Saturday, November 30, 2019

Movie Summary Whiplash Essay Example

Movie Summary: Whiplash Paper Whiplash is an ambitious 2014 drama about jazz, the strive to be great, and the role of an instructor highlighting both sides of the competitive music world and showcasing the importance of talent, dedication, and the drive within to illustrate the beautiful work of writer and director Damien Chazelle and to achieve a ninety-four percent rating on the review aggravator, Rotten Tomatoes (rottentomatoes.com). Chazelle wrote this movie to pay homage to his music days in college and all of the adversity he had to face. While creating a heavily revised version of his actual experiences, Chazelle writes a phenomenal story that has gone on to win numerous awards (Ford, Hollywood Reporter 2014). This movie stars J.K. Simmons (Juno, Dark Skies, Oz, The Closer) as Terence Fletcher, a jazz pianist and jazz orchestra director for the fictional yet prestigious New York City school, Schaffer Music Conservatory. Jim Slotek, of Toronto Sun,describes Fletcher as â€Å"the teacher you want to impress and avoid in equal measure.† Slotek says this due to the aggressive manner and abusive teaching styles of Fletcher throughout the entire movie. In order to motivate his students, Fletcher shows a darker side of being a director by being extremely verbally and physically abusive and by playing on the weaknesses of his students in order to show the students their own potential. Some may say that his methods are very uncalled for, but these crazy harmful antics do prove to be true by motivating and weeding out the weak performers in order to create the best jazz orchestra. â€Å"He will hurl racial invective, slap your face in the time-signature you’re failing to keep, and ge nerally work to break you in the twisted belief it is the route to the next Charlie Parker,† (Slotek, Sun 2014). His methods are so brutal that it is almost hard to believe that he can operate as a teacher without being immediately fired. â€Å"To justify his methods, Fletcher tells Andrew We will write a custom essay sample on Movie Summary: Whiplash specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Movie Summary: Whiplash specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Movie Summary: Whiplash specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Pepsico Ethics and Compliance Essays

Pepsico Ethics and Compliance Essays Pepsico Ethics and Compliance Paper Pepsico Ethics and Compliance Paper PepsiCo Ethics and Compliance FIN/370 – Finance for Business PepsiCo Ethics and Compliance PepsiCo Inc. is a world leader in the beverage and snack food industry. Founded in 1965, the company has grown to become a household name. PepsiCo employs more than 285,000 employees worldwide, and has revenues of more than $60 billion (Our History, 2011). PepsiCo prides itself on social and environmental responsibility, and maintains a commitment to ethical business practices. Role of Ethics and Compliance in PepsiCo’s Financial Environment The management at PepsiCo realizes that reputation hinges on adherence to ethical policies as seen in the public eye. Because of this, PepsiCo has interwoven ethics throughout the company’s policies and procedures, its training practices, and its timely and accurate financial reporting. As evidence of such, in 2010 Ethisphere Magazine ranked PepsiCo one of the world’s most ethical companies. The magazine also placed PepsiCo in the top 25% for compliance performance among beverage industry competitors in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (Ethisphere, 2010, Sec. 0). PespiCo’s letter to the Shareholders (2010) states, â€Å"our actions- the actions of all our associates- are governed by our Worldwide Code of Conduct†¦the Code and our core values enable us to operate with integrity- both within the letter and the spirit of the law† (p. 102). The letter further states that Pepsi Co is â€Å"committed to providing timely, accurate, and understandable information to their investors† (p. 102). PepsiCo displays its ethical commitment by maintaining strong controls over financial reporting, exerting rigorous business oversight, and requiring strong and effective corporate governance from its board of directors. The company is committed to providing investors with financial results that are â€Å"complete, transparent, and understandable† (Annual Report, 2010, p. 102). To ensure adherence to these ethical principles, PepsiCo employs an independent registered public accounting firm to audit its financial statements and those of its subsidiaries. The firm also audits PepsiCo’s internal control over financial reporting according to the guidelines set forth in Internal Control - Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). Audits are conducted in accordance with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (Annual Report, 2010). PepsiCo has some of the highest standards for maintaining corporate governance. PepsiCo shareholders elect members of its board of directors annually. Outside advisory firms help watch over the company and give advice to the board of directors. Some of the advisory firms include Institutional Shareholder Services and Governance Metrics International. PepsiCo maintains strict company standards and accountability, and holds all employees responsible for their actions. Ethics Training and Code of Conduct PepsiCo conducts regular code of conduct training to keep the company in harmony with legal and ethical compliance. The PepsiCo brand is recognized worldwide, and company leaders are very conscious about maintaining a strong ethical company. PepsiCo’s has translated its code of conduct training into 38 languages, and this tool helps the company maintain the highest ethical behavior worldwide. PepsiCo prides itself on reporting earnings to the shareholders through ethically sound financial statements. PepsiCo demonstrates to the business world a commitment to honesty and compliance with industry standards, along with the stiff regulations of the SEC, Security Exchange Commission. PepsiCo reports all financial dealings and strives to report correct statements to its shareholders (Silverblatt, 2010). Business Ethics Leadership alliance PepsiCo is a member of the Business Ethics Leadership alliance (BELA), an organization committed to raising public awareness of the importance of ethics in business. BELA promotes development of higher standards of corporate compliance and sharing best practices. Other members include Walmart, United Airlines, GE, and McDonald’s. Through BELA, PepsiCo and approximately 50 other companies demonstrate the importance of integrity over a bigger bottom line. To be a member of BELA, a company must be able to prove its dedication to stringent policies to weed out corruption, waste, and demonstrate procedures to lead its employees effectively. BELA’s goals are to affirm a public commitment to certain ethical principles and compliance practices, and to provide public resources for BELA members to uphold their commitment and other companies to follow their lead Ethisphere, 2011). PepsiCo is â€Å"strongly committed to delivering sustained growth through empowered people acting responsibly and building trust† (Worldwide Code of Conduct, 2011, para. 2). Pepsi seeks not only to be a dominant company in the food and beverage industry but also a leader in conducting ethical business behavior. PepsiCo Financial Analysis Financial stateme nts provide management and investors information on the financial health of the organization, and how its assets are financed. They must be clear, unbiased, and conform to generally accepted accounting principles. Ratio analysis of financial data gives insight into the liquidity, asset utilization, profitability, and leverage of an organization. This analysis can be used to compare an organization with its competitors and industry leaders (Mayo, 2007). Current ratio=Current assetsCurrent liabilities Period Ending| Dec 25, 2010| Dec 26, 2009| | | | Total Current Assets | 17,569,000| 12,571,000| Total Current Liabilities | 15,892,000| 8,756,000| Current Ratio | 1. 11| 1. 44| The current ratio in the year ending December 2010 was 23% lower than the previous year. This indicates a reduction of liquidity from the prior year. PepsiCo’s current ratio is lower than the industry average of 1. 2 and the SP 500 average of 1. 4 (Pepsico Inc (PEP. N), 2011). Debt Ratio= Total debtTotal assets Period Ending| Dec 25, 2010| Dec 26, 2009| Total Liabilities | 46,989,000| 23,044,000| Total Assets | 68,153,000| 39,848,000| Debt Ratio | 69%| 58%| The firm’s debt ratio increased 11% in the year ending December 2010 over the previous year. This means that PepsiCo financed more of its assets with debt in 2010. From a shareholders perspective, this can be a positive indicator. Because the firm has not added equity through stock sales, stockholders may expect a larger share of the profits returned as dividends. PepsiCo’s debt ratio is higher than the industry average and the SP 500 average (Pepsico Inc (PEP. N), 2011). Return on Equity ROE= Net incomeOwners equity Period Ending| Dec 25, 2010| Dec 26, 2009| Net Income | 6,320,000| 5,946,000| Total Stockholder Equity | 21,273,000| 16,908,000| Return on Equity | 29. 9%| 35. 4%| PepsiCo experienced a 17. % decline in their ROE from 2009 to 2010. This indicates a reduction in total returns paid to stockholders. Because the net income increased by $374 million and retained earnings increased by nearly $3. 3 billion during the same period, the decreased ROE is likely a result of the increased use of debt rather than equity to finance operations. PepsiCo’s ROE is lower than the industry average of 34. 7, but higher than the SP 500 aver age of 28. 2 (Pepsico Inc (PEP. N), 2011). AR Turns=Total RevenueNet Receivables Period Ending| Dec 25, 2010| Dec 26, 2009| Total Revenue | 57,838,000| 43,232,000| Net Receivables | 6,323,000| 4,624,000| AR Turnover| 9. 15| 9. 35| Days Receivable=365AR Turnover Days| 365| 365| AR Turnover| 9. 15| 9. 35| Days Receivable| 39. 9| 39. 0| | | | Days receivable increased slightly in 2010 to 39. 9. This means that it takes PepsiCo almost a full day longer to collect revenue other companies owe. If this trend were to continue, it could negatively affect PepsiCo’s cash flow. $6. 3 billion in net receivables represents 9% of the company’s total revenue. Compared with the industry average of 35. days, and the SP 500 average of 37. 5 days, PepsiCo could improve in this area (Pepsico Inc (PEP. N), 2011). Conclusion PepsiCo is recognized as an industry leader, and prides itself on making smart business decisions in an ethically sound way. The company has taken a top down approach to ethics, and is making every effort to instill this philosophy in its employees. Although PepsiCo’s current ratio is b elow the industry average, its debt ratio and receivable turns are higher. The decline in ROE also reflects somewhat negatively on PepsiCo’s current financial situation. None of these indicators alone is enough to raise concern; however, management must evaluate these trends and internal processes to ensure they make decisions that maintain profitability and continue to return profits to company shareholders. References 2010 Annual Report. (2010). Retrieved from PepsiCo, Inc. : pepsico. com/ Download/PepsiCo_Annual_Report_2010_Full_Annual_Report. pdf Ethisphere. (2011). Business ethics leadership alliance. Retrieved from ethisphere. com/bela/ Mayo, H. B. (2007). Basic finance: An introduction to financial institutions, investment, and management, 9th ed. Mason, OH: Thompson Higher Education. Our History. (2011). Retrieved from PepsiCo: pepsico. com/ Company/Our-History. html Pepsico Inc (PEP. N). (2011). Retrieved from Reuters: reuters. com/ finance/stocks/financialHighlights? symbol=PEP. N Silverblatt (2010). Investing in Ethics. Retrieved on Oct 23, 2011 from http://money. usnews. com/ money/blogs/Fund-Observer/2010/03/25/investing-in-ethics Worldwide Code of Conduct. (2011). Retrieved from PepsiCo, Inc. : pepsico. com/Company/Worldwide-Code-of-Conduct. html

Friday, November 22, 2019

Probabilities for Rolling Three Dice

Probabilities for Rolling Three Dice Dice provide great illustrations for concepts in probability. The most commonly used dice are cubes with six sides. Here, we will see how to calculate probabilities for rolling three standard dice. It is a relatively standard problem to calculate the probability of the sum obtained by rolling two dice. There are a total of 36 different rolls with two dice, with any sum from 2 to 12 possible. How does the problem change if we add more dice? Possible Outcomes and Sums Just as one die has six outcomes and two dice have 62 36 outcomes, the probability experiment of rolling three dice has 63 216 outcomes. This idea generalizes further for more dice. If we roll n dice then there are 6n outcomes. We can also consider the possible sums from rolling several dice. The smallest possible sum occurs when all of the dice are the smallest, or one each. This gives a sum of three when we are rolling three dice. The greatest number on a die is six, which means that the greatest possible sum occurs when all three dice are sixes. The sum of this situation is 18. When n dice are rolled, the least possible sum is n and the greatest possible sum is 6n. There is one possible way three dice can total 33 ways for 46 for 510 for 615 for 721 for 825 for 927 for 1027 for 1125 for 1221 for 1315 for 1410 for 156 for 163 for 171 for 18 Forming Sums As discussed above, for three dice the possible sums include every number from three to 18. The probabilities can be calculated by using counting strategies and recognizing that we are looking for ways to partition a number into exactly three whole numbers. For example, the only way to obtain a sum of three is 3 1 1 1. Since each die is independent from the others, a sum such as four can be obtained in three different ways: 1 1 21 2 12 1 1 Further counting arguments can be used to find the number of ways of forming the other sums. The partitions for each sum follow: 3 1 1 14 1 1 25 1 1 3 2 2 16 1 1 4 1 2 3 2 2 27 1 1 5 2 2 3 3 3 1 1 2 48 1 1 6 2 3 3 4 3 1 1 2 5 2 2 49 6 2 1 4 3 2 3 3 3 2 2 5 1 3 5 1 4 410 6 3 1 6 2 2 5 3 2 4 4 2 4 3 3 1 4 511 6 4 1 1 5 5 5 4 2 3 3 5 4 3 4 6 3 212 6 5 1 4 3 5 4 4 4 5 2 5 6 4 2 6 3 313 6 6 1 5 4 4 3 4 6 6 5 2 5 5 314 6 6 2 5 5 4 4 4 6 6 5 315 6 6 3 6 5 4 5 5 516 6 6 4 5 5 617 6 6 518 6 6 6 When three different numbers form the partition, such as 7 1 2 4, there are 3!  (3x2x1) different ways of permuting these numbers. So this would count toward three outcomes in the sample space. When two different numbers form the partition, then there are three different ways of permuting these numbers. Specific Probabilities We divide the total number of ways to obtain each sum by the total number of outcomes in the sample space, or 216. The results are: Probability of a sum of 3: 1/216 0.5%Probability of a sum of 4: 3/216 1.4%Probability of a sum of 5: 6/216 2.8%Probability of a sum of 6: 10/216 4.6%Probability of a sum of 7: 15/216 7.0%Probability of a sum of 8: 21/216 9.7%Probability of a sum of 9: 25/216 11.6%Probability of a sum of 10: 27/216 12.5%Probability of a sum of 11: 27/216 12.5%Probability of a sum of 12: 25/216 11.6%Probability of a sum of 13: 21/216 9.7%Probability of a sum of 14: 15/216 7.0%Probability of a sum of 15: 10/216 4.6%Probability of a sum of 16: 6/216 2.8%Probability of a sum of 17: 3/216 1.4%Probability of a sum of 18: 1/216 0.5% As can be seen, the extreme values of 3 and 18 are least probable. The sums that are exactly in the middle are the most probable. This corresponds to what was observed when two dice were rolled.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Text Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Text Analysis - Essay Example Nye’s article is very persuading to the audience. To make it more persuading and interesting, Nye uses a unique poem style. The author attempts to make the audience view the Arab population from a different perspective. To do this, she first explained how the Arab population has been criticized and then makes the audience aware of the fact that not all Arabs are involved in the violence. The author manages to convince the audience by providing reasons that should not be forgotten such as the idea that the violent portion of the Arabs does not represent the entire population. This implies that the act of violence should not be generalized as an issue undertaken by the entire Arab community. Most of them are peaceful and condemn the acts carried out by the violent ones. The author achieves this purpose since she persuades the audience successfully. The audience intended for the text is the entire U.S population as the author attempts to change the perception of the Arab individual on the eyes of Americans who have suffered various attacks perpetrated by individuals from this community. The text has a sharp focus, which is maintained appropriately. The author manages to maintain the focus by reminding herself and the audience of the main issue that she is intending to pass, which is the contempt that the Arab population in the U.S has to live with every day of their lives. In one instance, she stated, â€Å"I refuse to let that hope go† (Par. 8). This implies that she is hopeful that the lives of the Arab people in the U.S would improve and that the other races would stop viewing them as the perpetrators of September 9, 2011 attacks on the Americans. Nye also manages to persuade the audience by acknowledging that a portion of the Arab population is to blame for various attacks on the U.S. She then uses this to let the au dience know that it is not the responsibility of the entire Arab population. This can be seen as she states, â€Å"Because men

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Food Giveaway Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Food Giveaway - Essay Example I feel that I gave my all for this program because my heart was in it. This experience was also a time for my inner self discovery. I was able to learn about my emotional being. I learnt that I find peace in being around children and the less fortunate. I also learnt that charity is a thing I can do all my life so long as it involves the youth and children. These are people whose experiences I can relate to. They are people I feel that go through the same emotional challenges I go through while growing up. They are people with dreams just like I do. I thought working with the youth and children is hard but this perception has changed. It was not hard to talk to the children about life. This is something I have done being a peer leader. The session was engaging and I enjoyed it. However, having to wear gloves and a gas mask to clean up the place they call home stretched me. This is not something am used to doing and so adapting to it was not easy but eventually, I was able to do and I overcame my fears. The youth and children narrated their experiences in life and how they came to live the kind of life they are living. This part carried my emotions. I could not hold back my tears to learn that there is someone out there living life in worse conditions but they still enjoy their life. Leaving the group was not easy: saying goodbye is never easy. Man is not an island: everyone has a belonging as a member of a community I feel proud that there are people who contribute in making life wholesome, each in their big or small ways. Being a member of a country also gives one identity and one can therefore feel safe around people whom they share citizen hood. In this era of technology, I feel fulfilled that I am not an alien on earth. The different cultures and races of the world always give me an opportunity to learn something new every day. The donation experience was good for me because I feel that

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Abortion Issue Essay Example for Free

Abortion Issue Essay Abortion is a controversial issue but it should be discussed because it is happening, and is more widespread than we care to admit. If we truly care about life, then we must understand what is going on. Ideally, pregnancy is a wanted and happy event for women, their partners and their families. Unfortunately, this is not always so. Around the world, millions of women every year become pregnant unintentionally. In the Philippines, as in other countries, some of these women are faced with a difficult choice: to give birth to a child that they are not prepared or able to care for, or to obtain an illegal, and often unsafe, abortion. As a Filipino citizen abortion is a crime. According to Articles 256-259 of our Revised Penal Code, whether youre the woman getting the abortion, the abortionist, or someone assisting or encouraging the abortion, if you commit the act on purpose, you could get sent to jail for one month, to twenty years. No exceptions. For us, the consensus in abortion is strongly anti. Almost all of my classmates insisted that intentional abortion of any kind; was murder, regardless of whether or not it was done to save the mother’s life. Out of the forty-four students in our section, only about six said that abortion, if regulated, could be made legal. While I myself would prefer to avoid having to get an abortion as far as reasonably possible, I believe that this issue should be looked at through a more critical lens. Why? Because it is the attitude that most Filipinos adopt in relation to abortion is frequently more emotional than practical. Much of it can be traced back to a knee-jerk, culture-based reaction to anything involving babies and death. The lines on matters involving religion, culture, and tradition are quite blurred, and the results are all the same: a default outcry against abortion, or any sort of regulation concerning sexual health. See more:  Masters of Satire: John Dryden and Jonathan Swift Essay OBJECTIVES * Be able to understand and to be aware to the effects of abortion. * To enlighten the Filipino citizen not to agree to the so called â€Å"abortion bill†. * For us to share the learning’s to the teenagers what does abortion really do to our human life. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY Abortion and Philippines Laws Abortion is illegal in the Philippines and is not permitted under any circumstance. The act is criminalized by the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines, which was enacted in 1930 but remains in effect today. Articles 256, 258 and 259 of the Code mandate imprisonment for the woman who undergoes the abortion, as well as for any person who assists in the procedure, even if they be the womans parents, a physician or midwife. Article 258 further imposes a higher prison term on the woman or her parents if the abortion is undertaken in order to conceal [the womans] dishonour (Tan 2008 and Wikipedia 2008).The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines effectively any amendments to the Penal Code’s provisions on abortion because of Article II, Section 12, which states: â€Å"The State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution. It shall equally protect the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from con ception. The natural and primary right and duty of parents in the rearing of the youth for civic efficiency and the development of moral character shall receive the support of the Government.† In the principle, legalizing abortion would require a referendum to amend the constitution, although the enactment of a more definitive provision sanctioning the ban was not successful. In 1999, Congressman Roy Padilla Jr. of Camarines Norte filed House Bill 6343seeking to allow abortion in special cases (e.g., rape, congenital defects in the fetus or cases where the mother’s life is endangered). It is unlikely that the bill will be passed but it has stimulated discussion on abortion. The passage of HB 6343 will require amendment because the Bill as it presently stands is inherently unconstitutional (Wikipedia 2008 and Tan 2008).The United Nations recognizes that abortion in the Philippines is permitted only in instances in which the pregnant womans life is endangered. However, there is no law in the Philippines that expressly authorizes abortions in order to save the womans life; and the general provisions which do penalize abortion make no qualifications if the womans life is endangered. It may be argued that an abortion to save the mothers life could be classified as a justifying circumstance (duress as opposed to self-defence) that would bar criminal prosecution under the Revised Penal Code. However, this position has yet to be adopted or debunked by the Philippine Supreme Court. Proposals to liberalize Philippine abortion laws have been opposed by the Catholic Church, and its opposition has considerable influence in the predominantly Catholic country. STATISTICAL RESEARCHES Philippines is the only Catholic country in Asia and contrary to that statistical data reported that there were some 400,000 to 500,000 abortion in 2005. The Department of Health added that nearly 100,000 women who have unsafe abortions every year end up in the hospital. About 4 in 5 abortions in the Philippines are for economic reasons, according to a survey by the University of the Philippines. In many cases, said Jocelyn Pacete, a spokeswoman for Likhaan, a womens health group based in Manila, the mother cant afford another child, so ends up choosing her five living children over the fetus in her womb. (Source: Legal_Updates) STATISTICAL FACTS, QUALITATIVE FACTS Prevalence of Abortion in the Philippines Accurate measurement of induced abortion levels has proven difficult in many parts of the world. Health care workers and policymakers need information on the incidence of both legal and illegal induced abortion to provide the needed services and to reduce the negative impact of unsafe abortion on womens health. Information on the current level of unintended pregnancy and abortion is essential for understanding the extent to which women face barriers in planning pregnancies and preventing unintended ones. Evidence on recent trends in these important indicators is also crucial in assessing whether changes in policies and programs are necessary. Abortions cut across class, age, and marital status, and occur in both urban and rural areas. The UP Population Institute (UPPI) 1994 study estimates that between 300,000 and500, 000 women obtain induced abortions annually in the Philippines. Put another way, there may be 16 induced abortions for every 100 pregnancies. According to Singh et al. (2006), induced abortion in the Philippines is widespread and practice takes many forms. Nearly half of pregnancies each year end in an induced abortion or an unplanned birth. Unintended pregnancy is the root cause of abortion. Some 3.1 million pregnancies occur each year in the Philippines. Of these, 15% result in induced abortions, 31% in unplanned births, 39% in planned births and 15% in spontaneous abortions. An estimated 473,000 abortions occur annually. One-third of women who experience an unintended pregnancy end it in abortion. Thus, about 1.43 million pregnancies each year—nearly half of all pregnancies— are unintended. The annual rate of unintended pregnancy is 81 per 1,000 women of reproductive age, meaning that about 8% of Filipino women aged 15–44 conceive every year without intending to do so. Women from all segments of society experience abortion . Women who have had an abortion resemble average Filipino women: The majority are married, Catholic and poor. They have some high school education and have already had several children. METHODOLOGY Surveying students, friends and all the people around us that is willing to answer our questionnaire. We’ve made a questionnaire instead of direct interview to the respondents. We are estimating around 50 respondents and from there we can assume a certain percent for the â€Å"Pro-Life† and â€Å"Anti†. REFERENCES: (Source: Legal_Updates) http://www.chanrobles.com/revisedpenalcodeofthephilippinesbook2.htm: 1. Ã…hman E and Shah I, Unsafe abortion: worldwide estimates for 2000, Reproductive Health Matters, 2002, No. 19, pp. 13–17. 2. Ã…hman E and Shah I, Unsafe Abortion: Global and Regional Estimates of the Incidence of Unsafe Abortion and Associated Mortality in 2000, fourth ed., Geneva: World Health Organization, 2004. 3. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Development, Abortion Policies: A Global Review, Vol. III, New York: United Nations, 1995. 4. Singh S et al., Estimating the level of abortion in the Philippines and Bangladesh, International Family Planning Perspectives, 1997, 23(3):100– 107 144. 5. Shire A and Pesso L, Changing policies and attitudes: postabortion care in the Philippines, Compass, 2003, N

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Technological Progress In Computer Industry :: essays research papers

Comparison and contrast essay Technological progress in computer industry. Computer one of the most important and necessary things in our life. There are different tasks that can be performed with computer such as: typing documents, making worksheets, sending mail, just playing with a computer and many others. But all these different tasks would be done better and faster with the Pentium 4 computer than with the Pentium 2 computer. The computer with  «Pentium 4 » chip is better than the computer with  «Pentium 2 » chip. As I’ve already said, different types of tasks can be done better by the more powerful computer. The measure of power or performance among computers is the number of machine cycles done per second. It is usually called cycle speed. The cycle speed is measured in megahertz (abbreviated MHz, which stands for million of cycles per second). Computer with Intel  «Pentium 2 » chips had cycle speed from 200 to 400 MHz, thus they could handle only simple operations like word processing, mail sending and receiving. These computers cannot work even with graphics, because they don’t not have enough power. The recent innovation, Pentium processor, gave the opportunity to work not only with sophisticated word editors, but also with graphics and animation. Pentium enables people to organize tough databases, where records can be found in some seconds. Pentium processor cycle speed is ranging from 600 MHz to 1200 MHz nowadays. Having made all calculations It can be stated that an a verage Pentium 4 with 800 MHz cycle speed is 40 times faster and more powerful than the best computer with Intel Pentium 2 chip and 200 MHz cycle speed. Not only performance makes such a huge gap between these two computers, but also upgradability. Upgradability means that an owner of a computer can easily install a new hardware into a computer or just update the old one. The  «motherboard » of a pentium 2-model computer did not allow to install different internal features, while the  «motherboard » of a Pentium 4 computer did allow to do that. There are lots of hardware types like CD-ROMs, VideoCards, AudioCard, and internal modems, and all these devices can be easily installed into the Pentium 4 computer. The RAM (Random Access Memory) of a Pentium 4 computer can be upgraded up to 2 GB (2 Gigabyte is (2048)3 bytes which makes 1.

Monday, November 11, 2019

How does Miller present the relationship between Abigail and Proctor? Essay

In The Crucible, we follow the adulterous and turbulent relationship between Abigail Williams and John Proctor, and watch it change and develop throughout the play, from Abigail trying to reinstate the affair in Act 1, to John Proctor confessing and therefore destroying it at the end of the play. John Proctor is an honest, plain-speaking local farmer. He is an impressive presence in the room, being described as ‘a man in his prime’ and ‘powerful of body’, illustrating his strength and independence. Although some people criticise his religious commitments, he is generally ‘respected and even feared in Salem’, again suggesting his position in the community. However, we then learn that he is a ‘sinner’. Although it may be easy, at this point, for the reader to judge Proctor, forming a negative opinion of him, we then learn that he sins ‘against his own vision of decent conduct’ and regards himself as a ‘fraud’, implying that he regrets and is ashamed of his sins. Proctor represents common sense and decency. He is not perfect, but is very aware of his own faults, unlike many others in the play. He is his own harshest judge. He believes very strongly in telling the truth but is tortured by the knowledge that he is living a lie. Although he is guilty of hypocrisy, he condemns himself for it. Here, Miller presents proctor in a more positive light and intends for the reader to empathise with Proctor, given that he regrets his mistakes and is burdened constantly by guilt. Abigail Williams is Reverend Parris’s niece and the leader of the girls and drives the witchcraft accusations. She wants revenge on Elizabeth Proctor for dismissing her and winning John Proctor back from her after the affair. She is shown has powerful when she says to the girls: ‘Now, look you, all of you’, asserting that she is very much in charge. She is also very controlling; when she tells Mary Warren to ‘Shut it!’ and slaps her, we see her taking advantage of Mary Warren’s shy and meek character by scaring and threatening her into doing what she wants. This is repeated when Abigail destroys Mary’s newfound courage against the girls by pretending to see her spirit as a yellow bird. Abigail also calls the good-natured Elizabeth Proctor a ‘gossiping liar’, signifying that she is sly and manipulative,  adjusting the situation in order to remain innocent. She is also cunning as well as manipulative, in that she realises that she can generate hysteria in the other girls and she uses this to defend and strengthen her own argument and accusations. She inspires fear in all of the girls and the entire town: this is illustrated when we learn that ‘where she walks the crowd will part like the see for Israel’, proving that even the senior townspeople of Salem are taken in by her power. In Act 1 we are given an insight into the complex relationship between Proctor and Abigail. It is the first scene in which we are given actual evidence of their affair, which (up until their conversation in Act 1) is only rumoured. In this scene John Proctor’s power is reinforced when Mary Warren ‘jumps in fright’ when he enters. It is clear that he has a similar effect on Abigail, who immediately flatters Proctor when they are alone, citing that she had ‘almost forgotten how strong [he is]’. She also gives a ‘nervous laugh’, showing that she likes him a lot and is slightly uneasy around him as she is always on her guard to appear more mature. She ‘feverishly’ looks ‘deep into his eyes’, showing that he has power over her, and suggesting that she is looking as deep as she can into Proctor, searching for some form of response or reciprocation of her feelings towards him. Abigail also stands ‘as though on tiptoe’, implying that she is trying to seem more mature and of better status than she is. When someone is ‘on tiptoe’, they are trying to be more than they are, be that taller, more confident or mature, but they are often unstable by doing this and they struggle to keep their balance. It is this that causes Abigail’s downfall in the end, in that she too becomes unstable by trying to be more than she is, throughout the play. Her plan to win John Proctor backfires as a result of accusations multiplying and, as hysteria spirals out of control, it is Abigail who loses control of the whole situation and (albeit unintentionally) causes Proctor’s death. In the same scene, we see Proctor’s attitude towards Abigail and their affair change. At first, he gives a ‘knowing smile’, suggesting that he may still have some feelings for her. Once Abigail has told Proctor that they danced in the woods, he replies in a somewhat playful tone, saying: ‘Ah,  you’re wicked yet, aren’t y’!’ giving the impression that likes her too and also wants to carry on with the affair. An alternative interpretation of this is that he encourages behaviour forbidden by Puritans such as dancing in the woods (which they believed to be full of evil spirits) because he knows that there isn’t really any danger in the woods, and that it will infuriate Parris, whom Proctor despises. He also jokes that Abigail will be ‘clapped in the stocks before [she’s] twenty!’ This ironic because Abigail is one of the only people who is not punished, despite being one of the only people who deserves to be. Abigail then begins to beg John for a ‘soft word’ with ‘concentrated desire’. The word ‘concentrated’ implies that her desire is very strong and intense, and that all the energy she has is focused on trying to seduce him. It is this that ‘destroys his smile’. It also destroys his happiness, in that he is tormented by guilt every day. It also destroys his relationship with Elizabeth as her ‘desire’ later involves targeting her at the trials and pretending that she sends her spirit to stab Abigail. It then, ultimately, destroys his life when she uses the power she has over the other girls to overpower Mary Warren’s argument against her, scaring Mary into going against Proctor and getting him arrested and hung. When Abigail ‘destroys his smile’, Proctor realises that what he is doing is wrong a makes the decision to reject Abigail. Miller uses short sentences to emphasise Proctor’s authority as a grown man, using a declarative to assert that ‘That’s done with.’ Speaking with â⠂¬Ëœfinal emphasis’, we watch as Proctor becomes frustrated that Abigail has clearly not got the message and will not leave. Miller uses another declarative when Proctor tells Abigail that she ‘will put it out of mind’, making it clear that Proctor is in control and reinforcing our idea of him as a headstrong man with good morals. Abigail’s desperation does not fade; we learn that ‘she cannot believe it’, insinuating that she has become so used to manipulating others that it comes as a shock when she herself is manipulated. Proctor rejects Abigail once and for all, using a violent image that he would ‘cut off [his] hand’ before he’d ‘ever reach for [her] again’. This image, suggesting punishment and physical harm is also symbolic of the terrible outcome of their affair. The affair causes tension between Proctor and Elizabeth. She is paranoid about what he may be up to, asking Proctor ‘What keeps [him] so late?’ John then asks Elizabeth: ‘Are you well today?’ showing that they are not getting on as well as they might, and Proctor is almost tiptoeing around her by trying to seem interested in her and make her feel valued. The tension increases further when Proctor says: ‘Cider?’, suggesting that he is tired of her and is growing impatient that she is forgetting things. Miller’s audience of the 1950s would have been horrified that Proctor orders Elizabeth around in this way, especially when she is innocent and he is the one in the wrong, though this would have been normal in the 1690s, when women were regarded as their husband’s property. Abigail does not appear in Act 2. Nevertheless, she has a strong influence over the course of events. Not only does she cause tension between John and Elizabeth, but her presence is felt when Proctor struggles to name all of the Ten Commandments. He names all of them but the adultery commandment, meaning Elizabeth has to ‘delicately’ remind him. Proctor tries so hard on a daily basis to forget about his affair with Abigail and move on that he has forgotten the only commandment which he has gone against. It is his only sin and the only thing that ruins his otherwise good character. Abigail also drives the scene by accusing Elizabeth of witchcraft. Mary Warren comes home from court with a ‘poppet’ for Elizabeth, which has a ‘needle’ stuck in it. We then learn that Abigail fell to the floor and a needle was found stuck into the flesh of her stomach. The reader is shown Abigail’s plot against Elizabeth and Elizabeth’s arrest is a turning point. When Proctor tells Mary that she must admit to the court how the poppet came to be in his house, Mary is frightened and says that she cannot do it as Abigail would kill her and ‘charge lechery’ on Proctor. In the context of the period, adultery was one of the worst sins and anyone found to be an adulterer would be heavily punished, possibly even killed, as John Proctor is. It is therefore through Elizabeth’s arrest that Mary reveals that she knows of the affair. Act 2 closes with Mary weeping that she cannot do what Proctor has asked her. Although Abigail is not there, her presence is felt yet again and the power that she has over the other girls is clearly shown in Mary’s terror at the prospect of having to denounce Abigail in court. Abigail and Proctor are both complex characters and Miller chooses the two  characters who the reader would think are the most unlikely couple. John Proctor hates himself for hurting Elizabeth and judges himself for being guilty of the very hypocrisy he despises in others. Abigail Williams, on the other hand, is not a good-hearted character who revels in her sins, and it is her lack of morals which allow her to hurt innocent people such as Elizabeth. An adulterous relationship would have been intensely frowned upon in Puritan times and could be viewed as either Proctor‘s or Abigail’s fault. It could be argued that Proctor, as a grown and married man, should have known never to begin the affair with Abigail. However, it could have been Abigail, their servant, who took advantage of a difficult time between John and Elizabeth and exploited Proctor’s only weakness: lust. Miller clearly wants the reader on Proctor’s side. We know already that he is plagued with guilt and is aware of his own faults. In the end, he eliminates his hypocrisy by finally telling the truth. He is the play’s tragic hero in that he sacrifices his life and good name in order to save Elizabeth, who forgives him, saying that ‘he have his goodness now’.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Nietzsche and “The Problem of Socrates”

Without a doubt, Nietzsche was one of the great thinkers of his time.   He showed great insight into some of the social ills that existed at his time and sought to find ways in which to correct them.   Like Marx, Nietzsche believed that, to some extent, the root of many social ills came from the division between the classes and with the decadence of those with wealth.   In the case of the â€Å"problem† of Socrates, Nietzsche moves somewhat beyond the typical Marxist argument and questioned the wisdom of Socrates in other ways.   Although Nietzsche drew extensively from ancient texts to support his arguments about Socrates, the conclusions to which he came were completely modern in their nature. For his first argument, Nietzsche states that all sages have concluded that life is devoid of positive meaning (Nietzsche par. 1).   To support this argument, he cites Socrates’ conclusion that life equals sickness.   Socrates, Nietzsche argues, was not just tired of life himself; rather, his decadence was the symptom of a decline in society himself.   Not only was Socrates a â€Å"great erotic† (Nietzsche par. 8), but he was also an indication of how society itself was decadent. Nietzsche goes on to argue that Socrates was not a wise man at all.   Although it is usual to admire Socrates for his deeply analytical mind, Nietzsche argues that it is the philosopher’s overindulgence in this particular virtue that makes him decadent to begin with.   In fact, Nietzsche argues that Socrates was truly the opposite of everything that he was purported to be, and might not even be Greek at all.   To support these arguments, Nietzsche relies not only the texts that come from the time at which Socrates lived, but also on the writings of scientists, the â€Å"anthropological criminologists,† who argue that criminals are typically ugly people. In the eyes of Nietzsche, it appears that Socrates is not what he appears at first blush at all.   It is well known that Socrates came from the plebian class, but Nietzsche also argues against his ugliness, which appears in both writings on and sculptures of Socrates.   If Socrates was ugly and conventional wisdom at the time during which Nietzsche lived was that criminals are ugly, is it not possible to argue that Socrates was not a great man, but, rather, a criminal? And, because criminals are typically decadent, it is not possible to support, at least by arguments of the times, the statement that Socrates was decadent as well?   If these things are true, then Nietzsche can feel justified in arguing that Socrates was not a great man and that all of the philosophers that followed him through the leadership of Plato were also symptomatic of all that was wrong with Socrates and with his form of reasoning. Where Socrates fails, in the mind of Nietzsche, is in his overwhelming need for and reliance upon reasoning.   Prior to Socrates, Nietzsche points out, argumentation in polite society did not exist in polite society.   In fact, Nietzsche argues, the argumentation that Socrates relied upon was the vanquishing of â€Å"a noble taste† in which people did not live solely by reason, but through personal responsibility and personal morality, through instincts, rather than reason. It is through the writings that come down to this age, in which Socrates is depicted as an ugly man that is ruled solely by reason, that Nietzsche is able to draw his very modern conclusion: man without instincts is a diseased creature who has no desire to live.   Using this argument, Socrates did not bravely face his execution; instead, he wanted to die because he was not true to his instinctive human nature and, thus, had become infected with the decadence brought about by his over-reliance on logic, reason, and morality imposed from an exterior source. All of Nietzsche’s reasoning, of course, is based on his own desires to support his own arguments.   It is not difficult to trace a decline in Greek society over the centuries, but whether this decline is directly correlated with the reason imposed by Socrates and later by Plato it is impossible to say.   Rather, it appears that Nietzsche is making the argument to support his belief that human beings are instinctive creatures that are best when they are overflowing the restrictions imposed by society. Socrates’ form of reasoning, Nietzsche argued, was a last resort of a failing society.   This Socratic reasoning did not so much remove decadence from society as it did simply change that decadence into another form. The removal of instinct from society’s grasp and, in fact, the actual opposition that society had to the instinctive nature of humanity, was the cause of the disease that Socrates personified–at least in Nietzsche’s opinion. At the time that the ancients were writing in praise of Socrates, it was to their benefit to do so.   A new form of society was coming into being and Socrates was the forerunner of the kind of citizen that would populate it.   If Socrates was denigrated in writings during the time at which he lived, it was not because he was decadent or ugly, but because he challenged the society in which he lived. Nietzsche, however, chose to interpret the writings that he studied as proof that Greek society was in decline due to the rise of reason over instinct, which would thus support his argument that the ills and decadence of modern society sprang from the morals and reason that were being imposed upon the world.   In a very real sense, it can be argued that Nietzsche skewed the historical writings he studied to support his modern philosophical statements. Nietzsche argues that as long as reason and external morality is imposed upon society, the people who live within it are diseased and devoid of reasons to live.   He indicates that all of the sages throughout the ages have come to this conclusion, including Socrates, who came to such a conclusion about his own right.   Nietzsche came to very different conclusions than those that were reached by the people upon whose texts he based his reasoning because of his imposing modern values upon the writings of these ancient texts.   By using his own reasoning and the reasoning suggested by then-modern scientists, Nietzsche supported his own agenda that argued against reason and for instinctive humanity. Work Cited Nietzsche, F.   â€Å"The Problem of Socrates.†Ã‚   18 Dec 2007. .

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Bessie Blount Essays

Bessie Blount Essays Bessie Blount Essay Bessie Blount Essay Bessie J. Blount African-American Inventor Forensic Scientist Bessie Blount Griffin was born on November 24, 1914 in Hickory, VA, present day Chesapeake, VA. She studied at both Panzar College of Physical Education and at Union Junior College in New Jersey. Prior to being deployed as a nurse during World War II, she studied physical therapy in Chicago. During her childhood, her stubborn streak showed when at 7 she was reprimanded for writing with her left hand; she decided to learn to write with her mouth and toes instead of writing with her right hand. In 1951, she invented a self feeding device that a person with an amputation could use independently. The feeding device was designed to deliver one mouthful of food at a time, controlled by biting down on the tube. She then created a disposable emesis basin. Her invention were rejected by the American Veterans Administration. After this rejection she donated her inventions to the French Government, where her inventions were accepted and are still currently being used. In 1969, Blount studied to become a forensic scientist and went into law enforcement. She worked in Vineland, New Jersey and both Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia. In her capacity as a forensic scientist, she used her training to examine the authenticity of African American slave â€Å"papers† and pre-civil war documents. By 1972, she had advanced to become the Chief Document Examiner of those laboratories. In 1977, Blount became the first Black woman to train and work at Scotland Yard, because J. Edgar Hoover turned down her application to the Federal Bureau of Investigations. At 83, she had continued to run her own business. She currently serves as a consultant in â€Å"special investigations† for many law enforcement agencies, while being a member of the South Jersey chapter. According to her son, Bessie Blount still packs up her models and speaks to classes. Blount would like to but some land in Hampton Roads, Virginia, and build a place where she can spread out her lifes work and allow students to ask her questions and roam. FOR FREE. Blount has been asked to donate her inventions to several different African American museums but she has refused. She had stated that â€Å"science has no color. † â€Å"Why should [she] donate things [she] made, and theyll charge students to go see them? No. [Shell] take them to schools where kids can hold then, touch them, [she] tells them, Youre a part of history. †

Monday, November 4, 2019

Analysis of Demand and Supply for Ford SUVs and Trucks

Analysis of Demand and Supply for Ford SUVs and Trucks This paper will discuss the analysis of Demand and Supply for Ford’s SUVs and trucks. Particularly the larger SUVs and Trucks. What is demand and supply analysis? It â€Å"is the study of how buyers and sellers interact to determine transaction prices and quantities.† (Demand and Supply Analysis: Introduction, 2011). It might be hard to believe that the big SUVs and trucks sells are on the rise while all sedans sales are plummeting in ever category. Half a decade ago SUVs and trucks sells were rock bottom but with the current economy, low gas prices, low interest rates, and the average income is on the rise, people are opting for the larger vehicles. Ford is one manufacture that is going to take advantage of the new demand shift. Ford has opted out of making any more sedans and to only to make SUVs and trucks. Ford will keep two sedans which is the Ford Focus and the Ford Mustang their best sellers. Ford plans to introduce new SUVs and Trucks to cover more of the market segments, because not ever consumer can afford Fords top tier line that cost upwards of seventy to eighty thousand dollars. The Analysis of Demand and Supply. Less than five years ago car manufacturers were on a race to improve fuel economy. This was mostly due to the high gas prices. From around 2011 until late 2014 going into 2015 gas prices averaged over $3.50 a gallon and high average just over $4.00 dollars a gallon. The above chart is from (Gas Price Charts, 2018). According to data from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the average American driver puts in 13,474 miles behind the wheel each year. So, if U.S. consumer was to by a large SUV that got a combine average of 18mpg and at $4 dollars a gallon it would have cost the consumer $2,994 dollars. However, if the consumer was to buy a car that got closer to 40mpgs it would have cost the consumer $1,347.4 dollars. This would have saved the consumer on average $137 dollars a month just in gas not to mention that the smaller cars cost less. Gas was a significant factor but there were other factors such as economic confidence was down, the average American’s salary was stagnate and even declining. During the time frame 2010 to 2016 consumers were spending less. The economic environment has changed, and the economy has strengthened over the last two years. Gas prices are lower with the current national average of $2.84. At the current gas price and with the larger SUVs and Trucks peaking around 20mpgs it would currently cost the consumer $1,913 dollars in gas, this is a thousand dollars a year savings. Other factors driving consumers spending more on cars are Americans have more economic confidence and American wages are on the rise. According to USA Today â€Å"U.S. workers’ wages and benefits grew 2.6% last year [2017] the fastest 12-month pace since the spring of 2015.† (Wages rise at 2.6% in 2017, 2017). This means that U.S consumers have a little more money in their pocket and they don’t want the same cars any longer and are willing to spend more to get more. Americans have always been drawn towards larger vehicles more than other nations. Therefore, Ford has made the change to focus more on their SUV line and Truck line. Only two cars survived the chopping block. One thing that is evident with the current new demand is the price. In 2013 the Ford Expedition top out at $51,355 dollars in the top trim level of the King Ranch. Now in 2018 Ford has introduced a remodeled Ford Expedition and the top tier base price is $76,175 dollars. These prices were gathered from Autotrader.com. What caused this massive jump in price in just 5 years. To start out the demand was down because of the recent high gas prices. With the environmental factor such as gas price this will reduce the demand for larger vehicle when there is a alternative vehicle that got better gas mileage and cost tremendously less. As the gas went down and the consumer income went up the demand for these SUVs went up, but the supply was low. Fords parent company Lincoln was selling their high-end Lincoln Navigator but Ford was having a hard time keeping up the demand. In January of 2018 Lincoln sold 1,300 Navigators this number was up 97.5% from January in 2017. Not only was Lincolns sales up but of those 1,300 Navigators sold 84% of them were Lincolns two highest trim level which brought a price of over $90,000 dollars. While everyone might not be able to spend upwards of $80,000 to $90,000 dollars Ford is introducing new models that are smaller but look like an SUV. This move is to capitalize on the current trend that people are moving away form sedans and that the current technology is allowing some of the smaller crossover SUVs to get upwards of the 30mpg range. The ability to get 30mpgs in a SUV will help Ford survive if the gas price was to go up or if the economy was to take a down turn. In the end if the economy is right the U.S. consumer will spend more on their vehicle but if gas goes up and the economy tanks we could see prices fall for the large SUVs and Trucks.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Admission essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Admission - Essay Example m my work experiences and my educational career at Tarrant County College that group synergy translates into outstanding work performance and maximum satisfaction for the participants of the group. I have work on several projects as an undergraduate student in which have displayed the ability to interpret both qualitative and quantitative information. I have always had a passion for math, science, and field work. The discipline of electrical engineering provides a good mix of office and outdoor work. It is important always to work cohesively as team to achieve the optimum results. I like designing work. I understand that it takes hard work and dedication to achieve the disciplined required to become an engineer. I have always tried my best at everything life since it perseverance shows true character. Obtaining the educational attainment of an electrical engineering degree is my ultimate professional goal which I planned to achieving by enrolling in a top engineering school. The world has become a place where the interrelations among nations have become imperative in order for people to survive. The continent on earth that is behind all other in terms of social economical progress is the continent of Africa. I was born and raised in the nation of Sudan. As an African is my obligation to better myself in order to help my families and my people. Africa is one of the poorest nations in the world. In order to improve the well being of a nation education must be a top priority. In Africa only 57% of children are enrolled in primary school and only one in three does not complete school (Fightpoverty, 2006). I want to become a part of the movement and participation needed to change Africa forever. There needs to be a commitment from the private and public section to dramatically increase the investment in education to reach larger sectors of the population. In order to improve the standard of living of Africans we need to build better basic infrastructure such as roads,