Meeting the Needs of Students

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are a leading cause of death and disability among children and adolescents, with an annual incidence estimated at 180 cases per 100,000 children between the ages of 1 and 15 in the United States (Yeates,2005). Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are defined in the special education law in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 1990) as being an â€Å"injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment† that affects a child's educational performance (Cave,2004). Knowing that, students learning needs are different from students with other exceptionalities (Spear,2005). General and special education teachers need to use a variety of specific strategies based on learning styles and certain resources, with students who have experienced a TBI, to promote learning in all subject areas. A TBI alters a child’s mind and changes the way he or she thinks. Teachers must be aware of this and know how to adapt in order to accommodate their needs in the classroom. TBI’s change cognition and behavior in students and no two students with traumatic brain injury will display the same characteristics (Spear,2005). Students who have sustained a head injury may experience problems in physical, cognitive, and psychosocial areas. Physical effects With regard to physical deficits, individuals with TBI may have an array of problems ranging from sensory deficits to difficulty with mobility. Headaches and fatigue are common, especially during the early stages of recovery (Bullock,2005). Their muscles may be â€Å"weak, hypotonic, or spastic,† which could interfere with learning activities such as writing and keyboarding. They may also experience seizures. In general, schools are more proficient at making physical accommodations for students. Cognitive Effects Cognitive difficulties are common following a brain injury and some may seem quite baffling to educators unfamiliar with TBI (New York State Education Dept. ,1997). For example, children with TBI may have short-term memory problems, yet, may be able to easily recall information learned prior to their injury. This has significant implications for assessment purposes. Furthermore, it is possible for a student to perform well on â€Å"some widely used standard assessments† using his or her prior knowledge. Such a â€Å"false indication† of the student's current level of functioning may prevent the individual from receiving the proper services. To avoid this drawback, several different methods of assessment should be used when attempting to determine the needs of a student recovering from TBI. Memory is only one aspect of cognition that is affected by TBI. It also commonly affects a student’s ability to attend to â€Å"instruction, mental processing speed, and thought formulation and reasoning†. These are only a few of the hardships faced by students who are affected by TBI and educators must be aware of these problems. Psychosocial Effects Difficulties that result from changes in the student's social, emotional, and behavioral functioning are known as psychosocial effects (Bullock,2005). The changes in the brain resulting from the injury, along with stress and anxiety brought on by rehabilitation and recovery, may cause children with TBI to exhibit unusual emotional states, such as dramatic mood swings. This emotional state can bring negative reactions from peers and teachers and makes it difficult to maintain positive relationships. When children with TBI return to school, their educational and emotional needs are often very different than before the injury. Remembering how they were prior to the brain injury may make injured students feel â€Å"embarrassed, ashamed, or frustrated† about their change in performance in the classroom (Bullock,2005). Of the various types of difficulties resulting from brain injury, the psychosocial effects have proven to be the most challenging for school personnel and parents to manage. Resources and Services Available The effects of a brain injury include a wide range of services and accommodations that may be needed. Highly individualized planning is also required (Zabel, 2005). Many students with mild to moderate TBI’s usually return to regular general education classes with some adaptations and modifications. Students with TBI who attend mainstream classes may also receive accommodations or related services under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504. Section 504 covers â€Å"all students who have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limit one or more major life activities, including learning† (Zabel, 2005). Students with more significant impairments should be referred to special education evaluation to determine if specialized services are necessary to address any cognitive, communication, physical, or social limitations. What Educational Interventions Are Successful? Students who have a difficult time concentrating or completing tasks need strategies. Teachers should present information to these students based on their strengths. These students have to choose a way to strengthen their learning skills by practicing modalities such as learning visually, kinesthetically, or auditorily. It is important that teachers include prioritizing, structuring, and slowing down while instructing a lesson. This can simply mean talking slower, giving less information at a time, and answering questions more thoroughly(Cave,2004). ClassroomAccommodations Altering the classroom environment is essential when trying to meet the needs of a student with a TBI (Bowen, 2005). As an educator, you may want to provide external devices and cues, which the student can use to compensate for organization, memory, and motor deficits. Assistive devices can include technical equipment and materials such as â€Å"tape recorders, calculators, electronic spellers, computers or word processors, augmentative communication devices, timers,or equipment for mobility (e. g. , wheelchair or electric scooter)†. Other external cues used to remind students include â€Å"labels, maps, checklists, pictures or icons, photograph cues, post-it-notes, calendars, planners, and journals† (Bowen, 2005). Modifications to existing materials can assist students with TBI to learn and function in the classroom setting. Typical adjustments that allow students to participate at their grade level include providing â€Å"large print books, books on tape, and graphic organizers†. A similar approach involves â€Å"altering the expectations for student participation. † For example, teachers may choose to allow more time on tests, reduce the amount of written work required, provide exams in multiple choice format, or give pass/fail grades rather than letter grades. Researchers have found that modifying the educational environment and increasing the amount of structure and predictability in the child's school day facilitates learning† (Keyser-Marcus, 2002). We must consider each child's individual difficulties and circumstances when determining appropriate modifications. Therefore, we must assess the influence of the environment on the student's ability to focus and learn; and we need to explore a variety of modifications before we modify the educational surroundings. Due to the fact that many students with TBI experience difficulty with fatigue, a modified school day may be necessary for better performance. Scheduled breaks or a shortened school day may limit fatigue. Another strategy would be to schedule difficult subjects early because the student’s alertness level is higher. In addition to modifications to the school day, researchers have found â€Å"that altering the student's workload, extending deadlines, and breaking tasks into smaller components have all improved academic performance†. TBI Organizations The Brain Injury Association helps promote â€Å"awareness, understanding, and prevention of brain injury through education, advocacy, and community support services† (Monfore, 2005). Its web site has links to support groups and has a wealth of information on various aspects of brain injury. The Brain Injury Society is a non profit organization that works with clients, families, and caregivers to identify strategies and techniques to â€Å"maximize newfound potential for a stronger recovery† from brain injury. This organization sponsors events, as well as provides general information on TBI, a newsletter, links to other relevant sites, and important contact information â€Å"for government officials in a position to affect legislation†. Summary Children and youth with traumatic brain injury can pose a significant challenge to educators in educational planning, teaching methods, and monitoring of students' performance. For students who have experienced TBI, educators should be aware of the medical, neurological, and psychological issues which shape each individuals TBI case (Stevens, 1994). The educator must understand the relevance of these issues to plan effective educational programs. Regardless of the types of accommodations and strategies we use with these students, the most effective programs depend on our willingness to learn about the specific consequences of the injuries and our attempts to customize the instruction and curriculum to meet the needs of those students. Educators have a vital role in providing the widest range of opportunities available to these students.

Environmental Science Essay

If you were the energy czar of your state, where would you invest your budget? What changes, if any, would you make to the existing program? I would invest on the renewable energy resources in the budget. This is because with the current expenditure on energy, renewable energy sources would reduce the monetary allotment on the energy budget. The changes I would make include, purchasing solar panels, wind turbines and also the geothermal energy equipments and have them installed in major government industries and buildings that have got very high energy consumption power. The installation would be very easy especially on the solar panels because they are fitted on the already existing buildings hence does not affect land use in any way. Other changes would include funding the projects that have to with installation of renewable energy sources and also encouraging citizens to switch to the renewable energy sources for their daily energy needs in seminars and through the media. Qn 3. What are some of the global environmental problems caused by the extensive use of fossil fuels worldwide? Pollution is a major environmental problem caused by use of fossil fuels. All fossil fuels are used by burning them. Burning produces waste products due to impurities in the fuel which are usually particulates and gases like sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and volatile organic compounds. These waste products affect the environment and people in a harmful way. This burning also produces carbon dioxide and water vapor as by-products. This is because carbon is a part of what makes fossil fuel useful. Studies have shown that these carbon dioxide emissions contribute to harmful heat retention by the air that is global warming and climate change. Qn 4. What are two of the advantages and disadvantages of each of the perpetual or renewable energy resources described in the text books? Which seem to be most desirable from an environmental standpoint? Why? Renewable energy sources consist of solar, hydro, wind, geothermal and biomass. They all have advantages which include the fact that each and every one of them is renewable. This is an advantage in the sense that they can not be depleted due to the reason that they are naturally and continuously replenished. The renewable energy sources also are clean energy that do not pollute the air hence do not contribute to global warming or greenhouse effects. A common disadvantage of the renewable energy sources is that the cost of initiating them is very high. For one to install the solar panels and wind turbines, a large amount of capital is required for purchase and installation. These energy sources have difficulties of producing the large quantities of as compared to their fossil fuels counterparts. From the environmental standpoint, solar energy source seems to stand out. This is because it uses the sun’s energy. The system can be fitted into existing buildings and it does not affect land use hence it has no negative implications on the environment. II. Qn 1. What is indoor air pollution and why has it become such a problem in recent years? Provide examples of at least three indoor air pollutants responsible for this problem. What might be done to improve the situation? Is this a problem in developing countries? Why or why not? Indoor air pollution is the contamination of air indoors. The person is exposed to air borne substances originating not from outdoors but indoors. This has become a problem over the years because studies show that people in industrialized nations spend more than 90% of their time indoors (Gammage & Kaye 10). This includes homes, school and workplace. The lung is the most site of injury by airborne pollutants. Among the acute effects that result include non-respiratory symptoms which mostly depend on the toxicological characteristics of the substance and host related factors. This then makes it a very big problem. The examples of indoors pollutants include; Environmental tobacco smoke, Combustion products such as stoves, fire places, space heaters and furnaces. There are also volatile organic compounds like cleaning agents, solvents and even pesticides. This situation can be improved by eliminating all smoking from the individual’s environment. This can be done through smoking prohibition or through restricting smoking to properly designed smoking rooms that are separately ventilated from outside. Periodic professional inspection and maintenance of installed equipments like furnaces are also recommended. Such equipments should be ventilated directly from outside. It is also advisable to increase ventilation when using products that emit volatile organic compound pollutants and meet the label precautions. One should also not store opened containers of unused paints and similar items within homes or offices. Indoor air pollution also affects developing nations. This is because the pollutants involved in indoor air pollution are also commonly found in developing nations in more or less the same environment putting the same risk to people of these developing nations. Qn 2. Summarize the problems with worldwide freshwater supplies. The major problem is water stress. This is a situation whereby, there is not enough water for all use. Inefficiency of fresh water affects its supply considerably. Population growth is also another problem. In most developing countries, the population growth is escalating and thus fresh water demands increase. This is a problem because there is no much increase in water conservation and recycling as compared to the population increase. Increased affluence, expansion of business activities and rapid urbanization also pose a challenge to fresh water supplies. Climate change has a significant effect on water resources. Fresh water supplies experience it a problem because, rising temperatures will increase evaporation and lead to increased precipitation which leads to floods (Almasi & Pescod 126). Higher temperatures also affect the water quality. Last but not least, water pollution. Many pollutants threaten supplies world wide and more especially in the underdeveloped countries. This is caused by discharge of raw sewage into natural waters, a very common practice in underdeveloped countries and even in the quasi-developed countries like China, India and Iran. Qn 3. What is eutrophication and why is it a problem? Provide examples of eutrophication in both the United States and European countries. What are some of the ways in which this problem can be mitigated? Eutrophication is a process whereby water bodies such as lakes receive excess nutrients that stimulate excessive plant growth (Khrisanov & Osipov 69). This excessive plant growth in turn reduces dissolved oxygen in the water so that when dead plant materials decompose, they can cause other organisms to die. The aquatic plants stimulated to grow include, algae, periphyton attached algae and nuisance plants weed. In the U. S eutrophication is mostly human induced. Nitrogen and Phosphorus concentrations for the U. S are estimated to exceed reference median values (Khrisanov & Osipov 103). According to information in the literature, a conservative estimate of the increase in nitrogen loads from land and atmosphere to the Baltic and North Sea regions is a doubling from the 1950s to the 1980s, and a fourfold increase in the phosphorus load from the 1940s to the 1970s. This is in the European countries. Eutrophication is in most cases caused by point inputs of phosphorus like in the case of sewage discharges mostly found in developing countries, or nonpoint inputs like runoff from agriculture, principally in developed nations. Mitigation differs depending on whether most of the phosphorus comes from point or nonpoint inputs. Therefore, decreasing soil phosphorus is a very important step towards the mitigation of eutrophication. Once soil phosphorus is decreasing, steps to decrease transport of phosphorus in surface waters and manipulations to decrease phosphorus recycling within lakes is recommended. III. Qn 1. How has population growth in less developed countries overwhelmed economic growth? What effect has this had on the environment? Population growth in less developed countries has an overwhelmingly negative effect on the economic growth. This is because, with land being fixed and not growing, increased population eventually leads to diminishing outputs. Thus shortage of food and hunger that makes the working population not put much into economy development due to famine hence the economy dwindles. Growing population also leads to capital and resource thinning. The low capital causes reduced per capita output resulting to lower economic growth rates. Population growth in less developed nations also leads to investments diversions from things like infrastructure development to provision of basic needs that are scarce due to the increase (Ehrlich, P. & Ehrlick, A 37). This results to lowering of the economic growth rate considerably. Population growth has a great effect on the environment in the sense that, the environment’s carrying capacity has been exceeded by population increase thus strain on natural resources leading to their depletion The more the people are, the more the houses there are to warm, so more trees are cut. The forests and atmosphere are most at threat from population increase. Hence, degradation of all facades of the environment can be blamed on population increase. Qn 2. What are cultural resources? Provide examples of cultural resources in the United States and in two of the less developed countries discussed in the text. Why is it important to make an attempt to preserve these resources? Cultural resources are archaeological and historical resources eligible for or listed on the National Register of Historic Places. They include buildings, sites, districts, structures or objects having historical, architectural, archaeological, cultural or scientific value. In Kenya which is a developing country there are quite a number of cultural resources that a big tourist attraction. In the U. S there is COSO Rock Art National Historical Landmark District, China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station, California and The Pentagon building as examples of cultural resources (Adams & Goldbard 37). There is the Kenya National Museum and also The Nairobi National Park. It is very important to preserve because they are a source of a country’s heritage. They also help in the economic growth of many developing nations through tourism hence should be preserved. Qn 3. What are the major environmental problems facing the National Park System? What is being done to minimize these problems? Which National Park has been most affected? National Park System faces various environmental problems which include insufficient funding for park operations. The increase of its visitors has increased the amount of wear and tear on the park. With limited funding, repairs and maintenance often take a back seat. According to Abramovitz, overuse is another problem in that the amount of visitors is increasing hence overusing the limited park facilities (17). Mining claims on national parks is another problem. If any of the claims were developed, it could directly impact on the health of the ecosystem within the park. Atmospheric pollution is yet another issue. Acid rains harm delicate organisms like amphibians. Laguna de Tacarigua National Park IN Venezuela has been most affected. This is due to the many problems that combine to threaten its biodiversity. High rates of sedimentation, solid waste contamination, water contamination and forest fires are just but some of the problems it encounters. Works Cited Abramovitz, J. Imperilled waters, impoverished future: The decline of freshwater ecosystems. Washington, D. C. , Worldwatch Institute, Mar. 1996. p. 5-66. Adams, Don, & Goldbard, Arlene. Creative community: The art of cultural development. New York. (2001).Almasi, A. and M. B. Pescod. Waste water treatment mechanism in anoxic stabilisation ponds. Water Sci. Tech. 33(7):125-132. (1996a). Ehrlich, P. & Ehrlick, A. The Population Explosion. New York: Simon and Schuster. (1990). Gammage, R. B. , Kaye, S. V. Indoor Air and Human Health. Lewis Publishers, Inc. Chelsea, MI. Khrisanov, N. I. and Osipov, G. K. Eutrophication control of water bodies. Gidrometeoizdat. Sankt-Petersburg, Russia, 278 p. (in Russian) (1993). Wadden, R. A. , Scheff, P. A. Indoor Air Pollution – Characterization, Prediction, and Control. 1983. John Wiley and Sons, Inc. New York, NY.

How Many Miles to Babylon Essay

Describe Alecs journey and discuss the valuable insight or lessons that you gained through the study of the theme of the journey? The novel how many miles to Babylon by Jennifer Johnson highlights Alec Moore’s tragic journey. We see his journey true childhood to adulthood. Interestingly, the novel begins at the end of Alec’s journey as he waits execution â€Å"because I am no officer & a gentlemen they have given me my notebook, ink, pen, paper† and comes full circle. Immediately we wonder how Alec someone so high up in the war is being executed, then as we read on we begin to realise how his journey through life has left him isolated and cold, returning to his prison cell at the close of the novel. Despite Alec’s privileged background or rather because of it, I now realise that the heart breaking ending was inevitable. Having studied the protagonists journey I have gained many insights into how isolated children can be despite having a privileged background, isolation and control his mother had over him was a major obstacle, with the support of friendship obstacles can seem meaningless, psychology and Alec’s coping strategies, the impact the journey had on the protagonist and how people dealt with the trauma of war differently. Alec led a very controlled and confined life due to his mothers control and rein over him. Throughout the novel we see how Alec’s mother has very little love for him which makes Alec the way he is, Alec has a dysfunctional family and a cruel cold hearted mother who shows no sense of motherly love towards him. He grew up as a lonely young boy â€Å"As a child I was alone†¦ I was isolated from surrounding children of my own age†. Alec once said â€Å"if I were to be born again I would choose to be a rook. They lead such joyful, public lives† unlike him, from this we can note that Alec is very unhappy in his life. Despite Alecs privileged life with no shortage of material goods he was deprived love and compassion from his mother. His parents were only together for appearances and status. We know this from when Alec says â€Å"My father’s face would show little emotion†. The insight I gained from send him to this was that â€Å"money really cannot buy you happiness†. During the novel we see how isolation plays a major obstacle in Alec’s journey. Alec wasn’t allowed go to school â€Å"he is delicate, Frederick my dear† From this quote it is clear how controlled Alec is by Alicia and the power she has over her so, she isolates him. As we know his mother controlled his life and had a big influence on his journey. Alec was cut off socially in many aspects. Alicia was not happy about him making friends this is clear when she sends Europe to stop his friendship with Frederick. In her eyes it is an â€Å"unsuitable relationship†. Alec’s mother Alicia had a powerful upper hand over her son. Whatever she wanted was done. Her orders were obeyed. It wasn’t until the end of the novel that we see Alec trying to get back at his mother which costs him his own life. Alec went to war because his mother wanted him to â€Å"I want you to go for all the right reasons as well as a few of the wrong ones†. From this we can note that Alicia has the last say in everything and is the decision maker. She forced Alec to go to war just so she could boast to her women friends over lunch about having a son in the war. But that didn’t work out as well as planned as Alec deliberately orchestrated his own execution. Therefore Alicia couldn’t gloat about her son being off at war and most certainly couldn’t tell them how he died as this was something to be ashamed of in her eyes. The power of friendship between Jerry and Alec helped the protagonist through his journey. The insight I gained from this was friendship is vital, it can help you through some of the hardest things in life and we see this at first hand in the novel â€Å"How Many Miles†. Alec for the first time experienced love; he had never experienced this emotion before up to this point he was a very emotionless character. Alec and Jerry were so in sync and understood each other so well â€Å"the beating of our hearts was like the cracking wings of a swan†. Jerry and Alec were like â€Å"tweedledum and tweedledee†. They both were extremely close and very innocent â€Å"ever had a sup before?’ I considered my chances of getting away with a lie and then shook my head†, â€Å"I’d of thought you’d have been with a girl†. From this we can take that both of these characters were very innocent and open with each other, they have great trust in one another and can confide in each other. Their friendship was the only thing Alec had; they never let each other down and always supported one another. From my reading of the novel I learnt that Alec and Jerry always had each other’s backs â€Å"of course I’ll speak for you but my voice is not very loud†. From this quote it certifies that my above statement is true. With the support of Jerry on Alec’s journey, his obstacles of isolation, Alicia, Glendenning, no father figure and his Anglo/Irish class all seem meaningless and in ways we can see Alec’s life improve after he befriends Jerry. I gained a very valuable insight that friendship is vital in every walk of life and it really can make problems seem meaningless when you feel you have someone else on your side willing to take the fall with you. I learnt a very valuable lesson on psychology trough out this novel. From the very beginning right up until the end we see how twisted and devious Alicia is. She is willing to put her only child’s life at risk by forcing him off to war, his opinion does not matter. The way Alicia’s mind functions is very interesting. I personally was engrossed with Alicia’s character. I had never even considered the fact that one’s mother could have such a negative influence on her own child’s life especially in these circumstances where Alec’s mother present and the wealthy background they had. Alicia also intentionally sets out to upset her child when she drops the bomb shell â€Å"Perhaps he were not your father†. This really helps me understand how crafty and devious Alec’s mother is. I had never even anticipated how cruel a mother could be to her own flesh and blood. She was so blunt and carefree. I also found it tantalizing on how Alec evoked his mother. He obeyed her wish about going to war but purposely left early so Alicia could not celebrate his departure with the neighbours like she had planned. Also how Alec did not write to his mother at the start, he rejected his mother. Alec also made sure that Alicia did not get her way at the very end when he orchestrated his own execution. He felt he had no more reason to live, nothing worth to live for â€Å"I love no living person†. This really emphasises how Alec did not have any love for his mother. I learnt a valuable lesson on psychology and an insight into how Alec and Alicia feel about each other. How their relationship is not a usual mother/son type. Alec dealt with issues in his life a very different way than most, he would try his utmost best to ignore the problem and forget it even happened. Alec was like a child in the way he dealt with his problems; he didn’t stand up and face the face problem head on like most men. The title â€Å"How Many Miles to Babylon† is a perfect example of this; it is a nursery rhyme which hints to us that Alec is not very mature with his coping strategies. He also uses escapism as a way to block out the real issue, a perfect example of this is his plan to open up a riding school with Jerry. Which he knows deep down is not going to happen but forces himself to believe so. He focuses on the physical pain of war not the reality of it. Alec’s journey had a major impact on him. Throughout the novel we can see Alec’s character grow and mature. We see Alec connect with emotions we didn’t think he had for example he felt love for the first time, we know this from when Alec says after Jerry has died â€Å" I love no living thing†. From this we can note that Alec had deep feelings for Alec as a friend, he loved him like a brother. Alec journey makes him more of life, he led a very secured and protected up bringing he did not know the evil of this world they lived in. In ways going to war helped him understand and get a better grasp of life. Alec’s journey also allows him to open up more. We see this mainly with Jerry they express feelings and thoughts to each other. As i mentioned above we saw him love and care for another human being but we also saw him express anger â€Å" I picked up the poker and beat at the fire†. All in all this journey had a major affect on Alec in numerous aspects, but i got an insight into how it allowed him to connect with his feelings and allowed him to open up more. In conclusion, after studying this novel I gained an insight into many different aspects of Alec’s life which I would never have considered before, I learnt how Jerry assisted Alec on his journey and that with a friendship like that you get the feeling like you are in control and nothing can stop you. I also learnt a lot about how Alec and Alicia feel about each other after reading more into the novel.

IT in an Apple organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

IT in an Apple organization - Essay Example In order to make sure that the IS strategy of the organization is effective and efficient it can assessed on the basis of the IS strategy triangle. The wide and spread organization structure of Apple Inc with its global expansion and containing different inventions in the, electronics industry all these approaches required a strong information system which enables the availability of the right information to the right personnel at the most beneficial time, to make sure that the decisions that are taken in the business by them are appropriate and defended with authentic information or not. Apple is leading in the market with a business strategy of continuous innovation in its all products. The continuous innovations in the features of the products with providing the user a simple and streamed line experience in using the product is the main focus of the Apple’s business strategy that differentiate Apple Inc from its competitors and it has the main competitive advantage for Appl e. The reflection of the business strategy is appeared in all other strategies of the company. The IS strategy of Apple Inc is the continuous adaptation of new technology to manage its huge network of information system. The innovations in the product are a leading capability for Apple throughout its successful journey. The main focus of the managers or leaders of the Apple Inc is on the continuous innovation by adapting the latest technology and implement the latest strategic techniques to achieve the targets. The organization culture of Apple allows the employees to think in free space environment to develop the creativity in their work because they have the business vision of bringing continuous innovations in the products. The same business strategy of innovation is applied to the internal communication process of the organization by Apple Inc and it gives an excellent collaboration among all the departments of the organization. The company continuously focused on virtualization . Apple believes that virtualization is the main factor of getting the competitive advantage on the huge rivals in the global market. Apple’s intranet or internal information system provides the needed platform to the employee that enables all the employees to access the required information from the comfort of their desktop. The company has developed a strong extranet network as well to link with all its suppliers and distributers. The virtual network with the suppliers and distributors led the company to reduce its supply chain cost through a strong virtual network. This has boost up its value chain in the information domain. The information from the retail outlets is communicated to the client service department which already has access to other information about the suppliers and the production information. Hence, there exists a huge amount of information to allow the business to offer services at the click of the mouse. In this way Apple has been able to integrate the IS strategy with the business and organizational strategies and support the overall goals and objectives of the organization. GOVERNANCE ASSESSMENT: The corporate governance at Apple has gained certain relaxation as Tim Cook took charge and so does in the

Cereal Stuff Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cereal Stuff - Coursework Example Expectation: Whenever a company looks to hire a new person among a number of applicants, it is very important to ask a candidate if they really know the values and vision of the company in which they seek to be employed. A serious candidate for the job would definitely carry out a prior research about their potential employer and understood it in terms of vision and mission statements. Therefore, for this question, you expect a candidate to try stating what the values, mission and vision of the company are; they don’t have to state them word for word. Expectation: Cereal stuff is a company with global growth ambitions, which is why they look to venture into the Canadian and Mexican markets. As such, it is vital for a leader to understand competition in global business (Hitt & He, 2008). It is only with that understanding that it would be possible to know what to do and what not to do while attempting to venture into new markets. in responding to question on completion, it is important for a candidate to express an understanding of dynamics of global business and why it is important to know who the competitors are and a bit of how they go about the business. 3. Our company values strategic leadership capabilities? In your position as the head of the new department, and as one of the vice presidents, what are some of your strategic strengths that could help to spur organizational growth? Expectation: An ideal today’s leader must have some strategic qualities, which means knowing the prevailing conditions for business, and coming up with strategies that would work best in those conditions in growing the business. A candidate for the vice presidential position should demonstrate that they can make strategic decisions that befit different business conditions to ensure faster growth of the business. Expectation: The six leadership zones include business, reflection,

Strategic Human Resources Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Strategic Human Resources - Essay Example The report will analyse the impact of strategically planned recruitment and selection processes on department’s performance and its contribution towards achieving organisational goals. This report elaborates the steps involved in recruitment and selection at NHS and its associations and highlights implications of these procedures on the organisation. It also identifies various functions involved in successful R&S process. administration unit responsible for provision of healthcare for all UK citizens and is funded by taxes. It works in collaboration with thousands of different trusts that are majorly categorized as the primary care trusts, acute trusts, hospital and foundation trusts, ambulance and care trusts, mental health trusts etc (Brooks, 2008). In order to ensure high-quality service and healthcare to its people, the NHS strives hard to appoint the best talent in the industry. The NHS employs a variety of workforce including nurses, general physicians, consultants, technical and scientific staff, administrative staff for finance and accounting activities, staff dealing with logistics and transportation, etc. Owing to its wide variety of workforce, talent acquisition is a core function at NHS, which is guided by a variety of complex and advanced systems have been put in place. Moreover, research indicates that the workforce at NHS is rapidly graying and shrinking, which necessitates integration of workforce planning at strategic level in order to ensure smooth running of the operations from thousands of locations within the country (Hurst, 2005). Hurst (2005) asserts that the huge demand for health to be catered to by the NHS services is being met by stringent staffing and personnel numbers at most of the primary care trusts. However, equally important are the right mix of workforce size and type achieved through appropriate recruitment and selection,

Farming Methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Farming Methods - Essay Example Industrial agriculture is a form of agriculture, wherein the industrialized mode of working has created a great impact in the way this agriculture functions. It consists of the industrial production of poultry, crops and livestock, that enable the packaging of these products right onto the shelves of supermarkets! It involves a great deal of mechanisation and a more economic and consumer-oriented approach. This mode of agriculture also involves the implementation of genetic technology and other scientific methods to obtain the exact kind and quality of the agricultural output involved. This industry is inclusive of meat packaging, fisheries and poultry, besides cereal crops and other food grains. The living creatures that come as a part of this processing are literally abused and malpractice is imposed upon them, which raises numerous ethical concerns. The advantages of this type of agriculture is that, it provides cheap and huge quantity of output, especially with the desired quality and characteristics. We can lay our hands on dairy products, meat and other crops, in super markets and simply consume them without any further thought. However, it is a deterrent to the employment of a big labour force and also raises numerous questions, as far as its ethical aspect is concerned. Firstly, it raises the questions of animal ethics. Industrial agriculture undermines the natural freedom of animals and works against the innate way of how the animals' lifestyle functions. In fact, these animals are fed with artificial fodder and other antibiotics to produce the desired output. This is a great injustice to these creatures that cannot express their discomfort! In addition to this, the antibiotics and other artificial products used as animal fodder can indirectly cause a great deal of harm to humans who consume the end agricultural product. Therefore, it causes harm both ways! Next, it also contributes to the destruction of the environment and the ecological system, since industrial farms use immense amounts of fertilizers and other chemicals to enhance the quality of the agricultural output. They tend to cause an imbalance in the soil properties and the industrial effluents that emerge as waste products cause lot of harm to life forms in and around the region. These are some of the concerns that arise from the implementation of industrial agriculture. This form of agriculture is highly polluting and consists of derogatory practises of animal abuse. In addition to this, the end products, in the long run affect the human system adversely, due to the high amounts of toxins that get accumulated as a result of consumption. Some food for thought: Industrial agri

St. Peter's Basillica (Designed by Bramante) Term Paper

St. Peter's Basillica (Designed by Bramante) - Term Paper Example In the early years of the fourth century, the emperor Constantine planned to build a basilica and dedicate it to Saint Peter. The building was to be located on the Vatican Hill that lies on the south part of the river. The project was a difficult one as the location was on the sloping part of the hill. The floor was projecting outside, being away from the hill. After the basilica was built, it was wonderfully adorned with marble and bronze outside and mosaics and gold inside. As the Basilica was located at an odd site, people started feeling that beneath the basilica lie the buried body of St. Peter. People felt that Emperor Constantine decided to build the basilica on that location because St Peter’s body was buried there. In the sixteenth century, Emperor Constantine’s basilica began to fall off. The basilica was therefore demolished in the year 1425. Only the floor of the basilica was preserved. Popes, kings and artists very soon designed a new plan of the basilica t o be dedicated for St. Peter. Nicholas V, in 1450, took the initiative for the gigantic task. Very soon he came up with a plan that was ten times larger than the imagination of anybody else. The new proposed Basilica would have a large dome kept above the central Greek Cross. The dome would be a great architectural achievement of the celebrated Renaissance arts. Several years after the construction Nicholas V recognized that in order to make it the best, best architects should be hired for the work. He welcomed artists to share their ideas. St. Peter’s Basilica is the perfect example of architectural beauty. Nicholas V entrusted the architectural work to Bernardo Rossellino. His plans were to add to the existing church. The idea was cancelled later. In the late years of the fifteenth century, Pope Sixtus IV began the construction of Sistine Chapel, near to the site. St Peter’s Basilica was fully rebuilt in the sixteenth Century. The building work was started in 1506, a dding to the existing building. This work was under Pope Julius II. The work got completed almost hundred years later in the year 1615. Pope Paul V was the pope in that period. The highly complex construction activity of the church was named as Fabbrica di San Pietro’. Innumerable renaissance architects were involved in the great assignment of church construction. The first chief architect of St. Peter’s Basilica construction was Donato  Bramante. Michelangelo remained as the main architect of the building for a certain period. His is credited with the role of the designer of the dome. Bernini designed the famous St. Peter’s Square. St. Peter’s Basilica  or ‘Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano (the Italian name of the Basilica) is the holiest and most admired Christian sites. It is the largest church building, with a length of 220 meters and breadth 150 meters. The church can hold more than sixty thousand people. The marvelous architecture of the basilica got its legacy from the Renaissance and Baroque style of architecture. It was deemed as one of the biggest buildings of its period. The basilica is believed to be situation in the site where Apostle Peter was crucified and buried. Basilica is therefore considered to be over the tomb. The tomb is believed to be under the main altar. The shrine of Apostle Peter in the basilica is one of the chief focuses of the buildings. The tombs of other popes that are buried in the church are also visible. The elliptical St. Peter's

Management of Hazardous Materials in a Dental Office Assignment

Management of Hazardous Materials in a Dental Office - Assignment Example Employers should provide for their employees in a dental office the necessary equipment to protect them from bloodborne pathogens. Such devices include syringes whose needle is shielded with a sheath after use and needles that can be drawn back into a syringe immediately after use to avoid pricking or exposure of extracted blood. Taps with constant running water should also be availed for use in cleaning eyes in case of exposure. Gloves are also a necessity as it is hazardous to handle blood with bare hands. An employee should also get a means to flush any secretions, saliva or mucous membranes in the case of exposure. Safe disposal of sharp objects is vital in preventing exposure to bloodborne pathogens among dental care workers. This safe disposal involves the use of sharp containers which are puncture-resistant. Such should be labeled correctly and placed out of reach of children and other patients. They should also be waterproof to prevent the flow of infected blood from them. The sharp containers should have an opening wide enough to allow easy placement of disposable sharp objects and should never be over-filled. Once full, it should be safely sealed and disposed of. MSDS is a document outline the safety and emergency procedure for workers in terms of handling a substance, its physical data, and storage requirements, how to dispose of it and how to act in case it spills. Such information safeguards workers against poor handling of hazardous substances and identifies the dangers of contact and contamination. MSDS can vary by country and supplier. A color code, combined with a 0 to 4 number rating, was developed to assist in compliance with OSHA communication standards in terms of identifying hazards.  

The effects roe vs wade had on society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The effects roe vs wade had on society - Essay Example This essay examines the effects of the legalization of abortion on the United States political spectrum and on the effect it has had on the rights of women, and also attempts to quantify a shift in moral standards that critics and religious leaders claim are a direct result of the Supreme Court’s decision. One of the main effects of the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court ruling has been the significant reverberations felt by the political spectrum. In the wake of the decision the Republicans and Democrats political parties experienced a decisive split in perspectives that further divided the two major groups (Aster 8). With the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980, the Republican Party defined itself as pro-life (Aster 5). During 2004, the Republican platform outlined their position stating, â€Å"†¦we say the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed (Doan 90).† The same year the Democratic Party issued a pro-choice proclamation, â€Å"Because we believe in the privacy and equality of women, we stand proudly for a woman’s right to choose, consistent with Roe v. Wade (Doan 91).† Whereas previously party affiliations had been contingent on the member’s education or income level, the world after Roe vs. Wade increasingly expe rienced divisions based further on religious distinctions (Aster 194). As the two parties become increasingly divided in their political perspectives, a number of analysts and cultural critics noted a decrease in productive dialogue between the competing parties. For example, since the decision the appointment of Supreme Court Justices has focused predominantly on their stance on the abortion issue (Aster 198). Another important impact Roe vs. Wade had on society was changing the status of women. Feminists argue that the legalization of abortion has given women greater control over their lives and futures and had

Motivating Employees and Team Building Research Paper

Motivating Employees and Team Building - Research Paper Example Headquartered in Iceland the Group operates in 28 countries with more than 7,000 employees. Actavis is one of the leading European providers of generic pharmaceuticals, with turnover and EBITDA in 2004 of EUR 452 million and EUR 115 million, respectively. It develops manufactures and distributes generics under its own brand name and acts as an outsourcing partner for other major pharmaceutical companies. The Bulgarian chapter of Actavis's history started in 1999 with the privatization of three state-owned pharmaceutical factories located in the cities of Dupnitca, Razgrad, and Troyan. In the five-year period to 2004, all of them have been completely renovated in order to comply with the European GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) Standards. Currently, Actavis operates in the country split into two divisions - Operations and Sales & Marketing. Actavis Operations is a holding company responsible for the management of the three factories providing first-class generic products, mainly for the Bulgarian, Russian, Ukrainian and CIS markets. The Sales & Marketing division is represented in the country by Actavis Bulgaria EAD, a company registered under the Bulgarian law. It employs about 200 people and operates three warehouses in the country. Actavis Bulgaria EAD is mainly focused on marketing the Group's products as first-class generics on the Bulgarian market, which is the third biggest market for the company's own brand revenues worldwide.Motivation means different things to different individuals. For some, it may be an incentive and for others, a psychological backing or setting a good example. Motivation is something abstract and the difficulties arise when one tries to explain its meaning and application. A wide variety of assumptions have been made on motivation by observing the resultant behavior of motivation. Based on these assumptions and research findings, motivation has been defined in a number of ways. Vroom defines motivation as a process, which governs choices made by persons or lower organisms among al ternative forms of voluntary activity. (Vroom, 1964) Motivations are the act of inducing an individual to follow a desired course of action. The desired course of action may be for the good of the individual or for the one who is inducing the individual towards the desired course of action or both. Zedeck and blood contend that motivation is a predisposition to act in a specific goal-directed way. (Sedeck & Blood, 1974) According to Atchison: Motivation is the immediate influence on the direction, vigor, and persistence of behavior. (Atchison, 1964) Gellerman defines motivation as steering one's actions towards certain goals and committing a certain part of one's energies to reach them. (Gellerman, 1963)

Cooper Industries -Case Study Essay Example for Free

Cooper Industries -Case Study Essay Cooper Industries was organized in 1919 as a manufacturer of heavy machinery and equipment. By the mid-1950s it was a leading producer of engines and massive compressors used to force naturalgas through pipelines and oil out of wells. Management was concerned, however, over its heavy dependence on sales to the oil and gas industries and the violent fluctuation of earnings caused bythe cyclical nature of heavy machinery and equipment sales. Although the companys long-term salesand earnings growth had been above average, its cyclical nature had dampened Wall Streets interestin the stock substantially. (Coopers historical operating results and financial condition aresummarized in Exhibits 1 and 2.) Initial efforts to lessen the earnings volatility were not successful. Between 1959 and 1966, Cooperacquired (1) a supplier of portable industrial power tools, (2) a manufacturer of small industrial airand process compressors, (3) a maker of small pumps and compressors for oil field applications, and(1) a producer of tire-changing tools for the automotive market. The acquisitions broadened Coopersmarkets but left it still highly sensitive to general economic conditions. In 1966 Cooper began a full review of its acquisition strategy. After several months of study, threecriteria were established for all acquisitions. First, the industry should be one in which Cooper couldbecome a major factor. This requirement was in line with managements goal of leadership within afew distinct areas of business. Second, the industry should be fairly stable, with a broad market forthe products and a product line of small ticket items. This product definition was intended toeliminate any company that had undue profit dependence on a single customer or several large salesper year. Finally, it was decided to acquire only leading companies in their respective marketsegments. This new strategy was initially implemented with the acquisition in 1967 of the Lufkin RuleCompany, the worlds largest manufacturer of measuring rules and tapes. Cooper acquired a qualityproduct line, an established distribution system of 35,000 retail hardware stores throughout theUnited Slates, and plants in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It also gained the services  ofWilliam Rector, president of Lufkin, and Hal Stevens, vice president of sales. Both were extremely knowledgeable in the hand tool business and had worked together effectively for years. Their goalwas to build through acquisition a hand tool company with a full product line that would use acommon sales and distribution system and joint advertising. To do this they needed Coopersfinancial strength. Lufkin provided a solid base to which two other companies were added. In 1969 the CrescentNiagara Corporation was acquired. The company had been highly profitable in the early 1960s butsuffered in recent years under the mismanagement of some investor-entrepreneurs who gainedcontrol in 1963. A series of acquisitions of weak companies with poor product lines eroded Crescentsoverall profitability until, in 1967, a small loss was reported. Discouraged, the investors wanted to getout, and Cooper—eager to add Crescents well-known and high-quality wrenches, pliers, andscrewdrivers to its line—was interested. It was clear that some of Crescents lines would have to bedropped and inefficient plants would have to be closed, but the wrenches, pliers, and screwdriverswould play an important part of Coopers product policy. In 1970, Cooper further expanded into hand tools with the acquisition of the Weller ElectricCorporation. Weller was the worlds leading supplier of soldering tools to the industrial, electronic,and consumer markets. It provided Cooper with a new, high-quality product line and productioncapacity in England, West Germany, and Mexico. (Information on the three acquisitions is providedin Exhibit 3.) Cooper was less successful in its approach to a fourth company in the hand tool business, theNicholson File Company. Nicholson was on the original shopping list of acceptable acquisitioncandidates that Mr. Cizik and Mr. Rector had developed, but several attempts to interest Nicholson inexploring merger possibilities had failed. The Nicholson family had controlled and managed thecompany since its founding in 1864, and Paul Nicholson, chairman of the board, had no interest injoining forces with anyone.

Introduction To Service Industry Restaurants Marketing Essay

Introduction To Service Industry Restaurants Marketing Essay The food service industry continues to grow in volume and revenue every year and typically divides itself into two categories: full-service restaurants and fast-food restaurants. Each individual restaurant is in competition with other food service operations within the same geographical area. The fast food restaurant industry is highly competitive. McDonalds competes with other restaurants through the quality, variety and value perception of food products offered. McDonalds Corporations main competition comes from other fast-food restaurants; most notably, YUM! Brands Inc, Wendys International, Dominos and Burger King. Figure1: The total revenues of the major players in the fast food industry (www.ycharts.com) The figure represents the market share of McDonalds in the fast food industry. McDonalds Corporation (MCD) has company operated and franchise restaurants all over the world. They are the leading global food service retailer by means of over 30,000 restaurants in more than 117 countries, serving about 50 million people every day. Franchising plays a major role in McDonalds system with 26,216 were operated by franchisees (including 19,020 operated by conventional franchisees, 3,160 operated by developmental licensees and 4,036 operated by foreign affiliated markets (affiliates)-primarily in Japan) and 6,262 were operated by the company. Their total revenue in 2009 was $ 23 billion. McDonalds success in the fast food industry stems from their main success factors which are branded affordability, menu variety and beverage choice, convenience and daypart expansion, ongoing restaurant reinvestment and operations excellence. These success factors are used to promote McDonalds brand image, p rovide customers with quality products and differentiate themselves from other competitors like YUM Brands (YUM owns brands like KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and Long John Silver) After extensive research, analysis and valuation, it is found that McDonalds corporation is currently an undervalued company and rated as a Market Outperform and thus I recommend this stock as a Buy. Executive Summary The food service industry is one of high competition; however, McDonalds has been able to obtain the position as the leader in market capitalization with a market capital of $74.6B in 2009. While McDonalds has deployed high amounts of capital, the company manages its asset base with high inventory turnover while also maintaining cost efficiency. Industry Demand Drivers: The market of the food service industry attributes much of its growth to global sales and revenue. Despite tough environment, McDonalds delivered an exceptional year of growth, posted strong sales and increased market share around the world. In 2009, global comparable sales increased 3.8 percent, fueled by solid gains in the United States (+2.6 percent), Europe (+5.2 percent), Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa (+3.4 percent), Latin America (+5.3 percent) and Canada (+5.8 percent). Earnings per share for the year increased 9 percent to $4.11 (13 percent in constant currencies), while consolidated operating income increased 6 percent (10 percent in constant currencies). We also returned $5.1 billion to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends paid, bringing our three-year cash return total to $16.6 billion-notably at the high end of our stated target of $15 to $17 billion for the years 2007 through 2009. Globally, McDonalds caters and adapts to different cultures and societies, while still providing them with the same McDonalds experience. With a significant portion of McDonalds sales derived from international stores, foreign denominated sales should generate additional earnings leverage given the weakening of the US dollar against other currencies. McDonalds is well positioned: McDonalds is able to maintain a loyal customer base, and compete with the existing competitors by introducing variation to their menu, such as the Dollar Value Menu. Also, in order to adhere to a more concerned health concise society, McDonalds has implemented holistic approach which consists of High-Quality Choices for customers, Consumer-Friendly Nutrition Information and communicate responsibly. The Happy Meal, which has been a long standing childs favorite, now has options such as fruit instead of French Fries and all white meat chicken nuggets. As for one McDonalds company goals is to adhere to outstanding customer service, strengthens the maintenance of long standing customers, as well as develop new relationships with customers of a new generation. Franchising business model: Within Fast Food restaurants franchise models are common. Franchise models can grow faster using others capital. Franchises have to be pay rent and royalties based on a percent of sales along with minimum rent payments, and initial fees. On the other hand, company-owned models have greater control over pricing, operations and can close underperforming restaurants more quickly. In 2009 the total no of franchised restaurants was 26,216 compared to 25,465 in 2008 and the number of company operated restaurants decreased by 3.6%. The total revenue from franchises in 2009 was $7,286.2 Million an increase in 4% compared to 2008. McDonald Franchises Revenue from Franchises Key challenges and Adaptability Intensity of competition: Competitors of the industry also try to compete with similar products; therefore, leading to price wars. McDonalds created a Dollar Value Menu, in response to competitors such as Wendys 99 cent menu. Overall, the industry has tried various product differentiations in order to accumulate greater market share, but most consumers are drawn to the classics. McDonalds is doing more and more to compete with health focused restaurants like Subway. Nutritionist and other leading experts have been hired to join the McDonalds team in order to ensure that the correct items are added to the menu, while still keeping and improving the classics that they are famous for. For example, the chicken nuggets that we all grew up on are now 100% white meat. McDonalds is flexible in their menu to conform to the changing tastes of society. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: In recent years the industry has had a small problem with beef, because of the outbreak of the mad cow disease. This problem raised the cost of beef in Europe tremendously but the cost actually went up around the world because of the beef shortage in Europe. The suppliers that sell to McDonalds have a strong voice also because of the fact that the switching cost for McDonalds as a whole would be so tremendous, so any problems or disputes would be worked out with there suppliers. Comparative Ratio Analysis Ratio analysis helps us analyze the financial trends of previous years and extrapolate those trends into future years for McDonalds and its core competitors within the industry. It is divided into three areas: fundamentals, growth and profitability, and capital structure of the company. Liquidity ratios are used to determine how liquid the firm is, and how it will meet its obligations. This also helps us determine how risky the firm is by determining if the company is employing an adequate amount of liability or risk to generate profit. Profitability ratios give us the perspective profitability of the firm is operating. The ratios will help in accurately valuing the company at its current condition, compare its performance against competitors, and project the future results of the company. Fundamentals of McDonalds (MCD) vs. YUM Brands (YUM) Table 1 Financial Condition Company Industry Average SP 500 Debt/Equity Ratio 0.74 1.82 1.13 Current Ratio 1.4 1.3 1.4 Quick Ratio 1.3 1.2 1.2 Interest Coverage 30.6 18.8 28.0 Leverage Ratio 2.1 3.8 3.8 Book Value/Share 13.12 11.95 22.35 The industry average is calculated as an average of competitor brands like YUM, Burger King and Wendys. Current ratio: Since 1999 McDonalds has experienced a steady increase in their current ratio. The present current ratio of 1.4 is higher compared to industry average of 1.3. This increase shows that McDonalds has more ability to pay off their short term debts from the sale of their currents assets. Overall, McDonalds is in fairly good shape because their current ratio is growing. Receivables Turnover: McDonalds has consistently been well below its competitors YUM with accounts receivables turnover. This means that they arent collecting their accounts receivables as promptly as their competitors. This prevents McDonalds from reinvesting and expanding their restaurants which is a major source of revenue. This also allows for a greater chance of default on their accounts receivables. Asset Utilization: This ratio indicates how profitable a company is relative to its total assets. The return on assets (ROA) ratio illustrates how well management is employing the companys total assets to make a profit. The higher the return, the more efficient management is in utilizing its asset base. McDonalds Asset Turnover has consistently been lower than its competitor YUM since 1999. Debt to Equity Ratio: The debt-equity ratio is another leverage ratio that compares a companys total liabilities to its total shareholders equity. McDonalds has maintained a fairly low Debt to Equity Ratio of 0.74 which means that the company has an efficient amount of equity that can cover the cost of its liabilities compared to Yum of 3.14 or the industry average of debt to equity ratio of 1.82. Book value per share: This is an indication of how much shareholders are paying for the net assets of a company. McDonalds book value of 13.12 is higher than the industry average (11.95) or YUM (3.05) Net Income: The net income for McDonalds suffered a dip of 23% in 2007 but recovered in the year 2008, 2009. The total net income in 2009 was $ 4,555 Million compared to YUM who had a net income of $1071Million Shareholders Equity: Shareholders equity represents the amount by which a company is financed through common and preferred shares. The average Shareholders Equity for MCD is $13,287M compared to YUM who has a $709M. Dividend: MCD has consistently grown in dividends over the years. This is one of the most attractive features of MCD. Comparing the dividends of MCD and YUM, MCD has 25% increase on YTY compared to YUM who has only 14%. Growth and Profitability Table 2 Investment Returns % Company Industry Average SP 500 Return On Equity 34.8 48.2 21.4 Return On Assets 16.2 13.1 7.5 Return On Capital 17.6 15.4 10.0 Return On Equity (5-Year Avg.) 22.7 29.0 16.4 Return On Assets (5-Year Avg.) 11.4 10.1 7.6 Return On Capital (5-Year Avg.) 13.0 12.5 10.3 The industry average is calculated as an average of competitor brands like YUM, Burger King, and Wendys. Revenue Growth: The global recession has affected the revenue of both the companies. By year 2009 the consumer demand and currency exchanges have helped recover to pre-recessionary levels. EPS and Growth: The portion of a companys profit allocated to each outstanding share of common stock. Earnings per share serve as an indicator of a companys profitability. The EPS for MCD is 4.11 which have increased from 9% from the previous year while the EPS for YUM is 2.26. The growth of EPS has been fluctuating due to the global economic crises. Profit Margin: A higher profit margin indicates a more profitable company that has better control over its costs compared to its competitors. MCD has a profit margin of 20% compared to Yum is 10%. Return on Equity (ROE): Return on equity measures a corporations profitability by revealing how much profit a company generates with the money shareholders have invested. The ROE for MCD is 34.8 which is less than the industry average of 48.2. From the above figure we can infer for 2009 the ROE for YUM is 180%, but this has not been consistent over the years. For a long term investor this is not good. Capital Structure Charts Table 3 Price Ratios Company Industry Average SP 500 Current P/E Ratio 16.4 20.9 22.4 P/E Ratio 5-Year High NA 6.8 15.8 P/E Ratio 5-Year Low NA 3.2 2.4 Price/Sales Ratio 3.21 2.33 2.03 Price/Book Value 5.30 7.11 3.21 Price/Cash Flow Ratio 12.70 11.90 13.80 The industry average is calculated as an average of competitor brands like YUM, Burger King, and Wendys. Market Capital: Market capitalization represents the public consensus on the value of a companys equity. McDonalds in 2009 had a market capital of $67.3B compared to YUM brand that had a market capital of $16.35B. It also represents the market estimate of a companys value, based on perceived future prospects, economic and monetary conditions. Price to Earnings Ratio: A stock with a high P/E ratio means that investors are expecting higher earnings growth in the future compared to the overall market, as investors pay more for todays earnings in anticipation of future earnings growth. From the table 2 McDonalds PE is 16.4, which is below the industry average of 20.4. However there are limitations since the ratio depends on the earnings per share. McDonalds earnings per share of 4.24 are above the industry average of 1.43. Price to Book Value: This ratio used to compare a stocks market value to its book value. A lower P/B ratio could mean that the stock is undervalued. From the above figure McDonald has a stable P/B ratio compared to the Yum. From table 3 the P/B ratio for McDonald is 5.31 which is below the industry average of 7.11. Price to Sales ratio: The P/S ratio measures the price of a companys stock against its annual sales. From table 3 we can understand that the P/S ratio for McDonalds is 3.21 compared to the industry average of 2.33. This means that the investor would be paying $3.21 for every dollar of McDonalds sales. Price to Cash Flow Ratio: This ratio compares the stocks market price to the amount of cash flow the company generates on a per-share basis. McDonalds has a Price/Cash Flow ratio of 12.70 which is higher than the industry average of 11.90. Conclusion In our overall analysis of McDonalds Corporation using a variation of methods and models, we have conclusively found that McDonalds is currently undervalued in the market and is a Buy. The Method of Comparables was used, which included such ratios as: Price/Earnings, Price/Book, Price/Sales, and Price Earnings growth ratio valuations. The ratio valuations were calculated by finding the industry average and using a varying of other factors to project an expected share price. The industry average is calculated as an average of competitor brands like YUM, Burger King, and Wendys. Price to Book Ratio $ Industry Average of Price to Book value 7.11 Current Book Value of McDonald 13.12 Estimated price of share $93.28 Current Market Price 69.37 Trailing Price to Earnings Ratio Industry Average of Trailing Price to Earnings Ratio 17.9 Current McDonalds earnings per share $4.11 Estimated Market price $73.59 Current Market Price 69.37 Dividends Yield Ratio Analysis Industry Dividend Average (%) 2.73 McDonald Dividend per share 2.2 Expected share price found by dividing McDonalds (Dividends per share)/ (Industry average Dividends yield ratio) $80.50 Current Market price $69.37 Forward Price to Earnings Ratio Industry Average of Forward Price to Earnings Ratio 14.73 Current McDonalds earnings per share $4.11 Estimated price of share $60.54 Current Market Price 69.37 All Data obtained from Yahoo finance on 13/016/2010 From the above calculation the estimated price of McDonald is between $60.54 $93.28. However McDonalds corporation has faced previous law suits on being held accountable for obesity, similarly following the litigation process of cigarettes and tobacco companies. The courts ruled against this issue in McDonalds favor, making this a remote future risk factor. In addition, MCD in its effort to be a more socially responsible corporate citizen, by supporting a healthier society, has developed light and healthy menu items in order to give customers additional eating options and in doing so, broadening the array of its customer base while offering its existing customer base with healthier menu options.

Molecular Mechanisms of Membrane Fouling

Molecular Mechanisms of Membrane Fouling The membrane fouling problem is still the main obstacle that faces the application of membrane technology at the industrial and environmental application. So, the main motivation for this work is to develop an enhanced performance of commercial desalination membranes with polyamide barrier layer. In this study, we will use Layer-by-Layer (LbL) modification with tailored macromolecular surface modifiers in order to coat the membranes so that stable zwitterionic surface properties (for reduced fouling) and minimal loss in permeability are achieved. In order to study in detail this novel modification, we will use a model oligoamide system on surfaces which allow using analytical methods which cannot be used on real membranes. The deposition conditions for model surface preparation, the composition of tailored zwitterionic/cationic copolymers used for LbL modification as well as the LbL modification conditions will be optimized. The characterization tools are x-ray photoelectron spectros copy (XPS; also known as electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis, ESCA) for determination the elemental composition of the deposited layer while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is used to show the topography of the formed layers. Ellipsometry can be a useful tool in identification the thickness of the deposited layers at nano-scale. In addition, the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) will be used for testing the protein resistance of the deposited layers. Other physical and chemical properties will be detected such as the wettability of the layers using contact angle measurement, and the kind of surface charge and their quantity via zetapotential measurements. After model investigation steps, the same LbL sequence (with the optimum conditions) will be applied for a selected range of commercial nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) membranes with polyamide barrier layers. The permeability and salt rejection will be measured using dead-end and cross flow mode. The formation potential of biofilm will be also detected. Keywords: Desalination, Fouling, LbL, Protein resistance and Oligoamide. A major problem in the membrane technology for purification applications is membrane fouling, which is the accumulation and adherence of colloidal organic matter [1,2] inorganic salts (scaling), or bacteria that form biofilms (biofouling) [3]. Engineering strategies for mitigating fouling depend on the accurate characterization of the fouling mechanism on reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membranes using flux decline measurements [4] or studies of the physicochemical properties of the membranes, such as hydrophobicity, charge density, surface roughness, and porosity [5]. An extensive research has been devoted to understand the molecular mechanisms of fouling using a variety of techniques. For example, atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to relate the surface chemical character to protein adsorptions or organic fouling intermolecular forces [6] , adsorption of proteins and detergents to surfaces, measured by SPR, was correlated with surface wettability [7], quartz crystal microbalances were used to study organic fouling mechanisms [8] and novel fluorimetric assays were used to characterize protein adsorption [9]. Recently, the effects of surface-exposed chemical groups on scaling were assessed by surface pressure–area (Langmuir) isotherm measurements [10] where aromatic polyamide films are an integral component of RONF membranes and they cannot be isolated from their supports for physicochemical studies. In addition, the supporting porous polymer layer prevents incorporation of polyamide into analytical devices and interferes with measurements. But this problem can be simplified by modeling RONF membranes using surfaces with well-defined and homogeneous chemistry. There is a history for using model compounds of polyamide from twenty century that model polyamide. One of these studies is using a benzanilide derivatives, to test the resistivity toward active chlorine [11]. But, there was unsuitability for the surface adsorption studies for these small compounds. In addition to the above mentioned fact, trials were done to prepare analytical sensors using spin-coating techniques that obtained different surface chemistry from that obtained from polyamide RO membranes [12]. So applying the LbL method, which typically involves the alternating adsorption of polycations and polyanions, with water rinsing between each adsorption, will help in adsorption of polymer layer on any substrate (silicon or gold wafers for example) [13]. In recent study done by Wang et al [14], they prepared low-pressure water softening hollow fiber membranes by polyelectrolyte deposition with two bilayers. Where they used PES UF as supporting layer which modified with the polycation and polyanion LbL deposition to separate the divalent ions from monovalent ions. Another work carried out by Zhao et al [15] in which zwitterionic hydrogel thin films anchored as antifouling surface layers of polyethersulfone ultrafiltration membranes via reactive copolymer additive. The main advantage of these hydrogels are their excellent durability in long term tests and hemocompatability. In another work, the Polyelectrolyte multilayers as anti-adhesive membrane coatings for virus concentration and recovery. In our suggested modelling work to develop an oligoamide coating system as a surface mimetic for the polyamide barrier of the commercial desalination membranes, there is a need to neglect the effect of supporting layer so we choosed silicon and gold wafers which does not exhibit any selectivity by itself, the separation function for the composite membrane can be exclusively ascribed to the deposited polyelectrolyte multilayer [17] which will give the accurate modeling data for the surface that will be used in our work . And , learning from previous works, we decided to make model studies to identify the best system with respect to well-defined and stable building units of synthesized nanolayers. These nanolayers will be optimized in terms of the number and thickness of building units, the concentration of the used zwitter ionic copolymers, charge polarity and density, roughness and swelling can be determined via various techniques while these parameters can be easily controlled by varying polyelectrolyte types or/and other deposition conditions [18]. Finally,The fouling resistivity of the model system will be followed via surface plasmon resonance (SPR) measurements using bovine serum albumin as model foulants. Additional foulants may be also used. 2. Experimental Part 2.1. Materials and Chemicals Commercial reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membranes. Polystyrene sulfonic acid. bovine serum albumin (BSA), sodium chloride (NaCl), humic acid (HA). Silicon / Gold wafers/quartz. m-phenylene diamine(mPD), dimethyl formamide (DMF), triethyl amine (ET3N), trimesoyl chloride (TMC), dichloromethane (DCM), Cysteamine and Ethanol. Cuprous chloride (CuCl2), Tetrahydro furan(THF), Methanol (MeOH), 10 nm titanium nanoparticles and 30 nm gold nanoparticles. Some chemicals will be added according to the applied procedures and optimization processes. 2.2. Synthesis of the Support Substrate and the Zwitterionic Polymer 2.2.1. Synthesis of the Zwitterionic/Cationicpoly (2-(N,N,N-trimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-co-(2-(N,N-dimethylamino-N-propanesulfonate)ethylmethacrylate) PTMAEMA-co-PSPE (cationic building block for LbL modification) The LbL method, which typically involves the alternating adsorption of poly-cations and poly-anions, with water rinsing between each adsorption. So, here in this work we will synthesize the zwitterionic polymer starting with free radical polymerization step of (N,N-dimethylamino-N-propanesulfonate) ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA). The obtained polymer then undergoes partial conversion to zwitterionic side groups in presence of THF. And at last step, methylation of quaternization side groups to get the desired zwitterionic polymer. 2.2.2. In-situ Synthesis of Oligoamide According to Kasher 2011 [19] (model studies) Oligoamide is synthesized according to Kasher et al. 2011 applying LbL methodology. In this work we will make preparation of the gold surfaces with an oligoamide layer that resembles the surface chemistry of RO/NF aromatic polyamide films and that can be tested in fouling and adsorption studies using a wide range of physical methods. The synthesis protocol can be ascribed as follow (steps starting from 1 to 4 represents one cycle that can be repeted): Surface cleaned gold coated silicon wafers will immersed in 1 mM cysteamine/ethanol for 24 hours then in 2) 1% triethylamine/dimethylformamide (ET3/DMF). Immersion in trimesoyl chloride/dichloromethane (TMC/DCM), ET3N for 15 minute. Then in mPD/DMF for 15 minute and then washing with water for 10 minute. 2.2.3. Studies with the Model Surfaces 2.2.3.1. Coating and Characterization the Synthesized Oligoamide with the Synthesized Zwitterionic Polymer Applying LbL Methodology. Coating the synthesized oligoamide with the synthesized zwitterionic copolymers. The formed thin films will be characterized using ellipsometry technique. Other characterization methods will be used such as FTIR, XPS and SEM. The reaction conditions will be also tested such as (type of anionic building block, coating conditions, thickness as function of anionic building unit plus the coating condition). Depending on the obtained characterization data, the number of layers will be optimized. The optimum conditions will be applied to modify the surfaces of commercial RO/NF membranes. Ellipsometry, which is a nondestructive and sensitive optical measuring method mostly used for the analysis of thin films, where here in our work we suggest using gold wafers as supporting substrate for this methods. Via these mechanistic technique we will optimize the number of applied layers on the model oligoamide layer. And, SPR will be used to measure the fouling resistivity of the model oligoamide la yer. 2.2.3.2. Evaluation of the Synthesized Oligoamide System Two strategies will be used to evaluate the synthsized system, first one is depending on the characters that gathered from the different characterization techniques. While, The second strategy is by doing a complete assessment the antifouling properties of the synthetic moeites via: Flux measurements via dead-end mode and cross flow mode. Measuring MWCO of the synthetic moites via GPC (Gel permeation chromatography) Rejection of some organic pollutants such as BSA (bovine serum albumin) 2.3.3. Modification and Evaluation the Commercial NF/RO Membranes Based on the best characters that grasped from the above sections, the best condition will be used for modification of some commercial NF/RO membranes using the synthetic zwitterionic polymer applying LbL assembly. The modified membranes will be characterized as mentioned in the above sections. The evaluation also will be done as mentioned. This work mainly aims to fulfill the following SIX goals Synthesize model surfaces for desalination membranes (oligoamide system) on silicon or gold substrates Synthesize novel cationic and zwitterionic copolymers as building block for layer-by-layer (LbL) modification Study in detail LbL modification on model surfaces (layer thickness and stability as function of novel building blocks, respective anionic building block and coating conditions) with focus on nanoscale analysis with ellipsometry Study in detail the resulting surface and anti-fouling properties, with focus on contact angle, zetapotential and foulant deposition measured with surface plasmon resonance Transfer the best modifications to commercial membranes with polyamide barrier layer Evaluate the performance of those modified membranes vs. state-of-the-art with focus on permeability, salt rejection and long-term fouling behavior. Benefits that will be expected from this work can be summarized as follow: Increasing the fouling tolerance of the commercial membranes increasing the life time of applied membranes in addition to low maintenance periods. transfere the gained experiences to the National Research Center to help in establishing the membrane technology as a successful technology in many applicable fields.

We Must Have the Right to Defend Our Home Essay -- Castle Doctrine, Se

The Castle Doctrine is a bill that was passed which lets you defend yourself with necessary force in your residence if someone is breaking into your home. Criminals like to go after easy targets such as, the elderly, disabled citizens, children, and people who are unarmed. Every citizen has the right to live free and happy, if they are attacked they should be able to defend themselves and their property without being charged as a murderer. The previous state law, if someone unlawfully enters your home or attempts a car-jacking, you are required to first retreat instead of immediately fighting to protect yourself. The trouble is on the home owner to define that an intruder intends to do them bodily harm before the home owner can use appropriate force against them (InfoKwik). Having a gun for personal protection is a constitutional right. When facing an armed criminal an armed citizen levels the playing field. When you are in your own home and someone is breaking in and you see them armed or unarmed, they have no right to be in your home anyway. The castle doctrine, in this ca...

Benjamin Franklin :: Biography Biographies Benjamin Franklin Essays

Benjamin Franklin In his many careers as a printer, moralist, essaylist, civic leader, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, and philosopher, Benjamin Franklin Became both a spokesman and a model for the national character of later generations of Americans. After less than two years of formal schooling, Franklin was pressed into his father's trade. At the age of 16, Franklin wrote some pieces in a courant,"Silence Dogwood." Though penniless and unknown, Franklin soon found a job as a printer. Aafter a year he went to England, where he became a master printer, sowed some wild oats, astonished Londoners with his swimming feats, and lived among the famous writers of London. In 17227, Franklin began his career as a civic leader by organizing a club of aspiring tradesmen called the JJunto, which met each week for discussion and planning. Franklin began yet another career when in 1740 he invented the Pennsylvania fireplace, later called the Franklin stove, which soon heated buildings all over Europe and North America. He also read treaties on electricity and and began a series of experiments with his friends in Philadelphia. Experiments he proposed, first tried in France in 1752, showed that lightning was in fact a form of el! ectricity. Later that year his famous kite experiment, in which he flew a kite with the wire attached to a key during a thunderstorm. His later achievements included formulating a theory of heat absorption, measuring Gulf Stream, designing ships, tracking storm paths, and inventing bifocal lenses. In 1751, Franklin was elected to the Pennsylvania Assembly, causing the beginning of nearly 40 years as a puublic official. At home from 1762 to 1764, Franklin traveled throghout the colonies, reorganizing the AAmerican postal system. He also built aa new house on Market Street in Philadelphia, now reconstructed and open to visitors, and otherwise provided for his family. From April 1775 to October 1776, Franklin served on the Pennsylvania Committee of Safety and in the Continental Congress, submitted articles of confederation for the united colonies, proposed a new constitution for Pennsylvania, and helped draft the Decclaration of Independence.

Synesthetic Reality - Is our notion of reality the only truth? :: Synthesia Research Science Papers

Synesthetic Reality - Is our notion of reality the only truth? "What's first strikes me is the color of someone's voice. [V--] has a crumbly, yellow voice, like a flame with protruding fibers. Sometimes I get so interested in the voice, I can't understand what's being said." --From Synesthesia: A Union of the Senses by Robert E. Cytowic. What would you make of the preceding account? Would you think the speaker was...crazy?...on drugs?...making a play for attention? Would you be skeptical if the speaker told you it was her natural way of perceiving the world? In truth, it is an example of the way in which about one in every 25,000 people observes the world (1). The term (I hesitate to use "scientific term" for reasons I'll discuss further on) given to the condition-- synesthesia--derives from the Greek roots syn, meaning together, and aesthesis, to perceive, and conveys the principle features of the synesthete's perceptual state (2). In synesthetic perception, stimuli activate not just one sense, but several. An oral stimulus isn't a taste alone--it may also be a taste, a shape, a color, a movement (1). For example, a synesthete might explain that the taste of "squid produces a large glob of bright orange foam, about four feet away, directly in front of me" (3). Such joint perceptions are automatic and involuntar y, just as is usual perceptual experience, and, unlike imaginary images or ideas, synesthetic perception is not only vividly real, but "often outside the body, instead of imagined in the mind's eye" (2). Though accounts of synesthetic experience are receiving increased study and documentation, the many in the scientific community remain partially unconvinced, if not wholly dismissive. Lacking sufficient empirical, objective data to depict the synesthetic experience, synesthetes and researchers of the condition have had to combat doubt, disregard, and ridicule in defense of the condition's reality and validity. The question raised by synesthesia then becomes: Why does science discount first-person evidence to such an extent? If a condition has little to no "objective" or empirical "proof," does that mean it can't exist? If researchers can produce no computer read-out, no resonance imaging, no technologically-generated chart, should the scientific community turn up its nose? The existence of synesthesia has been questioned and discussed for nearly 300 years, and it received the most enthusiastic investigation between 1869 and 1930 (12).

Ethical Theories Within the Film “Crimes and Misdemeanors” Essay

In the final scene of the movie Crimes and Misdemeanors, I believe the fictional philosopher Louse Levy’s message was very similar to philosophy Jean-Paul Sartre and his theory on existentialism. One of Sartre’s quotes, â€Å"Man is nothing else but that which he makes of himself.† Levy is trying to convey that we are in control of our choices and we choose our own happiness. In the final scene of the film Levy states, â€Å"We’re all faced throughout our lives with making conscience moral decisions. Some are on a grander scale than others, but we define ourselves by the choices we have made. We are, in fact, the sum total of our choices.† So when Levy’s character states, â€Å"most human beings seem to have the ability to keep trying and find joy from simple things†, this is based on our choices. We decide to be happy or sad. Because we as human beings have the ability to think rationally or ill-rationally, our minds have the capacity to feel emotions, to dream up, or cognitively entertain, a mind-based reality of happiness. One of the survival tactics as human beings is our ability to strive for happiness; and once a level of happiness is achieved there is always a need for more; it is a never ending pursuit of happiness. Our happiness should also be achieved without pain. Ever though we strive for this happiness there is no methodical way to obtain happiness or does the sense of happiness always become achieved. I believe this viewpoint is heavily reflected throughout the movie, Crimes and Misdemeanors. I think all the characters in the movie are striving and hoping for happiness but I think the only character who truly achieves the ultimate happiness would be Rabbi Ben. The role of GOD in establishing ethical values and whether the world would be valueless if GOD didn’t exist is displayed throughout this movie. Rabbi Ben (Sam Waterston) leads a moral life throughout the film and he ends up blind, but he can dance with his daughter with a clear conscience. The irony about this character is he fails to see in the real world yet he has strong spiritual vision. His detachment from mundane concerns, and emphasize on what is real and meaningful – a life devoted to GOD. The ideas that only by blinding oneself to reality can one live a meaningful life devoted to GOD. The symbolism of blindness seems to have a connection to a blind universe indifferent to any sense of justice. In fact all of the religious characters in Crimes and Misdemeanors suffer from impaired vision and are portrayed wearing glasses. This may represent their inability to  see the true nature of reality and the understanding of true happiness. I feel all of the characters in this film reflect the viewpoint of hope and the desire to achieve happiness without pain; it is just the choices, consequences or motive of their actions that is misguided. We make consequentialist decisions regarding our actions to separate the morally right from wrong which leads us to our ultimate goal of happiness. But what determines if an action is moral right or wrong? Stuart Mill’ theory on, â€Å"The Principle of Utility†, views the consequences that arise from the action to determine the moral worth of an action; the best decisions result in good consequences for the largest number of people. He also believes that happiness equal pleasure; the actions are morally right to the extent that they produce lots of pleasure. Other theorists like Immanuel Kant, who takes a deontology approach on the intention or motive of the action. He believes that our actions are morally right only if we can apply them universally. I feel the character Lester (Alan Alda), displays the theories of Jean Paul Sartre and Friedrich Nietzsche. He’s a successful television producer with a pompous attitude. His character takes charge of his own destiny. He knows what he wants and goes after it. His Will to Power is great and sets no limitations on what he can achieve throughout this film. There are a few characters in Crimes and Misdemeanor who strive for the hope of happiness but fall short. The main character, Judah Rosenthal (Martin Landau) this character is a successful ophthalmologist who achieves short-term happiness in a two year affair with a woman named Dolores (Anjelicia Huston). When Dolores threatens tell his wife of there affair his moral structure is threaten he feels as if his entire universe becomes meaningless. But, by the end of the film Judah make peace with himself and finds that he commits a crime and gets away with it. He is only implicated to his own moral consciousness. In reality, hope i s the worst of all evils, because it prolongs the torments of man. FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE, Human, All-too-Human The second character that falls short of achieving happiness would be Clifford Stern (Wood Allen); this character is a small-time film maker hired by his brother-in-law Lester to produce a documentary about his life and work. Clifford dislikes Lester as well as his marriage to Lester’s sister  Wendy (Joann Gleason). While filming this documentary Cliff falls in love with Lester’s associate producer, Halley Reed (Mia Farrow). However Cliff’s efforts to woo Halley fail and in the end Wendy chooses to be with Lester. This gives proof that good doesn’t always prosper over evil. The comment by Halley after learning about Levy’s death she says, â€Å"No matter how elaborate a philosophical system you work out, in the end it’s got to be incomplete.† I believe it is the selfish needs, constant change, as well as the desires of human beings that allow people to choose right from wrong and good from bad. It is all about wants over needs. I believe Halley didn’t initially want Lester it was his constant appeal to the things that she needed which gave her pleasure that won her over. Not the roses because she was allergic, but the caviar and his influence and power. I believe that the universe is in fact indifferent. However, if there is no GOD, there can be no objective standards of right and wrong. All we are confronted with is â€Å"the bare valueless fact of existence† (Jean-Paul Sartre). This is probably what Rabbi Ben meant during the film when he said, â€Å"Without the law, it’s all darkness, and, â€Å"You Judah see the world as harsh and empty of value and pitiless.† Rabbi Ben states, how he couldn’t not exist without moral structure-with real meaning-with forgiveness and some kind of higher power. Also during the climax of the film Judah concludes that â€Å"GOD is a luxury that he can’t afford† and arranges for Dolores-mistre ss (Angelica Houston) to be murdered. Afterwards, in a state of despair he visits his childhood home and recreates in his mind a Passover Seder from his youth. Judah’s atheist Aunt May (Anna Berger) and religious father Sol, is an exploration of the relationship between morality and GOD and the problem of morality in a godless universe. Aunt May takes the position of the atheist and moral relativist in the ensuring debate as she envisions a cruel and godless world with no objectives standards of good and evil and no moral purposes behind human reality. Aunt May believes individuals justify their actions as they wish: â€Å"For those who want morality there’s morality. Nothings handed down in stone.† Aunt May argues that in a world where everything is permissible, there is nothing to stop an individual from committing murder other than their own conscience. â€Å"And I say, if he can do it, and get away with it, and chooses not be bothered by the ethics, then he’s home free.† We live in a universe where our moral ethics between right and wrong are greatly  unbalanced. A world where the good suffer, the bad prosper and no greater power will ever rectify this which is a sad consequence. It is really hard to establish a basic moral or ethical system for human beings because we are so indiff erent of each other. We have for example the Bible or the Koran, but, like Aunt May state in the film, â€Å"For those who want morality there’s morality.† [Also in the final scene of the film Judah draws Cliff into a supposedly hypothetical discussion that draws upon his morals. Judah says that with time, any crisis will pass; but Cliff morosely claims instead that one is forever fated to bear ones burdens for â€Å"crimes and misdemeanors†] Wikipedia. We battle daily for justice. All we can do as human beings is to hope for happiness try to utilize our own moral ideas and meaningful values to again hopeful influence our lives and to reflect upon future generations. References â€Å"Crimes and Misdemeanors (Philosophical Films).† Crimes and Misdemeanors (Philosophical Films). N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Crimes and Misdemeanors: The Final Scene.† YouTube. YouTube, 04 Feb. 2009. Web. 30 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Crimes and Misdemeanors.† Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 29 Mar. 2013. Web. 30 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Existentialism Is a Humanism Quotes.† By Jean-Paul Sartre. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2013. IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2013. â€Å"The Journal of Religion and Popular Culture.† The Journal of Religion and Popular Culture. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2013. http://phil.uregina.ca/vancha/Litch-chp6.pdf