that can be learned is how sometimes things are not as they initially appear, and the Mallard family discovered through the story. †¢ Would you like to read other books by this author? Why or why not? Yes. The author/illustrator did a wonderful job of keeping the story moving, and allowing the pictures to accent and helps move the story along, while continuing to holding the interest of the reader. †¢ How does this book demonstrate characteristics of quality literature? This book shows a good balance between the illustrations and the writing, allowing each to accent the other as the story moves. The story is one that younger children can relate to, and using ducks as the primary characters, it creates an interest in the readers or listeners to want to find out more. †¢ Additional notes/comments/criticisms: Although this story is almost 70 years old, some of the issues it addresses are valid and current even in modern times. In this reviewers opinion the greatest asset of the story is the strength of its primary female character in Mrs. Mallard, showing her to be a woman who is not afraid to make decisions and take charge, something not often seen in 1941. Title:A Wrinkle in Time Author: Madeleine L’Engle Illustrator:Ellen Raskin (1960s editions), Leo and Diane Dillon (current hardcover) Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux Date of Publication: 1962 Genre:Fantasy Short Synopsis: In the beginning of the story, we are introduced to Meg Murry. Although she is very bright, her self esteem is very low and this is causing her problems in school. We learn her parents are both scientists, and that her father has been missing for over a year now. We are also introduced to her five year old brother, Charles Wallace, who we discover very quickly is an extremely gifted child with a very close bond to his sister. On a dark stormy night a strange woman who identifies herself as Ms. Whatsit visits the Murry family and she tells Meg’s mother, â€Å"There is such a thing as a Tesseract.† The next day, Charles Wallace takes Meg to meet his new friend Mrs. Whatsit, and her friends Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which. On their way there they meet up with Calvin O’Keefe, a boy Meg goes to school with, and he and Charles Wallace immediately become friends. The three ladies, who are actually very strange and powerful beings from beyond the Earth, offer to help Meg and Charles find their father. The children learn from Mrs. Whatsit and her friends that the universe is threatened by a great evil called the Dark Thing. They are told several planets have already succumbed to this evil force, including Camazotz, the planet on which Mr. Murry is being held. The children are transported by Mrs. Whatsit to Camazotz and instruct remain always in each other’s company. On Camazotz, everything appears exactly alike because the whole planet must conform to the terrifying rhythmic pulsation of IT, a giant disembodied brain. Charles Wallace tries to fight IT with his exceptional intelligence but allows himself to be hypnotized to try and save his father. He then leads Meg and Calvin to Mr. Murry and together they confront IT. Meg and Calvin are also unable to withstand IT’s power and escape only at the last minute, when Mr. Murry appears and seizes Meg and Calvin, â€Å"tessering† away with them to the planet Ixchel inhabited by tall, furry beasts that care for the travelers. Unfortunately Charles Wallace is left behind and remains possessed by IT. The three Mrs. W’s appear as Meg realizes that she must travel alone back to Camazotz to rescue her brother. Mrs. Which tells her that she has one thing that IT does not have and this one thing will be her only weapon against the evil. Meg is told she has to discover this weapon for herself. When standing in the presence of IT, Meg finally realizes what this weapon is, her ability to love. By concentrating on her love for Charles Wallace, she is able to restore him to his true identity, releasing him from IT’s clutches and the teasers with him, landing in their vegetable garden on Earth, where her father and Calvin are waiting for her. The family reunites as the three Mrs. W’s visit them one last time. Personal Response: †¢ Did this book resonate with you? If so, in what ways? If not, why not? This is one of my favorite books from childhood, and to this day one of my favorite authors. As a child I understood the character of Meg, and many times in life felt a kinship with her in many ways. The feelings of awkwardness and not fitting in were understandable to me, and writings such as this showed me I was not alone. †¢ Would you recommend this book? If so, to whom and why? If not, why not? I would highly recommend this book, as well as those that followed in the series. This book is good for adolescents who have reached that awkward stage in life where then need to fit in or are questioning the power that love can have on us as a society. This story shows us that not only love, but hope as well can overcome any darkness so long as we believe. †¢ Would you like to read other books by this author? Why or why not? I have read many other books by this author as she is one of my favorite writers next to Isaac Asimov. Her stories are always ones that make us think, not just of ourselves as individuals, but many times as a society as a whole. The stories challenge our views, and show us how our own individuality can be one of the greatest gifts we have as human beings. †¢ How does this book demonstrate characteristics of quality literature?  This book shows characteristics of good literature in the way it approaches the development of its characters most of all. It keeps them believable, and allows just about anyone who is reading to connect with at least one of the characters, and in doing this allows them to â€Å"step† into the story as that character and experience firsthand the lesson that she is conveying to her readers. Each of the characters has their flaws as well as their strengths, and they learn that only by working together are they able to overcome the evil and restore themselves. †¢ Additional notes/comments/criticisms: L’Engle has said that â€Å"One cannot discuss structure in writing without discussing structure in all life; it is impossible to talk about why anybody writes a book or paints a picture or composes a symphony without talking about the nature of the universe.† This perspective is what makes her one of my favorite authors as she is able to discuss this structure of life without compromising he own morals or beliefs. Title:The Giving Tree Author: Shel Silverstein Illustrator:Shel Silverstein Publisher: Harper & Row Date of Publication: 1964 Genre:Picture Book Short Synopsis: The Giving Tree follows a friendship between a growing boy and a favorite tree. In the beginning of the story the tree is full grown and healthy and the boy is very young. The tree provides the child with apples, shade, and branches to swing and hang on. As the boy gets older he asks more of the tree and the tree never turns him down. The boy uses the tree to first build his house, and then as he becomes a mature man cuts the tree down in order to make a boat. Through all of this the tree does not protest and offers itself to the boy. Many years later, the boy returns as an old man to the  tree, which has nothing left but a stump. The man requests that he be allowed to sit and rest on the trees stump while he waits for his death. The tree again happily gives him what is requested. Personal Response: †¢ Did this book resonate with you? If so, in what ways? If not, why not? This was my favorite book as a child and I enjoyed reading this book as an adult. This book through its wonderful illustrations and well structured story telling shows us an example of unconditional love. †¢ Would you recommend this book? If so, to whom and why? If not, why not? I would highly recommend this book to preschool and early education teachers who are looking for an entertaining story that can be used to teach the value of giving, and the joys that can be had from something as simple as giving without expectation of reward. †¢ Would you like to read other books by this author? Why or why not? Yes. The author/illustrator did a wonderful job of keeping the story moving, and allowing the pictures to accent and help move the story along, while continuing to holding the interest of the reader. The simple line drawings invoked a very strong feeling of love in the way the tree is shows as it many times almost embraces the boy as he grows. †¢ How does this book demonstrate characteristics of quality literature? This book shows a good balance between the illustrations and the writing, allowing each to accent the other as the story moves. The story is one that younger children can relate to as they watch the boy grow from a boy to a senior citizen. This progression as he ages and the tree continually gives its â€Å"life† to help him succeed models itself from how a parent does all they can to nurture and help their child to succeed, many times to the exclusion of their own well being. †¢ Additional notes/comments/criticisms: Even with its age this story transcends time as it looks at the universal  emotion of love, and what we will do for it. There is much debate, however, over its interpretation. Some view the boy as selfish as he uses the tree to its â€Å"death†, while others such as I see it as the relationship of a parent to their child, where both the tree and the child’s actions are reasonable. Title:The Snowy Day Author: Ezra Jack Keats Illustrator:Ezra Jack Keats Publisher: Viking Press Date of Publication: 1962 Genre:Picture Book Short Synopsis: The story is of Peter, a young boy living in an apartment in the city, and his adventures as he reacts to a day after a big snow storm. Peter wakes and gets dressed and then goes out and crunches the snow with his feet, makes footprints and tracks through the snow, and drags a stick in snow. Peter is disappointed when the big boys don’t include him in their snowball fight, so he builds a snowman, makes snow angels, and slides down a snow mountain. Peter ends his full day of snow play by taking a warm bath and sharing his adventures with his mother before going to bed. The story ends with his joy of waking to even more snow the next day. Personal Response: †¢ Did this book resonate with you? If so, in what ways? If not, why not? This book was an enjoyable read as we were able to sense and feel the awe and wonder of Peter as he explored the Snowy Day, and discovered all of the fun than can be had in the snow. The book covers everything from properly dressing for play in the snow to appropriate games that can be played. The wonderful illustrations in the book not only were an accent to the story, but the words within the story actually would not have any meaning. The story is told as much through the independence of the illustrations and the  words as many times one is used to explain the actions of the other rather than just giving a physical representation of the action within the words as many picture books do. †¢ Would you recommend this book? If so, to whom and why? If not, why not? I would highly recommend this book to preschool and early education teachers who are looking for an entertaining story that can be used to teach students the wonders of exploration. From the first scenes of Peter waking up, right to the final scenes, the book is about the wonders that are out there if we are not afraid to move beyond that we are comfortable with and explore. †¢ Would you like to read other books by this author? Why or why not? Yes. The author/illustrator did a wonderful job of creating a character in Peter who we all can associate with. He takes great care in developing the character and in subsequent books continues the story of Peter as he continues to grow and mature. I feel these additional books would be a wonderful addition to any teacher’s collection. †¢ How does this book demonstrate characteristics of quality literature? This book shows an amazing balance between the illustrations and the writing, allowing each to not just accent but to carry the other as the story moves. The story is one that younger children can relate to as they watch Peter explore and discover new things in the world around him. The book never loses focus on its purpose which is to allow us to not just read about Peter’s exploration, but to share in it with him. †¢ Additional notes/comments/criticisms: This book also features the first African American main character to be depicted in a children’s picture book. This ground-breaking book was followed by several others written by Keats, including A Whistle for Willie, Peter’s Chair, A Letter to Amy, and Goggles. Each of these books continues to follow Peter as he grows from this shy child into a well adjusted teen.