Modern Philosophy Essay

Herman Ebbinghaus has pointed out that psychology and philosophy are intertwined one way or the other. In order for Psychologists to study human behavior, as well as metal process, they must go step back and consider being philosophical. One must be rational and logical when studying this process and behavior, thus going back to psychology’s roots. Towards the end of the Renaissance period, Rene Descartes emerged and was tagged as the father of Modern Philosophy. As mentioned, Philosophy and Psychology work hand in hand in analyzing human behavior. Descartes’ ideas were formed when he said that he found formal education with the Jesuits was not enough to feed his thirst for knowledge and distraught on the lack of knowledge that was fed to him during his college or scholastic days. Because of this he opted to explore and find things out on his own. Descartes strong desire to get answers and fill his doubts with facts and certainties; he spent his time finding ways to unite all knowledge. Though a philosopher, he â€Å"for example, he combined his interests in optics and physiology by extracting the eye of an ox and examining the properties of the lens, thereby discovering the fact that retinal images are inverted (as cited, Vrooman, 1970). † Descartes had four rules: First, he would accept nothing as true unless â€Å"it presented itself so clearly and distinctly to my mind that there was no reason to doubt it† (Descartes, 1637/1960, p. 15). Second, he would take problems and analyze them, reducing them to their fundamental elements. Third, he would systematically work from the simplest of these elements to the more complex, and fourth, he would carefully review his conclusions to be certain of omitting nothing. As a rationalist, he has said that reasoning is innate in humans. The capacity to think and put logic and into, perhaps a situation or event in a person’s life is something that is natural and that people do not rely on just experience. People are given the gift to think and make decisions, and these are made and achieved because of man’s ability to rationalize and think logically. Because he was a scientist and a mathematician, he believed that one must doubt on things that has no basis and can not be explained. Cognitive Psychology deals with mental process or the mental state of a person. For instance, studying or analyzing the mental state of a child. According to Jean Piaget, a person’s mental growth had education as a key role in a child’s mental development. It is said that, it is our teachers or mentors that one develops his perception and thinking, among others. In relation to Ebbinghaus’ study of Memory and Forgetting, experiments have been made in order to analyze a person’s capability to memorize and forget. With the help of research and methodology, and Ebbinghaus’ invention of some tests for memory retention, we begin to understand how memory works and improved. What stuck me most on Watson’s manifesto is his strong point and statement that man’s behavior or contribution has been applied to different facets of life and education. Upon reading this, I realized I believed and agree to his principles and view. Psychology is about behavior and a person’s behavior is linked to how he thinks. There is an array of reasons why a person acts or behaves in a certain way. This may be contributed by life experiences, family background, culture or influences of peers. A person may act differently because of their beliefs as well and their way of living. Behavior is also an expression of one’s feelings and emotions. An art fanatic or an artist may act differently or a little bit off the edge, but to them, their behavior and ways are but normal and they are merely expressing themselves, with the way they talk, dress or even walk. Another example is a person’s cultural beliefs and practices. Because people emerged and come from different races and cultures, they act and behave differently. Cultural beliefs are formed in our minds at very young age. These were passed on to us by our parent or ancestors. And from that very young age, till the time that we grow old, those teachings will remain if not in our hearts but in our subconscious. Even though we move away from our birthplace, one way or the other, in spite the influence of the today’s generation and the ever so changing world, we still go back to our own roots and ways. References (N. A. ). DESCARTES: THE BEGINNINGS OF MODERN PHILOSOPHY AND SCIENCE (N. A.). Chapter 10: JOHN B. WATSONAND THE FOUNDING OF BEHAVIORISM

African Americans in American Society 1920s Essay

Many blacks contributed to the success of our country in every war that we as a people have ever fought. In order to properly thank them for their heroic effort, I as a Hispanic Caucasian must give credit where credit is due. In order to properly do so, I must begin with the contributions of â€Å"Black America† beginning with the American Revolution and continue up until the World War II. Make no mistake blacks made contributions well past World War II, but in the interest of time and accuracy I must stay within the confines of our earlier history. One main aspect that should be analyzed is the fact that no matter how hard the struggle, blacks have always overcome adversity no matter what the cost. Of course, contributions made by blacks are not limited to war alone, but include a wide spectrum of achievements that have advanced civilization as a whole. My personal respect and thanks go to all people who have served and continue to serve this country at any capacity. But we must never forget the contributions made by our black brothers and sisters who gave their lives fighting for a cause that so greatly affected their lives as well as our well being. Charles Dickens said it best in his book A Tale of Two Cities, â€Å"It was the best of times it was the worst of times†. The American Revolution was a time of great struggle for people of all races. But, Blacks in particular understood the literal meaning of patriot rhetoric, eagerly took up the cause of American freedom, fighting bravely in the early confrontations with the British. Though the revolution freed some blacks and set the country on a course toward the abolition of slavery, political accommodation to plantation owners forestalled emancipation for many blacks in the south for 90 more years. A black man was one of the first martyrs of the patriot cause. Crispus Attucks, apparently a slave who had run away from his owner 20 years before, died in the Boston Massacre in 1770. Though facts were disputed at trials then as now, witnesses said Attucks hit a British officer with a large piece of firewood, grabbed a bayonet and urged the crowd to attack just before the British fired. Attucks and two others were killed while eight were wounded, two mortally. Blacks served at the battles of Lexington and Concord. Peter Salem, a freed slave, stood on the green at Lexington facing the British when the first battle broke out with the shot that was heard around the world. One of the last men wounded in the battle as the British escaped to Boston was Prince Estabrook, a black man from West Lexington. At least 20 blacks, including Peter Salem, were in the ranks two months later when the British attacked an American position outside Boston in the Battle of Bunker Hill. Salem has been honored for firing the shot that killed Major John Pitcairn, the British officer who led the Redcoats when they had attacked his small unit at Lexington. Unable to venture outside Boston and then threatened with cannon surrounding the city, the British left Boston for New York. As the war changed from a Massachusetts endeavor to a broader conflict throughout the colonies, the politics of race changed dramatically. Blacks had been welcomed in the New England militia, but Congress initially decided against having them in the Continental army. Congress needed support from the South if all the colonies were to win their independence from England. Since southern plantation owners wanted to keep their slaves, they were afraid to give guns to blacks. Congress ordered all blacks removed from the army, but black veterans appealed directly to George Washington, who took up their cause with John Hancock, president of the Continental Congress. Blacks serving in the army were allowed to stay, but new enlistments were forbidden. Though the Declaration of Independence declared that â€Å"all men were created equal,† many blacks soon saw more opportunity on the British side. The British governor of Virginia promised immediate freedom and wages to any slave who would join the Kings army. Hundreds flocked to the standard of the governor, Lord Dunmore, but he was denied a base on the land by the American forces and many of the blacks who joined him died of smallpox on overcrowded ships. The loyalty of blacks was a serious issue for the American leaders because blacks made up one-fifth of the two million people in the colonies. With the British soldiers already outnumbering the American troops, and recruitment difficult for the patriots, the northern colonies soon again began to enlist blacks. Rhode Island made up a regiment almost entirely of blacks. As the war continued, colonies as far south as Maryland and Virginia were recruiting free blacks for the American cause. As the war spread into the South, Congress found it needed to recruit slaves. It offered to pay South Carolina slave owners $1,000 for able-bodied male slaves. The slaves would receive no pay, but would be given $50 and their freedom at the end of the war if they served â€Å"well and faithfully. † The South Carolina Assembly threatened to leave the war, dooming the plan in the southernmost colonies. Recruitment of blacks to the American cause continued further north, but the patriots had less success than the British. The offer of immediate freedom extended by Virginia’s unfortunate loyalist governor was eventually made by the British throughout the colonies. Slaves joined the British by the tens of thousands. The fate of the loyalist blacks varied considerably. Some were captured by Americans and either returned to their masters or treated as war loot and sold back into slavery. Approximately 20,000 were with the British at the end of the war, taken to Canada or the Caribbean. Some became the founders of the British colony of Sierra Leone in West Africa. Even though the British offered slaves a better deal, many blacks served on the American side. They made up a sizeable share of the men in the Continental navy, state navies and the large force of American privateers. Blacks had long been in the labor force on ships and at seaports. On the water, then as now, skill counted for more than politics. The precise role of blacks in the revolution is difficult to quantify. Blacks in those days generally did not write. The people who did write early histories of the revolution were whites and concentrated on the efforts of white men. Also, many participants in the revolution were not specifically identified by race in the documents of the time and historians now have no way of knowing whether they were black. When blacks were allowed to serve in the American military, they often did work as laborers, sometimes in addition to regular soldier duties. Usually they were privates, though a few rose to command small groups of men. The words of the Declaration of Independence were taken literally by blacks and some whites. In, 1780, Pennsylvania became the first colony to pass a law phasing out slavery. Children born to slaves after that date were granted their freedom when they reached 28. Other northern states followed. The Superior Court of Massachusetts held in 1783 that slavery violated the state constitution, and New Hampshire also ended slavery by a court ruling. Vermont outlawed slavery and Connecticut and Rhode Island passed gradual emancipation laws. New York outlawed slavery in 1799 and New Jersey followed in 1804. The international slave trade was outlawed in 1808. Progress then came to a stop. A boom in cotton production spread the slave economy into the lower Mississippi Valley. Slave states were careful to control at least half the political power in the federal government, blocking any national movement against slavery until the Civil War. The 54th Massachusetts Regiment On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing the slaves in the rebelling territories of the confederacy and authorizing Black enlistment in the Union Army. Since the beginning of the Civil War, free Black people in general, and Black Bostonians in particular, were ready to gather arms on behalf of the Union, yet they were prevented from doing so. Popular racial stereotypes and institutional discrimination against Blacks in the military contributed to the prevailing myth that Black men lacked the intelligence and bravery necessary to serve their country. By the fall of 1862, however, the lack of White Union enlistment and confederate victories at Antietem forced the U. S. government to reconsider its racist policy. As Congress met in October to address the issue of Black enlistment, various troops of Black volunteers had already been organized, including the First South Carolina and the Kansas Colored Troops. It wasn’t until January 26, 1863; however, that secretary of war Edwin Stanton authorized the enlistment of Black troops. As a result, the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer infantry was founded, becoming the first all-Black Union regiment raised in the north. Training began for Black volunteers at Camp Meigs in Reedville, MA on February 21, 1863. Although some members of the community voiced opposition to the prevention of Black men from achieving the rank of colonel or officer, most community activists urged Black men to seize the opportunity to serve in the Union forces. The fear many Black volunteers had about the potential racism of White officers and colonels was calmed when Massachusetts Governor John Andrew assured Bostonians that White officers assigned to the 54th Regiment would be â€Å"young men of military experience, of firm anti-slavery principles, ambitious, superior to a vulgar contempt for color, and having faith in the capacity of colored men for military service. † Andrew held to his word, appointing 25-year-old Robert Gould Shaw as colonel and George P. Hallowell as Lieutenant. The son of wealthy abolitionists, Shaw had been educated in Europe and at Harvard before joining the seventh New York National Guard in 1861. In 1862, when Governor Andrew contacted Shaw’s father about the prospect of commissioning his son as colonel of the soon-to-be organized fifty-fourth, Shaw was an officer in the Second Massachusetts Infantry. Although reluctant to accept the commission, Shaw eventually became colonel. By the time training began at Camp Meigs, Shaw and his officers began work with the soldiers whose bravery would forever change public perception of Black military skill and valor. Black community leaders across the country such as Frederick Douglass and William Wells Brown served as recruiting agents for the Union army. As a result, over 1000 volunteers enlisted in the 54th Regiment, a response so overwhelming that Massachusetts organized a second Black regiment, the fifty-fifth. Men of the fifty-fourth represented twenty-four states, the District of Columbia, the West Indies, and Africa. Approximately 25% of them had been slaves, over 50% were literate, and, although as civilians they had worked in forty-six different occupations, the overwhelming majorities (55%) were common laborers. Regardless of origin, occupation, or social class, the men of the 54th Regiment both inspired Boston’s Black community and provided a symbol of pride for abolitionists across the country. Activists such as William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass visited Camp Meigs to show their support. Although the organization of the 54th Regiment resolved the conflict over Black enlistment in the Union army, the struggle of Black soldiers to gain respect in the military was just beginning. Upon arrival in the south, the Black soldiers were often treated as common laborers and the potential for their valor on the battlefield was disregarded. Upon arriving in Georgia on June 11, they were ordered by Col. James Montgomery of the Department of the South to raid the town of Darien. Reports of Black soldiers burning buildings and ravaging the homes of townspeople confirmed stereotypes of Black soldiers as un-trainable brutes. Col. Shaw found the raid on Darien barbarous and distasteful, and sent a letter to Brigadier General George C. Strong, requesting that the men be used in the planned attack on Fort Wagner, South Carolina. On July 16, the 54th Regiment fought alongside White soldiers of the 10th Connecticut Infantry in a skirmish on James Island, SC. This battle redeemed the Black soldiers’ fighting ability in the eyes of White skeptics, including General Strong, who commanded the 54th Regiment to lead the assault on Fort Wagner, scheduled for July 18. Strategically, a successful attack on Fort Wagner would allow Union forces to seize control of Charleston Harbor. Located on Morris Island, Fort Wagner protected Battery Gregg overlooking Fort Sumter. Thus, seizure of Fort Wagner was valuable because it enabled the Union to shell Sumter and close the harbor to confederate blockade runners, thereby paving the way for further Union attack on Charleston. Fort Wagner was located at the northern tip of Morris Island, and was controlled by 1700 troops and 17 artillery guns. Depleted to just over 600 men by the skirmish two days previous, the men of the 54th Regiment were ordered to lead the assault on Fort Wagner with the backing of regiments from New York, Connecticut, Maine, and Pennsylvania. Before the charge commenced, Colonel Shaw ordered the regiment to â€Å"prove yourselves as men. † Within 200 feet of the Fort, the confederates began to attack as the brave men of the 54th Regiment struggled through darkness, four-foot deep water, and marshland. Colonel Shaw, accompanied by dwindling numbers of dying men, managed to reach the top of the parapet where a bitter hand-to-hand combat ensued, the Black Union soldiers with bayonets against the White Confederate soldiers with handspikes and gun rammers. Colonel Shaw was mortally wounded with a pierce through the heart, along with a dozen of his men. Meanwhile, members of the 54th Regiment – some wounded, some dying – began to retreat; those who refused to back down were taken prisoner. As the smoke cleared, evidence of Confederate victory was immediately apparent, with 174 Rebel casualties and 1515 Union soldiers dead or wounded. Of the eleven regiments who participated in the Union assault, the fifty-forth Regiment accrued the most casualties, with 256 of their 600 men dead or wounded. Despite the heavy losses, the assault on Fort Wagner proved to the nation and the world the valor of Black soldiers in general and the men of the 54th Regiment in particular. From the ranks of the fifty-forth came stories of unfailing patriotism and undying glory. The men of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, their White officers, colonel, and allies, not only struck a blow for American freedom and unity, they also proved to the nation and the world the valor, bravery, and devotion of African American soldiers. In the sacrifice made by Col. Shaw and his soldiers, Americans witnessed, for the first time, the supremacy of equality over racism, discrimination, and ignorance. Upon his death at Fort Wagner, the body of Col. Shaw was placed in a mass grave on Morris Island along with the bodies of his soldiers. The lack of proper military burial for a man who had distinguished himself as a soldier and as a leader was intended to insult the honor of Shaw and his family, who were deemed as race traitors by Confederates and White unionists alike. However, upon learning that his son had been buried with his black soldiers, Francis Shaw stated, with dignity, that â€Å"We hold that a soldier’s most appropriate burial place is on the field where he has fallen. † This statement and the honor displayed by the Shaw family and veterans of the fifty-fourth helped immortalize Shaw and his men as symbols of the Civil War battle for unity and equality. As a result of the 54th Regiment, over 180,000 Black men enlisted under the Union flag between 1863 and 1865. AFRICAN AMERICAN MILITARY SERVICE from WWI through WWII. During the global conflicts of the first half of the 20th century, U. S. servicemen fought in Europe for the first time in the nation’s history. African Americans were among the troops committed to combat in World War I (WWI) and World War II (WWII), even though they and other black Americans were denied the full blessings of the freedom for which the United States had pledged to fight. Traditional racist views about the use of black troops in combat initially excluded African Americans from the early recruiting efforts and much of the actual combat in both wars. Nonetheless, large numbers of African Americans still volunteered to fight for their country in 1917-18 and 1940-45. Once again, many black servicemen hoped their military contribution and sacrifice would prove to their white countrymen that African Americans desired and deserved a fully participatory role in U. S. society. Unfortunately, the deeply entrenched negative racial attitudes prevalent among much of the white American population, including many of the nation’s top military and civilian leaders, made it very difficult for blacks to serve in the military establishment of this period. African-American servicemen suffered numerous indignities and received little respect from white troops and civilians alike. The historic contributions by blacks to the defense of the United States were usually ignored or downplayed, while combat failures similar to those of whites and violent racial incidents often provoked by whites were exaggerated into a condemnation of all African Americans. In the â€Å"Jim Crow† world of pre-1945 America, black servicemen confronted not only the hostility of enemies abroad but that of enemies at home. African-American soldiers and sailors had two formidable obstacles to deal with: discrimination and segregation. Yet, black servicemen in both world wars repeatedly demonstrated their bravery, loyalty, and ability in combat or in support of frontline troops. Oftentimes, they accomplished these tasks without proper training or adequate equipment. Poor communications and a lack of rapport with their white officers were two additional burdens hampering the effectiveness and efficiency of African Americans in the military. Too frequently, there was little or no recognition or gratitude for their accomplishments. One of the worst slights of both wars was the willingness of the white establishment to allow racism to influence the award of the prestigious Medal of Honor. Although several exceptionally heroic African Americans performed deeds worthy of this honor, not one received at the time the award that their bravery and self-sacrifice deserved. It took over 70 years for the United States to rectify this error for WWI and over 50 years for WWII. Despite the hardships and second-class status, their participation in both wars helped to transform many African-American veterans as well as helped to eventually change the United States. Though still limited by discrimination and segregation at home, their sojourn in Europe during WWI and WWII made many black servicemen aware that the racial attitudes so common among white Americans did not prevail everywhere else. The knowledge that skin color did not preclude dignity and respect made many black veterans unwilling to submit quietly to continuing racial discrimination once they returned to the United States. In addition, the growing importance of black votes beginning in the 1930s and 1940s forced the nation’s political and military leaders to pay more attention to African Americans’ demands, particularly in regard to the military. Although it was a tedious and frustrating process, one too often marked by cosmetic changes rather than real reform, by the end of WWII, the U. S. military establishment slowly began to make some headway against racial discrimination and segregation within its ranks. The stage was set for President Harry S Truman’s landmark executive order of 26 July 1948. Another main contribution of note would be the trails and tribulations of the Tuskegee Airmen. In the 1940’s, it was still believed that Blacks were incapable of flying aircraft. This myth was dispelled with the help of the U. S. Congress. On June 27, 1939 – THE CIVILIAN PILOT TRAINING ACT was passed. This solitary ACT helped to create a reserve of civilian pilots to be called in case of War. Young black pilots were given the opportunity to train with U. S. approved programs located at TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE. The SELECTIVE SERVICE ACT OF 1940 also increased the opportunity for a broader participation of Blacks in the military when it banned discrimination in the selection and training of all American citizens because of race and color. The success of the CIVILIAN PILOT TRAINING ACT helped put the 99TH PURSUIT SQUADRON OF TUSKEGEE on the map. It was said that â€Å"the success of Negro youth in the Army Air Force would be predicated upon the success of the ‘Tuskegee Experiment. ‘† HBO’s docudrama, THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN, is a good depiction of this era of Black Americans seeking acceptance as military pilots. Because of the opportunity provided by the Civilian Pilot Training Act, the number of Blacks in the ARMY AIR FORCE jumped from 2,250 in 1941 to over 145,000 by 1944. The two major groups to see combat as AAF men were the 99TH PURSUIT SQUADRON and the 332ND FIGHTER GROUP. Out of the 332nd Group came the 100th, 301st, and 302nd Squadrons under the command of Lieutenant Colonel BENJAMIN O. DAVIS, SR. , who became America’s FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN GENERAL on October 25, 1940. By 1944, the 99th was added to the 332nd and participated in campaigns in Sicily, Rome, and Romania. The 99th and 332nd earned many DISTINGUISHED UNIT CITATIONS. These historical examples are but a small sample of the many great contributions and sacrifices made by black people in order to secure freedom and prosperity for this great nation. We owe them a debt than can never be fully repaid. If anything these great contributions should curtail any negative or racial thoughts toward such a magnanimous people. You would think that with all that has transpired throughout history, that we as a people could live and coexist together with peace and harmony. My only hope is that with time people will come to realize that we are all not that different from one another and that we can thrive together for a better future for all of us.

Community Corrections Paper Essay

When people think of community corrections they may imagine offenders coexisting with the community. To some this is cause for immediate alarm, but community corrections is happening all around us every day, and in many cases, community corrections is actively effective. Community corrections is practiced in countries other than the United States, and impacts each community it is practiced in. It was the late 70s, when officials finally began to take a deeper look into other ways to handle offenders besides the obvious. With growing prison and jail populations, and institutions filling up with first time offenders, offenders convicted of nonviolent crimes, and misdemeanors, many states determined that under proper limitations and regulations, many nonviolent and petty offenders could be maintained securely in their homes, or in halfway homes. These offenders could check in daily to drug treatment programs reporting centers, or community service centers. This notion is what helped ins pire the community corrections programs of today. The practice of community programs is beneficial to both offenders, and the communities they return to. The offender learns accountability in the sense that they learn to be responsible for their time and what they do within that time. Communities are impacted by community corrections in a partially indirect way. The community can claim those who successfully complete the community corrections programs, and utilize the resource provided by the programs, as law abiding and productive citizens of the community. Thus these offenders will no longer pose a threat to the community. My theory about community corrections and their overall effectiveness within the correctional system  is community corrections will evolved and find more efficient ways to help offenders become productive members of society. I imagine the evolution of community corrections programs will be a slow process, but I feel that it is with evolution and innovativeness during evolution that community corrections programs will improve there effectiveness. The United States is not the only country that focuses on humane treatment of prisoners, and rehabilitation within the prison system. Places like Norway, and Indonesia have a prison system that focus es on treatment and rehabilitation through programs. A prison in Norway has been accused of making the prions experience too cushy. Bastoy is equipped with a church, a library, and working toilets in the cells. What many in Norway view as a luxury some would consider necessity. Despite debates about the prisoner treatment in Norway prisons, this area of Europe has the lowest reoffending rate in Europe, and the crimes rates in this area of the world remain at an all-time, low, (James, 2013). Prisons in Indonesia view what they do as a service to the prisoner, and the public. According to the Forgiven Prisoner Support service, (2013), â€Å"services are offered to prisoners in the form of drug and substance abuse and rehabilitation services†, (p, 1). These efforts are specifically aimed at ensuring that the prisoners will be able to live a fulfilling and law abiding life after their release from prison. Considering that all of the prisons I researched seemed to focus on rehabilitation and treatment of prisoners, rather than stern and harsh punishment. During my research I found that it is not apparent that the United States’ prison system would be greatly if affected if it were to focus on imprisonment under the terms that foreign countries seem to focus on. Rehabilitation seems to be the recurring topic when referring to prison systems in this country, as well as others. In the end, it all comes down to the fact that community corrections programs are effective in many cases. If I were to suggest a community corrections program in my neighborhood, I would suggest a program that provides an opportunity for offenders to maintain work within the community. I would suggest projects that include cleaning dilapidated buildings and structures as a sort of beautification project. I would suggest these types of projects within the community that the offender  lives. I would suggest this type of program because I feel that if offenders played a part in cleaning up their communities they may be less likely to commit acts that will bring their communities down. This type of community correction would help build pride in the offender for where they live, and would make them what to keep the area nice. Community corrections is a reputable tool used to aid in the criminal justice system’s struggle to keep offenders functioning as active members of the comm unity. Countries all across the world have the same central focus, which is rehabilitation and treatment for prisoners. It is not plausible that so many prisons systems in the world have it all wrong with their treatment and rehabilitation approach. While some may question the effectiveness of community corrections, the active programs and growing implementation of community corrections in prison system across the country indicate that these programs indeed yield valid and tangible results for those who participate and complete them. References; James, E. (2013). Norwegian Prison. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/feb/25/norwegian-prison-inmates-treated-like-people Foreign Prisoner Support Service. (2012). News at Foreign Prisons. Retrieved from http://www.foreignprisoners.com/prison-indonesia.html

Evaluation of the business strategy of a chosen company Assignment

Evaluation of the business strategy of a chosen company - Assignment Example In the second wave we can see concepts of standardization and mass production as center of attention of economist and scientist alike. These systems were basically focused on maximizing production and minimizing inputs. These concepts of mass production have their driving force in the massive increase in population over the last few centuries. With the massive increase in population the only route to success was to increase production and minimize cost. This was basically because technology in genetics was still not advanced, that meant you could not increase production from your raw materials and land many times over. The only control humans had at that moment was on machines, therefore they engaged in a massive mechanization of humans and production systems alike. This revolution was not only aimed towards manufacturing but services as well. This affected local shops and small businesses as they began to die out because they could not compete on price with machine inputs. This revo lution was psychological as well as economic people began to look alike, dress alike and think alike. In similar words individuality was slowly becoming obsolete and absent. Over time the second wave began to end as we reached the third wave practices of second wave were slowly abolished. The human society began to revert back to old practices and customs. One of the biggest signs of this reversion was birth control. Great emphasis was now being laid on keeping population in check. The concepts of standardization and mass production once again became obsolete. Emphasis was laid on individuality and personality once again. This information wave has triggered a ‘need’ in each human being to be different from others. Therefore in the present age the concept of small business catering to specific needs is once again in demand. These small businesses in management theory are usually termed SME (Small Medium Enterprise)

Schindler's List Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Schindler's List - Movie Review Example Events of the film are developed through the character of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman. From the beginning, Schindler is presented as a money making man who support Nazi Party and acts indifferent towards the afflictions of Jewish people. The event of Operation Reinhard in Krakow under the control of Amon Goeth affects Schindle’s mind deeply. As a result of this many Jews were transformed to force Labor camps, others were killed or shipped away. Killing of Jewish people in Nazi camps haunted Schindler’s mind and his mind undergoes some changes. He decided to save Jewish people through employing his company. Through his relationship with Amon Goeth, Schindler secretly recruits Jews and saves men, women, and children from death. The film keeps its difference from other war movies through its fact-based images. Its realistic presentation, especially the murder scenes force the viewers to the world of pity and fear. As Yosefa Loshitzky comments; â€Å"Schindlerâ⠂¬â„¢s List was evaluated in conjunction with only a certain type of image-a fact-based one that differed from earlier Speilberg productions† (Loshitzky, 27). The film makes available the realistic picture of human lust, greed, envy, anger, helplessness, and empathy and love.

Top Girls by Caryl Churchill Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Top Girls by Caryl Churchill - Essay Example Act 1 is set up in a fashionable restaurant in London. Marlene is celebrating with five women her promotion to the position of managing director. This scene is somehow bizarre, as all the five women have existed in varied historical epochs either real or imaginary. Somehow, all of them portray women’s struggle against oppression and patriarchy. For instance, Lady Nijo is married off to the Empire of Japan at age 14 (Churchil, 12). Eventually, she ends up being a Buddhist nun. Throughout act one, all these women save for Marlene, talk of their children, and former lovers; their stories depict a sense of success, loss and destiny. Act 2 is set up at Marlene workplace. She is interviewing Jeanine for a position. Jeanine portrays the character traits of a traditional woman; her needs to marry young, and have children are despised by Marlene. In the second scene of act 2, Angie and Kit are having a discussion in Joyce’s backyard. They speak of going to watch an x-rated film and Angie’s desire to kill Joyce (her mother). Eventually, in Act 3, it is established that Angie’s biological mother is not Joyce but Marlene. The third scene of act 2 is set up at Top Girls employment agency on a Monday morning (Churchil, 13). Two women Win and Nell are discussing their sexual encounters with men. On arrival of Marlene, they congratulate her on accounts that she has managed to secure the position of managing director position over Howard. In act 3, Marlene ends up fighting with her sister Joyce. Joyce feels that Angie’s future is gloom as long as England is run by the likes of Marlene and Margret Thatcher the then Prime Minister. Joyce believes that women like Marlene have misplaced priorities. Eventually, Marlene apologizes but Joyce will have none of that. Top Girl commences in a 1980 London background of an up market restaurant. Props used on the restaurant depict elegance that can only a successful career woman can afford. In its illusory

Brain Injury Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Brain Injury - Essay Example Such as, it may bring about memory loss, affects speed, duration and interpretation of the process of information involving sensory perception with existing knowledge. Also possible reaction time obstruction can lead to a decline in productivity or injury in some cases along with motor disability. All of this leads to concentration problems, irritation, understanding language, impulsiveness, seizures, headaches, unpredictable behaviour, skills detriment and difficulty in learning and carrying out daily activities. Diagnosing brain injury is a difficult process because injuries to the brain mostly go undetected. There are several reasons of this; neurological tests fail to detect cases of brain injury because these are not sensitive to detection equipment. Secondly, casual communication of doctors with patients may not show any indication of it. Even the patients themselves are not aware of symptoms and take them lightly if they are. On the other hand, close observation of such people may verify the differences in behaviour as alteration in one's temperament occurs to some extent. All this aids in determining the seriousness of the injury also the people closely related to the injured may comprehend behavioural changes instinctively. It is unknown how many patients acquire brain injury because several injured persons aren't hospitalized at all; in fact it has decreased2. The most common cause of brain injury is accidents involving vehicles which account for half of all brain injuries in America alone and child abuse in children. Although, aged people are more vulnerable to these injuries as of their tenuous brains but it effects young people the same way even if the injuries are not that serious. In addition, patients suffering from brain injury are most likely to have further injuries to their brains. Children especially the ones not in school yet are in the least danger of acquiring such an injury though they may suffer from one due to a serious fall. The troubles of rehabilitation are not only physical but also cognitive, psychological and behavioral that can cause long-term problems such as acute management, memory loss and social limitations. However, further advancement in technology makes it easier for the therapists and rehabilitation to make use of products especially designed for people with abilities3. Adaptations Treatments devised for the sufferers of brain injury are different for individuals of different ages like preschoolers, adolescents in school, employees and retired persons. For the benefit of all the patients, therapies determining the effects brain injury have on the performance of an individual are developed. Cognitive therapy involves understanding differences in before and after performance of the patient and focusing on changes in skills or reasoning. It happens often that patients face hard time expressing themselves and understanding others which is helped through speech therapy. Patients deal better if they are focused on developing skills and increasing productivity as they will pay less attention to their problems emotionally. While, psychological therapy aims to assist patients adapt better to the symptoms of brain injury such as acceptance of how they are now compared to prior injury. The psychological adaptations are important in daily activities, recreation and

Safety and Crowd Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Safety and Crowd Management - Essay Example This makes it possible to ensure security of those who are in attendance. This paper will be looking at the safety structures and systems in two stadiums, comparing and contrasting them. These will be Adams Park and Wembley Stadium. The security systems and structures in each will be analyzed critically. The writer will also be interested in looking at the impacts of these structures and systems on those people who are attending events in these venues. It is the duty of an event organizer to provide security for the crowd present. To this end, many organisers put in place safety management systems that are aimed at providing safety for the crowd and at the same time managing it. The risks that are anticipated should be monitored and managed. The event organisers are helped to a great length by safety structures and systems that are already incorporated in the venue, be it a stadium or a park. Adams Park is one of the largest football stadiums in London. It is located in Buckinghamshire. Since it was opened to the public in 1990, the park has been renovated and expanded periodically. The first expansion was in 1996 while the second was in the year 2001. It was designed to hold approximately eleven thousand fans when full to capacity. Waycombe Wanderers, the resident club, is planning to expand the park to hold 20,000 fans. Been such a huge stadium, crowd security and control is of the utmost concern. This is considering that many of the events that take place here are football and rugby, two sports associated with riotous and violent fans. Likewise, Wembley is a large and famous stadium. Security systems and structures are a very important part of these two stadiums. These systems and structures will be compared and contrasted. Their impacts to the people attending events at these two stadiums will be analysed. All along, the writer will be referring to the developments t hat are taking place in the sporting events industry. These developments will include security standards, capacity limits of stadiums and crowd control measures. Objectives The study will have the broad objective of looking at the safety structures and systems of Adams Park and Wembley stadium. To achieve this, the study will be guided by several specific objectives. These are as listed below: Identifying the safety structures and systems in the two stadiums A critical appraisal of the security structures and systems in these stadiums A comparison between the two venues, especially in terms of their safety structures and systems A critical analysis of the possible impacts of these structures and systems to the people who will be attending events in these two venues Status of England's Stadia Safety Before embarking on the task of analysing the safety structures and systems of the two venues, it is perhaps important to look at the status of the safety measures that are carried out in England's stadia. In 1989, 96 people were trampled to death in Hillsborough football stadium (Sheard & Geraint 2009). This led to the constitution of a committee led by Lord Taylor of Gosforth (Jeffrey 2008). The committee was tasked with finding out the causes of the stampede and make recommendations as to the future of crowd safety in stadia. The committee came up with recommendations and the full report on the January of 1990 (Jeffrey 2008). Some of the recommendations that the team came up with were adopted by many sporting bodies and are adhered to

Game Theory Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Game Theory - Research Paper Example Game theory is mainly applied in areas such as psychology, logic, biology, economics, and political science. This is a report on game theory with particular focus given to its applications, benefits and limitations, and other aspects. Game Theory Game theory or alternatively interactive decision theory is based on the fundamental concept of zero-sum games, where gains of an individual are exactly to the net losses of other participants. The game theory can be applicable to a range of behavioral relations. According to the game theory, a game must specify four essential elements such as players of the game, information and actions (which are available for decision making), and payoffs for each outcome (Game Theory). The two main branches of game theory include cooperative and non-cooperative game theory. When the non-cooperative games are illustrated in the extensive and normal forms, characteristic function form is used to present most cooperative games. According to Fudenberg and Ti role, in the extensive form, games are played using trees (see figure 1) and each node (vertex) indicates a player’s point of choice. Each player is clearly specified with a number represented by the vertex (67). The player’s possible action is indicated by the lines out of the vertex whereas the payoffs are presented at the bottom of the tree. The extensive form can be regarded as â€Å"a multi-player generalizations of a decision tree† (Fudenberg and Tirole 67). This is illustrated in the figure 1. Figure 1 The figure is taken from Ross, Don, "Game Theory",  The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy  (Winter 2012 Edition), In contrast to the extensive form, a matrix indicating players, strategies and payoffs are used to represent the normal form or strategic form. As Jian et al point out, in general any function which is associated with a payoff for each player with all combination of actions can be used to represent the normal form. When the normal form is used to define a game, it is assumed that each player acts without actually knowing the actions of others. If the players are aware of the action of other players, the game is usually illustrated using the extensive form. The origin of the characteristic function form is found in the book written by John von Neumann and Oskar Morgenstern. The authors guessed that when a union C emerges, it functions against the fraction (N/C) as if a normal game is played by two individuals. Here, the balanced payoff of C is identified as the basic function. Examples of Game Theory One of the most commonly cited examples of game theory is the prisoner’s dilemma. Suppose that two brokers, Robinson and Thomas, have been accused of fraudulent trading activities and arrested. Both of them are being questioned separately and hence they do not know what the other is going to say. Robinson and Thomas want to minimize the term of imprisonment and there are four different situations. 1. If Robinson pl eads that he is not guilty of the crime accused and Thomas confesses, Robinson will be jailed for a maximum term of five years and Thomas will be sentenced for a minimum of one year imprisonment. 2. If nobody confesses, then both of them will be jailed for a minimum of two years. 3. If both pleads that they are guilty of the crime accused and tries to implicate their partner, then both of the

How, if at all, can development organisations overcome the gendered Essay

How, if at all, can development organisations overcome the gendered limits of the rule of law paradigm such as those identified by Katerina Pistor et al - Essay Example There should be no discrimination in application of existent laws to individuals based on their status in the society2. From this theory, even government officials and government institutions are subject to the legislation in a country. Status in society is not a basis for exemption from the law. The concept of the rule of law concept is said to have its origin from Greek and Roman roots. In its development, it survived as inchoate during the medieval period. The concept of the rule of law was viewed as a product of western political and legal thought. In its development, the rule of law evolved to have certain characteristics. Among the characteristics said to constitute the rule of law is that of formal legality. Formal legality basically entails that a law has to be public, prospective, stable and generally applicable through a fair judicial process3. A law has to be promulgated publicly in the society. It should reasonably be of common knowledge to the members of the society. A policy that has been given the force of law by the required institutions of the government should be made public. The newly enacted law should be promulgated publicly to enable it to come to the knowledge of citizens of a particular country or state. The rule of law also requires that a law should be prospective in nature. Prospective means that a law should not seek to punish or penalize acts done before it came into being. A law that is promulgated as required by the legal institutions in place becomes active from the day that it is promulgated4. Therefore, it only penalizes and punishes acts done from the date that it is promulgated. It follows that no man can be prosecuted for a non- existent offence or an offence that is not provided for by law. On this premise therefore it is required that a law should be prospective in nature. Another principle in the rule of law is that a law should be stable. Stability of the

Imortance of libraries Essay Example for Free

Imortance of libraries Essay A library is a treasure-house of knowledge. A well-stocked library is an asset to the school, college, university or the neighborhood. A library has a librarian to guide and attend to the readers. A library is a treasure-house of knowledge. A well-stocked library is an asset to the school, college, university or the neighborhood. A library has a librarian to guide and attend to the readers. Books are kept and arranged properly which makes the reader look for a particular book easily. A member of a library can borrow a few books for a particular period and take them home. It is the responsibility of the reader that no pages are torn. If he loses a book, he has to pay for the loss. Each academy has a library of its own. There are also neighborhood libraries and district libraries. It is a boon for poor students. Information technology has helped in improving the library facilities. However, the popularity of internet will not adversely affect the importance of a library. Books are mans best friends. They give him company equally in times of happiness as well as in times of distress. They are one of the main sources of knowledge. The best place for easy access to books is a library. A library is a place where not only books but also magazines, journals and newspapers are well-stocked for the benefit of the readers. Beside this one can also get the entire atlas, Encyclopedia, etc. to know even the minute detail of a thing. It is a treasure-house of knowledge. It helps the spread of education. A reader can either read the in the library or borrow the book of his choice and take it home. The library is a popular place in the academic curriculum. A well-stocked library is an asset to a school, a college or a university. There are also neighborhood libraries and district libraries which benefit the readers of the area. A student or a reader can increase his knowledge of various subjects by reading in the library during his spare time. One can update ones knowledge by reading regularly in a library. A library needs a good librarian who should be well-qualified in library science. Such a person can maintain the books properly. He can guide the students to select suitable books. He should be cheerful and co-operative; one who can interact well with the readers. The reader easily gets the books he wants, if he consults the librarian. Thus, the guidance of the librarian saves a lot of time of the readers. A good librarian welcomes suggestions from readers for the improvement of the library. He purchases new books after taking into consideration the needs of the readers. Normally, a library is housed in a very spacious hall but small libraries are also present in small towns and villages. The furniture inside the library should be comfortable, neat and clean. Students/readers should maintain strict discipline, so that others are not disturbed. The atmosphere in a library should be peaceful and scholarly. A library has thousands of books in stock. It has books on various topics, subjects and events. New books are added from time to time. All the books are kept systematically. They are classified and indexed according to their subjects. The labeling of books helps the reader to get a particular book without any difficulty. To find out the library number of a particular book, one can take the help of the subject and author index. Most libraries keep a book display rack where new arrivals are kept. A library also keeps magazines, periodicals, newspapers and journals. These are kept on the reading table of the library. The readers can keep themselves equipped with current events and the latest developments in various fields. A reader should handle the books carefully so that no pages are torn or that no books are misplaced. He should keep the book at the proper place after reading. The librarian should see than pin-drop silence is maintained in the library. Readers should abide by the library rules. A library issues membership cards to its readers. A reader or a student can borrow a book for home if he has that card. The books are issued for a limited period. If the reader does not return the book on the due date, he has to pay a fine as per the library rules. If a reader loses a book, he has to replace the lost book with a new one or pay the price of the book. The readers are supposed to keep the books in good condition. The library is a boon for poor students who cannot afford to buy text books or other books of their interest. They can borrow these books and read or study them at ease at home. A library is thus a help to the society. Most libraries have notice-boards. They are used for writing important news of the day. A Thought for the day is also written here. Titles of new books added to the library are also displayed on the notice-board to inform the students. Most libraries are open for a limited number of hours.

Adapting the Law to the Online Environment Essay Example for Free

Adapting the Law to the Online Environment Essay Formulating unique conception of the Web in â€Å"Weaving the Web† Berners-Lee emphasized that the intention was to create a system with â€Å"one fundamental property: it had to be completely decentralized.† In the vision of Berners-Lee: â€Å"That would be the only way a new person   somewhere could start to use it [the Web] without asking for access from anyone else†[1]. In the initial years of the Web’s functioning, Berner-Lee’s ideal of a highly decentralized universal system has been shared by tens of millions of people around the world who have appreciated and marveled at an invention that makes it unexpectedly easy for anyone with a computer to connect with anyone else with a computer, anywhere in the world, and to store and send information almost at will. But the Internet and the Web have also moved to the center of attention for governments, business leaders, lawyers and judges, police forces and military establishments, and anyone else dependent on the rule of law and authority structures in modern society. This is a result of the ability and tendency of Internet users to simply skirt or leap over many of the rules and institutions designed to maintain order in the pre- Internet world. Previously designed rules and legal structures enacted for slower-paced, relatively public tangible transactions in a world rimmed everywhere with borders (local, provincial, national) suddenly were challenged as never before when the Internet made it physically conceivable to carry out transactions of almost any kind in a manner simultaneously immediate, anonymous, inexpensive, and seemingly borderless. However, the process of certain democratization, overcriminalization and simply lazier-affair went beyond predictable limits – internet identity theft, credit card fraud, controversies with gambling and online porn reveal significant need to adapt the law to online environment, to analyze the specifics of cyber crimes and to create effective regulatory norms. Traditional Crime and Cyber Crime: Defining Boundaries From the primary perspective, the Internet imitates and, in most cases, runs parallel to what is often happening in normal life, therefore, it is no wonder that the law had to take account of this new parallel of real life. Hence the frequent appeals for â€Å"cyberlaw† or â€Å"cyberspace law.† Simultaneously, the imitation of life by the Internet does not completely transcend existing forms of activities in their entirety. Thus while electronic forms of information are the hallmark of the Internet and tend to undermine tangible media, or even render them obsolete, prior forms of information may coexist alongside them, albeit uneasily and suffering permanent corrosion. In so far as it is not possible to divine the extent to which the Net will generate parallel or independent forms of activity, the development of the appropriate law cannot be predictable. One has to determine in each specific sphere of activity how far the parallels go and how big or small the change over the normal may have been before working out the legal response. Consequently, the lack of time or resources cannot be the main reasons for the non-development of Internet law, as Edwards and Waelde suggest[2], although they recognize, somewhat indirectly that the Internet is still developing and so must the Internet law. Edwards and Waelde view â€Å"Internet Law† as being a result of (the usual) adaptation process that the law undergoes to catch up with new technological phenomena. They regard Internet Law as a necessity, contrary to the â€Å"core pragmatic† perception of those they refer to as looking upon the Internet as law-free.[3] And although the regulation of Internet content, transactions and activities seems to be logical and self-evident, the problems start appearing from the very definition of cyber crime. Black’s Law Dictionary defines a â€Å"crime† as a â€Å"social harm that the law makes punishable; the breach of a legal duty treated as the subject-matter of a criminal proceeding.†[4] Anglo-American crim ­inal law has for centuries possessed a set of definitions of â€Å"crimes† that encompass the varied categories of social harms humans can inflict on one another, for instance homicide, rape, robbery, arson, vandalism, fraud, child abuse, etc. According to Susan Brenner, crimi ­nal law does not typically differentiate offenses based upon the instrumentalities that are used in their com ­mission; we generally do not, for example, divide homi ­cide into â€Å"murder by gun,† â€Å"murder by poison,† â€Å"mur ­der by strangulation† and so on.[5] As Brenner points out, criminal law does treat the use of certain instrumentalities as â€Å"aggravat ­ing factors,† the use of which can result in an enhanced sentence upon conviction; this is how criminal law gen ­erally deals with using a firearm or other dangerous in ­strumentality in the commission of a crime.[6] This approach could, perhaps, have been taken with regard to cyber crime; we could simply define hacking as a type of trespass, analogous to real-world trespass. The â€Å"crime† of real-world trespass is gaining access to a physical space a building or a parcel of land without authorization. We could have pursued hacking in an analogous fashion, perhaps prosecuting it as tres ­pass and then characterizing the use of computer tech ­nology as an aggravating factor.[7] However, that is not the approach the law has taken and is tak ­ing to the use of computer technology to inflict social harms. What is emerging is a division between tradi ­tional crimes (trespass, burglary, theft, stalking, etc.) and cyber crimes. The latter encompass the use of com ­puter technology to commit either (a) social harms that have already been identified and outlawed generically (trespass, burglary, theft, stalking, etc.) or (b) new types of social harm that do not fall into traditional â€Å"crime† categories. It is necessary to adopt cyber crime-specific laws for the first category of conduct because, as Brennan’s hacking-trespass example illustrates, computer tech ­nology can be used to commit social harms in ways that do not fit comfortably into our existing offense categories. Another Brennan’s example of a denial of service attack[8] simply eludes conventional crimi ­nal law: it is not theft; it is not extortion; it is not black ­mail; it is not vandalism or trespassing or any other â€Å"crime† that has so far been defined. We must, therefore, define new â€Å"cyber crimes† to encompass denial of service attacks and other â€Å"new† varieties of criminal activity. In conceptualizing the varieties of cyber crime, it is helpful to divide them into three categories offered by Marc Goodman: crimes in which the computer is the target of the criminal ac ­tivity, crimes in which the computer is a tool used to commit the crime, and crimes in which the use of the computer is an incidental aspect of the commission of the crime.[9] When a computer is the target of criminal activity, the perpetrator attacks an innocent user’s computer or computer system either by gaining unlawful access to it or by bombarding it from outside. Cybercrimes that fall into this category include simple hacking (gaining access to a computer system or part of a computer system without autho ­rization) and aggravated hacking (gaining access to a computer system or part of a computer system without authorization for the purpose of committing a crime such as copying or altering information in the system). The target cybercrimes also include denial of service attacks and the dissemination of viruses, worms and other types of malware. The cyber crimes in this cate ­gory tend to be â€Å"new† crimes and therefore generally require new legislation. A computer or computer system can also be the in ­strument that is used to commit what is essentially a traditional crime. Cybercrimes in which a computer is the tool used to carry out criminal activity include online fraud, theft, embezzlement, stalking and harass ­ment, forgery, obstruction of justice and the creation or dissemination of child pornography. These are conven ­tional crimes, but it may be difficult to prosecute online versions of these crimes using existing substantive law; a jurisdiction’s theft statute may not, for example, en ­compass a â€Å"theft† of intangible property when the theft consists of copying the property, instead of appropri ­ating it entirely. In State v. Schwartz, Oregon State of Appeal held that â€Å"†¦by copying the passwords, defendant stripped them of their value.†[10] Jurisdictions may therefore find it necessary to amend their existing substantive criminal law to ensure that it can be used against these cy ber crime variants of tradi ­tional crimes. The last category consists of cyber crimes in which the use of a computer or computer system is incidental to the commission of the crime. This category includes, for example, instances in which a murderer uses a com ­puter to plan a murder or lure the victim to the murder scene; it can also include a blackmailer’s using a com ­puter to write extortion letters to his victim or a drug dealer’s using a computer to monitor his sales, inventory and profits. Here, the computer is merely a source of evidence and new substantive criminal legislation is generally not needed. The cases in this category can, however, require new law to resolve procedural issues such as the processes used in gathering evidence of cyber crimes. The basic federal cyber crime provision is 18 U.S. Code  § 1030; among other things, it criminalizes hacking, cracking, computer fraud and the dissemination of viruses, worms and other types of malware. The statute accomplishes this by directing its prohi ­bitions at conduct that targets a â€Å"protected computer† and then defining â€Å"protected computer† as a computer encompassed by federal jurisdiction.[11] Section 1030 defined a â€Å"protected computer† as either (a) a computer used exclusively by a financial institution or the federal government or used nonexclusively by a financial institution or the federal govern ­ment if the conduct constituting the crime affects its use by the financial institution or federal government; or (b) a computer used in interstate or foreign commerce or communication.[12] The notion of basing the statute’s prohibitions on conduct directed at a â€Å"protected computer† was introduced when  § 1030 was a mended in 1996; until then, it criminalized con ­duct that was directed at â€Å"federal interest computers,† i.e., computers used by the federal government or lo ­cated in more than one state.[13] The 1996 amendment broadened  § 1030’s reach; it now encompasses conduct directed at any computer con ­nected to the Internet. In 2001, the Patriot Act amended  § 1030 to make it clear that the statute can be used to prosecute criminal conduct which occurred outside the United States, a position the Department of Justice had long taken, for instance in case United States v. Ivanov. The Patriot Act expanded the definition of a protected computer to include com ­puters used in interstate or foreign commerce that are located outside the United States if they are â€Å"used in a manner that affects interstate or foreign commerce or communication of the United States.†[14] Problematic Aspects: Copyright, Child Pornography, Identity Fraud in Internet In order to address the problems in regulation of online environment more effectively, this paper aims to focus on several most problematic aspects of the issue – copyright violations, child pornography and identity theft or credit card fraud. Defined by Culberg, copyright is â€Å"a legal device giving the author (or holder of the copy ­right) the exclusive right to control the reproduction of his or her intellectual creation† for a specific period of time.[15] Copyright law in the United States derives from the U.S. Constitution and is therefore exclusively federal; states do not have the authority to legislate in this area.[16] Defenses to a charge of criminal copyright infringe ­ment are, first, that the offense cannot be prosecuted be ­cause the five year statute of limitations has run.[17] Other defenses are the â€Å"first sale† doctrine and an argument that the defendant did not act â€Å"will ­fully.† The first sale doctrine lets one who purchased a copyrighted work freely distribute the copy she bought.[18] Under the doctrine, however, the purchaser can only distribute the copy she bought; she cannot copy the purchased item and distribute the copies.[19] Since most computer software is distributed through licensing agreements, the first sale doctrine typically does not apply when someone is charged with software piracy.[20] With regard to the claim that a defendant did not act â€Å"willfully,† there is some ambiguity as what is required to show â€Å"willfulness.† Courts disagree as to whether it requires an â€Å"intent to copy or intent to infringe.†[21] The newest weapon in the federal arsenal of copy ­right statutes is the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which added two sections to title 17 of the U.S. Code. Section 1201 makes it unlawful to circumvent measures used to protect copyrighted works, while  § 1202 makes it unlawful to tamper with copyright management in ­formation. Another new section, 17 U.S. Code  § 1204, creates criminal penalties for violating either sections 1201 or 1202 of the DMCA. The first criminal prosecu ­tion under the DMCA was filed in 2001 against Dmitry Sklyarov, a Russian citizen, and his employer, Elcom ­soft, Ltd.[22] They were charged with violating 17 U.S. Code  § 1201(b) (l) (A), by trafficking in technology designed to circumvent the rights of a copyright owner, and with violating 17 U.S. Code  § 1201(b) (l) (C), by trafficking in technol ­ogy marketed for use in circumventing technology that protects the rights of a copyright owner. Another area that is a high priority in federal com ­puter crime prosecutions is child pornography. To un ­derstand the current state of the law outlawing child pornography, it is necessary to understand the First Amendment, which states, in part, that Congress is to make â€Å"no law abridging the freedom of speech.† The U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted this part of the First Amendment as prohibiting the criminalization of any but a very few limited categories of speech: â€Å"[T]he First Amendment bars the government from dictating what we see or read or speak or hear. The freedom of speech has its limits; it does not embrace certain cat ­egories of speech, including defamation, incitement, obscenity, and pornography produced with real chil ­dren.†[23] From the critical as well statistical perspective, child pornography appears a relatively recent addi ­tion to the list. However, the rise of com ­puter technology raised concerns about â€Å"virtual† child pornography, i.e., pornography created using morphed or other artificial images of children, and in 1996 Congress adopted the Child Pornography Prevention Act, codified as 18 U.S. Code  § 2251. This Act extended the prohibitions on manufacturing, possess ­ing and distributing child pornography to encompass pornography that featured not only â€Å"real† children but what â€Å"appeared† to be a real child.[24] In 2001, a coalition of free speech advocates challenged these provisions of the federal child pornography statutes; they argued that because no â€Å"real† children are harmed in the creation of â€Å"virtual† child pornography, it does not fall under a category of speech that cannot constitutionally be criminalized.[25] When the case was before the Supreme Court, the Department of Justice argued that virtual child pornography can be criminalized because (a) pedophiles use it to seduce children into sexual acts and (b) it stimulates pedophiles into molesting chil ­dren.[26] The Supreme Court rejected these arguments and held that the prohibition of virtual child pornogra ­phy violated the First Amendment, so the statutory provisions at issue were unconstitutional and unenforce ­able.

The Bmw As A Manufacturing Company Marketing Essay

The Bmw As A Manufacturing Company Marketing Essay The main headquarters of the BMW group is based in Munich, Germany. It produces premium-class cars in eights of manufacturing plants globally. A successful strategy to target huge market provide huge amount of income for the company.BMW dealerships send trade-ins to wholesale auctions and made all their money from car sale, parts and service. The supply and distribution of finished cars to the global markets provide income to the company. The company determines the investments needed in production departments by using the self-financing strategy, and obtaining operating investments mainly from cash flow. Therefore, its yearly cash flow determines its yearly investment budget, which is the upper limit for investment expenditures. Investments budgets are reduced accordingly in order to replace equipments. Financial services segment focuses on leasing automobiles and financing credit for customers and dealers. BMW Manufacturing opened an onsite pharmacy for its associates.The on-site pharmacy will allow BMW to continue to offer competitive pharmacy benefits for associates and help curtail rising drug prescription costs, stated Bunny Richardson, a spokeswoman for BMW. Costs: The BMW as a manufacturing company made costs when upgrading its plants and other facilities globally. The BMW experience high running costs in keeping with the quality of the craftsmanship of the products, as they have a good reputation known for their better value.Free maintenance costs provided to customers which normally covers everything except tires so as to keep its reputation with regard to cost of ownership.there is high costs in allocating a new product to a certain plant, for buildings, and for expanding equipment that the new product shares with existing products, hence, high levels of automation are not profitable in countries with low labor costs.raw material costs: Natural fiber display excellent mechanical properties are light in weight and nevertheless stable and they reduce the burden on the environment but they are very expensive. What measures of performance are applicable to the industry? Reliability of Delivery: The BMW group introduced an online ordering system in 1998 which gives dealers the option of showing customers their desired car on the screen and confirming the delivery date on the spot. It takes only less than three months to build a car according to user specification including delivery. Delivery leads time: In 2000 BMW strengthens its position as the market leader in the premium segment of automobiles. By 2002, BMW stood second in the premium segment automobile market, next to Lexus. Quality and reliability of product: BMW is USING new ways to give their product a more unique identity and provide to clients products that gives them satisfaction.BMW makes sure that qualified personnel are available in a foreign countries and the positive effect on its image of production in Germany (made in Germany). Capacity to produce required volumes: BMW adopted a product offensive strategy TO flood the automobile market with a new product every three months and use d edicated assembly lines for mass production. Product flexibility: Allocating several products to one plant makes it easier to balance its utilization, and producing large-volume gives the firm the flexibility to cope with varying demand. Price: to achieve good financial status BMW offers prices that are unique from the price offering the competitors offer. Cars are priced very differently in the various national markets. The customers that are in the target group are happy to pay a premium price for what they perceive as a premium product (Thompson, (1996). Value chain for the industry(BMW) Value system for BMW Environmental factors that may influence the industry Political: Politics can have an influence on companies in an industry (Cheverton 2004). One example is the German value added tax increase from 16 to 19.BMW company makes sure they are aware of the political situation of the country so as to get good reputation, and trust .Economic In Germany, challenges such as currency fluctuations, above-average raw material prices AND the increased petrol prices lead to a reduced car demand (Bernhardt and Kinnear 2006, BMW Group 2006). However, The Company can be said to be economically stable for the past years, thats why they try to improve their products to give the best to their clients. Socio-Cultural: on average older population in European countries forces car manufacturers to develop new strategies in relation to their target groups (Cheverton 2004, FTD online 2006b). A generally lower average income may lead to lower demand for cars, especially in the luxury segment Technological: The Company offered new innovations in the technological sector and introduced new concepts with regards to the car engine industry. The company makes sure that the products they have are updated with regards to technology and if new technologies emerge they can compete with these products. Activity 2: Establishing Company Direction (10 marks) How would you describe the Ethos and Aims? The aims of BMW are to sell and make money and be ahead of the competition.BMW company aims to make driving a pleasure. The driver must always be in the loop, thats central to the BMW ethos, people buy an m5 because its fun to drive and those impulses wont change. Our cars must also be safe, stylish and reliable. says Freymann. The marketing plan for the entire company aims to outline and analyses opportunities for the company to be recognized as the automobile market leader globally so as a way of strengthening its competitive position. Based on this, recommendations for the future direction and implementation of the marketing-mix will be given. BMW group aims to support products through financial products and services offered to consumers throughout centers globally. In addition, customer relationship is enhanced by offering comprehensive banking and insurance services tailored for the prospective customers. The aims are very important to BMW because they shape the personality of the organization. They affect the way the company work, provide services and products, and support to the people. There is a clear aim for the BMW organization in providing quality long lasting customer service. Employees and customer are regarded as the first priority in order to continue successful growth and reputation of the company. How would you describe the Strategic Vision? The vision statement of BMW read as follows uniqueness through diversity, leadership, taking risk, courteous. The statement clearly implies that the company has a great commitment by providing professional management by carrying out and aiming to support complicated industrial production systems. The company encourages employees to work professionally and always aiming for the success of the company. The vision clearly shows that employs are trained in a very successful and highly innovative place to maximize the strong relationship to employee and customer satisfaction. What can you deduce from their Mission Statement about what they are seeking to achieve? The mission statement of BMW read as follows to become most successful premium manufacturer in the car industry. This clearly shows that the company has been for many years continued to keep its own reputation as a leader in production of premium cars with high quality. The purpose, mission and future success of the company focuses on the provision of high customer service satisfaction. Employees are very committed and work together as an integrated organization to represent a community that will be able to represent a BMW automobile company with pride and always ahead of the game. Describe the apparent Corporate Strategy for the implementation of that Mission and Vision. In the competitive compact where there is very high customer demands and hope from automobile manufacturers, the BMW proved to customer that it is a premium manufacturer by launching new products such as sports car. The corporate strategy is good but some implementations need to be included such considering adjustments for the marketing needs. The products possess a very good specification but the potential problem can be caused by the prices of the products in relation to what the competitors offer. The mission shows that serious suggestions can be included to increase the sustainability of the company as the premium manufacturer in this highly competitive sector. Hence increasing the long term customer relationship, good opportunities for technical development by the support of research and development measures, an strengthening the development of new distribution and dealership channels Can you identify any Strategic Inflection Points that have affected the sector? As the bigger contributor to the manufacturing sector in German the company achieved its success and trust from a long time but this long tradition was not easy. Dating back to around 1945 the company was doing well in manufacturing and production of aero engines but in later years the market for engines was not good and promising as the company experienced some financial problems. While German recovery form economic recession through the 1950s, the company was not able to be productive as it faced financial problems and it depended on Mercedes Benz company financial recourses in order to keep its sustainably position in the manufacturing sector. The BMW was later helped by Herbert Quant as a strong partner and this finally enabled the company to find a highly productive market such as saloon cars. The saloon cars market almost strengthens the position of BMW as we see, today, the BMW business is structured to maximize its retail margins. Designers continue to use the materials and technologies to improve performance and ensure safe passage BMW is an example of a survivor who stood the test of time and developed from a failing company to one of the most successful firm. Activity 3: Industry and competitive analysis (15 marks) Carry out a competitive analysis of your industry sector from the perspective of your chosen company or organisation: What are the dominant economic factors for the sector? Market size: nowadays, the current car manufacturing sector is so big and there are different main automotive manufacturers such as BMW, Audi, Acura, Mercedes Benz, and Lexus. Other competitors include Volkswagen, Toyota, Ford, and Honda. There was economic recession prior to the world war caused small automobile companies such as Toyota, Honda, Ford to come together and share the market in automobile manufacturing. After the period of war there was a rapid automobile growth as the new infrastructures were being set up such as roads and countries continued to become more developed. Scope of competitive rivalry: in the nineties automobile manufacturing sector increase tremendously to be more globalised because there was new openings of international plants and extensive strong link between big automobile manufacturers such as BMW and Mercedes Benz. It is an industry that encompasses the entire globe, as well as the areas of production and distribution, aftermarket. Rivals and their relative size of rivals: BMWs main competitors are Audi, Acura, Mercedes Benz, and Lexus. BMW has successfully set the benchmark for prestige motoring since the 1980s, creating a standard now fiercely contested by other manufacturers such as Mercedes, Lexus and Audi. Standardised products: all the products produced by BMW, are of the same high standard throughout the world, the opening of international plants provided a good service and support the production of quality automotives similar to those offered by the parent branch in Germany. The company makes sure that it set the standard to all its associated new and existing companies in regard to the manufacturing of car engines.Rapid technological change, technology in the automobile sector is very high so it is the responsibility of manufacturers to keep pace with technical aspects of manufacturing so that their products can be in demand to compete even when new technologies emerge. The automobile manufacturers must adapt the new technologies that are environmentally friendly and does not put society health at risk. Assess the competitive position of the company by reviewing the strength of each of the five competitive forces. Porters five forces Potential entrants: BMW company uses a strategy to respond quickly and flexible to provide customer satisfaction, thus, reducing the influence of potential competitors. The company provide new innovative techniques to serve the clients so that the company can provide a unique product as compared to other competitors, THUS, PREVENTING THEIR INFLUENCE. Competitive rivalry: the competitive rivalry highly influences the company.. The company offer goo d customer relation services, hence, gaining good advantage over rivals. Provision of quality prices prevent client away from competition. The other way to attract customers is to provide promotional services so that customers get a well informed decision about BMW Company. Substitutes: BMW Company proves to clients that they offer quality products and service that is far much better than substitutes so as to prevent substitutes to cause much competition. The company also tries to offer products and services superior than substitutes so that they can attract more clients by offering superior products. Bargaining power of buyers: the company has good customer satisfaction , it keeps customers relationship strong by introducing some new benefits to buyers such seasonal free maintenance where the customer will be assigned with a special employee who will deal together up until the time where the customer is satisfied. the bargaining power of BMW company is very high as it is trusted and tremendously popular among the targeted customers worldwide. Bargaining power of sellers: BMW demonstrate the value of their suppliers so that it can attract other companies to purchase the suppliers products thus their bargaining power increase. This is shown by BMW Company having dealerships, who sell the company cars in wholesales. What is causing the competitive structure and business environment in the sector to change? Technological change: the company offers new technological innovations by introducing new concepts with regards to the car engine industry. It also set the standards for car engine manufacturing so that all products will keep pace with technology and be able to compete with new emerging technologies offered by other competitors in the automotive industry. Changes in societal concerns, attitudes and lifestyles: The Company makes sure that the product they create will emit low emission that can reduce pollution. BMW emphasizes safety among the production of their goods. They make sure that the proper safety standards are followed and there are no hazardous chemicals in the production. Increasing globalization of industry: BMW produce products to meet the global market as it have partner associates and dealerships in all major continents. Regulatory influences and governmental policy changes: BMW makes sure they comply with what the law states in the country; they make sure that they comply with the regulated standards of the country. The company makes sure they are aware of legal needs of the country so as to keep its current reputation to success in the competitive world. Which companies are in the strongest and weakest positions? Companies in the strongest positions: main competitors are BMW, Audi, Acura, Mercedes Benz, and Lexus. Weakest positions: include the like of Toyota, Honda, and Ford. What are the key factors for competitive success in the sector? The automotive industry needs an efficient dealer organization and tight control of manufacturing costs all these are important success factors, using success factors as a filter; the management can then identify the information that is most important to make critical enterprise decisions. Accordingly the decisions made in this manner should be more effective because they are based on data that is specifically linked to the organization linked to the organizations success factors. Activity 4: Evaluating Company Resources (15 marks) Carry out an analysis of the resources and competitive capabilities from the perspective of your chosen company or organisation: How well is the present strategy working? Porters Generic Strategies: The cost leadership strategy of BMW is focused on making sure that the company earns more and spends less. The cost leadership strategy of the company takes a look at how expenses can be minimized without sacrificing the production of the companys product and the quality of product sold to clients. The differentiation strategy of BMW is focused on making sure that the company produces products that are unique. It makes sure that the logo of the company is not only the one that makes products of the company different. It makes sure that the internal and external characteristics of the product make it unique. The segmentation strategy of the company makes sure that it has a selected market that can provide huge amounts of income for the company. What are their resource strengths and weaknesses? Weakness BMWs heavy cost German base might affect the profitability of the company in the long run as more and more competitors shift product development activities to lower cost countries. BMW might be forced to negotiate a way to maintain cost competitiveness and its reputation for German engineering excellence. The planning procedure required a great deal of effort, limiting the comparison of different strategies and the performance of sensitivity analyses with varying data. Planners needed to consider separately capacity for assembling bodies, which is dedicated to single products, and capacity for the paint shop and final assembly line, which all products share. In allocating products to the global production sites, planners did not consider the effects on the global supply chain, in particular the flow of materials from the suppliers to the plant and the flow of finished cars to the markets. BMW realised the deficiencies of its planning process and research employees worked on the proje ct. In first phase, PETER HENRICH (2002) developed a mixed-integer programming model. In a second phase, Sonja Ferber (2005) extended the model to include investment decisions. Strengths: the BMW Group is one of the most successful multi-brand premium cars manufacturers in the automobile industry. The Rolls-Royce phantom holds the number one position in the super-luxury car segment. Moreover, BMW is the only automobile manufacturer possessing three non-overlapping premium car brands in its portfolio. The BMW group on an average spends part of its revenues on research and development, which is one of the highest in the industry. The keen focus on research and development is evidenced by the number of new models the company has released over the past few years. BMW has also developed an innovative array of engines. A companys strengths is its ability to create unique products and to providing high-level customer service. What are the external opportunities and threats facing them? Opportunities: The expansion of the European Union to foreign countries, has converted the European Union into the worlds biggest trading block with a combined population. This offers ample opportunities for BMW to leverage its strong European position in the premium car segment to garner more market share across new and expanding markets. BMWs concerted forays into the Chinese luxury car market portends to an increase in the earnings of the company over the coming years. China already ranks as the third largest market for BMWs 7 Series luxury limousines. BMW predicts that robust growth will place China among the companys seven largest markets in a few more years. This is a significant improvement over the 12th position held by the Chinese market for BMW in 2002. Threats: The continuing decline of the dollar against the euro threatens to undercut BMWs top line thereby tempering its profitability. The rising price of raw materials such as steel threatens to offset the companys earnings. BMWs Used Cars Help to Sell New Cars. In the meantime, dealer margins on new-car sales are thinner than they used to be because of tougher competition and better-informed customers. Therefore, used cars have become a more  important profit center for luxury-car dealers. From your assessment of the resources and competitive capabilities assess the strength of their competitive position Worldwide, the BMW Group is one of the most successful multi-brand premium car manufacturers in the automobile industry. The Rolls-Royce phantom holds the number one position in the super-luxury car segment. Moreover, BMW is the only automobile manufacturer possessing three non-overlapping premium car brands in its portfolio. The company produce a mass production of quality cars within few consecutive years by coming up with creative innovations to satisfy the customer needs and keeping the pace with technology development. What is your assessment of the culture within the company? Will it be supportive to change or not? Miles and Snow published an early article on the cultural classification of organisations in 1978. They classified companies as either defenders or prospectors: therefore, the culture in BMW Company is described as prospectors because the headquarters is located in Germany with many openings around the world, the managers in Germany are always ready to use ideas suggested by their partners in other foreign companies for the development and future successful profits. The automobile market is characterized high sales and profit potential (Muztagh, 2004. Hence the organization is innovative, values risk in order to succeed. So this shows that the culture and spirit of BMW must be kept to continue in order fully compete in the automotive manufacturing sector. Activity 5: Strategy and Competitive Advantage (10 marks a maximum of 2-3 pages per activity) Review the options facing your chosen company in creating a strategy for the future. Review the generic strategies available to your company. Which would be suitable? Porters Generic Strategies: The cost leadership strategy of BMW is focused on making sure that the company earns more and spends less. The cost leadership strategy of the company takes a look at how expenses can be minimized without sacrificing the production of the companys product and the quality of product sold to clients. The differentiation strategy of BMW is focused on making sure that the company produces products that are unique. It makes sure that the logo of the company is not only the one that makes products of the company different. It makes sure that the internal and external characteristics of the product make it unique. The segmentation strategy of the company makes sure that it has a selected market that can provide huge amounts of income for the company. Looking into the future, how may the company seek to achieve cost competitiveness? On the production front, BMW is all set to vamp up its manufacturing capabilities to aid production of new models over the coming years. Overall, the company is set to invest over million pounds in production facilities in Oxford, UK. Further, the company has decided to invest million Euros in its Steyr engine facility over the coming years .Through the introduction of new models, the Group has gained access to new customer groups. Despite challenging economic conditions, the company is the most successful in its history due to record sales volume and earnings. With respect to the auto industry, while some growth is expected in the traditional markets of Europe and Japan, growth is expected to be flat in the largest luxury car market of USA. However, the major emerging markets of Asia and Latin America are expected to witness a robust growth in terms of total number of vehicles sold. The company predicts that the premium car segment will experience stronger growth than the volume segment over the coming years. In this backdrop, BMW is looking to further expand its presence in both traditional and new markets. The high number of models set to be launched during the years is expected to boost the companys top line. Analyses the current core competencies of the company. Skills in manufacturing a high quality product: One of core competencies is the development of combustion engines. During recent years the company has significantly reduced both fuel consumption and emissions in its engines, while simultaneously increasing performance and torque. The latest milestones from these efforts are the first-ever variable- twin-turbocharger diesel power unit in a road vehicle. After-sale service capability: trained team of after-sales consultants and technicians make up the companys best equipped and most experienced service centre. Our Seasonal Inspection Program With BMWs Value Service Packages pricing program, only original BMW warranted parts are utilized, and all packages include a one-year unlimited mileage warranty on parts and labor. Expertise in gasoline engine technology and small engine design; BMW hydrogen technology has already come a long way. Now, together with politicians and the energy industry, the company turned its vision of sustained mobility into reality. BMWs hydrogen engine for its premium saloon is built for dual mode operation. The company provides superb marketing-distribution skills and Research and Development capabilities. Using the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats identified in Activity 4, develop a SWOT matrix to determine a set of strategic options for the company.

Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller Essay -- being blind, personificat

Since the beginning of the Industrial Age, Americans have idealized the journey towards economic success. One thing people do not realize, however, is that journey is not the same for every individual. Media often leads its viewers toward a â€Å"one size fits all† version of success that may help themselves, but will rarely help the viewers. This is seen in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman. Miller includes multiple instances of symbolism and personification to reveal to the reader the situational irony in Willy’s life, underlining the theme of self-deception in regard to the American Dream. This American Dream, fueled by money, is the main source of anxiety in Willy’s life. The anxiety of income is reflected today in the issue of minimum wage. James Sherk, a writer of the Tribune News Service, plots thoughtful points against raising the minimum wage. However, his use of over-exaggeration and odd comparisons leave his argument less than convincing. Miller’s use of personification and symbolism in the book shows the situational irony that surrounds Willy. This highlights the overall message of blind faith towards the American Dream. The major case of irony in the book is Willy’s blind faith in the American Dream. This belief is that if one is well-liked, they will become successful. The truth is actually completely opposite. The real belief is that if one works hard, with no regard to how well liked they are, they will be successful. This relationship is shown between Willy and his neighbor Charley. While Willy believes likability is the only way to success, Charley works hard and does not care how people think of him. Through his hard work, Charley started his own business, and is now very successful. Willy, however, ends up getti... ...iving Wage Will Force Chains to Replace Humans with Robots." McClatchy - Tribune News Service (19 Sept. 2013): n. pag. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 16 Feb. 2014. "U.S. Department of Labor - Wage and Hour Division (WHD) - Minimum Wage." U.S. Department of Labor. U.S. Department of Labor, n.d. Web. 08 Feb. 2014. U.S. Department of Labor. "Characteristics of Minimum Wage Workers: 2011." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2 Mar. 2012. Web. 16 Feb. 2014. U.S. Department of Labor. "Table B-2. Average Weekly Hours and Overtime of All Employees on Private Nonfarm Payrolls by Industry Sector, Seasonally Adjusted." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 7 Feb. 2014. Web. 16 Feb. 2014. Yen, Hope. "More than Seven in 10 U.S. Teens Jobless This Summer." USATODAY. Associated Press, 12 June 2012. Web. 16 Feb. 2014.