Sunday, November 3, 2019

A'state of play' assessment of the investment climate in Bolivia Essay

A'state of play' assessment of the investment climate in Bolivia - Essay Example But it is unable to exploit these natural reserves due to political instability and anti-privatization sentiments. There is literacy rate of 87%. Chiquitania is located in the eastern parts of Bolivia and it is a peaceful place composed of a unique culture and history. Although modernization is taking place, its pace is slower than what it should be. Corruption and red tape is responsible for the slow growth. Bolivia is one of Latin America's poorest countries where education and health are below the regional average. The roads, water supply, and telecom services are of poor quality (Bolivia Microeconomic Constraints and Opportunities for Higher Growth, p6). Chiquitania has tremendous potential for the tourism industry. But it is bogged down due to frequent road stoppages and poor road system. Hitherto, political conditions and bureaucratic requirements have discouraged tourism from reaching its peak level. Of course, the government may not be keen to push tourism at the cost of environmental degradation. Nevertheless, the overall economic climate is not favorable to industry. Of the industries present in the market in a study in 2000, tourism is conspicuous by its absence. There is no mention of tourism anywhere. Or if it is there, it is in the informal sector. Officially, tourism is almost non-existent (See Fig.3). Foods and drinks take the first spot, followed by furniture. The Bolivians like to eat and drink. They also have fondness for furniture. However, the zeal to push tourism is nowhere in the scheme of things for them. The real problem lies in the nature of the market in Bolivia. The size of the formal market is significantly smaller than the informal market. The problems in formalizing business far outweigh the benefits. Formidable bureaucratic controls including corruption choke a layman's inclination to run a legitimate business. Information to run business on statutory guidelines is lost in the maze of bureaucratic controls. Also, the cost to run a legitimate business is high due to taxes and other expenses. The problem is not isolated to tourism alone. It is faced by every industry. This has given rise to tightly regulated market where much of what is manufactured is consumed by the department itself. There is little scope for exports. For instance, in La Paz 70% of the sales was consumed within the city in the year 2000. So also in the cases of Santa Cruz and Cochabamba it was 74% and 51% respectively. Poor transport infrastructure is the main cause for the lack of exports by the firms to other regions. Figure 1 First of all, lack of political stability does not allow for big time investments. Then there is the tight bureaucratic control over formally establishing and maintaining tourist spots. Macroeconomic stabilization, trade

Friday, November 1, 2019

Pandemic Flu Planning Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pandemic Flu Planning - Assignment Example In ensuring effective control, I will recommend the following steps whereby most of them are community-based strategies. The first step will encompass devising effective preparedness, response and containment policies intended to avoid further spreading of the pandemic in the region (Tae-Chang, Yasuhiro, Shingo, & Jung, 2009). Secondly, I will Isolate and administer antiviral medications to the people confirmed medically to have contracted the influenza disease. Isolation in this case may be in both hospitals and homes though the latter will be extremely complicated due to the pandemic’s nature of spreading (CDCP, 2007). Isolation will also encompass quarantine especially in homes or other social places whereby it hard to dismiss their members like congregational centers that normally house nuns, priests or other religious members. The other effective measure will encompass closure of schools together with advising their respective administration to take the ailing students to the hospital (Cannaday & Cox, 2008). In addition, there will be a will be a need to sensitize the entire public to avoid human contact as well as embrace good health, for instance, washing of hands with alcohol-based rub gel together with intake of fluids (Flu.gov, n.d). Some of the involved legal authorities in this mitigation process include, Commonwealth of Virginia Emergency Operations Plan (COVEOP), National Response Framework (NRF), National Incident Management System (NIMS), Virginia Department of Education and governor’s office. The latte’s core role is to declare the state of emergency based on the pandemic’s rate of spreading as well as compelling reluctant institutions to adhere to the mitigation policies. The success of this plan will depend on public’s level of compliance in adopting the stipulated measures. Entities involved in this category include employers and

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Black & Decker - Eastern Hemisphere and the ADP Initiative Case Study

Black & Decker - Eastern Hemisphere and the ADP Initiative - Case Study Example Lancaster knows that to beat the competition, the Eastern Hemisphere organization would need to build its own internal capacity which starts from the top, its executives. Black & Decker was fully committed to improving the performance of its Eastern Hemisphere as demonstrated by its commitment to spend nearly $80 million to set up its Singapore headquarters and build factories in Singapore, India and China (Morrison and Black 3). Unfortunately for Lancaster, these growth plans would lead to significant increase in employment opportunities whose large percentage would be for management positions (Morrison and Black 4), which was the Eastern Hemisphere’s Achilles’ heel. From analyzing the intensity of competition in Asia, Lancaster understood that the Eastern Hemisphere would require a new kind of managers, those who freely share ideas and expertise across the company, nurture and develop careers for their subordinates within the organization while remaining fiercely committed to business unit performance. Lancaster’s cause for concern was that there was a major disparity in management styles within the Eastern Hemisphere. Moreover, some of the managers were out rightly bad managers. With so many management styles it would be difficult to effectively execute organizational strategies at the lower levels of the firm. Another concern was the apparent lack of opportunities for growth and development made available to staff members. Lancaster noticed that 70 percent of management and supervisory roles were filled by outsiders (Morrison and Black 4). The ADP would infuse into the Eastern Hemisphere several best practices that would strengthen the management function. First of all the 3600 view would give managers more in-depth knowledge of their employees. With this knowledge they will be able to more effectively assist their staff to grow, develop and attain their career objectives while improving the performance of their business units. Fo r example, from the 3600 view would give managers information which they could use to create better teams, identify employees who were ready for more leadership opportunities and so on. This would reduce the need for seeking managers and supervisors externally since the organization will have identified and nurtured talent from within. Secondly, the entire ADP process increases staff awareness of the 14 different performance dimensions. With increased awareness it can be expected that management and other staff at the Eastern Hemisphere would naturally be motivated to improve themselves which would indirectly lead to an overall better organizational performance. What concerns do Asian managers have about ADP? How substantive are these concerns? Asian managers have numerous concerns about ADP. The substantive concerns are the following: culture, language barrier, heterogeneity of the region and scarce opportunities for development. The non-substantive ones are: managers having limite d time to handle ADP, presence of many managers who are used to performing their duties in a certain way and notion that it is too radical a change. These are non-substantive because they are often cited as reasons for maintaining status quo. On the other hand, culture is among the most acknowledged and researched challenges for global business. In Asian cultures subordinates are not to question their seniors. This essentially removes the ability of a manager and his subordinate to be either open or criticize each other. The ADP cannot work without this sincere conversation between subordinates and their superiors. Language barrier is huge especially outside Singapore where almost all countries have their own unique dialect.

Monday, October 28, 2019

The degree of operating leverage Essay Example for Free

The degree of operating leverage Essay 1. The degree of operating leverage is equal to the ____ change in ____ divided by the ____ change in ____. 2. In the linear breakeven model, the difference between selling price per unit and variable cost per unit is referred to as: 3). Break-even analysis usually assumes all of the following except: 4).The short-run cost function is: 5). In the short-run for a purely competitive market, a manufacturer will stop production when: 6). In the long-run, firms in a monopolistically competitive industry will 7). A search good is: 8). All of the following are true for both competition and monopolistic competition in the long run, except one of them. Which is it? 9). Regulatory agencies engage in all of the following activities except _______. 10). In the electric power industry, residential customers have relatively ____ demand for electricity compared with large industrial users. But contrary to price discrimination, large industrial users generally are charged ____ rates. 11). When the cross elasticity of demand between one product and all other products is low, one is generally referring to a(n) ____ situation. 13). In natural monopoly, AC continuously declines due to economies in distribution or in production, which tends to found in industries which face increasing returns to scale. If price were set equal to marginal cost, then: 14). A(n) ____ is characterized by a relatively small number of firms producing a product. 15). In the Cournot duopoly model, each of the two firms, in determining its profit-maximizing price-output level, assumes that the other firms ____ will not change. 16). The existence of a kinked demand curve under oligopoly conditions may result in 17). Conscious parallelism of action among oligopolistic firms is an example of ____. 18). A key to analyzing subgame perfect equilibrium strategy in sequential games is 19). Credible promises and hostage mechanisms can support a continuous stream of cooperative exchanges except when 20). In making promises that are not guaranteed by third parties and in imposing penalties that are not enforced by third parties, all of the following are credibility-enhancing mechanisms except 21). In a game, a dominated strategy is one where: The segmenting of customers into several small groups such as household, institutional, commercial, and industrial users, and establishing a different rate schedule for each group is known as: 22) The following are possible examples of price discrimination, EXCEPT: 23). The optimal mark-up is: m = -1/ (E+1). When the mark-up on cookware equals 50%, then demand elasticity (E) for cookware is: 24). To maximize profits, a monopolist that engages in price discrimination must allocate output in such a way as to make identical the ____ in all markets. 25). Non-redeployable durable assets that are dependent upon unique complementary and perfectly redeployable assets to achieve substantial value-added will typically be organized as 26). When retail bicycle dealers advertise and perform warranty repairs but do not deliver the personal selling message that Schwinn has designed as part of the marketing plan but cannot observe at less than prohibitive cost, the manufacturer has encountered a problem of ____. 27). When manufacturers and distributors establish credible commitments to one another, they often employ 28). Reliant assets are always all of the following except: 29). The sentiment for increased deregulation in the late 1970s and early 1980s has been felt most significantly in the price regulation of 30). The antitrust laws regulate all of the following business decisions except ____. 31). The ____ is equal to the some of the squares of the market shares of all the firms in an industry. 32). The lower the barriers to entry and exit, the more nearly a market structure fits the ____ market model. 33). The ____ depicts the risk-return relationship in the market for all securities: 34). Any current outlay that is expected to yield a flow of benefits beyond one year in the future is: 35). In order to help assure that all relevant factors will be considered, the capital-expenditure selection process should include the following steps except: 36). Which of the following would not be classified as a capital expenditure for decision-making purposes?

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Yoga Essay -- essays research papers

The term Yoga has a few meanings. It's both a school of thought in the Hindu religion, and a system of mental and physical exercise developed by this school. All forms of yoga originated in India. People who follow this school, and practice any form of yoga are called yogis, or yogins. Students study under prolonged and careful guidance of the teacher, known as the guru. The first syllable 'gu,'; in Sanskrit means light; the second syllable, 'ru'; means light. A guru is a spiritual teacher who leads the pupil from darkness to light. Literally, yoga means 'the union of mind and body.'; In Sanskrit, the language of India, yoga means discipline. Many people in western countries practice some form of yoga exercise in hope of improving their health, and achieving peace of mind. Various forms of yoga have become popular in Europe and the United States. Transcendental Meditation is a simplified version of the yoga of Hinduism. Bhakti-Yoga involves the dedication of all actions and thoughts to a chosen God. Hatha-Yoga, stresses difficult bodily postures and breathing techniques. It has become very popular as a method of gaining and improving health. Certain people also study this form of yoga because of the control they develop over certain bodily functions. A new concept in fitness combines gentle stretching with techniques from Hatha Yoga to perform the most effective, relaxing ways of exercising. It is called Yogacise. There are other forms of yoga that are practiced in India. T...

Thursday, October 24, 2019

New Business Plan for a Gas Station Start Up

The customer need that will be satisfied is that my gas station will have gasoline, diesel, and a service station to get the repairs or inspections they will need to have. There will be a free air pump, so they can have the option of filling up their tires. I will also have coffee, snacks and different beverages the customer can purchase as well, so they can also fuel up their bodies as well for the ride they are going to make.The product will be unique by my station having a self service, but also a full service section for customers at no extra cost, but if the customer is getting 5 gallons or less than there will be a slight increase on the price per gallon. I will have two self service gasoline pumps; two full service gasoline pumps that are double sided so that’s make 8 pumps for gasoline. I will have one diesel pump, which the one side will be self service and the other side will be full service.The full service section will have a line on the ground that when they ride over it a bell will ring and the employee will know there is someone waiting to get full service. Along with the full service I will have the employee offer them if they would like their windows to be cleaned, their oil to be checked, and if they would like a beverage or a snack while they are waiting for their fuel. I will also make sure that the pavement is cleaned every day. There will be a canopy to cover the fuel pumps and will make sure there is proper lighting and have some calming music playing while the customer waits.I will have a great color scheme to my gas station to make it stand out. There will be neon lights that will trim the canopy and pumps, so at night it will make it more appealing to the customer and hopefully will draw them in. I will also offer a card that can be scanned at the pump when they pull up that will have a record of their purchases and for every $100. 00 they have spent, not including the service station, I will offer them $. 10 off a gallon. This offer can be accumulated over a month, so depending on how much they spend they can accumulate up to getting $. 0 off a gallon. Though, this offer is only valid for the month pertaining to the purchases they made, so if they do not use the discount then the next month it will be erased and will start over again. The customers that will be coming to my gas station are ones with gasoline, diesel, or even hybrid cars and motorcycles that need to be taken care of. There will even be landscaping and other similar customers coming to filling up their small engines. I will also have customers that will be coming for the service station to get repairs or inspections done to their cars.I will not be able to service 18-wheelers though, but they can still get their diesel. I will also not be able to have a mechanic for motorcycles unless he/she has the proper training along with their automotive training. Their profiles are people who range from the lower upper-class to the middle upper-class. There will be both male and female’s who are coming to the station with their ages being from 18 and up. They’ll be high school and college students along with people who are working and even people who aren’t working that just are getting gas for whatever they are putting the fuel in. In the town my gas station resides, the population is %54. 4 African Americans, %29. 6 Caucasian, %8. 7 Asian American, %4. 3 Hispanic, %2. 4 with two or more races, %0. 2 native Hawaiian and other Pacific islanders, %0. 2 other race, and %0. 1 American Indian, which is a total of 2668 thousand residents† (Advameg, Inc, 2011) These people will be living in the area of my gas station or in the surrounding area of East Lansdowne, PA. They may work in the area at the local stores that surround my gas station. They may work in center city or in the west/south west Philadelphia region.The customer may also work out towards the Springfield mall up Baltimore avenue I may also get people who are going to the gym or going out for the day or night to have a day of fun on the weekend or a day off from their jobs. The customer wants a gas station that will allow them to be in and out as quick as possible so they can continue on with where they are going to go. The customers’ needs are that they feel that this is a place that will take care of them and will treat them with the most upstanding customer service so they will keep on coming back.With the amenities I will provide I will hopefully be going above and beyond their expectations of the service they would receive at another gas station. The customer may need to use the service station, and they’re vehicle will be treated with the proper care it deserves. The Exxon station, located at the corner of Baltimore Avenue and Church lane in East Lansdowne, PA. The Giant supermarket that has a gas station that’s located right by Baltimore avenue and Union avenue in east Lansdowne, PA. The Exxon s tation’s strengths are that they sell cigarettes and have the lottery.They also have a convenience store that you can go inside with an ATM machine in it. Their weaknesses are that there is only one employee that works there. They have an air pump and vacuum section that you have to pay for. They do not have a full service option, nor do they have a service station to work on vehicles or a diesel fuel pump. It also isn’t a very clean or well maintained place. The Giant supermarket’s strengths are that they have the same option of accumulating points from purchases made inside of their supermarket.They also have an entire supermarket that their customers can do their shopping and then head over to the gas pump after with a free air pump as well. Their weaknesses are that in order to get the discount on the gas you have to buy products from their supermarket, whereas at my station the gas is included in the point system. They also do not offer a full service optio n even though there is a gas attendant there to supervise the gas station section. Their other weakness is that the gas station is in the very back of the property so some customer’s may only think there is just the supermarket.They also do not have a service station for repairs, nor do they carry diesel fuel. They Exxon station might try to add a full service feature, but that would be hard with only one attendant there working inside the convenience store. They may to try and make their air pump free for customers. They may also try to add a diesel pump. The Giant supermarket has a little more trouble trying to do a lot of changes because it’s a big company so they’d have to get the OK from the higher ups, but they may also try to add a full service option along with adding the diesel option.I feel neither of them would be able to match the service station part because Exxon has limited room and the Giant probably doesn’t have any intentions of adding t hat because their main focus is the supermarket with the gas being a side thing. â€Å"Sunoco is committed to sustainable business practices. Sunoco adopts business strategies and activities that meet the needs of the business and its stakeholders today while protecting, sustaining and enhancing the human and natural resources that will be needed in the future. † (Sunoco, Inc. 2013) â€Å"A promoter of clean energy alternatives, BJ’s Wholesale Club strives to implement environmentally conscious business practices when possible. BJ’s Wholesale promotes energy efficient methods of harvesting electricity, and many BJ’s stores use solar panels to harvest energy. BJ’s stores also participate in local recycling and waste management programs†¦. Primarily operating from large warehouse-style retail locations, BJ’s Wholesale Club offers club members a wide range of products and services. BJ’s sells everything from food and clothing to ga soline and home office supplies. BJ’s also operates an online store. (BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc, 2013) I plan on being an independent gas station and plan on getting my gas and diesel from the Sunoco/Carlyle Group, which is located at 3144 W Passyunk Ave, Philadelphia, PA. I plan on buying my coffee and snacks from BJ’s, which is located at 1260 E. Woodland Ave. Springfield, PA 19064. I do not want to have a franchise with Sunoco, so it will be considered an â€Å"unbranded fuel†. (Sunoco, Inc. , 2013) I expect the relationship with Sunoco/Carlyle Group to be one that I can have a regular set date or dates that they will come and top off what fuels I need.With BJ’s I just expect to pay their â€Å"BJ’s Business yearly payment of $50 to get the items I need, and with the business card I am able to have my items be tax-exempt and have them available for resale. † (BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. , 2013) The location cost for the property I plan to bu y is $600,000 as is and it’s because it is a closed down gas station. (County of Delaware, 2013) The legalities to having a gas station is that there have to be yearly inspections done by the state to make sure everything is ok.They check the soil for contamination and check to make sure the underground tanks are at the right depth. The state inspectors make sure that each pump is properly working and up to date with the correct parts. â€Å"The ‘U. S. Environmental Protection Agency’ that the pumps are only pumping 10 gallons per minute. † (U. S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, 1997) They also make sure that all my licenses are up to date and make sure that we are operating under the proper protocols provided by the state. I would want to own and refurbish a facility.There is one at 401 East Baltimore Avenue that has exactly what I am looking for. It was recently a Sunoco station, but all the Sunoco signs and words have been taken down so it looks like a blank slate. It has a three car garage with the lifts still in it and an air pump already in place. The only thing I would have to add is the diesel pump to the facility and to have the underground tank for the diesel to be placed in. I would have to have someone come out and make sure that the pumps work and have someone come in and check out the lifts in the garage to make sure they are up to par as well.I will purchase any necessary parts that the maintenance guys found wrong with the pumps and the lifts in the service station. I will have to purchase the line that runs on the ground for the full service section of the gas station to let the employee know the customer is there. I will also have to invest in the tools required for the service station so that the employees have the proper equipment needed to work on the vehicle. I need to have the signs and all the proper naming of my gas station placed on the property along with the neon lighting. I will purchase the speakers tha t will be playing the calming music for the customers.I will have to get the proper licensing from the state to be able to give inspections to vehicles. I will be open 7 days a week from 5am until 11pm, but the service station will only be open from 8am until 8 pm. I will need to have an employee who is in charge of the cash register and assigning the gas to the right pump. I will need to have a mechanic that will take care of the service station. I will need to hire an employee that can take care of the full service part of the gas station. I will have at least 2 to 3 cashiers that will be able to work part-time shifts.I will need to have at least 2 to 3 mechanics that will be able to work part-time or full-time shifts, but only will need one mechanic available during each shift. If there are days that the service station is overloaded with cars I may need to call in one of the other mechanics to come in and help out. I will need at least 2 to 3 part-time employees that will need t o be in charge of the full service section, but will only need one employee at a time during the shift. I will also be at the gas station from time to time to make sure things are the way they are supposed to be.The cashier person will need to be able to work the cashier and be able to set the right amount of gas to the right pump for the customer with the proper customer service skill to keep the customer happy. The cashier will also have to differentiate whether the person is at the self service or the full service station to make the right adjustments in prices and know about the 5 gallon or less rule. The mechanics will have to give me a proper resume or some sort of certification that they are real mechanics and are able to work on different brand vehicles.The mechanic should be responsible for removing, installing, diagnosing, repairing, disassembling and assembling parts, components and engines while performing all duties according to safety procedures. (Salary. com, 2013) Th e mechanics should know how to properly approach the customer and kindly ask them what it is they need. The employee in charge of the full service station is going to need to be properly dressed in a uniform; while wearing a new pair of gloves for every customer they service.The full service employee will also need to know how to clean the windows properly and be able to check to make sure the oil level is correct in the car if they are asked to check for that. The full service employee will also need to have the best customer service skills to keep the customer pleased and will need to be able to communicate with the cashier on what their total will be when they are asking if they can get the customer a beverage or a snack while the customer waits to be fueled up. The cost of the cashier position per hour will be $8. 00 an hour with the potential to gain a raise every 6 months. (Salary. om, 2013) The mechanics will be working for $18. 00 an hour and also have the potential to get a raise every 6 months and/or if they show they work at a fast rate with quality work being done. (Salary. com, 2013) The full service employee will receive $8. 00 an hour with the potential to gain a raise every 6 months and/or if they show fast, quality customer service. (Salary. com, 2013) At the end of the year, excluding leap years, I would potentially be paying my cashiers’ and full service employees’ $52,560 (gross pay). At the end of the year, excluding leap years, I would potentially be paying my mechanics’ $78,840 (gross pay).Works Cited Advameg, Inc. (2011). East Lansdowne, Pennsylvania. Retrieved from city-data. com: http://www. city-data. com/city/East-Lansdowne-Pennsylvania. html BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. (2013). About Us. Retrieved from bjs. com: http://www. bjs. com/about-us. content. about. A BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. (2013). Membership Options/Join. Retrieved from bjs. com: http://www. bjs. com/info. aboutmembership. options County of Delaware. (2013). Delaware County Real Estate Parcels & Tax Records System. Retrieved from w01. co. delaware. pa. us: http://w01. co. delaware. pa. us/publicaccess. asp? unicipality=00&realdistaddress=Submit&HNumber=&Street=a&Folio=&Map=&UAYN=Y Salary. com. (2013). Automotive Mechanic. Retrieved from Salary. com: http://swz. salary. com/salarywizard/Automotive-Mechanic-II-Hourly-Salary-Details. aspx Salary. com. (2013). Cashier. Retrieved from Salary. com: http://swz. salary. com/SalaryWizard/Retail-Cashier-Full-Time-Hourly-Salary-Details. aspx Salary. com. (2013). Job Details . Retrieved from Salary. com: http://swz. salary. com/salarywizard/Automotive-Mechanic-II-Job-Description. aspx Salary. com. (2013). Service Station Attendant.Retrieved from Salary. com: http://swz. salary. com/salarywizard/Service-Station-Attendant-Hourly-Salary-Details. aspx Sunoco, Inc. (2013). Corporate Responsibility. Retrieved from hesreport. sunocoinc. com: http://hesreport. sunocoinc. com/fw/main/Home-1192. html Sunoco, Inc. (2013). Wholesale Marketing. Retrieved from sunocoinc. com: https://www. sunocoinc. com/retail/wholesale-marketing/index U. S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY. (1997, 09 24). the EPA 10 gallon per minuter fuel dispensing limit. Retrieved from epa. gov: http://www. epa. gov/oms/regs/ld-hwy/evap/spitback. txt

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Year One Ba-Hons Photography Image Analysis

Photographs are one of the media or instruments of visual representations. It is an embodiment of visual elements which appear as symbols and are linked together to convey several meanings. According to McLean (1973), they are pictures which have many characteristics and attributes in common with other images (quoted in Noth 1995: 461). They play an important role, along with film, in broadening the visual field for examination and analysis and in molding critical approaches to visual representation (Chaplin 1994: 80). This paper aims to present an image analysis of Nick Ut’s Trang Bang (1972). It will narrate a brief biography of the artist then it will reveal the photograph’s visual elements and their corresponding meanings. It will also identify the underlying symbols behind the image and demonstrate their impact on the society. Furthermore, it endeavors to express and to show the implication of photographs with regards to visual culture and visual literacy. Nick Ut (b. March 29, 1951- ) whose real name is Ut Cong Huynh is a Vietnamese photographer. His photography career begins when he has been introduced by his mother to the Associated Press office in Saigon; he is 14 years old then. The occurrence on the rainy day of the 8th of June, 1972, the epoch when the Americans and South Vietnamese invaded Cambodia, draws attention with his career when he shoots Kim Phuc—a nine year old girl—running and blaring naked in down Route 1 (Ut 2007); the photograph is entitled as T rang Bang. Trang Bang, a gelatin silver print, depicts the June 8, 1972 event when the children and their families run away and flee the village of Trang Bang down Route 1; their bodies are being burned and seared by napalm (Faas and Fulton n. d. ). The image encompasses five children that are running and screaming and behind them are militant troops, walking after the terrified kids. The focus of the picture is the naked little girl who is squealing. Figure 1 Children Fleeing an American Napalm Strike, Trang Bang, June 8, 1972 Her stretched arms bestow a line element in the image which illustrates balance and symmetry. The eyes of the spectator will usually fix on the dead center due to the strong and powerful expression of Kim Phuc, revealing an excruciating pain. Nevertheless, if the focus of the picture will be given to the screaming boy on the foreground whom is said to be Kim Phuc’s brother Phan Thanh Tam, technically speaking, Ut demonstrates the rule of thirds in his masterpiece due to his manipulation to the placement of the subject which is off the center; therefore the eyes of the spectator will definitely turn and fix with the other elements in the whole picture per se. He also displays a shallow depth of field in the photograph because only the subjects of interest or focus are enhanced—the shrieking and running children, the other element—the troops—is quite out of focus due to the blurry details of the figures. The black smoke on the background gives a strong contrast in the picture. The said photograph is a historical account that records and synthesizes the incident of June 1972. It analyzes and demonstrates the notion of horror and agony during wars which can be pulled out from the facial expressions of the children especially Phan Thanh Tam’s. He summarizes and encapsulates the terror, fear and affliction of the people during the Vietnam War (Pyle 2000). That image can imply a lot of things if it will be based to John Berger’s Way of Seeing theory (1972): it is seeing which establishes our place in the surrounding world; we explain that world with words, but words can never undo the fact that we are surrounded by it. The way we see things is affected by what we know or what we believe (Berger 1972: 7-8). With that, it can be hauled that whatever the interpretation or analysis of the spectators with the image, it will still be anchored on what he or she knows regarding the event that has transpired in Vietnam during the year 1972. The photograph is a representation of the reality that it portrays (Noth 1997: 46). However, Eco (1984) disagrees because according to him, a photograph can lie (quoted in Noth 1997: 461), by which Berger (1984) states that the result of the treatment and manipulation of the reality is that to a definite level, â€Å"the photographer creates the reality of the photograph (quoted in Noth: 461). Nevertheless, in the case of Nick Ut’s Trang Bang, it cannot be implied that the photographer has altered and manipulated the reality that he has documented during the occurrence in 1972 because the reproduction of the image, which have been placed in newspapers, magazines, etc. , creates a different perspective from the original photo that is taken by Ut. The reproduction delineates a cropped image of the original (Look at figure 1 and 2). Figure 2 Napalm Bomb Attack, Vietnam It shows that the original, which has been signed by Ut, encompasses other elements in the picture, for instance, the official member of the press who looks like fixing his camera, the lines on the background which probably signifies the napalm. The manipulated image appears more closely to the spectators and constructs a more focused representation of the event. Because of the reproductions, Ut cannot be blamed for the cropped photo because of the intervention of the press with regards to the dissemination of the image to narrate the historical event. It is definitely the press’ responsibility as to how they will broadcast and transmit the information with wide, visual consumers all over the world. According to Gillian Rose in her Visual Methodologies (2001), the novelty and advantage of photography branch out from its most evident potential: it is about rendering that particular moment in time (quoted Mirzoeff 1999: 67) by which Ut demonstrates in his Trang Bang. In accordance with what he said during an interview, â€Å"the girl was running with her arms out. She was crying, ‘nong qua! Nong qua! (Too hot! Too hot! ). She had torn off all her clothes. When I saw she was burned, I dropped my camera beside the road. I knew I had a good picture. I got her into our van and took her and the family to the Cu Chi hospital. † (quoted in Pyle 2000). Moreover, his magnum opus implies that photography makes achievable ways of seeing what is unimaginable then (Mirzoeff 1999: 68). It does illustrate that the language and expression of the photograph is to combine naturalism and realism. The artifact then evolves to be reality (quoted Molyneaux 1997: 80). Nick Ut’s Trang Bang may be manipulated or not, it still conveys a scheme of meanings and symbols. The implication of an image is created from an interaction of a myriad of schemes and codes. A photograph is not a realistic illustration of what is real in spite of its appearances. It is a material that has been produced in an elaborate manner and approach of production and has been dispensed, circulated and consumed by a set of social relations (Forrester 1996: 140). Burgin (1982) has argued then that a photograph presents itself as something that cannot be disagreed with in which he states as â€Å"an offer you cannot refuse† (quoted in Forrester 1996: 142). Trang Bang being an object of representation communicates with its spectator about the Vietnam War that happens in mid-1972. Nick Ut, as one of the war photographers, has to deal with the lack of viewing space for his work because he is confined and restricted to what he sees in the lens compared to other artists who can demonstrate an array of symbols and emotionally-driven and affecting scenes however, war photographers are offered with revolutionizing and altering the reality into an allegorical and symbolic masterpieces (Marien 2006: 46).

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Free Essays on Dell Computers

Executive Summary The computer industry has enjoyed a tremendous growth in the 80’s and 90’s. The introduction of the Internet to the public had a major impact on this growth. First, the Internet created a new environment to conduct business online. The Internet gave a way to new start-up companies to do business online, therefore increasing the demand for network of computers. Second, public dependency to the Internet increased while they found a convenient way of shopping online. Public dependency on computers to gain access to the Internet also increased the demand for computers. Except for the relatively few companies that have been somewhat successful in managing their businesses reasonably well, the first few years in the 2000’s have been a struggle for most companies in the industry due to unstable market, fierce competition and over saturation of the market. As PC sales slow worldwide, computer companies have embarked on a broad campaign to gain market share- by cutting prices, introducing new product lines, and forming alliances with companies that can help them broaden their capabilities. Among those who seem to be surviving and planning to take advantage of the economical situation, include Dell Computer Corporation, IBM, Gateway and the Apple Computer Company. The paper will study Dell Computer Corporation and its business model, including many aspects of direct marketing introduced by Dell Computers will be analyzed. Market segmentation, competition, and business opportunities will also be analyzed along with recommendations for business expansion. E-Commerce Electronic commerce is defined as the delivery of goods, services, information, or payments over computer networks or by any other electronic means (e-business, 2002) The e-commerce isn’t just for tech-savvy shoppers anymore, having broadened its appeal to a majority of the population, the average online customer now expects more and is a harder ... Free Essays on Dell Computers Free Essays on Dell Computers Executive Summary The computer industry has enjoyed a tremendous growth in the 80’s and 90’s. The introduction of the Internet to the public had a major impact on this growth. First, the Internet created a new environment to conduct business online. The Internet gave a way to new start-up companies to do business online, therefore increasing the demand for network of computers. Second, public dependency to the Internet increased while they found a convenient way of shopping online. Public dependency on computers to gain access to the Internet also increased the demand for computers. Except for the relatively few companies that have been somewhat successful in managing their businesses reasonably well, the first few years in the 2000’s have been a struggle for most companies in the industry due to unstable market, fierce competition and over saturation of the market. As PC sales slow worldwide, computer companies have embarked on a broad campaign to gain market share- by cutting prices, introducing new product lines, and forming alliances with companies that can help them broaden their capabilities. Among those who seem to be surviving and planning to take advantage of the economical situation, include Dell Computer Corporation, IBM, Gateway and the Apple Computer Company. The paper will study Dell Computer Corporation and its business model, including many aspects of direct marketing introduced by Dell Computers will be analyzed. Market segmentation, competition, and business opportunities will also be analyzed along with recommendations for business expansion. E-Commerce Electronic commerce is defined as the delivery of goods, services, information, or payments over computer networks or by any other electronic means (e-business, 2002) The e-commerce isn’t just for tech-savvy shoppers anymore, having broadened its appeal to a majority of the population, the average online customer now expects more and is a harder ...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Marijuana Policy Project Research Essay Example

Marijuana Policy Project Research Essay Example Marijuana Policy Project Research Essay Marijuana Policy Project Research Essay Essay Topic: Claim of Policy The Marijuana Policy Project, which is a proponent of legalization, has branded the drug as being harmless, safe and also healthy. But the problem is that marijuana is not harmless. Some proponents of decriminalization have likened the use of marijuana to a car: that like a car, it is only a threat when used improperly. The public should not trivialize or deny marijuanas harmful effects. The dangers are real and they include addiction. Proponents claim that marijuana can treat glaucoma but an ophthalmologist points out that marijuana can make the vision loss that is caused by glaucoma to worsen. Another danger of the drug is its causing of hallucinations and delusions which may interfere with the way the brain creates memories. Its use can also double the risk of users developing disorders for example schizophrenia. A percentage of those who regularly smoke marijuana become addicted to it and they are more likely to start using harder drugs. Teenagers who use the drug regularly could also have a drop in their IQ and are likely to have problems with their memory. Although those who are 21 years old and above can legally purchase marijuana, peer-review research shows that the use of a lot of marijuana is linked to long-term memory problems and other health issues in adults. The drug is also dangerous for pregnant women with lower birth rates being recorded in their children, impaired brain development and behavioral problems as adolescents. Some deaths do occur from edible marijuana and from car accidents where drivers are impaired by the drug. Americans have become more accepting of marijuana use as more states move to decriminalize the drug. But the growing acceptance and easy access to the drug, together with the advertisements put out by the proponents of marijuana; make the public think that marijuana is not risky to use. There are many good reasons to decriminalize marijuana but the negative effects of the drug shoul d not be ignored. Scientific research has clearly shown that the use of marijuana impairs bodily and mental functions. Even in the states in which it has been decriminalized, marijuana sales and use remain a source of crime and social dysfunction. But the proponents of decriminalization say that the drug is safe and non-addictive. They say that marijuana prohibition is as senseless as the prohibition of alcohol was in the 1900s. To them, the governments efforts to defeat illegal drugs have failed and the money spent on the illegal drugs campaign should be spent on the treatment of marijuana abuse. But none of the people involved know exactly how marijuanas decriminalization would be effected or what steps would be taken to prevent teenagers, children, criminals and addicts from getting the drug. The Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Acts purpose is to regulate marijuana in the same way the government regulates alcohol. The law would allow anyone over 21 year to purchase, possess, share or transport marijuana for personal use. The public could have an unlimited supply of marijuana and they could cultivate the plant for personal consumption. The Act would make drug-related items legal and give licenses to establishments for smoking and other consumption of the drug. There are restrictions for smoking marijuana while operating machinery. The Act will also authorize the imposing and collection of taxes and fees associated with the legalization of the drug. Marijuana trafficking is linked to assault, murder, money laundering and drug smuggling. Decriminalization of the drug would increase its demand and make the drug-related crimes worse. Many criminals are marijuana users; marijuana residue is found in arrested offenders urine more frequently than any other drug. Although the drug inhibits aggressive behavior and violence, long-term use of marijuana may alter the nervous system, making it easier for a user to be more violent. The Netherlands is a good country with relaxed rules towards drugs but Amsterdam is a very violent city. The citys officials have been in the process of closing marijuana dispensaries or coffee shops, as they are called, because of the crime that is associated with their operations. Decriminalization of marijuana would also have negative consequences on communities. The powerful odor of the drug has been complained about by those living near marijuana cultivators. More than the smell of the drug, crime is increasing near the growers of the drug. This is associated with the theft of the drug from the farms in which it is grown. As a result, the price of houses near the growers is going down. The public should also be aware of the greater harm of decriminalization of the drug, which is a higher addiction to the drug leading to the use of harder drugs. Marijuana is the starter drug for most criminals. Marijuana use and cocaine use are strongly linked, with their prices also being linked. Legalization will cause the price of marijuana to fall and increase the use of cocaine. The use of marijuana is associated with cognitive difficulties. It wreaks havoc on concentration, attention and short-term memory. This affects a users ability to work. Even if critical workers like police officers, machine operators and airline pilots only used the drug recreationally and remained sober while at work, the long-term effects would reduce their productivity and place many people in danger. Further research has shown that the drug reduces concentration and weakens motor coordination. It also makes it hard for a person to be able to quickly scan his surroundings for deterrents or blockages. In driving simulations, people using marijuana are slower to hit their car brakes and cannot change lanes properly. Even if the drug was legalized, many black-market dealers would prefer not to be legalized in order to avoid taxes and regulation. If marijuana is legalized, more young people would use it. The drugs illegal status scares potential users from using it because they fear b eing arrested while others are embarrassed about getting caught. The more marijuana is used, the more it is abused because the fear of being arrested will diminish. Medical marijuana patients are at risk of being stigmatized because of this practice. Many patients go behind their own physicians to obtain permission to use medicinal marijuana. Others use many different strategies in order to justify their medicinal use to their families, friends and colleagues because of the stigma associated with the drugs use. This stigma has a huge effect on how patients look for treatment and whether they get the medical marijuana treatment at all. For many centuries, marijuana has been used throughout the world medically, spiritually and recreationally. It has been used as a folk medicine to treat many human problems, but under cultural controls. Its first use as a medicine was in the central part of Asia and then it started being used in China and India. Greeks and Romans made use of the plant because of the hemp for manufacture of ropes. The medieval Europeans ate its seeds because they were full of nutrition and used its fibers to make paper for many centuries. The American Declaration of Independence was supposedly drafted on hemp paper. The 19th-century American physicians commonly carried with them marijuana tinctures for diseases like lack of sleep, anorexia, headaches and some types of sexual dysfunction. Remedies containing the drug were used for whooping cough, pain, and asthma. Some Americans who do not like mainstream medical treatments but embrace herbal treatments advocate this 19th-century use of the drug. Considering that the drug has been used worldwide as a medicine and for spiritual purposes for thousands of years, it seems that Americas worry over medical marijuana is an overreaction. Despite being illegal, marijuana has become the most abused illegal drug in the US. For many people, recreational marijuana is basically harmless and is used as a rite of passage. This right of passage ends when these young people get careers and get into adult relationships. However, the drug becomes addictive for a number of the users with its properties of relaxation turning into a constant desire that interferes with their development. It may also bring about an early emergence of psychosis if a user has a predisposition towards psychotic illness. Medical users of marijuana have more access to the drug as more states endorse the drug. But without federal backing, there are no blanket regulations for all the states about what are acceptable symptoms for the use of marijuana, the exact prescription s a patient can receive, or the legal means of obtaining the drug. In those states with no federal guidance, a physician who prescribes medical marijuana can be prosecuted under the same statutes as a drug dealer. Because of the prohibition, the opportunities that can be used to study the drugs risks and benefits and to develop new theories in its use and treatments become wasted. Marijuana should be reclassified to have the same class as some soporific drugs and stimulants. This reclassification would help to reconcile the federal government and the state law and permit research into many therapeutic uses of the drug.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Word Choice Hear vs. Here - Writing Tips from Proofed

Word Choice Hear vs. Here - Writing Tips from Proofed Word Choice: Hear vs. Here Spoken out loud the words â€Å"hear† and â€Å"here† sound identical, which may be why they’re often confused in writing. Unfortunately, on paper the difference is a bit more obvious! In this post, then, we’re looking at the differences between these words and how to tell them apart. Hear (Listen To) To â€Å"hear† something is to sense a sound (this is why we talk about having a sense of â€Å"hearing†): I was in the forest, so I could hear the tree fall. It can also mean â€Å"listen to† or â€Å"learn by being told,† such as when we receive news second hand: I hear that trees fall silently if there’s nobody around. We also see this word used in â€Å"Hear! Hear!† This is an old-fashioned phrase used to express approval of what someone is saying (as if you’re literally saying â€Å"Listen to this person!†). Here (In This Place) The word â€Å"here† can be a noun, an adverb, or even an adjective, but it always means â€Å"this place.† Typically, this is the location occupied by the speaker: Why are we here in this forest anyway? The tree will land here when it falls. In both cases above, â€Å"here† is used to point to the immediate surroundings or a point nearby. Closeness is important for this word; if we were referring to something further away, we’d say â€Å"there.† In addition, â€Å"here† can indicate a point in time or within a process: We’ll end the lesson here for today. It can also be used to refer to the previous sentence or passage in writing: Berkeley wrote that sense objects exist only when they are perceived. Here, we can see how he would have been interested in whether unobserved falling trees make a sound. This makes â€Å"here† a useful word for linking sentences in a paragraph. Hear or Here? An ear. Mixing up these words in your writing can look bad. However, there’s an easy way to tell them apart: The one about listening contains the word â€Å"ear† (i.e., the thing we listen with). So, if you’re writing about sensing a sound or listening to someone, the correct word is â€Å"hear.† On the other hand, if you’re writing about a place or position, the word you need will be â€Å"here.† Remember: Hear = Sense a sound or listen to Here = This place or point

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Julian the Apostate, Constantius II by Ammianus Marcellinus Essay

Julian the Apostate, Constantius II by Ammianus Marcellinus - Essay Example Ammianus Marcellinus was a historian with a great sense of things. For someone who has live through the times of rich and vivid events, nothing is expected except a picturesque account of events. However, in the light of what the term history meant, accounts such that of Marcellinus may be carelessly considered as merely a narrative of personal experiences and commentaries. His writings may have the patches on; there may be biases on the accounts he had written. When confronted by events and circumstances, it is inherent for every person to choose our sides, to come up with our foregone conclusions. Historians are not excluded. For a case in point, consider his writings on Julian the Apostate and Constantius II. In such situations, there is no better way to come up with a judgment than to fairly analyze the condition and consider the circumstances. Did Marcellinus have his partiality in writing the accounts of these two figures? Moreover, did he, in terms of politics and religion, fa vor the system of Julian the Apostate over Constantius II, and have it reflect in his writings?Most accounts tell that there is not much known of Ammianus Marcellinus’ life. From sources, it is said that he was born to a noble Greek family in Antioch, Syria, about 325-330. There are no accounts of his early life and educational background. Most of the biographical information available tells that he entered the Roman army at a young age, at the time when east had Constantius II as the emperor.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Information Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Information Politics - Essay Example It is not to say that other situations are more important than the others, rather the executor of the informational politics such as the speakers or the representors of the information could play a major role to skew the direction of the information in either way. I have got to witness more attention being given to equipment and machines that military have to their disposal over and above the people who use the equipment and suffer consequences and loss of wars. For instance, the war veterans, victims and their families are accorded least of attention despite the emotional turmoil and suffering that they undergo in their course of action and service. Instead, they are neglected and given least of attention which is not a good reverence and show to the people who get to push the nation’s military agenda in other countries and places (Ward, 2014). In brief, politics of information may hinder the organisation and society by extension from realizing and appreciating the things that truly matter in their simplest and most ordinary

Evaluation of Current Accounting Policy of Phone Services Essay

Evaluation of Current Accounting Policy of Phone Services - Essay Example There are generally two key factors for revenue recognition: Completion of earning process, Assurance of payment. The policy which helps inter-department on recognition of revenue is the renewal of portable internet services for customers who already have phone-e-devices at a price of $240 (Kennon, 2010). The accounting policies which they are adopting can increase their market share and sales as they are offering a low price to their customers. This is also helping them in penetration of market for their new products. The new policies which the firm can adopt are cost policy and revenue recognition policy. They are offering the low price to its customers as compared to their competitors due to the low signal and service quality than their competitors. They cannot increase the price or service charge of Prepaid Portable Internet Connection, as doing so can result in shifting of its customers towards other brands. Another risk which firm faces are that if in near future their competit ors decrease the price of their products, the company may suffer losses. To avoid this company can practice cost-cutting techniques in the manufacturing of their products. If they do not manufacture their parts or components and buy it from suppliers, they should try to focus on cheap and best quality suppliers. The activities of any company which decides revenue recognition are: Sale of goods, Rendering of services and Construction contracts. Therefore these activities have to be properly managed.  

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Risk Assessment for Non-profit Hospital Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Risk Assessment for Non-profit Hospital - Essay Example book as a whole provides the readers with a comprehensive view of multiple risk assessment techniques along with a detailed analysis of current methodologies and concepts in risk assessment practices. It clearly defines the concept of risk assessment giving specific focus to the current day ‘messy business’ environment. Hospital Data Project (HDP) is a project initiated by the European Union Health Monitoring Programme (HMP), and it intends ‘to develop comparable hospital utilization data and indicators between Member States (MS)’. This data, loaded into the Commission’s pilot system has turned to be the hub of health information. The document describes the objectives of HDP with regard to data collection methodology and the creation of a pilot data set. This book is an excellent source of information on emerging trends, legal requirements, and challenges associated with internal information transfers and SSH integration. It gives a good account of SSH2 as a reliable tool that complies with the latest standards of communication security norms. This book is a ‘must read’ for learners of advanced risk assessment practices. This excerpt from online encyclopedia gives a brief account of Nessus-one of the most comprehensive vulnerability scanning program available today. It describes how the program helps clients to assess the level of their system’s vulnerability to data theft or virus attack. The website gives very detailed information about the vulnerability scanning tool-Nessus. The site has included several frequently asked questions and their answers along with the basic instructions for its users. One who goes through the site will get a clear idea of the total functions of Nessus. The relevance of this book is clear as it has been stated in the introduction, â€Å"each technical advance brings new security holes†. It reminds us of the incessant threat persisting over the internet which has the potential to assault thousands of computers in no

The importance of lesson plan and methods used in the Foundation Essay

The importance of lesson plan and methods used in the Foundation Program in Omani Universities for the study of language skills - Essay Example The participants are both male and female. The study will show that it is really important for the teachers to prepare the lesson before entering the class so that they will have a clear view how to teach the students the right way to learn different skills. When I worked as a teacher in the Foundation Program I thought that I would have to equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills in the English language, and I have taken great care in making sure that I use various approaches to help them acquire the skills necessary for adopting the language, since it is the medium of instruction at Omani universities. Therefore, there is a great need to approach the teaching of English in a purposeful and systematic conduct. My aim is to help them attain a level of competence in reading, writing, and oral skills that will help them to pursue their studies in whatever major they choose (95% of the courses at the University are taught in English), pass job interviews, become sufficiently efficient in their work, and develop themselves in many other aspects of life using English which has now become the global language. "The Foundation Program is designed for students who are not sufficiently prepared in terms of English language skills to join the four-year bachelor program offered at the University and it complies with the National Standar... f English language skills to join the four-year bachelor program offered at the University and it complies with the National Standards for Foundation Programs in Oman. Most of these students may be required to spend from one to three semesters in the Foundation Program, depending on their results in the placement tests administered by the University. The Foundation Program is designed to bridge the gap between secondary education and university undergraduate studies. The program's focus is primarily on the enhancement of students' proficiency in English, so students enrolled in the program have a full day schedule with a weekly load of around 30 hours, including study groups." "The program is communicative in nature, shifting the emphasis from grammar to meaningful oral and written communication.The instructional materials adopted for the program have performance-based objectives as well as clear scope and sequence for teaching communicative skills. The program approaches language as a tool of communication and stresses reading and writing as the two main language skills instrumental for students' success in university-level education through the medium of English. The teaching methodology treats language skills in an integrated fashion and incorporates study skills into the program. The teaching methodology is communicative in nature, presenting authentic and simulated communicative tasks in real life Situations". (Dhofar University, Foundation program). However most of the students in the foundation programmer are unappreciative with the role of English language. In this stage of a students' academic life, it is very important for the teacher to find effective ways to help these students progress to the next level. Teachers must know their students and their needs

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Risk Assessment for Non-profit Hospital Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Risk Assessment for Non-profit Hospital - Essay Example book as a whole provides the readers with a comprehensive view of multiple risk assessment techniques along with a detailed analysis of current methodologies and concepts in risk assessment practices. It clearly defines the concept of risk assessment giving specific focus to the current day ‘messy business’ environment. Hospital Data Project (HDP) is a project initiated by the European Union Health Monitoring Programme (HMP), and it intends ‘to develop comparable hospital utilization data and indicators between Member States (MS)’. This data, loaded into the Commission’s pilot system has turned to be the hub of health information. The document describes the objectives of HDP with regard to data collection methodology and the creation of a pilot data set. This book is an excellent source of information on emerging trends, legal requirements, and challenges associated with internal information transfers and SSH integration. It gives a good account of SSH2 as a reliable tool that complies with the latest standards of communication security norms. This book is a ‘must read’ for learners of advanced risk assessment practices. This excerpt from online encyclopedia gives a brief account of Nessus-one of the most comprehensive vulnerability scanning program available today. It describes how the program helps clients to assess the level of their system’s vulnerability to data theft or virus attack. The website gives very detailed information about the vulnerability scanning tool-Nessus. The site has included several frequently asked questions and their answers along with the basic instructions for its users. One who goes through the site will get a clear idea of the total functions of Nessus. The relevance of this book is clear as it has been stated in the introduction, â€Å"each technical advance brings new security holes†. It reminds us of the incessant threat persisting over the internet which has the potential to assault thousands of computers in no

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Managing Communications in the Garden Company Assignment

Managing Communications in the Garden Company - Assignment Example The Garden Company needs to upgrade its communication processes as well as its information and knowledge collection strategies. This can be done through the systematic evaluation of its key strengths and weaknesses. Basically, this paper has based the management of communications, knowledge, as well as information about the centre of focus being landscaping/gardening business. The Garden Company is the business title in this case. A number of decisions are needed in the organization in order to achieve long-term growth and profitability. These decisions should start with the need to enhance the communication processes in the organization. Communication processes should be able to use a number of strategies that can help to achieve the long-term goals within a short period of time. Furthermore, the goal should be to achieve the long-term strategic advantage with an emphasis on innovation. Communication processes should be strengthened for the benefit of the employees and the customer segments of the organization. Another critical area where decision making is required is that the information collection and management processes must be strengthened to ensure that customer loyalty can be attained. The organization must be able to devise a collaborative strategy for success (Gary, 2002: p. 4). The organization needs to have information regarding its critical goals and objectives. This is an important part of the decision making process. Furthermore, it needs to develop an institutional structure that can help to attain the critical goals within a short period of time. Planning and appraisal is another key area where success can be attained by the organization. Monitoring and evaluation are helpful in decision making as it helps to ensure the success of long-term strategies. These approaches should be based on a careful understanding of the external and internal environments. The external sources of information for the organization come by tracking the feedback obtained from the customers.  Ã‚  

Monday, October 14, 2019

Accounting Terminology Essay Example for Free

Accounting Terminology Essay Each of the following statements may (or may not) describe one of these technical terms. For each statement, indicate the accounting term described, or answer â€Å"None† if the statement does not correctly describe any of the terms. a. The level of sales at which revenue exactly equals costs and expenses. Break-even point. b. Costs remain unchanged despite changes in sales volume. Fixed Costs. c. The span over which output is likely to vary and assumptions about cost behavior generally remain valid. Relevant Range. d. Sales revenue less variable costs and expenses. Contribution margin. e. Unit sales price minus variable cost per unit. Unit contribution margin. f. The reduction in unit cost achieved from a higher level of output. Economics of scale. g. Costs the respond to changes in sales volume by less than a proportionate amount. Semi variable costs. h. Operating income less variable costs. â€Å"None†. Exercise 20.7 – Using Cost-Volume-Profit Formulas Exercise 21.2 – Home Depot’s Financial Statements: Incremental, Sunk, and Opportunity Costs Read the footnote in Appendix A referring to Home Depot’s decision to close all of its remaining big box stores in China. Write a short paragraph identifying the incremental, sunk and opportunity costs associated with this decision. Assume that any cost savings will be invested elsewhere in more productive stores. Incremental costs relate to the difference in costs between alternative courses of action and incremental revenues. The incremental costs that would be that would occur from either remodeling or closing Home Depot an existing location would include cost of materials, overhead from the actual physical remodel, labor that includes employee pay for rearranging and moving merchandise during a remodel if it occurred, designing and planning costs. Opportunity costs are important factors when it comes to decision making because they define the costs of taking some action in terms of the value foregone or that’s given up due to a particular action taken place. Opportunity costs of remolding would include profits on lost sales if the store is closed during remodeling, loss of current sales due to decrease in customer traffic (due to excessive noise, smell, dirt and inconveniences. Stores could potentially lose profit if they are not able to stock the full line of products or keep items stocked during a remodel. Whereas a sunk cost is an outlay that has been irrevocably incurred at some time in the past; sunk costs cannot be changed no matter what course of action is taken and are irrelevant for purposes of decision making involving the future. Sunk costs related to either remodeling of the store that would need to be taken into consideration include original costs of the current store (decorations, paint, shelves, displays, carpet) and designs that will need to be replaced or removed during either remodeling or closing. Exercise 21.6 – Incremental Analysis: Make or Buy Decision The cost to Swank Company of manufacturing 15,000 units of a particular part is $135,000, of which $60,000 is fixed and $75,000 is variable. The company can buy the part from an outside supplier for $6 per unit. Fixed costs will remain the  same regardless of Swank’s decision. Should the company buy the part or continue to manufacture it? Prepare a comparative schedule in the format illustrated in Exhibit 21-6. It would be more beneficial for the company to manufacture the part rather than buy it from an outside provider. Brief Exercise 22.9 – Flows of Costs through Manufacturing Accounts The President of Cold Moo Ice Cream Company, a chain of ice cream stores in the Midwest, was unhappy with the actual six-month profit figures for the  company recently prepared by the CFO. The president asked the CFO for a profit breakdown, by store, of the actual six-month results. When the President received the report, he was extremely upset and called the CFO, into his office. The President stated, â€Å"These reports show that each store in the chain is profitable, but our company results are unprofitable! How can this be?† The CFO pointed out that each store was allowed to set prices for ice cream based on its cost structure. However, the stores’ cost structures did not include headquarters costs of the costs of advertising and delivery of products. What are the three characteristics for operating a successful responsibility accounting system? Consider whether the accounting system at Cold Moo Ice Cream Company includes the three characteristics of a successful responsibility accounting system. How could the responsibility accounting system at Cold Moo be improved? As the Textbook states, â€Å"measuring performance along the lines of management responsibility is an important function. A responsibility accounting system holds individual managers accountable for the performance of the business centers under their control and provides top management with information useful in identifying strengths and weaknesses among units throughout the organization.† The three characteristics of a successful operating accounting system will include budgets, will measure the performance, and contain timely performance reports. â€Å"Budgets serve as performance targets for each subunit in an organization. The accounting system will measure the performance of each responsibility center, and timely performance reports are prepared that compare the actual performance of each center with the amounts budgeted.† When reports are preformed frequently, it allows center managers to be able to keep their performances on target, and helps with the evaluation of the managers. It does not appear hat Cold Moo Ice Cream is following the timely reports method of the accounting system, which is essential to ensuring the financial information is accurate as possible, and to improve this aspect should be more intertwined with the actual budget and more accurately present how the performance of the store is measured. To do so the responsibility income statement should also be presented, this  contains not only the operating results of a particular part of a business but also the revenue and expenses of each profit center within that part, which could be extremely important to see how those centers within the same area measure and stack up against one another. For the responsibility income statement to be informative and useful it should essentially and efficiently be able to detail Variable Costs, Contribution Margin, Fixed Costs, Traceable Fixed Costs and Common Fixed Costs. In addition, fixed costs that are common to both product lines amount to $125,000.00. Instructions a. Prepare Chocolatiers’ responsibility income statement for the current month. Report the responsibility margin for each product line and income from operations for the company as a whole. Also include columns showing all dollar amounts as percentages of sales. b. According to the analysis performed in part a, which product line is more profitable? Should the common fixed costs be considered when determining the profitability of individual product lines? Why or why not? According the analysis in part a, the solid product line is more profitable. When determining profitability of any product line, common fixed costs should not be considered. Only the costs that are directly traceable to the product lines should be included. Common fixed costs are not directly traceable to any product, as they are arbitrarily allocated in proportion to a chosen factor, for example, machine hour or square feet of a certain space occupied. c. Chocolatiers has $15,000.00 to be used in advertising for one of the two product lines and expects that the expenditure will result in additional sales of $50,000.00. How should the company decide which product line to advertise? The effects of this campaign will typically be in both sales and variable costs, and therefore the company should select the product line based on which product will have the highest contribution margin ratio, which is the  percentage of sales, service revenues or selling price that remains after all variable costs and variable expenses have been covered. This method takes into consideration the limited time frame of the advertising campaign, where fixed costs will most likely not be affected.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Product analysis of Nestle

Product analysis of Nestle Nestlà © is the largest food company in the world, marketing over 8,500 brands and 30,000 products. It operates nearly 500 factories across 5 continents and employs over 200,000 employees worldwide. As the World Food Company, Nestlà © is the provider of the best food for whatever time of day and for whatever time of your life. Nestlà © RD Singapore plays an important role in the development of products for Nestlà © Nutrition, with focus on creating products with micronutrient fortification to address deficiencies. Nestlà © has an extensive product mix targeted at many different segments of the market. The chosen product category for in-depth analysis is Nestlà © milk products, which is targeted at parents of young children (age 1 5) and health conscious adult consumers who desire to retain heart and bone health. In the adult category in specific, the functional milks offer a range of functional benefits, from cholesterol management and heart health to bone health. A product mix is the set of all products a particular seller offers for sale. A product mix consists of various product lines and has a certain width, length, depth, and consistency. The table below shows the product-mix width and product-line length for Nestlà © products in Singapore. Product-Mix Width Baby Foods Milk Cereals Chilled Dairy Ice Cream Confec-tionery Choco-lates Beverages Culinary/ Foods Healthcare Nutrition Perfor-mance Nutrition Pet Care Product Line Length Junior Foods Growing Up Milk Breakfast Cereals Yogurt Drink Drumstick Kit Kat Milo Maggi Noodles Nutren PowerBar ALPO Dog Food Infant Cereals Full Cream Milk Yogurt MatKool Milkybar Nescafe Maggi Porridges Peptamen Pro Plan Dry Food Adult Milk Take Home Tubs Crunch Maggi Stock Nestle Ice Cream Smarties Sauces Seasonings Potong Milo Yang Sheng Le Nestle Gold Recipe Collections Uncle Tobys The width of a product mix refers to how many different product lines the company carries. Nestlà ©s range of product lines includes baby foods, milk, cereals, dairy products, confectionery, ice cream and chocolates, culinary foods and pet care products. Nestlà © also provides a broad range of nutritional and flavored beverages and offers product line with specific nutritional functions. The length of a product mix refers to the total number of items in the mix. Nestlà © had an average product length of 2.8. Within the range of Nestlà ©s milk products include growing up milk, full cream, filled milk and adult milk. The depth of a product mix refers to how many variants are offered of each product in the line. For instance, Nestlà © adult milk comes in two functional forms (bone and heart health). The consistency of the product mix refers to how closely related the various product lines are in end use, production requirements, distribution channels, or some other way. Nestlà ©s product lines are consistent insofar as they are consumer goods that go through the same distribution channels. Company can expand its business in four ways: it can add new product lines, thus widening its product mix; it can lengthen each product line; it can add more product variants to each product and deepen its product mix; or it can pursue more product-line consistency. To reach our targeted market, Nestlà © can add new product line in the area of elderly health food, thus widening its product mix. In Singapore, the National Mental Health Survey (NMHS) conducted in 2003 reported a prevalence of dementia among the elderly as 5.2% for > 60 years, 6.0% for > 65 years, and 13.9% for > 75 years. Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan expects the numbers to double by year 2020. According to research, nutritional deficiencies in elderly are one of the factors influencing their cognitive functioning. In the article Many over-50s not eating properly (The Straits Times, September 2, 2010), the columnist shared a recent survey results indicating that older Singaporeans are not getting enough nutrition, with only 1 per cent of 421 respondents aged 50 years old and above have a balanced diet that meets the recommendations of the Health Promotion Board (HPB). Contrary to common belief, dementia is not an inevitable part of the ageing process and preventive and protective factors can help reduce the risk or delay the onset of dementia (Health Promotion Board). The best way to fight dementia is to maintain a good cognitive function and having a healthy and balanced diet is essential. There is a growing need and market for Nestlà © to produce brain-healthy functional foods targeted at the segment of the silver market who desire to retain memory, brain health and have a balanced diet. In Singapore, although there are already a number of brain health supplements targeted at the elderly, fortified food products aimed at this group are lacking. The first reason why Nestlà ©s product may be modified to reach the targeted segment is because Nestlà © Research Centre (NRC) is internationally renowned for its work in the food and nutritional sciences. For instance, as milk is particularly sensitive to heat, Nestlà © developed a soft sterilization of milk that protects the delicate amino acid, lysine and etc in their dairy products. In the article Brain food (The Business Times, December 02, 2009), Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, a professor of neurosurgery and physiological science at UCLA Medical School shared his findings on how dietary factors affect brain function. And he emphasized that Omega-3 fatty acids, with DHA are essential for normal brain function, and has been proven to enhance synaptic plasticity. Through Prof Gomezs exploration, he has proven that folates and antioxidants also helped reduce age-related decline in cognitive function. Presently, Nestlà © offers different milk products fortified with iron, zinc, vitamin A and other micronutrients aimed at addressing specific health deficiencies and they have existing product such as NESTLÉ ® NAN ® infant milk formula that contains DHA and ARA, two important ingredients that support brain development of young children. Nestlà © Research teams can work on improving the ingredients used in their existing products and offer milk products fortified with Omega-3 fatty acids, folates and antioxidants aimed at maintaining the cognitive function of the aging population. What is needed is a marketing effort, advertising the new range of products as brain-boosting functional food to the elderly. Next, Nestlà © had distinctive product lines catering to the needs of infant, young children; adults who are concerned with their health; and athletics who wants a performance boost. Nestlà © RD Singapore has always been focusing on creating products with micronutrient fortification to address deficiencies, therefore, with Nestlà ©s expertise in the field and food and nutritional sciences, they can aim to develop an additional product line with a range of milk products cater for the management of elderly health, besides, the development of brain healthy fortified food is for the benefit of the aging population in Singapore. In the longer run, Nestlà © can also introduce a range of new food products such as elderly snacks, healthy food and drinks and healthier culinary products with a different positioning and target the different segments of the silver market. Question 2 (18 marks) In this section, I will move on to discuss how Nestlà © currently makes use of the marketing mix concepts of pricing, promotion and distribution channels to reach its key target market for Nestlà © adult milk products in specific. Their adult milk products are targeted at health-conscious adult consumers who desire to retain heart and bone health. Price is the one element of the marketing mix that produces revenue and communicates to the market the companys intended value positioning of its product or brand. Nestlà ©s consumers range from the poorest to the wealthiest, and those seeking for convenience food or specific alternatives with perceived consumer benefits. These offer opportunities for them to provide high quality nutritious products. (Nestle Management Report, 2007). Nestlà © has adopted value pricing through winning loyal customers by charging a fairly low price for a high-quality offering. For instance, Nestlà © targets the lower income group through their Popularly Positioned Products (PPP) strategy, which focuses on creating items that are both highly nutritious and affordable on a daily basis for low-income consumers. Value pricing involves re-engineering their companys operations to become a low-cost producer. Nestlà © set strategic price points for their products, considering the fact that those with lower incomes have an even greater need for highly nutritious foods. (Nestle Management Report, 2007). Nestlà © had developed product lines rather than single products and introduce price steps, known as their multi-price point strategy, aimed at capturing all market opportunities. In this way, their targeted consumers are able to trade up and down without trading out of Nestlà ©s products. An illustration of their multi-price point strategy for a packet of 900g of adult milk within the product line is estimated as follow: Nestlà © also stimulate purchase of their milk products through various promotional pricing. For instance, the Nestlà © milk powder promotion at FairPrice offers a redemption of $10 NTUC FairPrice gift vouchers when customer accumulate $100 worth of Nestlà © milk powders purchase. The promotion encourages purchase of Nestlà © milk products within a specified time. Nestlà © also establish special prices in certain events to draw more customers. Nestlà © had an unmatched geographic presence in many markets, including emerging markets. Nestlà © has created very close relationships between their brands and their consumers as well as an in-depth understanding of their consumers and an expertise in related trends. This has also enabled Nestlà © to develop local management teams, build local manufacturing and RD and establish local supply-chain initiatives including long-term relationships with suppliers. Internationally, Nestlà ©s milk product is available in more than 100 countries throughout the World. (Nestle Management Report, 2007) Nestlà © used intensive distribution strategy by placing their milk products in as many outlets as possible, knowing that their targeted consumer requires a great deal of location convenience. Intensive distribution increases product availability. In Singapore, we can find Nestlà ©s milk product in popular outlets like convenience stores, pharmacies, and all leading supermarkets. These places are situated within 10 minutes walking distance from consumers homes. Marketing communications is the means by which firms attempt to inform, persuade, and remind consumers about the products and brands that they sell and Nestlà © enhance consumer communication with nutritional messaging. The marketing communications mix consists of six major modes of communication: advertising; sales promotion; events and experiences; public relations and publicity; direct marketing; and personal selling. Advertising can be used to build up a long-term image for a product or trigger quick sales. Nestlà © employed the used of various media and methods to promote their milk products. Just recently, they started an integrated print/radio ad for Nestlà © Nesvita Omega plus Acticol milk, advertising it as Singapores 1st and only milk with plant sterols which are shown to lower blood cholesterol. Consumers have been hearing on the radios and seeing in the papers about the benefit of having a lower cholesterol levels associated with consuming Nesvita Omega plus Acticol mi lk daily. Nestlà © also drew attention to their products by arranging special events. Nestlà © held a health exhibition Nestlà © Presents Health and You 2010 which caters for the young and old. They had activities which appealed to all in the family at the event, including free cholesterol and bone density checks by Nestlà © Nesvita Omega plus Acticol for the health conscious and health seminars and talks by health professionals, nutritionists and doctors. In addition, Nestlà © had a strategic partnership with Singapore Heart Foundation (SHF) known as Love Your Heart. The partnership allows Nestlà © to carry the SHF logo on the Nestlà © Omega Plus range, endorsing it as the preferred adult milk choice as it has the added benefit of heart health as well as calcium for bone health. Nestlà © also promotes heart health through the media, such as the Cholesterol Challenge in which the public are invited to lower their bad cholesterol. By becoming part of a special and more personally releva nt moment in consumers lives, Nestlà ©s involvement with events broadened and deepened the relationship with their target market. Question 3 (28 marks) The brand name for our new product is Nestlà © MindFit Silver, a fortified milk powder offering benefits as follow: maintain the cognitive function of elderly by slowing down and stabilizing age-related brain decline and provide specific nutritional food value for a balanced diet. Our target segment of the silver market for the Nestlà © MindFit Silver is elderly who desire to retain memory, brain health and have a balanced diet. This segment can be described demographically by age (50-55 and older). Nestlà © strategy is based on a positioning of product differentiation. Product is the first and most important element of the marketing mix. Packaging is a major styling weapon that provides the buyers first encounter with the product and is capable of either turning the buyer on or off (Kotler et al, 2009). Packaging is defined as all the activities of designing and producing the container for a product. We will introduce elegant gold and silver-trim packaging container as we wanted a sophisticated-looking package that reflects the quality of Nestlà © MindFit Silver. A good packaging helps to identify our brand and convey descriptive and persuasive information to our target consumers. Functionally, structural design is crucial. We make out that resealability, freshness and easy-to-open and close packaging are of huge importance to the elderly consumers, and has incorporated these packaging innovations in our new product. The label on our package will carry our brand name, logo and the Nestlà © nutritional compass that provides our consumers with tips and nutritional facts that guide them towards informed choices about their diet. We will also have a picture of a sharp-looking senior ambassador in his 50s on the product label; this makes it easier for the elderly to distinguish our product from other brands on the shelves. Pricing decisions must be consistent with the firms marketing strategy, target markets, and brand positioning. The Nestlà © MindFit Silver will be introduced at $18 estimated retail price per 400g tin and we will use several pricing techniques to stimulate purchases. In the first 6 months of product launch, we will offer a cash rebates of $4 to draw more first-time customers. We expect to come up with more variations of the Nestlà © MindFit Silver, such as cereals, infusion of more flavorings and priced them differently to meet the needs of more consumers. We will also establish special prices in conjunction with HPBs dementia campaign to draw more customers. Marketing channels are sets of interdependent organizations involved in the process of making a product available for use or consumption. Our channel strategy is to use selective distribution, marketing Nestlà © MindFit Silver through Hospital pharmacies, selected Unity Pharmacies, Guardian and Watsons stores, selected NTUC Fairprice, and selected Cold Storage outlets. By doing so, we can gain adequate market coverage with more control and less cost than intensive distribution. As we are targeting the elderly consumers, we implemented home delivery as an additional point of access. This is because we understand that some elderly has difficulty going out to buy groceries due to health problems. Since the awareness of nutrition service for cognitive health is our objective, other channels of distribution could include local broadcast media or public forums at community centre. Place should take into account the convenience of the product to the consumer and where the consumer can obta in it most readily. In support of channel partners, we will provide full-color posters displaying the picture and key benefits of Nestlà © MindFit Silver. Our training staff will work with retail sales personnel to explain the benefit of the product. Finally, we plan to arrange special payment terms for retailers that place volume orders with us. Marketers need to creatively employ multiple forms of communications to effectively reach and influence target markets. The marketing communications mix consists of six major modes of communication: advertising; sales promotion; events and experiences; public relations and publicity; direct marketing; and personal selling. We will make use of advertising; sales promotion; events and experiences; public relations and publicity to market Nestlà © MindFit Silver to the targeted segment of the silver market. We will start an integrated television, print and radio ads targeting the elderly. TV advertising is an effective means of vividly demonstrating our product attributes and persuasively explaining their corresponding benefits to the elderly. Our TV ad will show a smart looking elderly man sharing with his friends about the benefits of Nestlà © MindFit Silver, and how the milk product help him to stay sharp and alert. This is a creative way to reinforce the message that Nestlà © MindFit Silver help maintain the cognitive functions in elderly. Out print ads on newspaper and magazines can provide much more product details and can also effectively communicate user and usage imagery. Our radio ad will add a tag line promoting the Nestlà © MindFit Silver as a brain healthy food for the aged parents. As the multimedia advertising efforts continues, we will also distribute new point-of-purchase displays to support our retailers and increase the number of spontaneous buying decision. We will add consumer sales promotions such as distributing samples to elderly at the store and we will organize contest offering prizes such as cash and holiday trips as a result of purchasing our products within the specified time period. We will also participate in the 50plus Expo, a consumer fair for the elderly organized by the Council for Third Age. The expo is targeted for those aged 50 and above and is devoted to shopping, performances, talks, demonstrations and more. We will educate consumers on the benefits of drinking Nestlà © MindFit Silver as a daily healthy beverage and at the same time, generate channel support for our product launch. Nestlà © has been actively involved in sponsorships of a variety of causes. A sponsored event must meet the marketing objectives and communication strategy, and the audience delivered by the event must match the target market of our product. Nestlà © will sponsor the Health Promotion Board (HPB)s Dementia Awareness Campaign. To raise awareness of dementia, HPB has air on Channel 8 and Suria a short film on dementia that is being directed by local director, Royston Tan. Other activities in conjunction with the campaign include informative talks held at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, shopping centre, hotels, and public library. Nestlà © can strategically identify itself at the events using banners and signs advertising Nestlà © MindFit Silver as the top brain food choice for active seniors. Nestlà © will also provide free product samples at the events to generate buying crowds. Social network such as Facebook has become an important force in marketing. A key aspect of social networks is word of mouth. Consumers talk about dozens of brands each day and Facebook offer exposure and the targeted market are more likely to spread the brand message. IT classes have opened up a whole new world for the elderly who learn how to surf internet and use Facebook and these elderly are becoming more internet savvy and Facebook is a popular social network among them. To reach our targeted market, we will set up a Facebook page for Nestlà © MindFit Silver, and will post updates on our latest promotions, contests, events and generate thread discussion. Our aim is that more elderly can be linked to our Facebook page, to learn more about our products, and share their feedback on our product. We believed that an integrated marketing communications (IMC) can produce stronger message consistency and greater sales impacts as it forces management to think about every way the customers comes in contact with our product. IMC should improve our companys ability to reach the right customers with the right messages at the right time and in the right place. (Kotler et al, 2009).

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Isaac Asimov :: essays research papers

Isaac Asimov is a very talented writer. Isaac focuses on the intensity of his novels and short stories. Suspense is one of the things he focuses on when writing short stories such as "Marooned off Vesta." "Marooned off Vesta is a story of triumph and intelligence. This story shows what can happen if you put your mind to it"(Corke). 	Isaac Asimov, of Jewish descent, was born in Petrovichi, U.S.S.R. on January 2, 1920. His parents were Judah and Anna Rachel Asimov. Isaac also had a brother named Stanley and a sister named Marcia. In 1923 the Asimovs left the Soviet Union and immigrated to the States. Getting over seas was not as easy as it is today. The Asimovs had to endure a horrible boat ride with horrible food, seasickness, and the anxiety of what the future had in store for them. They made their home in Brooklyn, New York where they opened a candy store (Erlanger 9). When he was nine years of age, after school he worked in his parent's candy store. It was then that began reading science fiction magazines. He had to struggle to read these magazines because his father would not permit him to read "such junk"(Erlanger 9). " Isaac you should be reading books with more value," his father told him (wilson). Sooner or later his father gave in and told him not to forget his library books ( Erlanger 11). However, this reading material was the only thing that his dad would let him touch on the magazine rack. 	Young Isaac was a brilliant student. He went through school more quickly than other students. But there was one thing holding him back which was him being a class clown. He was frequently in trouble for talking in class (Erlanger 16). The person he could really identify with was his friend, "Solly," Solomon Frisch. Solly made up stories mostly every day off the top of his head for Isaac. This was when Isaac learned that stories do not have to come from magazines or books, they can come from a person. Unfortunately when Solly and Isaac were both seven, they parted as a result of both families moving. The Asimovs moved on Essex street near Judah's new candy store. As the years went on and he graduated Boys High School in 1935, he applied to Columbia University and took on Chemistry as a major (Erlanger 18).