The Cause of the American Revolution Essay example

Both the British government and the American colonists had different views on how the colonies should be governed. Their points of view shaped their actions prior to the Revolutionary War. The American colonists protested and rebelled against the actions of the British and the British continued to place laws and taxes on the colonists, feeling it was their right to do so. Ultimately, these disagreements led the colonists to seek independence and fight for their freedom. The 13 colonies and England was great till the British started to give out laws and taxing the colonies without their permission or agreement. This made the colonies mad so they protested , boycotted and led small rebellions which made the imports from Great Britain to†¦show more content†¦Through out the battles, Thomas Paine wrote â€Å"The Crisis† to thank the troops for fighting what they believed in and to encourage them to continue fighting. Thomas Jefferson praise and describes Washingtonâ€℠¢s resignation as commander in chief of the Continental Army because he likes what Washington is doing for the country.(Doc.8) Grenville thinks that the colonies should be taxed, Dr. Johnson believes England and the colonies has a relationship and King George III blames the leaders in the North America colonies for the disorder. On the other hand, the colonies want to be independent from England and create their own government. British government passed laws as the colonies keep protesting, boycotting them and started the American Revolution. In the Battle of Yorktown, the British army surrenders as the colonists win. In 1783, the Treaty of Paris is signed and the United States gains its independent from Britain. Both the British government and the American colonists had different views on how the colonies should be governed. Their points of view shaped their actions prior to the Revolutionary War.Show MoreRelatedThe Revolution : The Cause Of The American Revolution18 98 Words   |  8 Pages The American Revolution was the turning point for the colonies that made up the United States today. It was the war that freed the colonists from British control. But what actually caused the American Revolution? Well, there’s no simple answer to that question. In fact, most of the causes acted as if they were dominoes. These events can be categorized in four periods of time or setting. These groups are, Salutary neglect, Mercantilism, Boston, and Unity of protests. Salutary neglect was the ideaRead MoreCauses Of The American Revolution1202 Words   |  5 PagesThroughout history many revolutions took place, ranging from the unremarkable to a truly memorable, as the French revolution, the American Revolution, and the Bolshevik Revolution, but American revolution took place in 1775-1783. The revolution was different from other revolution because of growing tensions between residents of Great Britain’s 13 North American colonies and the colonia l government because American revolution was not like the others. This revolution was not like the others becauseRead MoreCauses Of The American Revolution738 Words   |  3 Pagesas the American Revolution, or the Revolutionary War. The American Revolution was a war between the colonists of America and Great Britain and they were fighting over the independence of America from Britain. This war lasted until 1781, when the British surrendered to the Americans, As a result, America is a fully independent country and it has stayed that way since that day. There were many causes of the war, The Stamp Act, the Boston Tea Party, and Lexington and Concord. The first cause of theRead MoreCauses Of The American Revolution913 Words   |  4 Pages While the american revolution was caused from taxes, it was also formed from the effects of a corrupt system of government. The effects of britains rule was a much bigger flame for the revolution then the taxes placed upon citizens. The american revolution was an event that will forever shape us as a country. It was a tough war filled with blood and brutal acts of violence, but it was also an awakening for the colonies that will later become the United States, it showed that while under a governmentRead MoreCauses Of The American Revolution880 Words   |  4 Pages The American Revolution is the most important time in all of American history. This brought the birth of a new country and the treasured constitution. In the beginning, colonists were proud to be British. In the years to come, there were small occurrences that bothered the colonists and led to the Revolution. Other countries contributed to the start of a crueller British control. The French and Indian War caused King George III to introduce expensive taxes (Pavao). These taxes came about becauseRead MoreCauses Of The American Revolution1335 Words   |  6 Pageswere multiple causes for the American Revolution, but the most important was the violation and deprivation of rights from the American People. The American people were faced with multiple acts and taxes that violated and took away their rights. Americans were continuously being taxed after the French and Indian War by acts like the sugar act, the stamp act, the Townshend acts,the tea act, and many more(Hedtke, et al., The Ame rican Saga). Despite all the taxes being placed on the Americans and the thingsRead MoreCauses of the American Revolution953 Words   |  4 PagesEmily Thou Mr. G./ Period 1 September 14, 2012 Causes of the American Revolution The American Revolution began in 1755 as an open conflict between the thirteen colonies and Great Britain. The Treaty of Paris had ended that war in 1783, giving the colonies their own independence. There are many factors contributing to the start of the Revolution, but the war began as the way The Great Britain treated the colonies versus the way the colonies felt they should be treated. For example, the FrenchRead MoreCauses Of The American Revolution886 Words   |  4 PagesThe American Revolution began on April 19, 1775. It was the war between Great Britain and its colonies located in the New World. The colonists, as many historians put it, were like children rebelling against the motherland; however, they had many valid reasons for this revolt, including their desire for freedom and independence. My World History textbook says freedom was falsely promised when the colonists had settled (Krull 868). The more direct causes of this widely known rebellion include taxesRead MoreCaus es Of The American Revolution1344 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican Revolution The causes of the American Revolution go back to the beginning of salutary neglect and the French and Indian War, as well as changes in the thinking of society. The effects of these events and other factors led to pressure within the colonies, ultimately resulting in rebellion. There were five factors to the nature of the American Revolution: The Environment, The Enlightenment, Self-Government, Economic Independence and Colonial Unity. The first factor that led to the AmericanRead MoreCauses Of The American Revolution813 Words   |  4 PagesCauses Before the American Revolution, any imports from England from us had to come in ships owned by the British. Also, we could only sell tobacco and sugar to England. The British took French territory in Canada, east of the Mississippi River, and Spanish Florida which led to the American Revolution. Due to the war, Britain went in debt so, the British government placed taxes on goods so they could make more money. But that’s not all that led to the American Revolution, both the us and the French

The National Liberation Army (ELN) - 587 Words

The National Liberation Army (ELN) was established July, 4th 1964 by college students and a group of radical, Catholic clergy that were inspired by the revolution that took place in Cuba (Stanford, 2012). Since its inception, the ELN have had an ongoing rivalry with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC), due to a constant power struggle between the two groups. The ELN operate in Columbia additionally, they have ties to Cuba, as well as other Latin American countries. The objective of the ELN is to topple the current Colombian government and establish a communist model (Stanford, 2012). The ELN’s motivation stems primarily from the revolution in Cuba, as well as a large Catholic influence. Historically, Colombia has opposed the ELN and their attempts at gaining power within the country. However, there has been corruption by government and military officials. The corruption comes in the way of support for the ELN (Stanford, 2012). Regardless of the corruption, the Colombian government is currently making strides to begin peace talks with the ELN in 2014; however, no specific dates have been established. (Insight crime, n.d.). The ELN operates as a paramilitary force with many different tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP’s), like that of other guerilla forces. One primary offense tactic for the ELN is to employ improvised explosive devices. In the past the ELN has used the explosive devices to bomb oil pipelines as a show of force (Insight Crime, n.d.).Show MoreRelatedThe National Liberation Army739 Words   |  3 PagesThe FARC and the ELN are two Colombian groups that started as just revel groups but later became more of a terrorist group. Both of them have had a serious impact in Colombia’s history, and therefore in the oil industry’s history. Even though, they might not planned to have an effect in the oil sector, they have definitely been a deteriorated the growth of the industry. The National Liberation Army or as it is most commonly known the ELN, was formed in Colombia after the age of the â€Å"violencia† inRead MoreEssay about The Colombian Conflict1608 Words   |  7 Pageson for more than half a century, approximately originated in the early 1950’s. It is a war between the government, various parliamentary groups and left-wing guerrillas such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN), for the struggle of political power and economic/social rights. Since its origin, the war has involved multiple agendas of power, drugs, violence and greed. It is about time the world takes a serious effort in resolving this ongoing conflictRead MoreEssay on Columbia1712 Words   |  7 Pagessignificant portion of American youth. According to the National Drug Intelligence Center, in the year 2001, 19.5 percent of 8th Grade students, 37.2 percent of high school students in their sophomore year, and 41.4 pe rcent of high school seniors used illegal drugs (Information). Illegal drugs, most of which come from Colombia, are poisoning the American youth. Drugs cause more than just the immediate problem of addiction. According to the National Drug Intelligence Center, sexually transmitted diseasesRead MoreConflict in Colombia1277 Words   |  5 Pageswould cost over 200,000 lives of Colombians. To repress this extremely violent uprising, Liberal and Conservative elites formed an alliance, and implemented a power sharing agreement called the National Front. This allowed both parties to hold interchanging presidency in Colombia. These years of the National Front repressed the uprisings, but still left a struggle for the lower-class and peasants in Colombia, deeming the alliance a failed attempt to have peace and equality in the country. To protectRead MoreThe Ongoing Colombian Conflict1583 Words   |  6 PagesColombian Conflict is a long drawn out, ongoing low-intensity intrastate war betw een the Colombian goverment, paramilitary troops, crime syndicates and left-wing guerrillas such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN), with the Colombian goverment and the paramilitary troops combatting against the guerrillas. Its origins can be traced back to 1964. Since its inception, tens of thousands of people have been killed, injured or kidnapped and hundreds ofRead MoreTerrorism Influences1537 Words   |  7 Pagesterrorists to exploit and take advantage of. Some of these conditions are real and some are made-up. Through the last 200 years, the concept of terrorism has been used to as a reference to political motivations and has been used a way to obtain liberation, oppression, and international global politics (â€Å"State Of Delaware†, 2012). Since the terrorist attacks, police departments have adopted homeland security measures. Every police department has a homeland security measure and also added countert errorismRead MoreU.s. Relations With Colombia1022 Words   |  5 PagesColombia, an analysis of the conflict in Colombia has to be made to protect the U.S national interest. Historically, the relations between U.S and Colombia have been marked the foreign policy and the international trade. Nevertheless, the civil war in Colombia have shifted this relation. In Colombia, the establishment of The Revolutionary Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the leftist National Liberation Army (ELN) during the 1960s created the beginning of an era of terrorist and drug trafficking.Read MoreColombia And The Revolutionary Armed Forces Of Colombia2220 Words   |  9 Pagesis presented by the National Liberation Army (ELN). Founded in the 1960’s, the ELN is a communist rebel group with a similar background to the FARC. An alliance between the two groups was formed in 2008, and it is likely that the ELN will attempt to fill the void left open by the FARC upon demobilization. As many â€Å"coca farmers have been able to grow in relative comfort because of FARC’s protection,† it would be simple for the ELN to take their place, at least for a time. The ELN is also participatingRead MoreBlood Banana Case1006 Words   |  5 Pageswhich the business of bananas was booming had a very important role to play with Chiquita’s conviction. At that time, Columbia was in a very unstable political environment. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC) and alter the National Liberation Army (ELN) were constantly fighting. The cultural presumption of â€Å"no law† made it less challenging or morally okay for Chiquita to get caught up in the no law land and make unethical decisions. The bananas industry was very prevalent at the timeRead MoreDrug Trafficking Has Caused The Coffee Industry Essay1235 Words   |  5 Pagesguerillas’ goal was to overthrow the government and replace it with communist ideals; one of their goals was land distribution in favor of the poor. The main guerrilla group was the Armed Revolutionary Forces of Colombia (FARC), and a smaller National Liberation Army (ELN) existed as well. The right-wing parliamentary groups came into existence to resist the left-wing guerillas in the 1980s, though they wanted to overthrow the Colombian government as well. The leaders of these groups were also commonly the

Sales and Customer Care New International Edition

Question: Discuss about the Contemporary issues in Accountingfor the year 2016. Answer: Introduction Penny Geni U$ is an Inland Revenue Department registered Tax Agent. They mainly serve the citizens of New Zealand and provide services to thousand of clients across New Zealand (Kristoufek, 2014). Penny Geni U$ Limited was established in 18th June 2013 and had been operating as a Tax Agent until then. Currently they are running their business for over three years and their business is recorded as NZ Limited Company (Broumi Smarandache, 2013). Penny Geni U$ Limited has various departments in their business. Two such departments out of them are sales department and customer care department (Yu et al., 2012). In this assignment the workforce of Penny Geni U$ Limited would be explored and their employees in the sales department and call centre department compared in context of various factors. Comparisons would be made between the turnover rate of the employees of these two departments of Penny Geni U$ Limited and the reasons behind the turnover would be identified (Mukaka, 2012). Various statistical methods would be used for the analysis after collecting the required data. Graphs and charts would be drawn to support the analysis. Problem statement The problem statement is to identify the reason of huge staff turnover in Sales department of Penny Geni U$ Limited compared to the Customer Care department. Research aim The aim of the research is to identify the reason of huge staff turnover in Sales department of Penny Geni U$ Limited compared to the Customer Care department. Research objective The objective of the research is as follows: To identify the difference in the turnover in the sales department and customer care department of Penny Geni U$ Limited To identify the relationship between various factors of sales department and customer care department of Penny Geni U$ Limited To identify the reasons behind the differences in the turnover rates of sales department and customer care department of Penny Geni U$ Limited Research questions The research questions are as follows: What is the difference in the turnover rates in the sales department and customer care department of Penny Geni U$ Limited? What is the relationship between various factors of sales department and customer care department of Penny Geni U$ Limited? What is the reason behind the differences in the turnover rates of sales department and customer care department of Penny Geni U$ Limited? Literature review Penny Geni U$ Limited is one of the leading Tax agent in New Zealand. They help their customers to pay proper amount of tax to the government of New Zealand and claim the refund for the last five years (Zhang et al., 2013). Taxes paid to the government of New Zealand are revised every year and people have to pay the amount accordingly. Sometimes, the citizens of New Zealand over pay their taxes, which they do not have any count. At the end of the financial, when the tax payers calculate the amount of tax to be paid to the government, they find that the tax they had paid was over the taxable amount (McHugh, 2013). They need to file a refund in that case. As per the viewpoint of Siedenberg et al. (2013), it was found that filing for refund of tax involves many procedures. The taxpayer had to go through lots of steps that begin with logging into Inland Revenue Department and register on their website. Then the taxpayer has to check on his or her income by clicking on the Salary and Waged button. The taxpayer has to calculate his or her return on going to the personal tax summary calculation page (Zhang et al., 2013). After clicking the start button, the taxpayer has to complete his or her details. The last page of the calculation would give an idea about the deficit or excess of the tax payed by the customer. The idea about the deficit or excess of the payable tax would help the taxpayer to know the amount of tax he or she would get or have to pay to meet his tax for the financial year. In order to pay the tax, the taxpayer needs to go to the My Overview page and click for Request a PTS (Carrasco et al., 2013). The taxpayer needs to provide all his information and submit it to Inland Revenue Department. It takes about two months for delivering PTS via post. Crosschecking of calculation is required after receiving PTS and if the taxpayer had miscalculated his tax, the taxpayer had to pay the amount by 7th of February of every month (Dobbin Ionan, 2015). As per the viewpoint of Gilmour et al. (2013), it was seen that if there is a refund and it is below $ 200, then the taxpayer does not have to do anything. On providing the bank account number, the Inland Revenue Department would deposit the money in the bank account of the taxpayer. Otherwise, the Inland Revenue Department would send him a cheque via post. Thus, the process of filing of tax and providing information regarding the taxpayer is a lengthy and complicated process (Aron et al., 2013). The taxpayer had to go through tiring process and sometimes they cannot understand the steps of filing of taxes. Penny Geni U$ Limited helps the citizens of New Zealand to go through this process. They help the taxpayers to save their time and energy to calculate the tax to be paid or refund required at the end of the financial year. As per the viewpoint of Kohtamki et al. (2013), it was seen that the taxpayers are working personals who usually remain busy in their work life and personal life. They hardly get any time to invest in filing their taxes. Sometimes, they remain so busy that they could not fill up the forms of tax properly (Zebende et al., 2013). In addition, various things are included in tax paying while there are various things that are excluded from paying of tax. The common people do not know these and they might file their tax incorrectly. This will land them into trouble and they might have to overpay during the payment of the tax. As per the viewpoint of Zhu et al. (2013), it was seen that there were many situations where the common people had landed into legal trouble due to wrong filling of the forms to file their taxes. The taxpayers had to go through various legal process and they had to face various problems in future. In order to avoid these mishaps, Penny Geni U$ Limited, a registered Tax agent helps the common people to file their taxes properly and help them not to fall into legal trouble (Shevlyakov Smirnov, 2016). Penny Geni U$ Limited have various departments in their company (Tian et al., 2013). This includes sales departments and customer care departments as well. It was seen that these departments have various roles to play and they help the customers to file their taxes accordingly (Schumacker Tomek, 2013). It was seen that the staffs of these departments are recently facing various problems and there was high rate of turnover for these two departments (Rawson et al., 2013). The turnover rate was high for sales department than the customer care department. The reason behind this difference in turnover rate is to be indentified and it would be presented in the research. Methodology Data collection Primary data would be collected for this survey. The data would be collected from the records of Penny Geni U$ Limited of New Zealand. Data would be collected for the last twelve months of the company. Quantitative data would be collected for this purpose and the management of Penny Geni U$ Limited would provide the required data for the research. Data would be collected for the salary of the employees for the past twelve months for both sales and customer care department of Penny Geni U$ Limited (Geith et al., 2015). Data would also be collected for facilities provided to both sales and customer care department, working hours of staffs for both sales and customer care department, number of employees leaving the organisation every month for the last twelve years and total number of employees present every month. Penny Geni U$ Limited would be asked to provide information regarding the reasons of leaving the organisations for the employees of both the departments (Ye, 2013). Data analysis The primary data collected from the management of the company was analysed using correlation and chi square tests. Correlations Reasons_of_leaving_in_sales Salary_for_employees_in_sales working_hours_in_sales Facilities_in_sales experience_of_the_employees_in_sales Pearson Correlation Reasons_of_leaving_in_sales 1.000 .384 .093 .329 -.271 Salary_for_employees_in_sales .384 1.000 .284 -.433 -.053 working_hours_in_sales .093 .284 1.000 -.278 .566 Facilities_in_sales .329 -.433 -.278 1.000 -.138 experience_of_the_employees_in_sales -.271 -.053 .566 -.138 1.000 Sig. (1-tailed) Reasons_of_leaving_in_sales . .109 .387 .148 .197 Salary_for_employees_in_sales .109 . .186 .080 .436 working_hours_in_sales .387 .186 . .191 .028 Facilities_in_sales .148 .080 .191 . .334 experience_of_the_employees_in_sales .197 .436 .028 .334 . N Reasons_of_leaving_in_sales 12 12 12 12 12 Salary_for_employees_in_sales 12 12 12 12 12 working_hours_in_sales 12 12 12 12 12 Facilities_in_sales 12 12 12 12 12 experience_of_the_employees_in_sales 12 12 12 12 12 Table 1: Correlation between the variables of sales (Source: created by author) From the table it was seen that there was negative correlation coefficient between facilities provided to the employees to the experience of the employees of sales. It can be interpreted that people with higher experience did not get their deserved facilities, which might have resulted, into resigning their job. It was also seen that with the increase in the working hours of the employees, the facilities provided to the staffs of sales also decreases. It was seen that with the increase in salaries of the employees, the facilities provided to the employees also decreases. These decrease the employees satisfaction, as they were not treated properly for the jobs and performances they were doing. The employees of sales department were highly dissatisfied with the way their company was treating them. This had lead to resignation of the employees of the sales department. Correlations Reasons_of_leaving_in_customer_care Salary_for_employees_in_customer_care Working_hours_in_customer_care Facilities_in_customer_care Experience_of_the_employees_in_customer_care Pearson Correlation Reasons_of_leaving_in_customer_care 1.000 -.489 -.411 -.123 -.255 Salary_for_employees_in_customer_care -.489 1.000 -.115 -.144 -.173 Working_hours_in_customer_care -.411 -.115 1.000 .135 .233 Facilities_in_customer_care -.123 -.144 .135 1.000 .314 Experience_of_the_employees_in_customer_care -.255 -.173 .233 .314 1.000 Sig. (1-tailed) Reasons_of_leaving_in_customer_care . .053 .092 .352 .212 Salary_for_employees_in_customer_care .053 . .361 .328 .296 Working_hours_in_customer_care .092 .361 . .338 .233 Facilities_in_customer_care .352 .328 .338 . .160 Experience_of_the_employees_in_customer_care .212 .296 .233 .160 . N Reasons_of_leaving_in_customer_care 12 12 12 12 12 Salary_for_employees_in_customer_care 12 12 12 12 12 Working_hours_in_customer_care 12 12 12 12 12 Facilities_in_customer_care 12 12 12 12 12 Experience_of_the_employees_in_customer_care 12 12 12 12 12 Table 2: correlation coefficient of the variables of customer care (Source: created by author) From the table it could be seen that with the increase in salary of the employees, the facilities provided to the employees of customer care department had decreased over the time. It was also seen that with the increase in experience of the employees, the salary used to decrease. In addition, it was seen that the resignation of the employees decreased with the increase in facilities given to the employees of customer care and vice versa. However, it was seen from the correlation coefficient that the employee satisfaction of the employees of customer care was higher than the employees satisfaction of the sales department. It was seen that the facilities given to the employees of sales department was less than the employees of the customer care department were. The correlation coefficient of the facilities provided to the employees of sales department was negative with all the other variables. Considering the employees of the customer care department, it was seen that the correlation coefficient of the facilities provided to the employees with the other variables were less negative than that of the sales department. Thus, it could be concluded that the employees of sales department were had higher rate of dissatisfaction than the employees of customer care department. This is the reason that the employees of sales department resigned from their jobs more than the employees of the customer care department are. Chi-Square Tests Value df Asymp. Sig. (2-sided) Pearson Chi-Square 5.220a 6 .516 Likelihood Ratio 6.994 6 .321 Linear-by-Linear Association .808 1 .369 N of Valid Cases 12 a. 12 cells (100.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is .25. Table 3: table of chi square between reasons of leaving in sales and experience of the employees in sales (Source: created by author) It was seen that the significant value of the test was 0.516. This can be interpreted that there was relationship between the two variables and with the increase in experience of the employees, the turnover of the employees had increased. Chi-Square Tests Value df Asymp. Sig. (2-sided) Pearson Chi-Square 90.000a 81 .231 Likelihood Ratio 48.547 81 .998 Linear-by-Linear Association .008 1 .928 N of Valid Cases 12 a. 100 cells (100.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is .08. Table 4: chi square test between number of employees in sales and salary of the people in sales (Source: created by author) From the table it can be seen that the p value of the chi square test is 0.231. It can be interpreted that there was relationship between the number of employees in sales and salary of the people in sales. Decrease in the salary of the employees would result in resignation of the employees of this department. Chi-Square Tests Value df Asymp. Sig. (2-sided) Pearson Chi-Square 30.000a 27 .314 Likelihood Ratio 28.634 27 .379 Linear-by-Linear Association 2.439 1 .118 N of Valid Cases 12 a. 40 cells (100.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is .17. Table 5: chi square test of number of employees in sales and working hours in sales (Source: created by author) The table shows that the significant value of the test is 0.314. It can be interpreted that the relationship between number of employees in sales and working hours in sales department exists. It can be said that the increase in working hours would result to increase in resignation of the employees. This is because no employees likes to over work and extend their working hours. Chi-Square Tests Value df Asymp. Sig. (2-sided) Pearson Chi-Square 18.600a 18 .417 Likelihood Ratio 20.316 18 .315 Linear-by-Linear Association 2.321 1 .128 N of Valid Cases 12 a. 30 cells (100.0%) have expected count less than 5. The minimum expected count is .25. Table 6: Chi square test between number of people in sales and facilities in sales (Source: created by author) The significant value of the test is 0.417, which shows that there exists a relationship between these two variables. The change in one variable would affect the other variable. Thus, the decrease in facilities to the employees of the sales department results to increase in the resignation of the employees. Conclusion It can be concluded that there was difference between the salaries of the employees of sales department of Penny Geni U$ Limited and the employees of customer care department of Penny Geni U$ Limited. The satisfaction level of the employees would be less for the employees of sales department than the employees of customer care department. This is due to the more number of negative correlations between the variables of sales department than the variables of customer care department. This had resulted to increase in number of resignations for the employees of sales department than the employees of customer care department of Penny Geni U$ Limited. Recommendation It is recommended that the company, Penny Geni U$ Limited, must provide the same opportunities to the employees of sales department as they provide to the employees of customer care department. The company must reduce the working hours of their employees and provide them with better facilities. The company must also increase the salary of the employees of sales department and they must look carefully into the employees satisfaction level of the sales department. The company must treat the employees of sales department and customer care department equally, which would result in less resignation of the employees of sales department. References Aron, A., Coups, E., Aron, E. N. (2013).Statistics for The Behavioral and Social Sciences: Pearson New International Edition: A Brief Course. Pearson Higher Ed. Broumi, S., Smarandache, F. (2013). Correlation coefficient of interval neutrosophic set. InApplied Mechanics and Materials(Vol. 436, pp. 511-517). Trans Tech Publications. Carrasco, J. L., Phillips, B. R., Puig-Martinez, J., King, T. S., Chinchilli, V. M. (2013). Estimation of the concordance correlation coefficient for repeated measures using SAS and R.Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine,109(3), 293-304. Dobbin, K. K., Ionan, A. C. (2015). Sample size methods for constructing confidence intervals for the intra-class correlation coefficient.Computational Statistics Data Analysis,85, 67-83. Geith, T., Biffar, A., Schmidt, G., Sourbron, S., Dietrich, O., Reiser, M., Baur-Melnyk, A. (2015). Physiological Background of Differences in Quantitative Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging Between Acute Malignant and Benign Vertebral Body Fractures: Correlation of Apparent Diffusion Coefficient With Quantitative Perfusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging Using the 2-Compartment Exchange Model.Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography,39(5), 643-648. Gilmour, P., Borg, G., Duffy, P. A., Johnston, N. D., Limbek, B. E., Shaw, M. R. (2013). Customer service: differentiating by market segment.International Journal of Physical Distribution Materials Management. Kohtamki, M., Partanen, J., Parida, V., Wincent, J. (2013). Non-linear relationship between industrial service offering and sales growth: The moderating role of network capabilities.Industrial Marketing Management,42(8), 1374-1385. Kristoufek, L. (2014). Detrending moving-average cross-correlation coefficient: Measuring cross-correlations between non-stationary series.Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications,406, 169-175. McHugh, M. L. (2013). The chi-square test of independence.Biochemia Medica,23(2), 143-149. Mukaka, M. M. (2012). A guide to appropriate use of Correlation coefficient in medical research.Malawi Medical Journal,24(3), 69-71. Rawson, A., Duncan, E., Jones, C. (2013). The truth about customer experience.Harvard Business Review,91(9), 90-98. Schumacker, R., Tomek, S. (2013). Chi-square test. InUnderstanding Statistics Using R(pp. 169-175). Springer New York. Shevlyakov, G., Smirnov, P. (2016). Robust estimation of the correlation coefficient: an attempt of survey.Austrian Journal of Statistics,40(12), 147-156. Siedenberg, R., Goodin, D. S., Aminoff, M. J., Rowley, H. A. (2013, November). Localizing Dipoles: The Correlation Coefficient and the Goodness. InBiomag 96: Volume 1/Volume 2 Proceedings of the Tenth International Conference on Biomagnetism(p. 342). Springer Science Business Media. Tian, J., Yu, D., Yu, B., Ma, S. (2013). A fuzzy TOPSIS model via chi-square test for information source selection.Knowledge-Based Systems,37, 515-527. Ye, J. (2013). Multicriteria decision-making method using the correlation coefficient under single-valued neutrosophic environment.International Journal of General Systems,42(4), 386-394. Yu, S., Zhou, W., Jia, W., Guo, S., Xiang, Y., Tang, F. (2012). Discriminating DDoS attacks from flash crowds using flow correlation coefficient.IEEE Transactions on Parallel and Distributed Systems,23(6), 1073-1080. Zebende, G. F., Da Silva, M. F., Machado Filho, A. (2013). DCCA cross-correlation coefficient differentiation: Theoretical and practical approaches.Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications,392(8), 1756-1761. Zhang, S., Glazunov, A. A., Ying, Z., He, S. (2013). Reduction of the envelope correlation coefficient with improved total efficiency for mobile LTE MIMO antenna arrays: mutual scattering mode.IEEE transactions on antennas and propagation,61(6), 3280-3291. Zhu, Z., Nakata, C., Sivakumar, K., Grewal, D. (2013). Fix it or leave it? Customer recovery from self-service technology failures.Journal of Retailing,89(1), 15-29.

Social Networking and Online security Identity Theft in the Virtual World. Beware the Thieves

Introduction: The Effects of Social Networking: At the Dawn of the New Era Over the past few years, the importance of live communication seems to have dropped, while the use of social networks has increased several times. Indeed, with the help of social networking, a lot of communication issues vanish without a trace. To start with, social networks serve as a kind of a bridge between countries and continents, linking the most remote places on the Earth together and allowing people from different corners of the world talk without any tangible problems.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Social Networking and Online security: Identity Theft in the Virtual World. Beware the Thieves specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, in the recent social networking history, the infringements of users’ rights have been spotted. Since in most social networks, users are to specify their actual personal information, starting f rom the date of birth to the place of residence, the people who have become a part of social networking become extremely vulnerable to the attacks of hackers. Taking into account the recent increase in the cases of account breach, one must admit that the security of social networks leaves much to be desired, and can possibly cause its virtual users a lot of real problems. Concerning the Knowledge Deficit It is necessary to mention that the given sphere has not been researched well enough. Through the pros and cons of using social networks have been studied long enough, such an obvious negative feature as fraud in social networking has not been yet studied quite well. According to Dupont, Bailey and Shearing have explored the aspect of the network multilateralization (Dupont 76); however, the researchers did not explore exactly the instances of online fraud. Hence, the problem of online identity theft needs to be considered closer. It is necessary to mention that several researches h ave been written on the given issue. For instance, Dupont, Lehrman and Powell touch upon the given issue. It is important to mention that at present, the state of knowledge has been improved; however, there is still a considerable knowledge deficit in the given sphere. To be more exact, the fact that social networking can pose a threat to one’s personal data has been stated. However, none of the existing solutions have been offered to handle the situation. While Dupont offers a statement about the conceptualization of security in the age of networks, Lehrman explains in details what kind of threats one can face when using social networks – blackmailing, to be exact – and Powell shows in a rather graphic way how far the insecurity of social networking has gone, none of the authors actually suggest a one-hundred-percent efficient means to solve the problem, which is an obvious knowledge gap in the given sphere. Social Networking and Privacy Issues: Concerning the Security Indicating their private data in the fields required for filling in when signing up for another social network, the user, therefore, makes the above-mentioned data available for online hackers. It cannot be doubted that the developers of the online networking systems do their best to provide the maximum security, yet a 100% guaranteed protection from account breaking is practically impossible. Thus, privacy issues arise in most of the social networks.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Indeed, the mechanism of account breaking and stealing one’s personal data is rather simple. According to what Lehrman says, â€Å"unless the company has a clear plan and mandated training and retraining of all employees, a determined attacker can gain access to highly sensitive information by simply asking for it† (Lehrman 64). However, when it comes to revealing the act ual causes of online security breach, the human factor appears to be the weakest link in the wall of defense that social network developers build around the profiles of the users. As Lehrman explains, â€Å"treating security as a purely technological problem virtually guarantees that these organizations will suffer a security breach, as they have overlooked the weakest link in the chain of security—the human factor† (Lehrman 64). What Happens When the Account Is Broken: Insecurity At first it seems that the problem of account breaking should be referred to the technical issues and, therefore, dealt with as an issue of technical sphere. Making the computer software, such as the anti-virus programs, more user-friendly and detecting spam messages in a faster and more reliable is, doubtlessly, one of the musts in the process of fighting the social network insecurity. However, as it has been mentioned above, there is always the human factor that makes even the most advanced software helpless in front of online attacks. The Existing Ways of Protection: Against Online Identity Thieves It goes without saying that the flaws in the online security of the existing social networking sites definitely are the scourge of the online communication. However, according to the existing data, there is a way to protect online users from hackers and, therefore, keep the users’ private information intact. When dealing with the protection issues, it is necessary to specify the guidelines for the private users and the employees of a certain company. As Dinerman offers, the company officials can keep with the following regulations: â€Å"Alternatively, the company could (and should) have an Acceptable Use Policy, a document that details how these applications and the Internet in general can be used. The policy also defines consequences for failure to comply† (Dinerman 5). However, the above-mentioned strategy is designed for the office employees’ secur ity and, therefore, might not be enough for the rest of the users. According to what Dupont says, the fact that social networks usually involve people from all over the world or at least a certain region, which makes the process of searching for the online criminals all the more complicated: â€Å"Existing regulatory means are usually focused on the actions of single organizations or individuals operating in well-defined sectors or domains, but do not appear to be properly equipped to deal with coalitions of interest transcending these boundaries† (Dupont 83).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Social Networking and Online security: Identity Theft in the Virtual World. Beware the Thieves specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Dinerman, there is a way to protect a natural person as well as a legal one. With the help of reinforced preventive measures, one can develop a sophisticated system of security. Despite the fact that it is impossible to take into account all the actions of an online user, there are still general safety measures which can guarantee a decent level of protection: In order to protect their privacy, and themselves, users should be encouraged to have as little personal information as possible publicly available [†¦]Users should not make their profiles available to everyone, and should avoid accepting friend requests from unknown sources. Strangers online should be treated like strangers offline – maintaining requisite politeness and distance (Lehrman 69). Therefore, it can be considered that the safety rules are rather clear. However, they are at the same time extremely vague. While Lehrman describes a general strategy, he does not offer any specific rules, nor does he provide specific examples. Hence, the threat remains in its place. Why Identity Theft Happens: Into the Mind of the Criminal Nevertheless, even with the security levels as high as possi ble, there is still a possibility of someone hijacking one’s account and stealing the information. As Professor Evans, one of the leading experts on social networking and security issues, claims, â€Å"Any complex system has vulnerabilities in it. It’s just the nature of building something above a certain level of complexity† (Collins, para.8). When the Devil is not as Black as It Is Painted: Social Networking Safety It must be admitted that the problem of online security has recently spawned not only considerable discussions, but also a number of lawsuits. According to what Powell says, the official verdict was passed in favor of the person whose account has been broken: â€Å"Granting the injunction, the court held that the precedent, as cited and skillfully argued in The Right to Privacy, recognized the principle protected in each of the cases was the right to privacy† (Powell 152). The above-mentioned allows to suggest that there has been suggested a solution to the issue in question. However, it is still worth noting that the given legal case was one of the few complaints that were actually filed after the account of the plaintiff had been hacked. Therefore, there are certain reasons to suggest that the court cases on social network profile violation are still considered as something out of the ordinary. Unfortunately, this means that the rights of social network users are likely to be violated in the future.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A Possible Solution for the Problem: Guaranteed Online Security Taking the above-mentioned into account, one might suggest that the safety of one’ privacy in the online world is impossible. Indeed, controlling the actions of people in virtual reality is extremely hard. However, it seems that there is a solution for the people who are willing to keep their private data from online hackers. According to the research conducted by Cutillo and Molva, a new social network called Safebook offers the security which no other social network can, since it allows to â€Å"easily share information with selected contacts or the public, for  either professional or personal purposes† (Cutillo and Molva). According to the authors, splitting the network into a business area and the area where people can make online friends provides enough security: In the first case, the OSN is used as a facility geared toward career management or business goals; hence, SNS with a more serious image, like XING and LinkedIn, are chosen [†¦]. In the case of more private use, they share more personal information like contact data, personal pictures, or videos (Cutillo and Molva 94). Conclusion: When Things Can Actually Get Right. Taking Another Chance Therefore, it can be considered that, in terms of privacy issues, social networking is far from being the most secure place in the entire virtual world. No matter what reasons the online hackers have to support their actions, social networking profiles are still broken on a regular basis, which means that social networking, where one has to name his/her actual personal data, is rather an unsafe place. It must be admitted that sufficient measures to provide the users’ safety are taken by the developers of the above-mentioned networking; however, no matter how solid and useful the innovations are, the means of breaking the social network accounts will always be one step ahead, with their sophisticated traps. It can be argued , though, that the safety of the users depends considerably on the users themselves. Nevertheless, one cannot deny that there will always be the threat of the leakage of private information, which means that there is a lot about the current social networking that needs improvement. Works Cited Collins, Brendan. â€Å"Privacy and Security Issues in Social Networking.† Fastcompany 3 October 2008. Web. Cutillo, Leucio Antonio and Refik Molva. â€Å"Safebook:  A  Privacy-Preserving Online  Social  Network  Leveraging  on Real-Life  Trust.† Consumer Communications and Networking December 2009: 94-101. Web. Dinerman, Brad n. d., Social Networking and Security Risks. Web. Dupont, Benoit. â€Å"Security in the Age of Networks.† Policing Security 14.1 (2004): 76-91. Print. Lehrman, Yosef. â€Å"The Weakest Link: The Risks Associated with Social Networking Websites.† Journal of Strategic Security 3.2 (2010): 63-71. Print. Powell, Connie Davis.  "‘You Already Have Zero Privacy. Get Over It!’ Would Warren and Brandeis Argue for Privacy for Social Networking?† Pace Law Review 31.1 (2011): 146-181. Print. This essay on Social Networking and Online security: Identity Theft in the Virtual World. Beware the Thieves was written and submitted by user Joaquin Watkins to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Sociology Police Brutality Essay

Sociology Police Brutality Essay Sociology: Police Brutality Essay According to dictionary.com, deviance is one that differs from a norm, especially a person who behavior and attitudes differ from accepted social standards. Inequality however simply means the condition of being unequal, lack of equality or disparity. Through out this paper, I will be discussing a topic dealing with race, class and gender inequality. Many things have been happening in our society, and I believe deviance and inequality is the reason for most of these situations. This paper will shed some light into our daily problems and how they can be solve with more clarity. One of the topics dealing with race inequality in our society would have to be police brutality to minorities. Police are known to use excessive force towards minorities, which leads to endless bloodshed, bruises, and bullet wounds and in most cases death. It would seem that the police have some kind of inequality to minorities. In the case of Mike Brown, he was shot down simply because he looked the way he did. This is a great example of race inequality because he was treated different due to the color of his skin. It would seem many police officers released they have the power to not only arrest but also use deadly force in certain situations. Now one can clearly say many officers of the law abused these powers and aren’t afraid of the end results. A perfect example would be the case of Scott Olsen; a 24-year-old male was shot in the head with a tear gas canister due to being a part of a peaceful protest in California. Scott was hospitalized for more than month due to having a fractured skull. After bringing awareness of this police brutality to the state, no officer was punished or even suspended for this action. However, Scott Olsen was just one over five thousand cases of police misconduct. Police brutality has been increasing exponentially though out the years. More than three hundred cases of police brutality to minorities have been linked since the beginning of 2 015. It seems being African American is not safe enough around the police anymore. It would seem this police shoot and eliminate African Americans faster than any other ethnic group. It is more than obvious that these race and class are divided widely through out America. Another form of inequality in our current society can be found in the group of gender. In most

Interesting Facts About Asian Americans

Interesting Facts About Asian Americans The United States has recognized May as Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month since 1992. In honor of the cultural observance, the U.S. Census Bureau has compiled a series of facts about the Asian American community. How much do you know about the diverse groups that make up this community? Test your knowledge with federal government statistics that bring the Asian American population into focus.​ Asians Across America Asian Americans make up 17.3 million, or 5.6 percent, of the U.S. population. Most Asian Americans reside in California, home to 5.6 million of this racial group. New York comes in next with 1.6 million Asian Americans. Hawaii, however, has the largest share of Asian Americans- 57 percent. The Asian American growth rate was higher than any other racial group from 2000 to 2010, according to the census. During that time, the Asian American population grew by 46 percent. Diversity in Numbers A wide range of ethnic groups makes up the Asian-Pacific American population. Chinese Americans stand out as the largest Asian ethnic group in the U.S with a population of 3.8 million. Filipinos come in second with 3.4 million. Indians (3.2 million), Vietnamese (1.7 million), Koreans (1.7 million) and Japanese (1.3 million) round out the major Asian ethnic groups in the U.S. Asian languages spoken in the U.S. mirror this trend. Nearly 3 million Americans speak Chinese (second to Spanish as the most popular non-English language in the U.S.). More than 1 million Americans speak Tagalog, Vietnamese and Korean, according to the census. Wealth Among Asian-Pacific Americans Household income among the Asian-Pacific American community varies widely. On average, those who identify as Asian American take in $67,022 yearly. But the Census Bureau found that income rates depend on the Asian group in question. While Indian Americans have a household income of $90,711, Bangladeshis bring in significantly less- $48,471 yearly. Moreover, those Americans who identify specifically as Pacific Islanders have household incomes of $52,776. Poverty rates also vary. The Asian American poverty rate is 12 percent, while the Pacific Islander poverty rate is 18.8 percent. Educational Attainment Among the APA Population An analysis of educational attainment among the Asian-Pacific American population reveals intra-racial disparities as well. While there’s no major difference between Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in high school graduation rates- 85 percent of the former and 87 percent of the latter have high school diplomas- there’s a huge gap in college graduation rates. Fifty percent of Asian Americans age 25 and up have graduated from college, nearly double the U.S. average of 28 percent. However, just 15 percent of Pacific Islanders have bachelor’s degrees. Asian Americans also outpace the general U.S. population and Pacific Islanders where graduate degrees are concerned. Twenty percent of Asian Americans age 25 and up have graduate degrees, compared to 10 percent of the general U.S. population and just four percent of Pacific Islanders. Advances in Business Both Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made headway in the business sector in recent years. Asian Americans owned 1.5 million U.S. businesses in 2007, a 40.4 percent rise from 2002. The number of businesses owned by Pacific Islanders also grew. In 2007, this population owned 37,687 businesses, a jump of 30.2 percent from 2002. Hawaii boasts the largest percentage of businesses started by people of both Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage. Hawaii is home to 47 percent of businesses owned by Asian Americans and nine percent of business owned by Pacific Islanders. Military Service Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders both have a long history of serving in the military. Historians have noted their exemplary service during World War II, when individuals of Japanese American heritage were vilified after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. Today, there are 265,200 Asian American military veterans, a third of whom are age 65 and up. There are currently 27,800 military veterans of Pacific Islander background. Approximately 20 percent of such veterans are 65 and up. These numbers reveal that while Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have historically served in the armed forces, younger generations of the APA community continue to fight for their country.

How to fix financial reporting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words - 1

How to fix financial reporting - Essay Example Subprime mortgage crisis has strengthened the need for the way and manner in which listed companies should reveal their financial datas. Majority of the subprime mortgages was securitised through a new kind of risky financial instrument namely â€Å" Collateralised Debt Obligation â€Å" ( CDOs) and marketed in the global financial market as coupon bearing bonds. Banks and financial institutions all around the world have invested in CDOs which infected badly the networth of these banks and financial institutions. Critics are of the view that the main culprits were the existing accounting standards employed by the companies as they depicted the financial of the company inaccurately. There is a necessity to enhance the financial intelligibility and dissemination so as to boost the confidence of the investors. The main issue is that the majority of the companies failed to offer an accurate and an exhaustive dissemination of their financial worthiness, which is mirrored by incomplete dissemination of liabilities, not reflecting the real value of the assets and aggregate risk on balance sheets of companies around the world. Both the financial regulators and analysts have demanded that there should be an enhanced transparency in the revelation of accounting info by companies. Banks which suffered negative networth due to subprime mortgage crisis have called for fair-value accounting for diminished assets is to be annulled to permit the deteriorated credit markets to resurrect. William Isaac damned the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s regulation demanding that the assets should be measured as per current market value despite the fact there existed no market for such assets. This rule would compel the companies to write off the values of such impaired assets, which would end in a decrease in equity and would hamper the future funding from banks. On September 2008, due to pressure exerted from financial

Current Recession Impacts on the Construction Industry Dissertation

Current Recession Impacts on the Construction Industry - Dissertation Example This resulted in reduction of the average disposable income. The overall negative implications were on the demands of products and goods. The economic cycle was disturbed. One of the most affected sectors by this recession was constructions and engineering sector. Globally the construction industry was at its peak in 2008, when the recession hit it. At this time, the demands of houses and infrastructure were increasing and there was consistent flow of funds within the sector. The demands of housing and new infrastructures and the flow of funds within the construction sector changed (Barrell and Kirby). The reduction in the expected flow of funds and unavailability of the predicted clients reduced the profitability and chances of survival for may construction companies across the world (Property Wire). Research Background According Jakovljevic the construction industry has a worth of nearly $5 trillion globally in terms of total output. This sector is one of the sectors providing high est employment. As per the estimation, there are nearly 100 million people employed in this sector at various levels of jobs. At the same time, contribution of the construction sector to the Global GDP is nearly 10%. This figure is considerably higher than the estimated annual spending in 2008. According to Zeiss (2008) the US$ 2.3 Trillion was the estimated spending of the Global Construction Industry. Global construction industry reached to the peak before recession. PropertyWire (2009) argues that the recession of 2008 was the hardest hit on this sector in last 60 years. Construction industry as such operates in highly complex business environment. The business environment is characterised by high regulations, coordination of various authorities, departments and skill sets, impact of the changing climatic and weather conditions on the construction process, lagging productivity or other issues linked with workforce (Bosch and Phillips). The recession at one hand reduced the dispos able income of the consumers by salary cuts and loss of jobs; on the other hand, this reduced the funds flow in the construction sector. All the intermediaries like equipment suppliers of the construction sector, transport companies, intermediaries and others have experienced the repercussions of the recession. The business environment of the construction sector became more pessimistic. However by the mid of 2009, the impact of recession was reduced and industry started being optimistic again. This was revealed in a global survey conducted by KPMG that by the end of 2009, the Global construction industry started expecting positive growth. This was an important survey that covered more than two-third construction companies of the globe and from the 30 different countries. The study reported that the majority of the construction companies were having positive growth or consistent business performance. However it was evident in the study that the companies working on the long term proj ects have minor impact of recession as compared to the companies who were expecting returns at the shorter duration (Molly). The recession resulted in reducing

A dance with the devil Essay Example for Free

A dance with the devil Essay When I was a little girl, my grandmother would always tell me stories. Some of her stories were for the purpose of scaring me. I don’t mean just to frighten me, but to actually scare me out of doing bad things. This is because, of course, my grandmother didn’t want anything to happen to her little kids. One of her stories was: when she was a young girl her mother didn’t let her go out, but she still went out. As she was heading to the party the devil stood in her way, and who knows what extra details my grandmother added. There was one story though that she swore was true and very close to home. The year was 1975†¦ there was a young woman who lived in San Antonio, Texas. She was a shy kind of girl, a homebody so to speak. Her friends were the ones known to go out every weekend dancing, but she was different. So one night, her friends pressured her to go out. She wasn’t really up for it. She had a bad feeling about it actually. Nonetheless she still got all dressed up and went out. Once she got to El Camaroncito Night Club, she felt out of place. Her friends were off dancing with partners they had found. This was while she was left off on the side like a wallflower. See more: Homeless satire essay There was a turning point in the night though. It was the moment that a young handsome man walked. He automatically grabbed every women’s attention. He was dressed in all white, and was a brilliant dancer. He wooed many of the ladies in the room, while the young lady stared in astonishment. Mid song he caught the young woman staring at him. Their eyes locked as he slowly approached her through the crowd. He asked her to dance and off they went. Together they danced so gracefully, it was as if they were floating in the air. Inevitably everyone stared at them. They gathered in a circle around them, hypnotized by their dance. Time seemed to have slowed down, but the music was as loud as ever. The handsome man grabbed her by the waist and pulled her closer. Together they spun and spun. At this point, the young girl was finally glad she went out. She was having fun, with a handsome man. But little did she know of what was to occur. As they spun into the center of the dance floor, they spun faster and faster. It looked as if they were losing control. Now everyone really looked directly at them. They began to levitate into the air and it was as if there was a spotlight on them. They both were in the air now slowly spinning now. He was now smiling while she looked unconscious, her head pulled back. The man’s shoes had disappeared and in their place was a chicken foot and a hoof as his feet. The sign of the devil. Woman began screaming in horror as everyone began to evacuate. There was no time, the lights went out. As the lights came on the woman laid there on the floor motionless, she was dead. And the man had entirely vanished. Only a strong smell of sulfur remained, which is the smell of the devil. He was never to be seen again. The police were called but could not do anything. That is where the story ends. When I was a young girl this story scared me so much, but now it fascinates me. I don’t know if it really is true or not, but I don’t mind. I will say this though, I looked it up online and there were many articles on this story. Some details vary but for the most part they are all exactly the same story. It is up to you now to decide whether you believe this or not†¦

The Destruction of Our World :: essays research papers

The Destruction of Our World „à  The world is so unbalanced. We ¡Ã‚ ¦re killing it. Everyone is killing it, but especially us in the U.S. who see our nation as advanced and powerful.  ¡Ã‚ §If car ownership and oil consumption per person in China were to reach U.S. levels, then China would consume eighty million barrels of oil per day. Yet, in 1996, the entire world produced only sixty-four million barrels per day. ¡Ã‚ ¨ Other nations can ¡Ã‚ ¦t live the way we do because the world can ¡Ã‚ ¦t supply enough.  ¡Ã‚ §The U.S. selling half the weapons in the world and buying one quarter of the oil. ¡Ã‚ ¨ „à   ¡Ã‚ §We know that in these end times, everything ¡Ã‚ ¦s the opposite of what it seems.  ¡Ã‚ ¥Red-blooded male, ¡Ã‚ ¦ for example. He thinks he gains his power from consuming red meat, so he eats more and more of it. He bulks up in order to meet the challenge of a hostile universe. Apparent meaning: his strength and aggressiveness make him impregnable ¡K Actual meaning: because he also gobbles down vast amounts of sugar and starch, because he drinks alcohol, yeast and fungus bore holes in his distended gut. Over the years undigested animal protein passes through the holes into his blood stream. Becoming an agent of toxicity ¡K Yeast and fungus, agents of decay. Precursors of mold and rot. End times within, end times without ¡K Forests of entire nations converted to rangeland to feed the craving for beef. Which itself slowly enervates the very master race that craves it. ¡Ã‚ ¨ „à   ¡Ã‚ §Calories of fossil fuel expended to produce one calorie of protein from beef: seventy-eight. ¡Ã‚ ¨ „à   ¡Ã‚ §Number of people who could be fed using the land, water, and energy that would be freed up from growing livestock if Americans reduced their intake of meat by ten percent: ten million. ¡Ã‚ ¨ „à  How can all these statistics be even relatively true and our world not only continue to function this way, but think it is flourishing? I always hear about how

Logic and knowledge assignment Essay

1. The poles of knowledge are related to experience in that experience serves to bring out a connection of a particular meaning of an issue that has occurred in the past. The individual will therefore refer to the past so that he can bring out the truth of the matter. 2. The objects of knowledge are constituted in a manner in which they are integral because all these senses are in a position to distinguish various elements as either right or wrong e. g. the eye can determine whether what it has seen is right or wrong while the ear can select what to hear. 3. Intellect begins to function when the mind presents the reality in a distinct and a clear way so that truth can be said to have been exercised. 4. The animal intelligence is different from the human intelligence in that the animal intelligence cannot separate or unite concepts which are considered elements that make up logic. 5. A concept is a material that represents logic in its untrue or unfinished state while judgment is discerning the differences between some given forms of matter in a finished and a clear manner. While concepts are incomplete and imperfect, judgments are complete and perfect thoughts that the individual’s mind will rest upon in making decisions. Whereas a judgment can deny or reaffirm some of subject matter, a concept denies or affirms it. The two aspects also differ in that while concept stands for a meaning of a certain issue; judgment is an expression of the concept. 6. Concept differs from a simple apprehension as an act because it does not affirm or deny and therefore becomes an incomplete and an imperfect act. The reason why it does not represent a complete act is rest upon the mind not resting on this point and therefore needs to seek and get the real answer to the problem in question. 7. The image is different from the concept because an image can be expressed in form of the characteristics of the object in its material from that is its concreteness and the variable of the material while a concept is immaterial, constant, universal and abstract. 8. Judgment separates images by giving the distinction between one image and the other. It therefore does not unite images but separates them in their form and differences. 9. It is possible for a vague image to be universal because an object in the mind which is represented as a concept has the property that it can be represented as universal, abstract and constant and therefore a vague object in the mind of an individual can be represented as universal. 10. Simple apprehension can be false because the mind has not yet registered any evidence of truth about the matter. An example is when a person gives a word which has several meanings in a class. The minds of the students will revolve around all the meanings of the word but they will want to be told further some hint about the details of the issue and therefore they can establish the real meaning of the issue. Otherwise the issue would represent either false or true answers in the minds of the students. 11. In logic â€Å"notes† refer to the elements of complex meaning. 12. Comprehension of a concept refers to the articulation of notes in the mind of a person in the right order. 13. Comprehension relates with the essential definition in that comprehension is the coming up with the real meaning of an issue after definition as been done that is coming up with probable solutions. Initial definition therefore aids in comprehension. 14. â€Å"Specific property† differs from â€Å"descriptive characteristic† in that specific property is the act of giving the object the real meaning that it specifically fits while descriptive characteristics refers to the ability of logic to unite and separate the concepts. 15. Extension is the property of an object in which a concept is represented in a combination of the real things which are actual and possible to be applied. Comprehension is the idea of the intellect knowing the meaning and essence of a particular object and expressing this meaning in a definition. 16. These two terms vary inversely because comprehension does not necessary refer to knowing the facts of the matter while extension means the real facts of the subject matter is really known and therefore the concept can be confidently represented. 17. A term refers to the concepts that do not have any significance when they are represented on their own while ‘syncategorematic words’ refer to the concepts that connote some particular issue when they stand on their own. 18. Universal is different from generality in that while universal means something that is widely accepted in a big region like the entire world, generality means a concept that is perceived in a particular person’s mind and it could be different from the perception of another person somewhere else. 19. a. Signification of terms Signification of the terms is the dividing of terms so that they meaning is affected. Examples include the use of the word â€Å"man† it can either have the meaning of masculine or it can be used to mean individuals regardless of their sex orientation. b. Supposition of terms Supposition of the terms refers to the terms in which a word stands; it does not represent the meaning of the term alone but also a proposition of the term. An example is â€Å"Paul is short† this phrase indicates that the truth about Paul’s height is that he is short. 20. It’s important to study logic because it makes individuals to learn things from the truthful way. Logic often bases issues in a truthful manner and therefore if people followed logic then concepts can easily be inferred as correct and therefore problems solved easily. Reference: Etienne Gilson, Knowledge as Understanding, the Christian Philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas, Chapter V, pp. 200-206

Drama Monologue – Blame It on the Dreams

Ever wish you could control your dreams? You know, you go to sleep and dream about whatever you want? Sometimes I think I could really FIX things if I could just dream them right. I guess that sounds pretty stupid. Like last week I had this huge test in English. I really like English, but there's so much to remember. I failed. And I know that stuff. That’s what makes me so mad. Who cares, right? It’s just a stupid test. But, here’s the thing. The night before, I dreamt I passed the test. I got an A. I remember sitting at the table, and I knew everything!Every vowel, every sentence, every character. They were all there. Floating around me like birds, or something. I didn’t end up seeing the answers, but I remember getting an A. Okay. Granted, there was a lobster sitting in the seat next to me, but it was a dream, remember. I heard about this thing called lucid dreaming. You’re meant to lie really still for as long as you can until you fall asleep, or something. Well, that sounds way too hard. I mean, I can’t sit still for five minutes, let alone lie still until I fall asleep. Sleep doesn’t just happen.You get into your PJ’s, get into bed, get all snuggly and warm, and then your brain decides to turn itself on and shout, â€Å"WOULDN’T THIS BE COOL IF THIS HAPPENED. I WONDER WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THIS HAPPENED, OR EVEN THI–oh, you didn’t want to sleep, did you? † Yes, brain. Yes, I do. But, seriously, wouldn’t it be cool to control your dreams? You could dream about, oh I don’t know†¦ Marrying the richest person in the world and buying an island? That’d be nice. Unrealistic. But, nice. You could lay there for hours and hours just thinking about what you want to dream about?I could try that? Pony, pony, pony, pony, pony, pony, pony, pony, pony, po – oh, bother this. This won’t work. What was I thinking? This is all because of that stupid test. I hate failure. I hate it. If only there was a way to guarantee that you’d know the answers to every test you had to take in your life. I could cheat? No! Gosh, what was I thinking? I can’t cheat. I haven’t got a marker to write the answers on my stomach. *sigh* Stupid idea. I could get a marker? Argh! Wrong again. Where on earth would I get a marker that only I could see?That’s a cool idea. I wish I could dream about that. I just wish I knew how to pass every single test ever. *sigh* Hang on†¦ What if I study? I could study for a few hours every night, the week before the test? Ha! It’s brilliant. I can’t believe I never listened to my parents! They were right! I can’t wait to get started. I’ll start first thing tomorrow. I guess I’ll never be able to control my dreams. Oh well. *turns around and looks at ‘bed’* Is that me? But†¦ I’m me? How can I be laying there? I’m so confused, w hat’s going on? Wait†¦ Am I dreaming?

Character analysis of Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter Chillingsworth and Dimmesdale.

Character analysis of Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter Chillingsworth and Dimmesdale. In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne the reader gains insight into the background and personalities of the characters through Roger Chillingworth and Arthur Dimmesdale. These two characters show us the evil in the novel, the unfolding sin, and add a special romance to the novelArthur Dimmesdale is the preacher in the Puritan settlement. He becomes involved with Hester Pyrnne, the wife of Roger Chillingworth. Pearl, Hester's daughter comes to her from Reverend Dimmesdale. Hester is forced to stand on the scaffold in front of the community to confess whom she committed adultery with. However, Hester does not divulge any information. Therefore, her husband changes his name and the issue remains at ease for 7 years until her husband observes the condition of Arthur Dimmesdale. Arthur is described as having "a white, lofty, and impending brow"(Hawthorne 46), which suggests that he knows what is right and he has "large, brown, melancholy eyes"(46) that are the window to his soul.Th is is the title page for the first edition of Th...His eyes allow Roger Chillingworth to see through him later in the novel. Arthur keeps his great sin inside of him for 7 long years and Hester is forced to wear the letter A as a symbol of adultery. Throughout the 7 years Arthur has been suffering continually, and he always keeps his hand over his heart as a symbol of his love towards Hester and Pearl. Dimmesdale knows intellectually what the moral thing is to do, and he even tries good works, but the darkness in his soul supercedes the goodness in his head.Roger Chillingworth, shunning his wife for the crime she committed becomes a respected individual and a physician to Arthur Dimmesdale, whose health is failing. During the treatment Chillingworth sees some wound or trouble in Dimmesdale's soul that is contributing to...

The Japanese American No-No Boys in World War II

The Japanese American No-No Boys in World War II To understand who the No-No Boys were, it’s first necessary to understand the events of World War II. The United States government’s decision to place more than 110,000 individuals of Japanese origin into internment camps without cause during the war marks one of the most disgraceful chapters in American history. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942, nearly three months after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. At the time, the federal government argued that separating Japanese nationals and Japanese Americans from their homes and livelihoods was a necessity because such people posed a national security threat, as they were supposedly likely to conspire with the Japanese empire to plan additional attacks on the U.S. Today historians agree that racism and xenophobia against people of Japanese ancestry following the Pearl Harbor attack prompted the executive order. After all, the United States was also at odds with Germany and Italy during World War II, but the federal government did not order mass internment of Americans of German and Italian origin. Unfortunately, the federal government’s egregious actions did not end with the forced evacuation of Japanese Americans. After depriving these Americans of their civil rights, the government then asked them to fight for the country. While some agreed in hopes of proving their loyalty to the U.S., others refused. They were known as No-No Boys. Vilified at the time for their decision, today No-No Boys are largely viewed as heroes for standing up to a government that deprived them of their freedom. A Survey Tests Loyalty The No-No Boys received their name by answering no to two questions on a survey given to Japanese Americans forced into concentration camps. Question #27 asked: â€Å"Are you willing to serve in the armed forces of the United States on combat duty, wherever ordered?† Question #28 asked: â€Å"Will you swear unqualified allegiances to the United States of America and faithfully defend the United States from any or all attack by foreign or domestic forces, and forswear any form of allegiance or obedience to the Japanese emperor, or other foreign government, power or organization?† Outraged that the U.S. government demanded that they vow loyalty to the country after flagrantly violating their civil liberties, some Japanese Americans refused to enlist in the armed forces. Frank Emi, an internee at the Heart Mountain camp in Wyoming, was one such young man. Angered that his rights had been trampled on, Emi and a half-dozen other Heart Mountain internees formed the Fair Play Committee (FPC) after receiving draft notices. The FPC declared in March 1944: â€Å"We, the members of the FPC, are not afraid to go to war. We are not afraid to risk our lives for our country. We would gladly sacrifice our lives to protect and uphold the principles and ideals of our country as set forth in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, for on its inviolability depends the freedom, liberty, justice, and protection of all people, including Japanese Americans and all other minority groups. But have we been given such freedom, such liberty, such justice, such protection? NO!† Punished for Standing Up For refusing to serve, Emi, his fellow FPC participants, and more than 300 internees at 10 camps were prosecuted. Emi served 18 months in a federal penitentiary in Kansas. The bulk of No-No Boys faced three-year sentences in a federal penitentiary. In addition to felony convictions, internees who refused to serve in the military faced a backlash in Japanese American communities. For example, leaders of the Japanese American Citizens League characterized draft resisters as disloyal cowards and blamed them for giving the American public the idea that Japanese Americans were unpatriotic. For resisters such as Gene Akutsu, the backlash took a tragic personal toll. While he only answered no to Question #27- that he would not serve in the U.S. armed forces on combat duty wherever ordered- he ultimately ignored the draft noticed received, resulting in him serving more than three years in a federal prison in Washington state. He left prison in 1946, but that wasn’t soon enough for his mother. The Japanese American community ostracized her- even telling her not to show up at church- because Akutsu and another son dared defy the federal government. â€Å"One day it all got to her and she took her life,† Akutsu told American Public Media (APM) in 2008. â€Å"When my mother passed away, I refer to that as a wartime casualty.â€Å" President Harry Truman pardoned all of the wartime draft resisters in December 1947. As a result, the criminal records of the young Japanese American men who refused to serve in the military were cleared. Akutsu told APM he wished his mother had been around to hear Truman’s decision. â€Å"If she had only lived one more year longer, we would have had a clearance from the president saying that we are all okay and you have all your citizenship back,† he explained. â€Å"That’s all she was living for.† The Legacy of the No-No Boys The 1957 novel No-No Boy by John Okada captures how Japanese American draft-resisters suffered for their defiance. Although Okada himself actually answered yes to both queries on the loyalty questionnaire, enlisting in the Air Force during World War II, he spoke with a No-No Boy named Hajime Akutsu after completing his military service and was moved enough by Akutsu’s experiences to tell his story.​ The book has immortalized the emotional turmoil that No-No Boys endured for making a decision that is now largely viewed as heroic. The shift in how No-No Boys are perceived is in part due to the federal government’s acknowledgment in 1988 that it had wronged Japanese Americans by interning them without cause. Twelve years later, the JACL apologized for widely vilifying draft resisters. In November 2015, the musical Allegiance, which chronicles a No-No Boy, debuted on Broadway.

Lululemon exploration of England Internal Analysis Case Study

Lululemon exploration of England Internal Analysis - Case Study Example VRIO Analysis VRIO framework is a tool for analyzing a business’s internal strength to cater a particular market. When a firm uses VRIO framework for its internal analysis, it evaluates all the resources and capabilities of a business, ignoring the strategic position of the business. The term VRIO is an acronym for: 1. V: Question of firm’s value 2. R: Question of firm’s rarity 3. I: Question of firm’s Imitability 4. O: Question of firm’s organization (Kazmi, 2012). VRIO Analysis of Lululemon Athletica Question of Lululemon’s Value Lululemon is multinational sports apparel brands incorporated in Canada, Australia and United States of America. The strength that the company has gained by operating in these three countries has added to the experience and skills required to compete at international level with sports specialty brands. Moreover, the work force that the company possesses also provides an opportunity to Lululemon to prosper in England’s premium sports market. The financial strength of the company at the moment also adds to the value of its capability to compete with other premium brands in England. Keeping in view the trends in the English premium sports apparel market, a number of opportunities are present to be exploited by Lululemon such as technological advancements, cultural fusion, strong economic outlook and opportunities for international marketing through international events in the country (Lululemon Athletica, 2012). ... Moreover, Lululemon also provides its customers on-sight physical exercise facility, running clubs and yoga sessions to familiarize the customers with the athletic environment and why it is necessary for them to have yoga and athletic sportswear of Lululemon. Moreover, Lululemon also creates rarity in the sense, that it offers its products in its own stores, thus establishing a vertical retail strategy that allows the company to have more control over its operations than others  (Lululemon Athletica, 2012). Question of Imitability of Lululemon’s Products and Strategies Lululemon is a premium brand offered at premium prices which makes it near to impossible for the competitors to imitate. Lululemon believes on community involvement in its business and thus allows others to imitate its products or technology used to manufacture products. This business practice is in alignment with Lululemon’s â€Å"doing-the-right-thing† initiative. The aim was to support comm unity members to take active part in achieving excellence in healthy habits. But the competitors find it difficult to imitate Lululemon’s products or strategies because it is very costly and requires great set of skills to produce a Lululemon’s product (Lululemon Athletica, 2012). Question of Lululemon’s Organization The way Lululemon has structured its organizational hierarchy facilitates smooth functioning of the business. The head-quarter is stationed in Canada where the product designing and concept manipulation is carried out. Moreover, the headquarters also handles the financial controlling function of the business. Whereas the business in Australia,

Create a bullet-sheet Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Create a bullet-sheet - Assignment Example The following are some of the ways by which these approaches serve this purpose: Stakeholder Engagement, Dialogue and partnership: in the spirit of transparency, many organizations have expanded the platform to include shareholders, staff, customers, community, environment and suppliers who are constantly engaged to develop policies, partner for new solutions and resolving issues of public interest. In some cases, they partner with Non-governmental organizations such as Bank Track2 which hold such institutions accountable to the public, a factor that is simply expressed as outside governance Ethical Policy: corporate governance comes in here, as organizations come up with Ethical stance founded on comprehensively consultation with customers. This policy detail customer’s ethical concerns with regard to how their money should and should not be invested, thus preventing cases of fraud that take crop up through questionable investment. Establishment of a sustainable development department at the Group management level that reports to the higher authorities. This team serves as the catalyst and knowledge centre for embedding sustainable development through stakeholder engagement, sustainable reporting, and establishment of internal understanding. Lastly, the CSR works to accelerate the push for more responsible corporate behavior and business conduct, a factor that help maintain reputation and give organization good ground to carry on with their business operations. Internal transparency better external communication and internal dialogue and further help overcome workplace barriers while at the same time assist create

Construction Industry Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Construction Industry Report - Essay Example In contemporary Western cultures it is possible for individuals to work in 5-10 different occupations before retirement. However, current thinking on careers tends to be conditioned by older and sometimes outmoded concepts of what a career ought to be. The relatively stable patterns that many in New Zealand enjoyed from 1945 - 1985 represents a past of relational contracts, steady advancement and mutual loyalty which is difficult to replicate in today's society (Elkin, Jackson & Inkson, 2004). A study conducted by Michael Arthur and his colleagues at the University of Auckland looked in depth at the careers of 75 representative New Zealanders from 1985 to 1995 (Arthur, Inkson & Pringle, 1999). Arthur's study found that individuals moved between employers and between jobs with relative ease. Very few of these moves were upward, career building moves such as promotion. For example, Arthur found that more than 60% of the people in the sample changed occupations in the 10 years covered by the study. Eighty five percent moved between organisations. The Centre for Research on Work, Education and Research Limited conducted case studies of four industries including the construction industry. ... (Centre for Research on Work, Education and Research Limited, 2004). Some skilled tradesmen in construction who had become independent contractors in the past when made redundant or by choice were reported as being worse off financially than previously. These men were a supply of labour because their alternative was to work as a sub-contractor on private building sites where they might, for example, work for 60-70 hours a week but earn only an effective $7-$8 an hour. Researchers claim that people employed in the construction industry are classified as realistic. They have mechanical abilities, like working outdoors with tools and objects and they prefer dealing with things rather than people. Construction workers tend to like practical and physical activities and they are task orientated. The construction sector is highly labour intensive. Whereas other industries can increase production by using a mix of more people and more machinery, construction is much more reliant on people. Work Environment The construction industry is seen by some people as hazardous or dangerous. The injury rate per thousand workers for the Total Construction Industry calculated from ACC Entitlement Claims Data as a whole for the 2004 year was approximately 30 injuries per thousand workers. The rate of injury was relatively stable over the 2001-2004 period even though New Zealand experienced somewhat of a 'boom' period for the industry, with many new and inexperienced workers entering the industry. (New Zealand Construction Industry Council, 2005). On the other hand, injury costs for the industry over the period 2001 to 2004 show a downward trend. As

Ampicillin and Kanamycin Resistant Bacteria Comparison

Ampicillin and Kanamycin Resistant Bacteria Comparison Antibiotic use throughout the world has increased tremendously over the decades. In the past, antibiotic resistance was most prevalent in areas of frequent antibiotic use, such as in medical or laboratory settings. However, the increasing use of antibiotics and antibacterial products outside of hospitals, such as in homes and schools, echoes the expansion of antibiotic resistant bacteria (LBC Biology Staff, 2010). One major source of the growing problem is that antibiotics are being over prescribed by doctors to millions of people around the world. It is currently believed that about only half of the antibiotics prescribed to patients are administered properly (Levy, 1998). In addition to over prescription by doctors, many patients misuse the antibiotics and further increase the spread of resistance. For example, some patients discontinue use of antibiotics upon feeling symptom relief, not at the end of their antibiotic schedule prescribed by the doctor. In actuality, patients are ki lling off the weakest bacteria, causing temporary relief, and allowing the stronger and more resistant bacteria to multiply at a faster rate (Levy, 1998). This and other types of antibiotic misuse have promoted the growth of strains of bacteria with resistance to antibiotic attack. This can be seen through studies that have shown Tetracycline resistance by normal human intestinal flora that exploded from 2% in the 1950s to 80% in the 1990s (Criswell, 2004). Other studies have shown Kanamycin, an antibiotic from the 1950s, has become clinically useless as a result of the prevalence of Kanamycin-resistant bacteria (Criswell, 2004). It has become visible that the development of resistance to any antibiotic, new or old, will happen in a matter of time (LBC Biology Staff, 2010). Due to the inevitability of mutation, natural selection, time and environmental conditions, resistance will be seen in more common areas like work and home. As a consequence of the every growing expansion of antiobiotic resistance, places previously thought to be uncontaminated like schools and homes have become overwhelmed with antibiotic resistant bacteria. In one household study, it was discovered that kitchen sinks contained many different types of resistant bacteria, primarily from food waste and human hands (Rusin et al., 1998). Only the application of strong bleaches and specific cleaning products on a regimented cleaning schedule led to a decreased amount of bacteria in kitchen sinks (Rusin et al., 1998). The cleaning products used in this study did not contain antibacterial ingredients, which helped reduce the spread of resistance by killing all bacteria instead of the most susceptible strains. Antibacterial products and cleaning supplies are less effective and in turn can lead to reproduction of stronger antibiotic resistant bacteria. The large amount of antibacterial cleaning products, food and waste combined with the constant water supply in sink drains allows for a greater chance of survival of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (Levy, 1998). Optimal conditions for bacterial growth with a wet environment cause a higher frequency of bacterial transmission of resistance (Perryman and Flournoy, 1980). In scientific laboratories, regulations are in place to monitor the disposal of solid and liquid wastes. Some regulations include specific waste baskets for toxic or contaminated substances and use of certain sinks only when dealing with harmful liquids in laboratory settings. This ensures that unnecessary amounts of harmful substances that could lead to resistance are not continually poured down laboratory sink drains. However, no such regulations are in effect in household environments. In a study performed in Oklahoma City the extent of growing antibiotic resistance was seen in multiple environments. Bacterial samples were gathered from sink drains in the Veterans Administration Medical Center, libraries, private homes, shopping centers, and other similar environments for comparison (Perryman and Flournoy, 1980). The goal of the experiment was to determine the types of resistant bacteria that were most prevalent in sink drains, the abundance of bacteria in sink drains, and the life span of bacteria in dry and wet environments (Perryman and Flournoy, 1980). Through testing, bacteria were found to have longer life spans in wet environments than in dry environments, and many bacteria survived for over 180 days in wet environments (Perryman and Flournoy, 1980). The high survival rate of bacteria in areas with constant water supply, such as in laboratory and kitchen sinks, supports the prediction that sinks are ideal environments for ample bacterial growth. In the afore mentioned study, bacterial growth occurred on plates containing the antibiotics gentamicin and amikacin, and it was determined that the sink drains from the medical hospital contained the highest amount of antibiotic resistant organisms. Overall, 88% of the sink drains sampled from the Veterans Administration Medical Center contained some type of antibiotic resistant bacteria (Perryman and Flournoy, 1980). While bacteria could come from other sources such as the patients and tap water, the great quantity of antibiotic resistant bacteria in all environments illustrates the need for a reduction in the overuse of antibiotics and the essential awareness of the consequences. Places with high levels of exposure to antibiotics and antibacterial products provide ideal environments for bacteria to develop resistance through replicated mutations or transmissions between bacteria. Some factors that severely add to the growing problem of antibiotic resistant bacteria include increased applications of antibacterial soaps and cleaning products, over prescription of antibiotics by doctors, misuse of antibiotics by patients, and improper care of waste products (Levy, 1998). Bacteria can become resistant to antibiotics through genetic mutation, transfer of the mutation between bacteria, or transmission of the mutated DNA on a plasmid between bacteria when the resistant gene is carried on the plasmid DNA. A plasmid is a relatively small piece of circular DNA that is self replicating and independent of the chromosomal DNA of the cell. Resistant chromosomal DNA and plasmid DNA can be transmitted to the next generation through cell replication. Plasmids can be passed th rough bacterial conjugation, which involves a bacterium copying the plasmid with resistant DNA and inserting the copied plasmid into a second bacterium. Plasmid DNA can also be transferred through bacterial transformation when plasmid DNA invades another bacterium and is incorporated into the bacteriums DNA (Cognato, 2010). Understanding these problems and the mechanisms of resistance transmission is the first step in preventing further development of resistant strains of bacteria. The focus of the experiment at hand is to determine whether the bacteria located in a laboratory sink or in an apartment garbage disposal contains more antibiotic resistant strains. It was hypothesized that the apartment garbage disposal would contain more antibiotic resistant bacteria than the laboratory sink. This is due to the abundance of contaminated materials that pass through garbage disposals in comparison to the regulated materials that pass through laboratory sinks. The null hypothesis is that the amounts of antibiotic resistant bacteria that exist in the garbage disposal sink and laboratory sink will be equal. Many steps were needed to accomplish this research and obtain the sample bacteria to determine the resistance. Samples from the laboratory sink and the apartment garbage disposal were swabbed on agar plates to obtain a culture of bacteria. Colonies were selected based on growth and seclusion from the bacterial lawn. Individual bacteria were then streaked on master patch plates for each environment. After the bacteria had grown, individual colonies were selected to be streaked on antibiotic plates containing Ampicillin, Kanamycin, and Tetracycline. Antibiotic resistant bacteria were chosen from the antibiotic plates, separated and characterized. Next, plasmids from the antibiotic resistant bacteria were isolated and spliced using restriction endonucleases to determine band length of resistant plasmid DNA to help identify the type of bacteria. Competent E. coli cells were transformed with the control plasmid DNA to convey antibiotic resistance and support bacteria identification. Final ly, the bacterial DNA was replicated by polymerase chain reaction to amplify the 16S rRNA gene in hopes to obtain sequencing information of a known bacterium. It was predicted that resistant bacteria, for all antibiotics, will be Gram negative due to easier entry of resistant plasmid DNA into the cell. Bacteria with a thin cell wall layer and an outer membrane surrounding the peptidoglycan layer are Gram negative. Bacteria with a thick wall layer that do not have the peptidoglycan layer surrounding are Gram positive. Gram identity was verified through Gram staining, a KOH test, and observing growth on a MacConkey agar and Eosin Methylene Blue Agar plate. Methods Swab Plates A sterile cotton swab saturated in sterile phosphate-buffered saline was used to gather samples from the laboratory sink and an apartment garbage disposal. Bacterial samples from the disposal and lab sinks were collected from the underside of the drain. Bacteria were then swabbed onto Lysogeny broth agar plates (three per environment). Plates were placed into an incubator for 24 hours at 37Â °C. Following the incubation period, plates were removed, parafilmed, and refrigerated at 4Â °C until needed. Master Patch Plates Master plates were made by placing sixteen individual colonies onto a 44 grid on Lysogeny broth (LB) only plates. An inoculation loop was used to transfer the 16 individual colonies from the sample plate onto a grid of the master plate. Plates were labeled with D for the apartment garbage disposal and L for the laboratory sink along with a number (1, 2, or 3) to distinguish between swabbed samples. Plates were incubated at 37Â °C for 24 hours, removed, sealed with parafilm, and refrigerated at 4Â °C until needed. Antibiotic Patch Plates Antibiotic agar plates were made by mixing 8.4g agar with 12g LB powder and 600mL of distilled water (dH2O), and then autoclaved. After cooling, 2.4Â µL of Ampicillin, 1.2Â µL of Kanamycin, or 2.4Â µL of Tetracycline were added appropriately and plates were poured. One colony per grid of the master patch plate was obtained with an inoculation loop, and the bacteria were transferred in a line onto a corresponding grid on the antibiotic plates. The number of squares that contained bacterial growth was observed and recorded. One colony of the bacteria grown on the antibiotic patch plates was then streaked onto a new antibiotic plate to obtain individual colonies of bacteria for further study. Miniprep A liquid culture was performed in preparation for the Promega Wizard Plus SV Miniprep DNA Purification System, which was used to isolate plasmid DNA from antibiotic resistant bacteria. First, 5Â µL of antibiotic was added to a 5mL tube filled with a liquid medium made of LB. A single colony of bacteria was added to the medium and placed in a shaker at 37Â °C for 24 hours. The liquid culture was then transferred into an Eppendorf tube and centrifuged for 5 minutes at 4,400rpm. Liquid media waste was disposed of and the pellet was thoroughly re-suspended in 250Â µL of Cell Resuspension Solution. If the bacteria were Gram positive, 63Â µL of lysozyme would be added to the solution. Since the bacteria studied was Gram negative, the process continued with the addition of 250Â µL of Cell Lysis Solution was added to the Eppendorf tube containing the resuspended bacterial solution and the sample was mixed. Subsequently, 10Â µL Alkaline Protease Solution was added, mixed, and incubated for 5 minutes at room temperature. Then, 350Â µL Neutralization Solution was added, mixed, and centrifuged for 10 minutes at 13,500rpm. A Spin Column was inserted in a Collection Tube and the clear lysate was decanted into the Spin Column. This was centrifuged for 1 minute at 13,500rpm and the flowthrough was discarded. The Spin Column was replaced, 750Â µL of wash solution was added, and the solution was centrifuged for 1 minute at 13,500rpm. The flowthrough was discarded, and this process was repeated with a 250Â µL wash. The solution was centrifuged for 2 minutes at 13,500rpm. The Spin Column was transferred to a 1.5mL Eppendorf tube. Finally, 50Â µL of Nuclease-Free Water was added and then the solution was centrifuged for 1 minute at 13,500rpm. The column was discarded and the DNA was stored at -20ËÅ ¡C. Gel Electrophoresis DNA electrophoresis was used to determine the length of the plasmid DNA of the environmental samples and Blue plasmid control (pKAN). First, 0.7g of agarose powder was added to 70mL of 1X TBE. The solution was heated in a microwave for 1 minute so the agarose powder was completely dissolved. After the mixture cooled, 3Â µL of Ethidium bromide was added and the gel was taken out of the mold and put on the rig. The gel was submerged in a 1X TBE buffer. The wells of the gel were filled with 10Â µL of a mixture containing 8Â µL of plasmid DNA and 2Â µL of plasmid dye, and the gel ran for 60 minutes on 80 volts. The 1% agarose gel was viewed under an ultraviolet light to compare lengths of DNA with the 1KB ladder. Gram Staining Gram staining was used to determine the Gram identity of bacteria. Bacteria that are Gram negative stained red and bacteria that are Gram positive stained violet. A colony of bacteria was added to an Eppendorf tube with 400Â µL of dH2O. After vortexing, 5Â µL of the solution was pipetted onto a slide. Once dry, the slide was passed over a flame to affix the bacteria to the glass, preventing the removal of bacteria. The slide was flooded drop-wise with crystal violet and iodine, and rinsed with dH2O for 5 seconds after the addition of each reactant. Ethanol was added until the color was no longer emitted, then rinsed with dH2O for 5 seconds. Safranin was added drop-wise for 1 minute and then rinsed with dH2O for 5 seconds. The slide was observed under a microscope to determine Gram identity. KOH Test The KOH test for Gram positive and negative bacteria was begun by pipetting 20Â µL of 3% KOH on a slide. After adding one clump of bacteria to the KOH, the consistency of the solution was observed. If the solution was thick, viscous and adhered to the inoculation loop, the bacteria were Gram negative. If the solution was thin and not viscous, the bacteria were Gram positive. MacConkey Agar Plate A MacConkey agar plate was streaked with antibiotic resistant bacteria from the garbage disposal and laboratory sink. After incubation at 37ËÅ ¡C for 24 hours, the plates were observed for growth to indicate Gram negative bacteria. The MacConkey agar plate also signaled lactose fermentation with the appearance of pink colonies. Eosin Methylene Blue Agar Plate (EMB) An EMB plate was streaked with antibiotic resistant bacteria from the apartment garbage disposal and the laboratory sink as well as a positive E.coli control. After incubation at 37ËÅ ¡C for 24 hours, the plates were observed for growth to indicate Gram negative bacteria. The EMB agar plate indicated strong lactose fermentation through the appearance of dark green metallic colonies and a lesser degree of lactose fermentation through the appearance of purple or pink colonies. Restriction Digest Restriction enzymes cut the control pKAN DNA at specific restriction sites identified by the NEBcutter V2.0. The enzymes used in restriction digest were BamHI and EcoRI in Buffer II, and PvuI and PstI in Buffer III. The reaction solution used in restriction digest consists of 10Â µL of DNA, 1Â µL of each enzyme, 2Â µL of NEBuffer, and 7Â µL of de-ionized distilled water (ddH2O) added together in an Eppendorf tube. The solution was centrifuged at 14,500rpm for 30 seconds and then incubated for 24 hours at 37ËÅ ¡C. A plasmid map created from the NEBcutter V2.0 was compared to a gel electrophoresis run on a 1% aragose gel with plasmid DNA. The gel electrophoresis compared Blue plasmid (pKAN) DNA that was uncut with the Blue control plasmid (pKAN) that was cut with restriction enzymes. Transformation After plasmid DNA preparation, 22Â µL of E. coli competent cells were added to three separate Eppendorf tubes. In one tube, 5Â µL of control DNA, pKAN, was added and stirred with the pipette tip. In the second tube, a negative control was made with the addition of 5Â µL of dH2O that was then stirred with a pipette tip. In the third tube, a positive control was made with the addition of 1Â µL of known pKAN, and the solution was stirred with a pipette tip. The tubes were then incubated in ice 30 minutes. The cells were heat shocked for 45 seconds at 42ËÅ ¡C and then placed on ice for 2 minutes. 250Â µL of pre-warmed (37ËÅ ¡C) SOC medium was added to all three of the Eppendorf tubes, and the tubes were then incubated in a shaker at 37ËÅ ¡C for 1 hour at 2,250rpm. Upon removal from the incubator, 75Â µL of each transformation were spread onto plates with a sterilized hockey stick. The transformed control DNA, pKAN, cells and the negative control dH2O transformed cell s were spread onto LB only plates, ampicillin antibiotic plates, and kanamycin antibiotic plates to determine if resistance to antibiotics was transferred in the transformation. The transformed positive control, known pKAN, cells was spread onto a LB only plate and a kanamycin plate since pKAN is known to be resistant to kanamycin. Plates were incubated for 24 hours at 37ËÅ ¡C and numbers of resistant bacterial colonies were observed. Bacterial growth on the control DNA, pKAN, transformation antibiotic plates would signal resistance to the antibiotic in the plate, and growth on the LB only plate would signal the existence of bacterial cells from the transformation. No growth on the dH2O negative control plates containing ampicillin and kanamycin antibiotics would signal a correct transformation as long as there was bacterial growth on the LB only plate. Growth on the positive control, known pKAN, transformation plate signaled the correct transfer of kanamycin resistant plasmid DNA into the competent E.coli cells. Polymerase Chain Reaction The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) involved mixing a reaction cocktail that included 80Â µL of Nuclease-free water, 10Â µL of 10X Thermopol buffer, 3Â µL of 10mM dNTPs, 2Â µL of 11F @ 10Â µM, 2Â µL of 1492R @ 10Â µM, and 1Â µL of Taq polymerase @ 5000U/mL. The solution was then mixed through vortexing. Subsequently, 22Â µL of the cocktail was transferred to each of the 4 PCR tubes. A small portion of each bacterial colony was added to SOC medium and mixed. Then 5Â µL of SOC medium with bacteria was added to each tube. Tube 1 had environmental bacteria, tube 2 had different environmental bacteria, tube 3 had the control E.coli and 5Â µL of H2O was added to tube 4. The reactions were placed in the thermocycler in C4. The PCR cycling program consists of five steps. The first step is pre-denaturation in which the PCR mixing reaction cocktail is heated at 95Â °C for 5 minutes. The second step is denaturation, which involves heating the reaction cocktail at 95Â °C for 30 seco nds to unwind and separate the DNA. The third step is annealing, which is run at 50Â °C for 30 seconds to allow the 11F and 1492R primers to attach to the DNA template strands. The fourth step is elongation, which is run at 72Â °C for 45 seconds to allow the DNA polymerase (Taq polymerase) to add dNTPs and replicate the 16S gene. The fifth step is the final elongation, which is run at 72Â °C for 7 minutes. The hold between cycles is run at 4Â °C, and the PCR is run for 35 cycles. Gel electrophoresis was run to determine if a successful PCR reaction took place. 10Â µL of the PCR solution from each tube was mixed with 2Â µL of plasmid dye, and 10Â µL of the mixtures were loaded into the wells of the 1% agarose gel. Chi Squared Test of Independence A Chi Squared Test of Independence was run to determine if a statistically significant difference exists between the numbers of antibiotic resistant bacteria from the two environments. The number of grids on the antibiotic plates was recorded only if the bacteria grew on both the antibiotic plate and the LB only plate. The test was run on Vassar Stats and gave a p-value to correspond to the data and indicate if there was a significant difference. Results Swab and Master Patch Plates After the incubation period of 24 hours at 37 C, the swab plates, labeled L for laboratory sink samples (L1-L3) and D for garbage disposal sink samples (D1-D3), were observed and found that 100% of the environmental bacteria grew (Figure 1). Bacteria growth in both environments was indicated by white colored spots or streaks within the plates grid. Master plates were observed from both experimental environments and found to have growth on all of the 16 grids on each plate (Figure 2). Antibiotic Patch Plates From the garbage disposal sink, the three samples all had some level of growth (Figure 3). The following percentages were calculated by dividing the number of grids with bacterial development on the antibiotic plates by the number of grids with growth from the LB plates (Table 1). Plate D1 showed 100%, 62.5%, 0%, and 100% growth on the Ampicillin, Kanamycin, Tetracycline, and LB only plates respectively. Plate D2 demonstrated 93.75%, 93.75%, 0%, and 100% growth on the Ampicillin, Kanamycin, Tetracycline, and LB only plates respectively. Plate D3 showed 93.75%, 75%, 0%, and 100% growth on the Ampicillin, Kanamycin, Tetracycline, and LB only plates respectively. From the laboratory sink, all samples had bacteria development (Figure 4). Plate L1 demonstrated 100%, 93.75%, 12.5%, and 100% growth on the Ampicillin, Kanamycin, Tetracycline, and LB only plates respectively. Plate L2 showed 100%, 73.33%, 6.67%, and 93.75% growth on the Ampicillin, Kanamycin, Tetracycline, and LB only plates respectively. Plate L3 demonstrated 57.14%, 42.86%, 7.14%, and 87.5% growth on the Ampicillin, Kanamycin, Tetracycline, and LB only plates respectively. Chi Squared Test of Independence Data obtained from the number of antibiotic resistant colonies on the antibiotic patch plates was used to run the Chi-squared Test of Independence for Ampicillin and Kanamycin resistant bacteria. For Ampicillin resistant bacteria, the p-value obtained was 0.74. With one degree of freedom, the Chi-squared critical value of 3.84 obtained from a Chi-squared Distribution Table in comparison to the Chi-squared statistical value denoted no statistically significant difference. For Kanamycin resistant bacteris, the calculated p-value was 0.81. With one degree of freedom, comparison of the Chi-squared critical value of 3.84 found in a Chi-squared Distribution Table and the Chi-squared statistical value demonstrated no statistically significant difference (Table 1). Gram Staining, KOH, MacConkey Agar and Eosin Methylene Blue Agar Plates Four tests were used to determine the gram identity of bacteria from the experimental environments. The results showed that the three environmental bacteria slides were stained pink indicating gram negative bacteria (Figure 5, Table 2). For the KOH test, all three samples from both environments appeared viscous and thick, indicating gram negative bacteria (Table 2). The MacConkey Agar Plate was divided into three sections for the different antibiotic resistant bacteria. The environmental bacterial sample in Section 1 was obtained from the Ampicillin antibiotic plate L2 grid #3. The bacterial sample in Section 2 was obtained from the Kanamycin antibiotic plate L2 grid #14. The bacterial sample in Section 3 was obtained from the Kanamycin antibiotic plate D2 grid #16. All three samples in the three sections grew bacteria that were stained pink, indicating Gram negative bacteria that ferment lactose (Figure 6, Table 2). The Eosin Methylene Blue Agar Plate was sectioned off into four par ts and bacteria from three environmental samples and one E.coli positive control were plated. The bacterial sample in Section 1 was taken from the Ampicillin antibiotic plate L2 grid #3. The bacterial sample in Section 2 was obtained from the Kanamycin antibiotic plate L2 grid #14. The bacterial sample in Section 3 was gathered from the Kanamycin antibiotic plate D2 grid #16. The bacterial sample in Section 4 was obtained from an E. coli plate that was known to be Gram negative. Pink colonies formed in all four sections, signaling Gram negative identity of the bacteria and lactose fermentation (Figure 6, Table 2). Mini Prep and Gel Electrophoresis Promega Wizard Plus SV Miniprep DNA Purification System was run to isolate plasmid DNA. This plasmid DNA was run on a 1% agarose gel. The lengths of bands in Trial A could not be determined because the DNA in the wells did not run with the ladder. The Blue control plasmid, which was pKAN, was located in lane 3 in Trial A and Trial B and was used to indicate a successful Miniprep. The band length of the pKAN control DNA in Trial B was about 4,200 base pairs. An environmental plasmid found on Ampicillin streak plate L2, grid #3 was used in lane 7 in Trial A and lane 5 in Trial B. In Trial B, the base pair length of the environmental bacteria plasmid used in lane 5 could not be determined due to the appearance of many bands of varying length. An environmental plasmid from Kanamycin streak plate L2, grid #14 was used in lane 5 in Trial A and lane 7 in Trial B. The band length of this environmental plasmid in Trial B could not be determined due to the faint appearance of a band greater th an 10,000bp. Another environmental plasmid from Kanamycin streak plate D2, grid#16 was used in lane 6 in both Trial A and Trial B. The band length of this environmental plasmid in Trial B also could not be determined from the faint appearance of a band greater than 10,000bp (Figure 7). Restriction Digest In Trial A, restriction digest was used to cut the Blue control pKAN DNA with the enzymes BamHI, EcoRI, PstI, and PvuI. Lane 3 displays pKAN cut with PstI and PvuI. Lane 4 displays pKAN cut with BamHI and EcoRI. The lengths of the bands shown are about 4,000bp, 3,000bp, 2,500bp, 1,500bp, and 1,200bp.The lengths of the bands shown are about 1,700bp, 1,100bp, 750bp, 600bp, and 500bp. Lanes 5-8 contained environmental bacterial DNA that was cut with BamHI, EcoRI, PstI, and PvuI as well, but no bands were observed (Figure 8). In Trial B, restriction digest was used to cut pKAN DNA with only the enzymes BamHI and EcoRI. Lane 3 displays pKAN that was cut with BamHI, showing a band length that is about 4,200bp. Lane 4 shows pKAN that was cut with EcoRI, and the band lengths shown are about 8,000bp, 5,000bp, and 4,000bp. Lane 5 displays pKAN that was cut with BamHI and EcoRI, and the band lengths shown are about 4,100bp, 3,100bp, and 2,000bp. Lane 6 shows pKAN that remained uncut with a band length of about 4,200bp (Figure 9). Transformation Transformation was performed to convey resistance carried on plasmid DNA into competent E. coli cells. Blue plasmid control DNA (pKAN) was used for the transformation, which was successful. This was indicated by the growth of transformed bacteria on Kanamycin antibacterial plates (Figure 10). Polymerase Chain Reaction A Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was used to amplify and prepare the 16S gene of rRNA. Gel electrophoresis was run on the PCR product to determine if a successful PCR reaction had taken place. Lane 3 contains PCR product from the Kanamycin plate L1 grid #14 and lane 4 contains PCR product from the master patch plate D3 grid #16. Bands were not seen in these lanes containing environmental bacteria, signaling an unsuccessful PCR. Lane 5 displays the negative water control without bands. Lane 6 shows the positive E. coli control PCR product with a band length of about 2,000bp (Figure 11). Discussion The study showed that no statistically significant difference existed between the amount of antibiotic resistant bacteria in the garbage disposal and laboratory sink and it also characterized all of the environmental bacteria as Gram negative. To determine the amount of bacteria located in the experimental areas, many tests were utilized to analyze the bacterium. Patch plates containing Tetracycline, Ampicillin, Kanamycin and LB were made in order to verify antibiotic resistant bacteria and growth. The plates with bacterial growth that was resistant to Ampicillin and Kanamycin were used in a statistical analysis to determine a correlation between the amounts of growth and the two environments. Our prediction that the amount of bacterial growth from the garbage disposal sink in Capitol Villa would be greater than the Lyman Briggs lab sink in C5 was refuted due to the Chi-squared Test for Independence that showed no statistically significant difference. We failed to reject the null hyp othesis that no difference existed between the amounts of antibiotic resistant bacteria found in each environment. A Chi-squared Test for Independence was run to compare the amounts of antibiotic resistant bacteria on the Ampicillin and Kanamycin plates. Tetracycline was not used because no data indicated resistance. The existence of Ampicillin and Kanamycin resistant bacteria in both the garbage disposal and the laboratory sink is unsurprising due to the widespread clinical use of both antibiotics over the past decades (Criswell, 2004). For Ampicillin, a total of 178 bacterial streaks grew between the two environments and a p-value of 0.74 was calculated. With one degree of freedom, the Chi-squared critical value of 3.84 obtained from a Chi-squared Distribution Table in comparison to the Chi-squared statistical value denoted no statistically significant difference. For Kanamycin, 162 streaks grew between the two environments and a p-value of 0.81 was calculated. With one degree of freedom, the a comparison of the Chi-squared critical value of 3.84 found from a Chi-squared Distribution Table to t he Chi-squared statistical value denoted no statistically significant difference as well. Therefore, the prediction that the garbage disposal sink would contain more antibiotic resistant bacteria than the laboratory sink was rejected. To further understand why bacteria were resistant, four tests were run to categorize the Gram identity of the environmental samples. The structure of the bacteria plays a large role in determining resistance. Importantly, it is easier for the plasmid DNA to penetrate a Gram negative bacterium due to the lack of an outer membrane around the peptidoglycan layer. The Gram staining process showed pink rod shaped bacterium, demonstrating that the bacteria was Gram negative. The KOH tests resulted in a viscous substance, indicating that all the environmental bacteria obtained from the garbage disposal and the laboratory sink were Gram negative. The MacConkey agar plates identified the bacteria to be Gram negative through growth on the plate. The growth on the plate was a pink color, signifying lactose fermentation from the bacteria. The environmental bacteria developed pink colonies on the EMB agar plates, further supporting the Gram negative identity and a low production of lactose fermen tation of the environmental bacteria gathered from the garbage disposal and laboratory sink. Gel electrophoresis was used in determining the existence and length of environmental plasmid DNA. The Miniprep isolated the plasmid DNA from the bacteria, but upon running the gel, it was discovered that no environmental plasmid DNA was present. The absence of bands