Robot: Human Anatomy and Bionic Humans

Robot Is having a bionic man all that great? No it is not. In the article â€Å"He, Robot the High-tech Future of the Human Body,† By Alexandra Sifferlin, she states that it is an improvement. In reality it is not the greatest thing in the world. They say bionic humans and bionic internal body parts could replace failing one. What if they malfunction or just stop working? What if the surgery does not go through and the patient dies? They are taking extremely big risks with the bionic human.Also what if the robots replace the working society? Does that mean we lose our jobs? Bionic limbs do help us and can be good for those who lost their limbs; but could we really trust an artificial replacement organ. â€Å"Kidney failure, for example, could be a nonissue if researchers†¦create a working artificial replacement organ,† (Sifferlin). Also what if these new bionic robots take over or work force? According to this article they are full functioning and can do the same a s a human can do.They can see, walk, pump blood, move and use all limbs. They are trying to make more advanced ones. â€Å"We are approaching a point where technology can fully replace a functionality of the human body,† (Sifferlin). Another problem with the bionic human is cost. They spent $1 million on â€Å"Rex† in the UK. How much are we willing to spend on Bionic body parts and Bionic humans? The last thing we need to take into consideration is could the bionic human and body parts cause issues with peoples religious views.

Analysis of 2 commercial brands Essay

Topic : Analysis of 2 commercial brands of bleaching solution & a determination of the best buy Introduction : Sodium chlorate(I) forms the basis of most commercial bleaches. The amount present in bleaching solution can be determined by a volumetric technique. In this experiment, sodium chlorate(I) reacts with excess potassium iodide in the presence of acid to liberate. The iodine is titrated against standard sodium thiosulphate solution. Chemicals : Bleach solution , 0.1 M Na2S2O3 ,1 M H2SO4 , KI , Starch indicator  Procedures : 1. Determine the total volume of bleach in the commercial bottles provided. Note the brand name, volume & price of each sample. 2. Pipette 25 cm3 bleach solution into a 250 cm3 volumetric flask. Make up to the mark & mix well. 3. Pipette 25 cm3 of this solution into a conical flask. Add 10 cm3 KI solution & 10 cm3 1 M sulphuric acid. 4. Titrate this mixture against the standard sodium thiosulphate solution provided. Add starch indicator when the solution become pale yellow. 5. Record your results and calculate the molarity of the orginal bleach solution. 6. Determine which bleach has the lowest price per mole of actual bleach. Results : Brand A = ___________KAO_____________ Brand B = _________Best Buy____________ Volume = ___________1.5L______________ Volume = ____________2L_______________ Price = _______$12.9 / Bottle____________ Price = ________$10.9 / Bottle____________ Mole = _________0.753 Mol_____________ Mole = ___________1.152 Mol ___________ $/mole = _______$17.13 / Mol ___________ $/mole = __________$9.46 / Mol__________ Best buy is ________ Best Buy___________ Titration of Brand A against the standard sodium thiosulphate solution Titration 1 2 3 4 Final Burette Reading (ml) 31.70 35.70 27.80 32.20 Initial Burette Reading (ml) 2.90 9.80 4.40 8.30 Volume of titrant (ml) 28.80 25.90 25.40 23.50 Mean volume of titrant (ml) = __(25.90+25.40+23.50)à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½3 = 25.1 ml__ Calculation: The Result Of Brand A Sodium chlorate(I) reacts with excess potassium iodide in the Bleaching solution, which is a acid medium. Iodine solution produced. Following equation: 2H+-(aq) + OCl–(aq) + 2I–(aq) –> Cl–(aq) + I2-(aq) + H2O-(l) Secondly, the iodine solution is titrated with sodium thiosulphate solution Following equation: I2(aq) + 2 S2O32- (aq) –> S4O62- (aq) + 2 I-(aq) The Molarity of Na2S2O3 : = 0.1M Number of mole of S2O3- reacted with I2: : = Molarity X Volume = 0.1 X (25.1à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1000) = 0.00251 mol The Mole ratio of Na2S2O3:: I2= 2:1 Number of moles of I2 reacted with S2O3- = (1à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2) X 0.00251 mol = 0.001255 mol The Mole ratio of NaOCl: I2= 1:1 Number of moles of NaOCl used in the titration = I2 = 0.001255 mol Number of moles of NaOCl in the 250ml volumetic flask = 0.001255 mol X 10 = 0.01255 mol Number of moles in 1.5L bleach solution = 0.01255 mol à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 25 X 1500 = 0.753 mol Price of OCl- per mole in brand A = $12.9 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 0.753mol = $17.13 / mol Results : Titration of Brand B against the standard sodium thiosulphate solution Titration 1 2 3 4 Final Burette Reading (ml) 30.90 32.8 31.90 35.20 Initial Burette Reading (ml) 2.10 3.90 3.30 6.90 Volume of titrant (ml) 28.8 28.90 28.60 28.90 Mean volume of titrant (ml) = __(28.90+28.60+28.90)à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½3 = 28.8 ml__ Calculation: The Result Of Brand B Sodium chlorate(I) reacts with excess potassium iodide in the Bleaching solution, which is a acid medium. Iodine solution produced. Following ionic equation: 2H+-(aq) + OCl–(aq) + 2I–(aq) –> Cl–(aq) + I2-(aq) + H2O-(l) Secondly, the iodine solution is titrated with sodium thiosulphate solution Following ionic equation: I2(aq) + 2 S2O32- (aq) –> S4O62- (aq) + 2 I-(aq) The Molarity of Na2S2O3 : = 0.1M Number of mole of S2O3- reacted with I2: : = Molarity X Volume = 0.1 X (28.8à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1000)= 0.00288 mol The Mole ratio of Na2S2O3:: I2= 2:1 Number of moles of I2 reacted with S2O3- = (1à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2) X 0.00288 mol = 0.00144 mol The Mole ratio of NaOCl: I2= 1:1 Number of moles of NaOCl used in the titration = I2 = 0.00144 mol Number of moles of NaOCl in the 250ml volumetic flask = 0.00144 mol X 10 = 0.0144 mol Number of moles in 2L bleach solution = 0.0144 mol à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 25 X 2000 = 1.152 mol Price of OCl- per mole in brand B = $10.9 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1.152 mol = $9.46 / mol Questions : 1. Why must the KI be present in excess ? If less than the specified quantity of KI is added, what effect will this have on the results ? The bleach solution contain sodium chlorate(I),which have ions OCl-.We can prepare the iodine solution by adding the sodium chlorate(I) to potassium iodide in a acidic medium. At first, the sodium chlorate(I) Is the limiting agent. When we add the excess potassium iodide into the bleach solution. Not only it will not effect the result, but also the calculation can be more accurate. All the ions OCl- can be completely reacted. In addition, Iodine solution is only slightly soluble in water but it is very soluble in the solution, which contain I- ions. 2. What is the function of the sulphuric acid ? The function of sulphuric acid is provide a acidic medium containing excess iodide to ionizes the iodine solution to triiodide ions. We must know that the Brown colour of iodine solution is cause for the triiodide ions(I3-).This colour in observation of titration is very important. 3. Bleaching solutions may deteriorate for 2 reasons : (a) react with CO2 in the air according to the equation : 2 OCl- + CO2 –> CO32-+ H2 + Cl2 (b) what is the other reason ? It must be effected by light. It is because the The hypochlorite ions OCl-( will be decompose quickly under light Following equation:2NaOCl –>2NaCl + O2, .While losing some OCl- ions, the result in calculation will not be accurate 4. What should the starch indicator not be added too early ? The starch solution turns the iodine to blue black because of the formation of starch-iodine complex. Also, the complex is not reversible when the concentration of iodine is high. If we add the starch solution early, the attraction of starch molecules and iodine molecules will attract so strongly. Although we have add standard sodium thiosulphate solution, but we can not do completely finish the real result of titration and effecting the calculation. The above-mentioned tell us that the starch solution should be added when only a few of iodine solution left, near the end point of the titration. Conclusion: The bleach solution of brand B is the best buy.

Automobile Essay

Experimental Question: What are the effects of different types of antifreeze on the physical appearance on pansy plants? Most people could not imagine there lives without some sort of motor vehicle transportation. Although motor vehicles are great for getting around and getting around quickly, they take a lot of maintenance and also have a permanent effect on the environment. Motor vehicles take a lot of different products to assure smooth travels. One of these products that help your motor vehicle run smoothly is antifreeze. Antifreeze is made of substance called ethylene glycol. Although antifreeze is a very helpful product for humans there is a lack of its overall effects upon the environment. This is defiantly a problem, due to its lack of research we decided to conduct an experiment; what are the effects of different types of antifreeze on the physical appearance on a pansy plant? Ethylene glycol is actually metabolized in plants and plants have a hormone inside of them called ethylene. Inside of plant cells this substance is turned into ethylene glycol and broken down again. Most people believe that this substance cannot harm plants since it is already present within plants, but this belief is false. In large substance this substance can become deadly. One of the reasons why we decided to conduct this experiment is to show people the immediate effects there motor vehicle products can have upon the environment. Our goal is to inform vehicle owners of the harmful effects there products can have on the environment and what you can do to help improve our environment.

Food and Beverage Operations Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 43

Food and Beverage Operations - Case Study Example I would delete the fourth point of Ed Hasting’s list that suggests on holding a meeting with the managers of other units. This is because it is important to give other managers the freedom of becoming autonomous decision makers. Such managers need to have an initiative in the implementation of change in the areas they find necessary within their units (Fisher & Ashley, p. 16). The most important item is the idea of visiting at least one franchise and one company store per week. This is because once there is the formulation of a change policy; individuals within the organization could hesitate in the implementation. Therefore, it is important for Ed Hastings to monitor the level of implementation of the change, to ensure that the actual change occurs (Fisher & Ashley, p. 17). Every employee among the teammates of performing units needs to receive an equal share of the $20,000 bonus pool. This is because the essence of teamwork is the provision of a particular outcome of the engagement of equal efforts. Therefore, the performance reward needs to consider and be an integral part of the equal effort. The Food and Beverage Industry has several trending concerns. Most of the companies are placing an emphasis on the reduction of food waste. This entails the formulation of measures that ensure the reduction of waste from the start to the end of the supply chain. Another concern is the need for the companies to focus on food and beverage safety. This ensures that the companies achieve consumer trust through the provision of quality products. The know-lead leadership model has five practices. To begin with, the leaders develop the goals and principles for the people in an organization. Secondly, they inspire the people to have a commitment towards achieving the goals. Thirdly, the leaders challenge transition policies through the innovation of better ways that ensure organizational improvement. Fourthly, they give other  people in the organization a chance to suggest and implement strategies of the organization.  

Research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Research paper - Essay Example The term circadian traces back its roots to the Latin words circa, which means around, and dies, which means day. It refers to biological processes in plants and animals that repeat in 24-hour cycles (American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (3rd ed.)). Indeed, the most obvious function of circadian rhythms in humans is the sleep/wake cycle, wherein adults generally tend to become sleepy between 10 PM and midnight and to awaken feeling rested between 6 AM and 8 AM. Research indicates that poor sleeping quality contributes to a myriad of illnesses such as hypertension, cardiac arrest, stroke, hyperthyroidism, and eventual fatality (Shneerson 102). Considering the detrimental effects that poor quality sleep and irregular sleeping patterns cause, it is important to know what factors contribute to the disruption of the body’s circadian rhythm. In particular, this paper would like to investigate if engaging in shifting schedules is among the factors that contribute to t he disruption of the body’s circadian rhythm. II. Review of Related Literature Circadian rhythm is just one of the many periodic cycles that the human body adheres to. Other periodic events in the human body include ultradian rhythms, women’s menstrual cycle, and circannual rhythms that are present in both males and females. Circadian rhythms are â€Å"caused by oscillators situated in the cell nuclei with a number of genes participating and creating a translational–transcriptional feedback system in which some gene products accumulate and inhibit the clock gene function, followed by a release of gene function when the gene products are removed metabolically out of the feedback cycle† (Haus & Smolensky 491). Studies show that certain social, cultural, and industrial developments have disrupted this supposedly regular body cycle. For one, the development of the light bulb has radically changed people’s sleep patterns because the artificial light tha t a light bulb emits fools the body into thinking that it is daylight and thus contributes to the phenomenon of people staying up late at night and waking up late in the morning (Moore-Ede 157). In addition, the intake of caffeine and alcohol has also affected the quality of sleep that people enjoy. Large doses of caffeine are found to increase the heart rate and stimulate the brain and behavior (Nordegren 54). On the other hand, alcohol intake briefly causes drowsiness and is thus used by some people to initiate sleep. However, tolerance to its hypnotic effect often leads to an increase in the amount being ingested until sleep-wake patterns are totally disrupted in the end (Shneerson 105). Changes in today’s lifestyle also entails that people no longer engage in â€Å"normal working hours.† Harrington defines normal working hours in such a way that the individual works during the day and rests during the night, with some time left for recreation and other activities ( 58). People who do not engage in normal working hours tend to either work at night, on with extended hours or on shifts, thus violating the regular pattern of working at day and resting at night. In particular, three generally followed shifting schedules are the night shift which starts at 2200 hours, the morning shift which begins at 0600 hours, and the afternoon shift which typically commences at 1400 hours (Harrington 59; Akerstedt 90). Akerstedt further specifies that these different shift schedules also have different effects on

Buddhism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Buddhism - Research Paper Example Buddhism Buddhism is a common religion that originated in northern India but is practiced throughout the world, making it the fourth largest religion. Though the exact date of its founding is unknown, many scholars believe that Buddhism was formed during the fifth century.Narrowing down the exact date is made difficult due to the fact that most people do not know when Buddhism officially began. Its beginning might have been when Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism who would later become known as Buddha, first began his journey to Enlightenment, or after he became enlightened and journeyed through India to share his teachings. Regardless of when Buddhism found its origin, it has become a way of life and a philosophy that has helped many people to grow in their spirituality. Considered less of a religion and more of a philosophy or spiritual path, Buddhism sets out to provide people with guidelines on how to live a happy, peaceful, and moralistic life. Even followers of other r eligious traditions can utilize the teachings of Buddhism to strengthen their primary beliefs and improve their lives. The main tenets of this tranquil tradition that are incorporated into daily life are found in two doctrines: the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. The Four Noble Truths are the foundation of Buddhism and state that life is suffering; suffering is caused by desire; suffering can be brought to an end; and the Eightfold Path is the path to follow to bring about the end of suffering. The Eightfold Path, as previously stated, is followed with the intention of bringing an end to suffering, but these eight concepts can be followed in any life or religious practice to promote happiness. Right View requires the follower to learn to see reality as it is, without illusions or wishes of how they want their life to look. Right Intention means to act morally and ethically for the good of everyone. Right Speech involves not being deceitful, not speaking maliciously or with the intention of hurting someone, but to focus on speaking only words of kindness and compassion. Right Action and Right Livelihood promote abstaining from harming sentient beings, which also means to avoid becoming involved in activities that may cause harm to others, such as working in meat production or manufacturing weapons. Right Effort means to relinquish unwholesome qualities and habits, and to develop wholesome qualities. Right Mindfulness is to be in contemplation of the present moment, which can be aided by Right Concentration, or the practice of meditation. Since Buddhism promotes the importance of all life, from a human to a tree to an ant, a concept like euthanasia is one that is looked down upon. Even though euthanasia is a voluntary procedure done for the sake of a suffering individual, it requires taking a life. Willingly or not, Buddhism finds value in each life and considers it bad karma for the individual taking the life and the individual willingly live giving u p their life (Knott, 2000). On the other hand, something like an organ transplant would be considered in an opposite light. A person who has already died would be receiving good karma by allowing their organs to save the life of another. However, an organ transplant as a result of euthanasia would be a complex scenario, one that would be open to many interpretations from many seasoned Buddhist practitioners. Outside of the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, the beliefs of Buddhism are minimal, though may increase depending on which branch of Buddhism is being observed. The only other two tenets that are adhered by all Buddhism branches concern life and death. Reincarnation is a primary belief in Buddhism, so life does not necessarily have a beginning or and end, but â€Å"is a continuum with do discernible starting point. Birth and death are like a revolving door through which an individual passes again and again (Keown, 2009).† A new life beings when another life dies ; when another life dies, in lieu of an afterlife, it becomes reborn as another life. This cycle

Business Write Up on Tuition Fees Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Business Write Up on Tuition Fees - Essay Example The good news is that loans will be availed to cover the full cost incurred during the study with student not expected to repay these unless they secure jobs earning them at least 15,000 a year. Together with these there will be grants, bursaries and scholarships which will help them cover the cost of living. On meeting eligibility rules set for those undergraduates from the UK and EU, one can apply for a loan amounting to 3,000 which will cover fees for each academic year. However those who are financially stable are not expected to apply. Eligible UK students can also apply a non-refundable maintenance grant amounting to 2,700 a year, 300 bursary and other related forms of finance. Those studying in London and lives away are entitled to a maximum maintenance loan of up to 6,170 a year while those living with their parents will get a maximum of 3,415 a year as maintenance loan, a minimum of 4,630 a year and 2,560 a year respectively. Students with dependants will be eligible for more support which will be dictated by their disposable income, those with children can get an 85% childcare costs grant accompanied by up to 1,365 a year extra grant. An adult dependant will attract up to 2,400 a year extra grant. Lastly, the university is offering various scholarsh... Above all those students who still face financial difficulties even after receiving all the funding are encouraged to apply to the University's Access to Learning Fund for more assistance. Impacts to the students Benefits Students will acquire knowledge, skills and disposition that will enable them to participate at more or less effective members of groups and societies. Eligible students from United Kingdom and European Union will easily assess loans that will help them clear fees in each academic year For those students with dependants the university will consider them by issuing 85% childcare costs grant which will be accompanied by up to 1,365 annual extra grant. Those with adult dependants will receive a grant amounting to 2,400 a year. These will greatly assist this students hence making their learning smooth and uninterrupted by cases such as fees and dependant's upkeep Students will get modern and improved facilities from the university, this will include a well equipped library with necessary research materials They will receive well organised sporting activities that will attract regional and international competition thereby improving on their extra-curriculum activities. Disadvantages The new fee structure will lead to a reduced opportunity for students to join Westminster University This will lead to a considerable decrease on the number of students who will be applying to join the institution since most of them will shy away from the new fees. Students will experience inequality based on the admission system The total student debt will increase as a result of the fee increment Intelligent students from less well off families are exclude in the system hence denying them an opportunity to improve their situations in life as well as helping

Learning Needs of Diverse Learners and Students with languages other Research Paper

Learning Needs of Diverse Learners and Students with languages other than English - Research Paper Example As part of a collection of comprehensive research into the teaching of ESL, this article is a valuable addition to the literature in the field – its focus on the teacher’s need to reflect constantly on practice and pedagogy is worthwhile 3. Inside the Black Box: Raising Standards through Classroom Assessment by Paul Black and William Dylan (2001) The writers propose that the central element if any improvement in education is to take place is not policy change, or government decree, but the change which is implemented in the classroom – the â€Å"black box† of the title. They then outline a possible method which will effect improvement, and which has been proven to increase output – formative assessment. This article presents a fairly persuasive argument for the advantages of formative assessment as a learning and teaching tool, and even suggests some strategies to use in the implementation of formative assessment techniques in the classroom, and the educational system (in England). The importance of the teacher is stressed, but so is the value of formative assessment strategies such as self-assessment in the building of students’ competence, confidence and motivation. The value of formative assessment in assisting to improve student performance is proven fairly conclusively in the article, and it should be part of the strategy of all teachers. The argument and rhetoric surrounding summative v. formative assessment is ongoing, and this paper does add a measure of good argument and some empirical evidence to the debate. 4. Engaging Minds: Changing Teaching in Complex Times – Second Edition by Brent Davis, Dennis Sumara and Rebecca Luce-Kapler (2008) The writers test the issues surrounding inclusive... The changes required in teachers’ approaches, thoughts and beliefs will be considered in depth in this paper, and some consideration will be given to the practical measures required to address the needs of ESL students, and it will be presumed that the same requirements apply to students with diverse backgrounds and abilities. Also, the dangers of not addressing the individual learning needs of students, as a dominating factor in the system of education will be examined from the perspective of an education system in which diversity and inclusivity are addressed to some degree but in many Australian schools and classrooms, the situation is far from satisfactory. At secondary schools in Australia, the situation sometimes exists in which smaller schools find themselves challenged with primarily a lack of funding for anything other than mainstream schooling. Yet, schools do have to accept enrolments of international students, and indeed even refugee students, as the need arises. Thus, on the level of physical infrastructure, schools are strained to provide something as basic as venues to accommodate for example English Second Language (ESL) students, and such students have to be accommodated in one classroom despite differing levels of English proficiency, and even age differences. Social problems can emerge among students – as radical a condition as racism can develop – and if not addressed, these social problems can be extremely detrimental to students’ learning.

Unit 2 DB Introduction to American Court System Essay

Unit 2 DB Introduction to American Court System - Essay Example In other words, the Rules are purposeful in eliminating evidences that may lead to unfair prejudice against a party. One case that illustrates inadmissibility of character evidence in a criminal proceeding is the Greenberg v. Aetna Ins. Co., 427 Pa. 494, 235 A.2d 582 (1967) in which it was established that the plaintiff was erroneously permitted to testify that he had a a heroic record having served in the U.S. army during WWII (Pacode, N.d.). The admissibility of character evidence in respect of a rape victim as presented by a defendant is limited if the court case is for assault, intent to commit rape or rape. If the defendant seeks to use opinion or reputation evidence to show the sexual conduct of the rape victim, the character evidence remains inadmissible (Scott, 2000) as it may be inflammatory. The defendant, however, may only enjoy admissibility of character evidence if they intend to show specific instances of behaviour by a sex victim in proof of the claim that a party different from the defendant was the source of injury, semen or other physical evidence. Alternatively, the defendant may enjoy admissibility of character evidence to show that their sexual behaviour with the victim was consented to by both parties. In the two cases, the evidence is used solely to prove the defendant’s

Primary education- reflective practioner Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Primary education- reflective practioner - Essay Example Action research, otherwise known as participatory research, collective inquiry, emancipatory research, action learning, contextual action research, depending on the theme (O’Brien, 1998), is an â€Å"inquiry or research in the context of focused efforts to improve the quality of an organization and its performance† (North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, n.d.). Unlike ordinary research, the members of the said institution who design and conduct action research are also part of the study themselves. They find ways to develop how things are done in their fields. The process of action research which consists of four steps which are planning, acting, observing and reflecting, as presented by Stephen Kemmis (cited in O’Brein, 1998), makes it very useful in developing methods and materials in schools as it presents new ideas and options to teachers. It allows them to evaluate outcomes of their teaching strategies and lay these down to fellow mentors to lessen drawbacks among their students. Through this, further possible needed changes and amendments in the institution’s educational programs and syllabus can be carried out. In problems previously and presently experienced in the â€Å"real world,† disputes between the â€Å"insider-outsider researchers† continue. Academicians debate about the pros and cons of one over the other and vice-versa. Issues regarding sensitivity to the problem, presumptions and assumptions, and objectivity are pointed out by the opposing bodies. Researches conducted by â€Å"outsiders,† or those not actually a part of the studied group, are said to merely â€Å"add to the knowledge in the field and to publish in peer-reviewed scholarly journals† instead of giving precise aid to the group being assessed (Collet, 2008). To add to the complications pointed out about â€Å"insider-outsider researchers,† Bridges (2001 cited in Collet, 2008) perceives that even if the individual is dubbed to be an â€Å"insider,† by being a researcher, he

Internet Piracy Essay Example for Free

Internet Piracy Essay Abstract Internet Piracy has drastically affected the music and film industry and by downloading illegally on the Internet, millions of Internet users swap billions of dollars worth of music and movies. With all the sharing of copyrighted materials, the music and film industry is losing millions of dollars. This research looks into the effects of Internet Piracy and current campaigns to deter it. The study shows the effectiveness of existing campaigns and the relationship between the decline of the music and film industry and the rise of Internet Piracy. Exploring the good and bad of campaigns and using the information to propose a documentary to approach the problem. Raising awareness and educate Internet users about Internet Piracy and try to have the numbers under control. 1. Introduction Fighting against Internet piracy and infringement is a long-term mission and an uphill journey. – Yan Xiao Hong, Deputy Director, National Copyright Administration of China (quoted in AFP 2006) The exchange of information is nothing new. Technologies change, cultures change, and people change, but in any point of human history there are people that copy and distribute the work of others in any form. Technologies that help the production and distribution of information heavily influenced the shape of history, especially when it is accessible to larger population of people. From prints to recordable medias, every technology advances us nearer to today’s digital file sharing. Today, Internet pirates operate online stealing billions of dollars worth of digital content every year (Fisk, 2009). By downloading illegally on the Internet, millions of users turned into pirates swapping billions of dollars worth of music and movies and other intellectual property that can be converted to digital format. With all the sharing of copyrighted materials, the music and film industry is losing millions of dollars (Fisk, 2009). Thus, Internet Piracy has drastically affected the music and film industry and Internet users need to be educated via a documentary on how to combat piracy in Singapore. 2. Findings Analysis 2.1 Background According to a trusted Internet survey, a staggering 70% of Internet users think there is nothing wrong with online piracy (Go-Globe, 2011). In the context of the U.S economy alone, there is $12.5 billion dollars in losses, more than 70,000 lost jobs, and $2 billion in lost wages thus far – Internet Piracy being the main cause. (Siwek, 2007). The niggling issue regarding Internet Piracy is severe. However, after decades and numerous efforts to stop it, the results of the actions taken by the entertainment and other industries have been futile, having no impact in reducing piracy amongst users. On the contrary, the rate of Internet Piracy has increased significantly in recent years, and the figure will only continue its growth (Cones, 2010). 2.2 Survey Through a survey put up by me, the results gathered were not surprising. Eighty-four percent of the online users surveyed have downloaded media in the past month but sixty-two percent do not mind paying for these media. When asked if they know the consequences of downloading copyrighted contents, seventy-three percent knew of the consequences but fifty-four are not afraid of getting caught. This has further cemented the proof that the existing anti-piracy campaigns are not working. Although only thirty-five percent of interviewees are interested in taking part to combat Internet piracy, a slight increment of fourteen percent wants to be educated about piracy and fifty-four percent will watch documentaries about it. 2.3 Existing Campaigns With this established, it is needless to say that existing anti-piracy campaigns and action taken thus far have had little to no effect. An example is of companies taking the issue to court. There are two types of copyright infringement, civil and criminal and in both cases the users must be identified and evidence must be gathered before putting them into the arms of the law. In civil cases, copyright holders handle the process. In criminal cases, law enforcement units utilize different tools and techniques with variable reliability to gather evidence, often causing defragmentation in its accuracy. An example of one such unfortunate incident is the widely publicized lawsuit brought up by the RIAA against a deceased 83-year-old woman. She was accused of sharing over 700 songs under the username â€Å"smittenedkitten†. The case was later dropped by the RIAA after it was confirmed that the woman had never even owned a computer (Fisk, 2011). Another movement to deter piracy was the introduction of the Digital Rights Management (DRM). This technology makes it difficult for users to make copies of content. DMCA also legally protects DRM, making it a criminal offense to remove DRM protection. At present, most media contains some form of DRM (Fisk, 2011). Most DRM schemes, however, only provide protection temporarily. The protection can still be easily cracked by professional pirates and made widely available. One popular movement most Internet users have occurred is the presence of a short video about piracy at the start of movies in cinemas and retail DVDs and VCDs. However, such a movement is to a degree, arbitrary, as the videos primary target audience is piracy supporters. Ironically, this has, instead of deterring piracy, led to users turning to it in search for more ‘freedom’. The same content could be available online- and without the presence of irritating advertisements that block the movie itself. 2.4 Piracy Campaigns Guerilla campaigning has been more successful amongst the campaigns. In August 21, 2006, an organization dubbed â€Å"The League of Noble Peers† released a documentary in support of Internet Piracy. The documentary â€Å"Steal This Film† was distributed freely on ‘BitTorrent’, a software frequented by Internet pirates to share copyrighted content. The film received wide positive reviews and was screened across film festivals from all around the world (King, 2008). The campaign against Anti-Piracy is much more successful mainly because the pro-piracy organizations made use of the much hated force feeding methods deployed by copyright holders and make it to their benefits. Although misleading and being one-sided, the film is extremely effective and hence, manages to spur a movement against Anti-Piracy – The copyright holder’s plan backfired. 2.5 Good Campaigns The first step to making a good campaign is to study what works and what do not. In this case it is quite obvious that the methods used by the â€Å"The league of Noble Peers† work and the copyright holders methods are not working. Hence, the best way to educate Internet users and combat piracy is to create an effective and different documentary and distribute it for free online. The documentary â€Å"The Cove† is a good example of an effective and good documentary. By challenging the question head on with exclusive footage shot in a unique perspective, it managed to become one of the best and most influential documentaries that caused a movement with the intended and desired effect. A ninety-four percent positive rating from both Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB.com proved the huge positive reception for the documentary (Rotten Tomatoes Various Authors, 2009). Thus the model of a good documentary is effective at spreading information and educates people. 3. Conclusion Internet Piracy, despite years of effort to deter it, the existing campaigns’ messages are not strong or effective enough to keep Internet Piracy at bay. Therefore, after studying the good and bad of these existing campaigns, a necessary solution has to be done to control the situation. Thus, after knowing the proven effect of a documentary, there is a need for a good documentary to educate online users about Internet Piracy to have the numbers within control. From the above analysis, making a documentary is one of the best options to try and deter the increase in Internet Piracy. With the documentary, more people will be aware of the issue and understand what the industry is going through with Internet Piracy currently affecting the market. Hence with the proposed documentary, results will be highly positive and have the number of Internet Piracy under control. 4. Recommendations The documentary will be shot as an investigative documentary and the approach will not be a traditional documentary but a new approach similar to â€Å"The Cove†. The documentary will take viewers through the insights of local music and film industry, to introduce the hard work behind the contents they produced over the years. The film will gradually take a stand against Internet Piracy by showing the negativity, cause and effects to the economy due to illegal file sharing over the years. The showing of such effects includes some potential creative firms closing down due to the decline in sales because of the act of downloading illegally. The documentary will take a turn in mood and attempts to go behind the scene to track down Internet pirates and following authorities to prosecute them. The documentary will end off with local musicians and filmmakers having their say against Internet Piracy. The film will be distributed for free over the Internet via torrent, streaming sites and file-sharing forums and hopefully on free-to-air television networks to increase exposure for the film. References Cones, J. (2010). Business plans for filmmakers. Southern Illinois University Press. Fisk, N. (2011). Digital piracy. New York: Chelsea House. Fisk, N. (2009). Understanding online piracy: The truth about illegal file sharing. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. Go-Globe. (2011, November 01). Online piracy. Retrieved from http://www.go-gulf.com/blog/online-piracy King, J. (January 3, 2008). The Future Doesnt Care About The Bank Balance but the 1/1000 do!. Retrieved from http://www.jamie.com/2008/01/03/the-future-doesnt-care-about-your-bank-balance-but-the-11000-do/ Rotten Tomatoes Various Authors. (2009). The cove. Retrieved from http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1208882-cove/ Siwek, S. (2007, August 21).The true cost of sound recording piracy to the US economy. Retrieved from http://www.ipi.org/ipi_issues/detail/the-true-cost-of-sound-recording-piracy-to-the-us-economy

‘Entrepreneurs’ as Franchisees Essay Example for Free

‘Entrepreneurs’ as Franchisees Essay Franchisors are increasingly having to be more and more selective in the adoption of franchisees with factors such as economic climate and the potential difficulty with growth playing key factors in the decision making process. It is not simply an ability to grow which creates a successful Franchise and nor is it the desire of any franchisor to adopt every potential franchisee. Franchisors are becoming more and more scrutinising as the global economy declines. There is a general understanding within any franchised business, which is that one of the most desired traits of any franchisee is the ability to follow a set design People who buy franchises are not entrepreneurs, and they better know that going in, (Libava, 2012). Throughout, the difficulty of working with entrepreneurial franchisees will be analysed alongside what a Franchisor looks for in an ideal Franchisee in the context of someone seeking to enterprise a franchise; how these differ, how they are similar and what potential benefits or disadvantages this stance may create. The entrepreneurial process requires a great number of identification and opportunist methods in order to obtain the resources for their business and be deemed â€Å"entrepreneurial† (Shane, 2003). The use of these skills will be evaluated in the context of a franchise in order to understand why franchisors prefer not to take on entrepreneurs. Firstly, it is important to understand why franchisors must have certain barriers of entry to their franchise before we can fully question their likeliness to take on entrepreneurs. Franchisees seek to join a Franchise due to the ease of starting a business; Suppliers are already established, store layout is already set, uniforms already designed customers already familiar with the brand and so on. The sole reason this is set out already is because it has been tried and tested (in most cases) over time, and most likely by a number of other Franchisees. Since all the Franchisees have built this brand image up since the off, it is integral to protect this brand image as any impairment to one franchisee could cause the public to â€Å"tar† the whole franchise â€Å"with the same brush†. However, the extent to their high expectations of potential franchisees has a tendency to vary with each scale of franchise. A well-established franchise has a lot to protect and therefore is likely to resist the urge to take on an enterprising franchisee, seeing them as â€Å"high risk†. Alternatively, the opposite can also be said as it is likely to promote the business more with greater levels of feedback, new prospects and innovative ideas (Diebold 1990). From one perspective, there are many reasons why certain franchisors would avoid accepting entrepreneurial Franchisees into their Franchise. Entrepreneurial businessmen and women are often stereotyped as the innovators; someone who pushes the boundaries of the known worlda change agent who is relentless in making things happen and bringing ideas to execution (Entrepreneur.com). This means that their skills best lie in the development of new ideas, improvement of old ways and generally the identification of modern concepts and techniques. In the eyes of a potential franchisor this has many foreboding difficulties should they decide to accept the franchising agreement. Firstly, a franchise is a tried and tested model which has proven to be a mostly profitable and successful enterprise of its own with a large quantity of time, effort and money used to perfect the foundations of the franchise. Therefore should a franchisee wish to try and change these perfected techniques, not only does it risk the chance of failure and therefore damaging the brand as a whole, but also the arrogant â€Å"I know better† attitude contradicts the very concept of a franchise. Libava defines this concept as using a â€Å"franchise company’s trademarks, systems, signage, software, and other proprietary tools and systems in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the franchise contract† to an â€Å"Identified System† (Libava 2012). Taking on board the enterprising ideas the franchisee puts across would essentially be the franchisor wasting effort and money in the perfecting of their pre-set method. This is especially the case with larger, more established franchises such as Subway and McDonalds, whereby every task is responded to in a set way and is quantified to the smallest factor. An example of this is when changing the uniform at McDonalds in 2012, it cost over  £1.52 million in the UK alone due to the vast number of employees (Weiss 2012). From cleaning the floors to dealing with food complaints, even the smallest change in the franchisors technique requires a great amount of communication and control, but is also a timely and therefore costly exercise. This then reflects the reluctant attitude to established Franchises when considering the great cost and risk involved in the context of someone entrepreneurial. The franchise already has the fine details of the business set into its own convention; entrepreneurial individuals only cause a constant battle with the franchisor due to the desire for change and sometimes, change for change’s sake. However, although in the established franchise context this statement may be true, it is not always the case. Start-up, less established and more innovative franchises are much more likely to be open for suggestion and more interested in taking on entrepreneurs into their franchise. The same can be said for franchises in need of innovation to survive. With everyday names such as HMV and Woolworths going into administration, amplification of a USP and innovation has become a necessary act for survival. Even the slightest differentiation could mean the difference between consumers buying with you or a competitor; Domino’s Pizza is a good example of this. Since the almost-global economic recession of 2008, survival has been integral to any business model, franchise or otherwise. As a result of this, Domino’s has allowed one of its more entrepreneurial franchisee’s to trial and as a result implemented â€Å"Bread Bowl† and â€Å"Pasta† dishes onto their menu with great success (Wilson 2012). The same can be said of WSI, an internet marketing franchise, whereby 90% of the products and services have come from the franchisee’s themselves to â€Å"ensure that [they] are offering the latest and best internet marketing processes to end clients that deliver results† (McArthur 2012). This shows how, it is not only the economic factors that play to a franchisors’ decision making, but also the type of franchise that they are operating. The online marketplace is a raw marketplace where each business is instantly comparable to their competitors and just as easily undercut; therefore, an innovative franchisee is more desirable than the traditional replicable franchisee as they are able to create differentiation potentially more valuable than price. In addition to this, it is also useful to look at the financial success of large and small franchises to gain a better understanding as to why some seek entrepreneurs and others don’t. An â€Å"Innovation vs. Replication† report compared the financial performance of 500 firms varying in size and found that small businesses with business models centred on low levels of replication and high innovation, showed more growth than models with high levels of replication. Additionally, they also found that large businesses with only high levels of innovation and low levels of replication had a lower average financial position (Aspara 2009). This reflects how statistically it would work against the favour of a large franchise to adopt innovative entrepreneurs, whilst also presenting a counter-point portraying enterprising individuals as promoters for growth and financial stability for smaller franchises. This isn’t always the case though, presented in the franchise Krispy Kreme with its â€Å"boom† stage in the early 2000’s. Being a rapidly growing donut franchise it had entrepreneurs from around the world wanting to become part of this international business. However, due to the lack of care when choosing franchisees and with growth as their only concern, issues with proximity caused cannibalising sales as a result of capitalising their own popularity (Morebusiness.com 2010). Pulling these points together, there are many clear reasons why a franchisor would be hesitant to take on an entrepreneur. Taking on a â€Å"If it’s not broke don’t fix it† attitude emphasises the safety in the tried and tested method of replication. Franchises with a set convention are likely to take a â€Å"sure-bet† rather than a â€Å"risk†, due to knowledge that the model works fine the way it is, proven by their own and other franchisees. That is not to say that what works for one franchising model is the same for all (Francis 2010). Both economic and business models play key factors into how enterprising a franchise may or may not choose to be. Some franchises such as WSI rely on entrepreneurial franchisees for the very success of their business and remain an integral part of their franchise model. Within the report of innovation and replication it found that the most financially successful businesses were large scale firms with high levels of innovation and replication (Aspara 2009) showing how there is room for improvement in any business. â€Å"Staying consistent on the core components of your business doesnt mean the products you sell, or even the way you deliver them, have to stay the same† (FranchiseDirect.com) However, replication in a franchise builds the foundations of what has already been industry certified and therefore proven to work. Entrepreneurs are most useful in a franchise when the need for innovation is high, such as start-up franchises and times of economic instability where differentiation is needed to survive. As a franchise grows, the structure becomes more and more rigid and therefore more difficult and less susceptible to change as the cost of doing so outweighs the potential benefits. Perhaps it is the case that most franchisors are less likely to take on an entrepreneur as a franchisee, using their own sources of research and development. However, not every franchise has the capital to operate their own entrepreneurial department and therefore is much more likely to opt for enterprising franchisees to enable their franchise to grow. Reference List Aspara et al, J A, 2009. Innovation vs. Replication. Business model innovation vs. replication: Financial performance implications of strategic emphases. 1, 6,7 Diebold, J. D, 1990. The Innovators: The Discoveries, Inventions, and Breakthroughs of Our Time. 1st ed. New York: Plume. Entrepreneur.com 2013. Innovators | Entrepreneur.com. 2013. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.entrepreneur.com/innovators/index.html. [Accessed 24 January 2013]. Francis K.A. Demand Media. 2010. Innovation Vs. Replication in Franchises. [ONLINE] Available at: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/innovation-vs-replication-franchises-198.html. [Accessed 23 January 13]. Libava 2012, The Top Traits of Successful Franchise Owners | Entrepreneur.com. 2013. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/224016. [Accessed 23 January 2013]. Also see Definition Of A Franchise. 2013 [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.thefranchiseking.com/definition-of-a-franchise. [Accessed 24 January 2013] McArthur, R M, 2012. President of WSI Internet Marketing Franchise. Can Franchising and Innovation Go Hand in Hand? (See Wilson 2012) MoreBusiness.com. 2013 . Learning from the Franchising Mistakes of Failed Krispy Kreme | MoreBusiness.com. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.morebusiness.com/franchise-risks. [Accessed 23 January 2013]. Shane, S.A , 2003. A General Theory Of Entrepreneurship: The

Why You Take Animals To A Vet Sociology Essay

Why You Take Animals To A Vet Sociology Essay When a person gets sick they usually visit the doctor, but when an animal gets sick they cant go to a human doctor, they visit whats called a veterinarian. A variety of animals can visit the vet, from house pets to farm animals to animals in the zoo. Animals that visit the vet are healthier due to the number of vaccines and technology available; though it may be expensive, it does prolong an animals life. Veterinarians are physicians who help diagnose and treat diseases in animals. With continuous checkups, veterinarians can help control and prevent illness and disease in the animal. As stated by pet care, no matter how careful animal owners are, there will be a time when animals need to visit the vet. Though some believe vets can only offer an examination, they actually can do so much more. Vets are capable of spotting certain illnesses before they take full effect through blood test. They can repair joint or ligament, and they even provide professional grooming. Visiting the vet can prolong animals lives with the physicals done, and making sure animals have all their vaccinations. The major benefit for animals that go to the vet is that they are healthy. But the duties of veterinarians just dont stop at making sure animals are healthy. They make sure the meats people eat are healthy by testing the animal for diseases, monitoring the transportation of the animal, and the slaughtering of the now meat. A veterinarian can decide their specialty based off where they grew up at and the location of where their practice is at or will be at. There are three major categories that a veterinarian can specialize in; small, large, and exotic. Small animals are mostly known as the house pets, and they usually go to clinics or private practices. Clinics can be used for the larger animals, but they are mostly used for small animals. Clinics and private practices provide a waiting area, appointments, emergency appointments, and boarding areas. The major difference between a clinic and private practice is that a clinic is run by the government and a private practice is run by one person, the owner. The next specialties for a veterinarian are large animals. These animals tend to be farm animals, like cows, horses, and sheep. The main reason veterinarians do home visits for these types of animals is because of their size, the population they come in because its just not one cow at the farm. Equestri an veterinarians can also fall under this category, they focus in just horses. Those veterinarians tend to focus more on the unique horses, like ones that race or designer breed horses. The last type of animal that a vet can specialize in is exotic animals. These animals tend to be zoo animals; they can be monkeys, iguanas, ferrets or potbellied pigs. Depending on if they are located at the zoo, there will be a special veterinarian located at the zoo that runs their own private practice. Depending on the size of these exotic animals, that are pets to some people; they would go to a specific private practice for exotic animals only. But, if they are large exotic animals, a specific veterinarian would make a special home visit. Though there are three different specialties, there are veterinarians that will run a private practice for all types of animals and make home visits for all types of animals. As most people probably already know, the main reason to visit the vet is to help keep their animal healthy and living longer. Animals do age faster than humans do, so it is very important for animals to visit the vet. Just like humans, as the animals gets older their health does become worse. There are many pros for owners who take their animals to the veterinarian. Not only can an owner take their pet to get a wellness checkup, they can also have grooming done. When owners have their animals groomed, sometimes they take them to places where its not the best job being done. But taking them to the vet can ensure you that there are professionals back there taking care of the grooming process. Another pro that can benefit the owners and anyone else around the animal, is that taking an animal to the vet not only helps them be healthy but help keeps people in contact with the animal healthy too. Diseases can spread from human to pet and even pet to human. Then the fact that some animals are the meat people eat, so it would be a major pro having that meat healthy and disease free. Insurance can really help out with costs of vet bills for the exotic animals, so that is another major pro. Then by visiting the veterinarian, animals receive vaccinations. If an animal gets a disease or illness after receiving that certain vaccination and they recover, then they can become immune to it, which that will protect them for life. A con about visiting the vet of course is the money. Vaccinations, grooming, dentals, and surgeries are not cheap. It can be hard to afford an animal going to the vet monthly. Then another con about going to the vet would be if the veterinarian found something wrong. While performing their checkups there are possibilities of them finding a tumor or another illness. Then it will be expensive to pay for surgeries or medicine necessary for the animal to recover. Of course, the pros outweigh the cons. Having an animals life become longer and healthier is worth the cost sometimes. Visiting the veterinarian is mostly for the animals wellness checkup. A wellness checkup is just checking the animals out and making sure things are normal. The veterinarians evaluate the overall health of the animal and try to detect serious illnesses before they turn into something bad or terminal. Veterinarians check the animals ear for unusual odors; they check the animals teeth too. Then they make sure the lungs are working properly, the heart rate is normal, and then they check the joints of the animals. Checkups for the larger animals are somewhat different than the checkups for smaller animals. Usually when a large animal is having a wellness checkup or physical they are put a sleep with an anesthetic. After the animal is asleep the veterinarian assistants record the rates of the animal, while the vet focuses on the physical part of the examination. Medicine used in veterinary is similar to humans medicine. An animal can catch a simple stomach bug and also have many diseases that are terminal like types of cancers. Though a veterinarian cant help prevent cancer, they can help prevent stomach bugs with the help of vaccinations. A vaccine is a live pathogen or a killed virus that can be injected to help pathogens in the animals body produce antibodies. The antibodies are what help make an animal immune to a certain illness or disease. Veterinarians can perform blood tests which help show how immune an animal is to a certain disease. Animals can only become immune to a certain illness or disease if they catch it and recover from it. Sometimes animals dont recover and then they dont have the antibodies needed to help make them become immune to it. When people think of surgeries being performed by a vet, they think mostly of removals. But vets can perform many more types of surgeries, like neutering and spaying of house pets. Not only does neutering and spaying make an animal infertile, but by doing that it can help prevent certain cancers in the male and fe male reproductive organs. Then it has been proven that it reduces the chance of animals running off. They can declaw animals like house cats or even bears have been declawed. Also, bone and joint repair are major surgeries done to help animals. Sometimes joints become dislocated and the animal needs that surgery to be able to function properly. The last type of surgery that can be done is cosmetic, just like humans an animal can have things changed. Out of all the pros there are for visiting the veterinarian, the fact that just a visit once a month can prolong an animals life majorly. Having animals checked out by professionals with this technology in the 21st century just provides accurate information versus the knowledge of most animal owners. For the worst con, its not really about the cost for most animal lovers. Its about losing an animal, so the worst con for visiting the vet is the chances of the veterinarian finding something terminal with the animal. Obviously animals who visit the veterinarians like they should are healthier than those animals that havent ever been to a veterinarian. Just like humans, animals can leave germs and get germs. The germs can be in the waiting room area or in the back where the vet clinic boards animals. So even though animals visit the veterinarian they still can become unhealthy by catching a disease there at the vet. Veterinarians can do house calls and come personally to the animal. Maki ng those animals the healthiest; due to them not being in contact with the sick and still receiving the proper care by a veterinarian.

The Outsiders :: Essays Papers

The Outsiders One day after school Ponyboy and his friend Johnny took two Soc girls out to the movies, they were walking home when five Socs jumped them. The Socs were mad at them for taking their girls on dates. Bob (one of the Socs) was about to drown Ponyboy in a fountain when Johnny lost it and stabbed him. The Socs ran and so did Johnny and Ponyboy. After this incident they ran to a church outside of town. One day the church catches on fire. Johnny and Ponyboy save the kids that were playing in the abandoned church. Johnny pushed Ponyboy out of the church right as the roof caved in killing Johnny. Ponyboy and Johnny were heroes. They ruled that Ponyboy was just fighting back in self-defense. Ponyboy eventually writes a book about what has happened to him, the book that Ponyboy starts to write, starts the same way the novel starts. Ponyboy is a nice kid that's parents were killed in a car crash when he was young. Ponyboy has light brown almost red hair, and greenish-gray eyes. He has long hair that is squared off in the back. Ponyboy is a skittish kid; he was always worried about getting jumped by the Socs. But when you are a greaser walking on the streets alone, you have the right to worry about being jumped by the Socs. Ponyboy does a lot of growing up in the book that makes him a dynamic character. He has to cope with a lot of frustration with his two older brothers and with the Socs. He handles it pretty well until on e day when he was being jumped by the Socs he spit on one of them that started a brawl that escalated into a murder. Ponyboy has a good relationship with Johnny. Johnny saved Ponyboy's life by killing a Soc when the Soc was drowning Ponyboy. Ponyboy and Johnny have to hide out in an old abandoned church together. They were best friends. Johnny's last words to Ponyboy were "Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold_" This says that Johnny thought that Ponyboy was a great person, and that he wanted him to stay a wonderful and great person. The conflict in this story is man vs. man. Ponyboy was born a greaser, he did not choose to be a greaser. He had no control of this but the Socs did not care.

A Critique of Henry James Washington Square :: Henry James Washington Square

A Critique of Henry James' Washington Square I will admit it; I did not like Washington Square. That said, when I read the first line to Donald Hall's afterword, I felt like throwing the book away! "Everyone likes Washington Square" (220), HA! Well not me, Mr. Hall. I am not exactly sure why I kept on reading; maybe I was feeling a little masochistic that day! So, behold my surprise when I began to come across some of the author's words that expressed many of the thoughts that I had about the novel and its characters. Luckily, I did not have to read much before some of these ideas came into play. Throughout the "critique," the author addresses not only the work itself, but also how the story came to be. I found it interesting to learn that Henry James had, in reality, only invented the character of Dr. Sloper. The other characters, as well as the novels main plot, had come from a story that James had been told. Considering the absolute realism of the novel, the fact that James had adapted it from reality makes perfect sense. The aspect of this afterword that I found the most intriguing was Hall's critique of Mrs. Penniman. "Morris Townsend is revealed as her fantasy of an oedipal lover" (230). That line really struck me for it seemed to be the first comment that I had read that was unusual and new. Anyone reading the novel could, rather quickly, deduce the general personalities of the characters. The author's observations about Catherine, Dr. Sloper and Morris do not reveal any new character dynamics. But, his ideas about Mrs. Penniman elaborate beyond the usual "annoying and selfish" remarks. Throughout the Afterword, Hall remarks about the moral conflict of the novel. The author states that "The moral force of this novel lies in the paradox of Dr. Slopers' wrong-rightnes" (224). He goes on to explain that the reader has a love-hate relationship with Dr. Sloper. You know that he is right about Morris from the beginning, but it is very difficult to overlook what a horrible and cold man he is. In part, I agree with the author's idea; it is difficult to fully despise a man who is right. But, Dr. Slopers' concerns about Catherine marrying the fortune hunting Morris seem more to be concerns over his money, rather than his daughters well being and happiness.

How To Make A Webpage :: essays research papers

How To Make A Webpage   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For my science project I chose to create a web (internet) page, dealing with science. This project consists of using a computer and a html editor to create a page that can be found on the internet. The next paragraph will explain how to make an internet page.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The steps to making a web page to post on the internet, is very easy. Most web pages are made in a code called html, which is what I am using to make my science web page. Html is an acronym for: Hyper Text Markup Language. The html codes are very easy to use, and remember. If you want to spice up your web page, you may want to use another code called, Java. The word Java is not an acronym, it comes from its maker, ‘Sun Technologies', which is a tremendously huge company that deals with web page making and the internet. Java enables you to have those neat scrolling words at the bottom of your web browser, and the other neat moving things that you may find in web pages around the net. Another code to spice up your web page would be cgi. Cgi stands for: Common Gateway Interface, it is used to submit information on the internet. You can get a book at your local library that contains how to use html, java, and cgi. You now need to select one of the many programs that allow you to make a web page, using html, java, and cgi. Once you find this program, you may now start to enter your html, java, and cgi coordinates. After long hours of work you may now test your web page, depending on the program you are using, there is usually a button that you may press that enables you to look at the web page you have made. After revising and checking your web page, it is time to place it on the internet. To do this, you may have to contact your internet provider, and ask them if they allow their customers to place internet documents on their world wide web server. Once you have it on the net, tell all your friends about it so you can get traffic on your page, and maybe one day, you will win an award for it, and all that work

Civil Disobedience Of Henry David Thoreau History Essay

My subject is about Henry David Thoreau ‘s ‘ method of civil noncompliance. I ‘m traveling to explicate how it influenced Mohandas K. Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. and why they chose to look up to Thoreau. Besides I ‘m traveling to discourse the significance of non-violent opposition. Civil Disobedience is a manner that people should non allow authoritiess to overturn and that people have a responsibility to avoid the authorities to do them agents of unfairness. Thoreau did civil noncompliance because of bondage and the Mexican-War, Thoreau was a life long emancipationist he believed that authorities was more harmful than helpful. The authorities in Throreau eyes was non merely a small corupt or unfair but the authorities is a chief agent of corruptness and unfairness, he believed that the same people who appauld soldiers for declining to contend an unfair war are non themselves willing to decline to fund the authorities that started the war. One dark Thoreau was arrested because he refused to pay the revenue enhancement he was opposed he believed paying revenue enhancements was an alibi to spread out America ‘s slaveholding district, the constabulary statioin he was in offered to pay the revenue enhancement for Thoreau be he refused. So he was forced to pass the dark in gaol, he would hold spent more clip in gaol but person I his household paid for his bond. The dark he spent in gaol was a n inpiration to compose â€Å" Resitance to Civil Government. † Henry David Thoreau influenced many public figures like Mohandas K. Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. , President John F. Kennedy, Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas and Russian writer Leo Tolstoy, Besides artisits and writers including Edward Abbey, Willa Cather, Marcel Proust, William Butler Yeats, Sinclair Lewis, Taylor 2 Ernest Hemingway, Upton Sinclair, E. B. White, Lewis Mumford, Frank Lloyd Wright, Alexander Posey and Gustav Stickley and many other people.Mohandas K. Gandhi was the leader of India ‘s battle for independency from British regulations besides he is considered the male parent of his state. Gandhi worked for the rights of Indians populating under the racialist and inhibitory authorities of South Africa. After acquiring leading of the Indian National Congress in 1921he led countrywide campiagns to take down poorness get mores adult females rights build spiritual cultural cordiality and increase economic autonomy. Gandhi believed that force does n't work out anything it merely makes the job bigger. During the early 1900 ‘s he established a magazine called the Indian Opinion he talked about the Indians battle and hungriness for freedom bu the authorities contiued to handle them severely by doing them transport designation cards every where they go, so gandhi gather a protest a nd named it satyagrapha which means force contained in truth and love or non-violent opposition British repression of Indian civil rights increased after WWI the success of nonviolent opposition stunned the British but that success came with a monetary value of force and major reverses In 1920 Gandhi made run non cooperation to liberate India from British regulation during that run many Indians were imprisoned. That same twelvemonth Gandhi was bought to test and was found guilty of motivating noncompliance to British Torahs. He lief accepted the gaol clip that was given to him, while in gaol the nonviolent opposition motion had came to a halt. At 62 Gandhi led a 200 stat mi March that was 24 yearss long and received universe broad attending. Gandhi urged his followings to do there ain salt he knew it was illegal but still wanted a opportunity. Taylor 3 When the Indians began fabricating their ain salt the started acquiring constabulary ferociousness and a whole batch of apprehension. Gandhi had made a program to bust the authoritiess ‘ salt mine but he was arrested right before it was scheduled and his followings fell threw with his program. The foray had much bloodshed and force but it made the motion into a turning point in which British authorities realized that they could non halt civil noncompliance. For a decennary Gandhi struggled for independency and it eventually came in 1947. A twelvemonth subsequently Mohandas K. Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Godse he though Gandhi had weakened India by befriending the Muslims. Another individual Henry David Thoreau and Mohandas Gandhi influenced by their civil noncompliance Acts of the Apostless was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ; King was the leader of the African American civil rights motion. He led the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott and besides took portion in establishing the Southern Christian Leadership Conference he besides became the first president of that association. In 1964 he was the youngest individual to have the Nobel Peace Prize for seting an terminal to racial segregation and racial favoritism he got it because he used Thoreau method of civil noncompliance and nonviolent opposition. In April 1963 he caught the attending of the state because of his passive and passive resistance beliefs. He was taking a run in Birmingham, Alabama to set a halt to racial segregation at tiffin counters and hiring patterns, while King and his followings were on a March toward the metropolis hall of Birmingham the constabulary turned fire hosieries and arrested all the marchers and Dr. King was arrested every bit good. While functioning clip in gaol Dr. King wrote missive called â€Å" Letter from Birmingham City Jail † . Taylor 4 In the missive he explained that â€Å" You express a great trade of anxiousness over our willingness to interrupt Torahs. † He was mentioning that to the white people in that quotation mark, reasonably much of his missive was for the white crowd. Besides in his missive he quoted that â€Å" there are two types of Torahs they are merely and unfair Torahs † , I would hold with Saint Augustine that an unfair jurisprudence is no jurisprudence at all. Now what is the difference between the two? â€Å" How does one determine when a jurisprudence is merely or unfair? A jurisprudence is a manmade codification that squares with the moral jurisprudence or the jurisprudence of God. An unfair jurisprudence is a codification that is out of harmoniousness with the moral lawaˆÂ ¦ † An unfair jurisprudence in King ‘s eyes was â€Å" a codification inflicted upon a minority which the minority had no portion in ordaining or making because they did non hold the unhinde red right to vote. † He was stating that who is Alabama to put up the segregation Torahs democratically elected? â€Å" Throughout the State of Alabama all types of conniving methods are used to forestall Negroes from going registered electors and there a rhenium some counties without a individual Negro registered to vote despite the fact that the Negro constitutes a bulk of the population. Can any jurisprudence set up in such a province be considered democratically structured? † The ground for King composing the missive was a response to eight white reverends that argued that the conflict against racial segregation should be handled in tribunal non in the streets. King responded by stating â€Å" making nonviolent actions such as his that he stated in his missive true civil rights would ne'er be achieved † . He said that â€Å" non merely was civil noncompliance justified in the face of unfair Torahs, but that one has a moral duty to disobey unfair Torahs † . Taylor 5 Henry David Thoreau believed in simplifying one ‘s life. He expressed his ego through power and duty of an person to find right from incorrect. Thoreau encouraged his followings express their individualism each in their ain manner. One of Thoreau ‘s celebrated quotation marks was â€Å" I went to the forests because I wished to populate intentionally, to look merely the indispensable facts of life, and see if I could non larn what it had to learn, and non, when I came to decease, detect that I had non lived. † That was one of Henry Thoreau ‘s celebrated quotation marks refering to civil noncompliance. Ralph Waldo Emerson played a large portion on Henry Thoreau ‘s civil noncompliance motion ; Emerson was the individual that told Thoreau to ever maintain a diary around him. Ralph Emerson started the American Transcendentalism motion and that motivated Thoreau against society besides he lived in a forest exterior of Boston for several old ages Emerson and Thoreau were both emancipationists. Henry Thoreau was a misunderstood individual and people merely did understand what he was seeking to make he was non out to ache anybody he merely thought it was incorrect for a individual to take part in something that they did non hold on. Here are some of Thoreau ‘s celebrated quotation marks that may hold influenced today ‘s militants is â€Å" A wide border of leisure is every bit beautiful in a adult male ‘s life as in a book. Haste makes waste, no lupus erythematosus in life than in housekeeping. Keep the clip, detect the hours of the existence, non autos. † Another is â€Å" A genuinely good book Teachs me better than to read it. I must shortly put it down, and commence life on its intimation. What I began by reading it, I must complete by moving. And the one last good quotation mark I found was: Taylor 6 â€Å" I HEARTILY ACCEPT the slogan, that authorities is best which governs least, but, to talk practically and as a citizen, unlike those who themselves no authorities work forces, I ask for non at one time no authorities but at one time a better Government. The mass of work forces serve the province therefore non as chiefly but as machines with their organic structures. They are the standing ground forces, and the reserves, prison guards, constables. In most instances there is no free exercising whatever of the judgement or of the moral sense ; but they out themselves on a degree with wood and Earth and rocks ; and wooden work forces can possibly be manufactured that will function the intent as good. Such bid no more regard than work forces of straw or a ball of soil. They have the same kind of worth merely as Equus caballuss and Canis familiariss. How does it go a adult male to act toward this American authorities today? I answer, that he can non without shame be associated with it. I can non for an instant recognize that political organisation as my authorities which is slave ‘s authorities besides. † In today ‘s society there are a few people practising nonviolent opposition but there are a few instances non-violent opposition militants like there were 23 non-violent peace militants desiring to set an terminal to the war of U.S. in Afghanistan they were being dragged and pushed off from the White House Gatess by Secret Service officers. The militants made up a National Campaign for non-violent opposition and they had written a missive to President Obama to bespeak a meeting to discourse their sentiments on the war. The significance of Nonviolent Resistance is a signifier embodied societal alteration that actively and persistently challenges violent and unfair conditions, constructions or policies through non-injurious agencies. There was one more major nonviolent opposition act it was the 1989 Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia it was considered to be the most of import Taylor 7 nonviolent Revolutions of 1989. Non-cooperation is another manner of non-violent Acts of the Apostless. The point of non-cooperation is to set a halt to an industry, political system, or an economic procedure, the Acts of the Apostless of non-cooperation: boycotts, civil noncompliance, labour work stoppages and revenue enhancement refusal. In decision non-violent opposition is the manner to travel if you want to acquire something work out it may take along clip to carry through the end but one twenty-four hours after all the boycotting, work stoppages, revenue enhancement refusal, etc. you will likely acquire your manner. That ‘s what Henry David Thoreau, Mohandas K. Gandhi, and Martin Luther King did ; they kept on contending ( non physically ) until they got their end accomplished. All three of those work forces have went down in history today merely because they use non-violent opposition, now and yearss people tend to contend back utilizing force because they are impatient or have n't learned about non-violent opposition. That ‘s what the United States should hold done alternatively of being in this war for along clip and truly non carry throughing anything because what ‘s the existent ground we are over there and is to arms of mass devastation, Osama Ben Ladin and we have non been successful of h appening none of the two. It would hold been easier if they use non-violent opposition. Non-violent opposition can be helpful and non helpful, like in today ‘s society it is non to many people out at that place today that pattern non-violent opposition daily like they did back, chiefly because of the new coevals and new engineering we have. In today ‘s society we should hold more people like Thoreau, Gandhi and King because we would acquire a batch more complete if we pattern non-violent opposition like they did. Non-violent opposition is really powerful and people do non recognize that it can acquire you whatever you want faster than being violent will. Taylor 8 Dr. Martin Luther King rule of non violent opposition was â€Å" the guiding visible radiation of understanding or delivering good for all work forces. † That rule right there says a batch and if people took the clip today and went and look at non-violent opposition they may get down utilizing it alternatively of assailing violently. Plants Citied: www.spaceandmotion.com/Philosophy-Henry-David-Thoreau.htm www.thoreau.eserver.org/civil.html

BR Richardson Timber Corporation

People want different things from work, usually when we get what we want we are motivated and our morale helps us to improve the quality of our work and lives. For most people money is the motivation but often it is necessary to tie in monetary rewards with non-monetary rewards so that employees remain motivated. A combination of these will almost always lead to commitment to an organization, innovative ideas and generally high quality of work. Human resource policies should be such that they empower the most important of all the resources that a company has which is its people.This will translate to large profits for the company and great satisfaction among the employees. Safety and health issues are a major issue in the BR Timber Company. Most employees in the company are dissatisfied with their jobs, working hours and working conditions. Morale is down and as a result productivity is decreased with increased job turnover as high as 70 percent in some departments of the company. Ro n, the team leader in gluing reports that new members rarely last a year at the gluing department. This is due to the work they are introduced to upon starting work.The grueling tasks involved usually result in back injuries. Often there is no orientation to the job and the new workers learn on the job about the rights technique of hanging beams. Ron reports that most men have bad backs, broken fingers and toes, and hernias. An interview with Marty reveals that a death had occurred at the gluing department. Even with this the death the men were expected to act as if nothing had happened and continue working. The mean also showed great concern for a man who had sustained a concussion after hitting a center nail in the overcrowded gluing area.During a tour of the plant it was noted that safety was very much compromised placing the worker’s health at risk. For instance, some workers did not have helmets, others did not have safety glasses, and band-saw safety devices were absent . Dirk a scheduler with a masters in forestry also reported that the employees did not under go any physicals. Though the men had medical insurance this was not enough to pick up their morale in relation to the safety of their working conditions. The stacks of beams are stacked too high such that they fall frequently.This in fact is how a death occurred at the plant. Some of the machines given to the workers are also not in good working order for example Rolf cited a machine that has four wheels and five feet of clearance. The machine has neither brakes nor shut-off making it inefficient and ineffective to work with. The building and ventilation standards of the plant as reported by Ro are below average leading to serious weight loss among the men during the summer. Physical well being and a healthy mind are necessary if a workforce is to be healthy.A healthy workforce is a motivated one and usually when one is in good physical health the mind is at ease and the worker can concentra te on his work. This is only possible if the worker knows that his working environment is safe and poses no danger to his health. This is absent at BR Timber Company. To begin with, BR Timber Company needs to set up an employee service that ensures that the employees undergo a physical and that they are up to the hard work expected of them. This will help in identification of any employees who may be risking their health by doing the grueling tasks at the plant.It is necessary to work with the quality control manager to develop guidelines that are task-specific for the different jobs and working environments in the place. Most men get accidents because they do not get the concept of a task clearly. The frequent movement of men from one job to another makes it difficult for them to be trained. To deal with the mistakes made the men need to be at one work station long enough to learn what exactly is needed in the beams and thus increase safety with less mistakes being made.OSHA (Occup ational Safety and Health Administration) recommended that ergonomic policies be made voluntary rather than mandatory. This aims at reducing work-related injuries and is better when it is voluntary rather than mandatory because then the company is free to follow these guidelines without feeling coerced. The benefits especially for BR Timber Company ion having employees’ health maintained is that employees will need less time off because injuries (Ju, 2007). For BR Timber a safe environment would be provided by first ensuring that employees have the necessary safety gear.This includes ensuring that helmets and safety glasses are available to all employees in all shifts. In addition the company should improve the condition in its glue area which has many damps causing the place to be crowded and creating difficulty in walking around. The absence of safety devices for band saws should also be looked into so that the band saws are fitted with guarding. Ensuring that warning signs are placed at strategic points in the plant to improve safety by providing employees and visitors of potential danger should also be done.The storage area for the beams is a dangerous area with one death already having occurred due to the stacks of beams being too high and thus falling. A solution to this problem would be to make the stacks lower and look for adequate space like suggested by Dirk that a bigger yard could be created by knocking out the field and organizing the stacks so that their disarray could cease posing a danger to the employees. Maintenance of equipment and machines is also another issue that contributes to poor working and safety conditions.By regularly repairing the work-out machines or repairing them altogether the company stands to gain more in the long run since efficiency will be increased and productivity together with safety will also be enhanced. No employee is comfortable using a machine that has no brakes, so a simple intervention like ensuring all the machines have breaks would make the employees feel safer. The job of ensuring safety does not only lie with management but also with the employees. If and when quality safety gear is provided the management should make sure that the employees use them appropriately.By allowing ongoing inspection teams to ensure that the company and its employees are taking the necessary safety precautions a higher level of accountability is encouraged and the company is more likely to adhere to a safe workplace and with the employees adhering to the safety guidelines. The solutions to the safety problems at BR Timber Company would best be addressed by incorporating the assistance of a safety consultancy agency. OSHA has many resources that would be useful for the company.In addition they offer computer software and technical information assistance that is easy to follow and that has specifications of OSHA standards meaning that the company cannot go wrong on safety if they seek services of such an agency. Another strategy that BR Timber Company needs to employ for the sake of the health of its workers is to put up a counseling unit for the workers. Many of the employees seem to be very concerned and disturbed about injuries sustained by a worker (Bob) who was hit by a centre rail and also by the death of a colleague at the beam stacking area.Though most of the men wanted to go home that day, they were not allowed showing some degree of insensitivity to the men’s state of mind following the loss of a colleague. The employees would have benefited a lot from having supportive services then. Education concerning injury prevention should be regularly provided for the employees. These would be especially helpful in preventing back injuries and knowing how to manage hernias which are both common problems in the BR Timber Company. Compensation and benefits is another pressing issue in the company.It is mainly related to overtime. The amount of work the employees put in is s ignificantly disproportionate to their pay. The workers felt that they were paid 60 cents per hour lower than the union and added that when the union got a 65 cents-per-hour raise, the employees at BR Timber Company got a 45 cent-per-hour raise. This being among the lowest paid employees in the timber business means that they are not motivated much. The only other benefit that seems available to these employees is the medical insurance cover.Most of the employees seem unhappy with their salaries even with overtime included. When a softball team was setup by one of the employees financing for it was inadequate since it required about $700 and the staff were only given $250. Due to the compulsory nature of overtime most employees do not even have the time to play the game. For most, they go home eat sleep and wake up again to go to work with very little time spent with their families. One of the things the company is doing right is providing medical cover for the employees.Other solut ions to poor motivation due to poor salaries in benefits include pay increments. This would be better handled by a compensation analyst to ensure that the employees’ salaries are matched with those of other union employees. This does not have to happen to immediately it could be a plan over time in which the employees get gradual increases in payment following a survey of their salary scales. (Mathis and Jackson, 2006) An employee benefits manager may be necessary to provide better management of the employees benefits especially the health insurance and pension plans.In the case of the BR Timber Company the nature of the industry the company is in calls for the company to have an accident and dismemberment insurance plan. The manager when appointed will be able to keep abreast of all legal issues affecting the employee benefits. This will streamline the process of claiming benefits and increase the trust the employees have in the company leading to greater motivation (Mathis and Jackson, 2006) In assessing how much it needs to pay the employees to keep them motivated and still earn a profit the company ought to go through a budge process.This will provide a means for determining how much has been spent on the payroll. The positions of various employees ought to be such that their positions fit into the overall percentage of the payroll. When jobs are clearly defined determining their going rate becomes easier. Using job descriptions for entry other job will provide a means of comparison with the market place. The jobs can also be marched to others by comparison of the core functions (Krotz, 2007). To ensure that the turnover rate for employees is not high due to employee dissatisfaction with the pay it is necessary to track the competition.BR Timber pays lower than other union companies making those companies a viable alternative for the employees. Supervisors and others with positions of authority need to have a salary range especially for those whom i t will be employing new. Other perks of the job can also be considered benefits and are important because work is not only about money. Overtime being such demoralizing aspect of work at BR Timber Company, the management ought to consider flextime. Most of the employees complain that they do not have enough time to spend with their families.

Dot.Com Bubble

R&D, Advertising and the Market Value of Internet Firms By: Damir Tokic Outline: 1. Introduction 2. Article Summary 3. Discussion 4. Conclusion Introduction During the Dot-com â€Å"bubble†, internet firms were highly valued compared to â€Å"old economy† firms. Internet firms’ stock prices were unrealistically high. Most of those firms were operating under loses and no tangible assets to warrant those prices. Analysts justified those prices and recommended buy ratings but later a crash followed. Article SummaryThis article explains the relationship between intangible assets (advertising and R&D) expenditures and internet firms’ market value during 1996-2000. The author presents two opinions in regard to internet stock’s valuation. The first theory is based on DCF methodology and asserts that due to poor earnings and low earnings visibility, internet stocks were irrationally overvalued in 1999. Secondly, based on the option pricing theory, it can be justified that the prices were warranted due to growth of those firms and volatility as primary value drivers.The article details five literature reviews on valuation – (1) Investment opportunity approach to valuation and more especially growth firms, (2) The life cycle theory, (3) The effects of intangible assets (R&D and advertisement) to market value, and (4) Valuation of internet firms using real options. Based on the life cycle theory, as the firm grows and matures, managers have a tendency to pursue growth rather than stockholders’ welfare. Those with comparative advantage over the competition tend to invest more in the growth stage to expand their operations.Under this theory, the value of the firm is divided into: (1) option value of growth opportunity, (2) present value of cash flows from asset-in-place. This model is based on the idea that the firm’s life cycle determines its expected returns. Expected return attributable to each component of value la rgely depends on the growth stage of the firm. Like in â€Å"old economy† firms, mature firms have all of their value in the present value of cash flows from the asset-in-place component while growth firms, their value is concentrated in the growth component.The author argues that intangible assets (i. e. advertising and R&D) greatly add value and since their benefits are mainly realized in the future, they should be capitalized rather than expensed. They positively impact the value of the market as they give some signals of future profitability. Therefore, increase in these assets has consistent effects on profits. The author points out that the market reacts more favorably to high-tech firms when R&D expenditures are announced than to low-tech firms.This is based on the hypothesis High-tech firms have promising growth opportunities whereby investments in R&D positively affect the market value. On the other hand, Investments in low-tech firms negatively affect the value due to no or negative growth opportunities. The author also points out that the efficient market does not capture advertising and R&D in the firm’s stock price because these investments are expensed rather than capitalized and therefore reduce the profits making the financial statements to be misstated.It may be possible that R&D intensive firms may be underpriced because investors focus on accounting information failing to see the future benefits of the R&D investments. On the other hand, especially for those firms with negative earnings, overconfidence investors will overestimate the future benefits from R&D investments thus causing overvaluation. Maintaining R&D and advertising intensity provides the positive signal that management are overconfident in future prospects and the market tend to overlook those signals making it possible to realize abnormal returns.The author also explains the real option valuation model which he blames on the high valuation of internet stocks duri ng the bubble period derived from the Black and Scholes option pricing theory. This theory suggests that it is possible to undertake initially unattractive projects which the traditional DCF model will reject. It may pay off to undertake R&D investments in a project with negative value if the early investments provide sufficient information about the future benefits of a project. The value of an internet firm is largely dependent on (1) firm’s ability to adapt to enormous ncertainty, (2) competitive landscape paced with technology innovations,(3) changing market conditions and (4) costs of searching for a profitable business model. Valuations can be extremely high if the initial growth rates are high and if there is enough volatility in this growth over time, The author’s argument is that high valuation of internet stocks is attributed to the investment opportunities approach. This approach suggests that the presence of growth opportunities to invest new capital result s to projects with a promising rate of rate return higher than normal.The investment opportunities approach states that value of a growth firm is equal to the PV of cash flows from assets in place and the present value of â€Å"growth† opportunity (Vj = V1 + V2). It suggests that investors should pay a premium for earnings of a growth firms relative to mature firms due to the presence of profitability multiplier in growth firms. The author proposes a modified investment opportunities approach which incorporates advertising and R&D into the equation when valuing growth firms; V = E/k m + RD+A/k (m-1).This is because total investments of growth firms is a combination of retained earnings and investments in intangible assets (advertising and R&D), thereby directly adding value to the firm. Discussion Valuation is the key to the survival of a firm. Bad valuation can lead to overvaluation or undervaluation. In the case the dot-com â€Å"bubble† it is apparent that those fir ms were overvalued partly because of the valuation models used and the market reaction. I think there was high excitement of the new economy which led to high speculations.Investors were very overconfident that those firms will make profits in the future due to growth opportunities readily available. A combination of increasing stock prices, market overconfidence, individual speculation in stocks, and widely available venture capital created an environment in which many investors were willing to overlook traditional metrics such as P/E ratio in favor of overconfidence in technological advancements. The author explains how intangible assets like R&D and advertising of growth firms have positive effect on market value due to future profitability.It therefore means that growth firms will invest more in R&D and advertising in order to maximize the growth opportunities. The life cycle theory suggests that at a maturity, increasing R&D and advertising have diminishing utility and managers have a tendency to pursue growth during the growth stage rather than stockholders welfare. During the bubble, it is clear that firms were chasing growth with high intensity in R&D and the market reacted positively to it. Financial analysts based their valuations solely on the growth and expectations of future earnings.This is why behavioral finance plays a role in trying to explain efficient market. In an efficient market, stock prices fully incorporate the value of intangible investments and therefore there should be no association between R&D intensity and future stock returns. But as the author suggests, firms with a high proportion of intangible assets are highly volatile because their future success is tied to the success of R&D projects. Another problem is that R&D and advertising are expensed under US GAAP significantly reducing the profits and misstating the accounting book value.If these expenses were capitalized, probably those growth firms would have seen some profits an d may be that is why investors did not care about their losses. Louis, chan & Theodore (2001) also advocate that companies with high R&D and advertising earn large excess returns and R&D intensity is positively associated with volatility. I tend to believe that in some cases, investors overestimate the benefits from R&D investments, especially for firms with negative profitability, which causes the overvaluation.The markets underreact to managers’ overconfidence to keep heavy investments in R&D at the expense of current profitability. In my opinion, I don’t think investors should overreact positively to heavy investments in R&D. In an efficient market, this intangible asset will fully be incorporated in stock prices. The author mentions that financial analysts justified the high valuations of internet stocks using the models derived from Blank and Scholes option pricing theory. During the â€Å"bubble† real option value was integrated in valuation of those firms .I agree with the author that real option itself has value if a firm undertakes initially negative NPV just to position itself in a growing industry. This real options is what made analysts overconfidence that the negative profitability or negative NPV will turn positive in the advanced stage of development. But there is a high uncertainty when using this model which translates to high value. As the author suggests, if the initial growth rates are sufficiently high and there is high volatility in this growth over time, valuations can be unrealistically high.Analysts believed that there were many options at the disposal of those firms and the negative profitability did not shake their high valuations Investment opportunities approach to valuation of internet stocks is seen as the cause of the â€Å"bubble† too. Under this approach analysts believed that the internet firms have many opportunities to invest new capital in projects promising rate of return higher than normal. The refore, in addition to present value of cash flows from assets in place, those firms also had another value from growth opportunities. The present value from growth opportunities is what gave those firms high values.The investment opportunities approach was even modified by the authors to include R&D and advertising which even made those values extremely high. Conclusion I believe that in a well-functioning system, with the incentives of intermediaries fully aligned in accordance with their fiduciary responsibility, public markets will correctly value companies such that investors earn a normal required rate of return. Financial analysts should incorporate the value of earnings in their valuation targets that were previously based solely on the growth and expectation of future earnings.This will help reduce the value of firms that lack profitability and prevent another bubble. References Chan, L. K. C, Lakonishok, J. , & Sougiannis, T. , (2001). The Stock Market Valuation of Researc h and Development Expenditures. The Journal of Finance. 56(6), 2431-2456. doi 10. 1111/0022-1082. 00411. Palepu, K. G. , Healy, P. M. , (2008). Business Analysis & Valuation. Mason, Oh: South-Western Cengage Learning. Tokic, D. , (2004). R&D Advertising and the Market Value of Internet Firms: Part 1. Journal of Internet Commerce. 3(2), 21-79