An Analysis of the Current and Future use of Internet Technologies of Essay

An Analysis of the Current and Future use of Internet Technologies of YouTube - Essay Example The website through this new layout is able to avoid the clustered view, which its other competitors are displaying. The company has taken effective and timely measures to maximise the opportunities presented by m-commerce. Although the company has problems with regards to its database maintenance and high cost of streaming videos, but still then it can minimise these losses by selling the viewer data that it has extracted through its website. However, the company is very effectively employing its e-marketing mix and as a result it has been able to establish strong brand equity and brand awareness. The company in order to keep its growth going needs to encourage its community to add more interesting video to the website. The way the company has used its strategic alliances with other companies has been exceptional. It not only has added more viewers to its website but also it has created a new utility for its website. It has show the world how online medium can be integrated with tel evision technology; it has show the world how election campaigns can be run on the internet and most importantly it has given its customers new audiences. Background of YouTube: In 2005, founders of YouTube registered the domain name and URL for the website and initiated its Beta phase. The site was meant for other businesses to embed their videos on this forum. Looking at the profitability potential of the websites concept, Sequoia Capital invested the company $3.5 million. Before its official launch in December 2005, the website was already generating traffic of 8 million viewers (The Telegraph, 2010). The website enabled viewers to share their favourite videos, watch and discover new videos. The website was receiving 100 million video views per day and simultaneously was being uploaded with 65000 videos each day; this was the period of July 2006 (YouTube Timeline). The progress of You tube was being watched by Google very closely, having seen the progress the company was making, Google went on to buy the company for $1.65 billion (BBC News, 2006). Now the company works a subsidiary of Google, but still retains its individual identity (Arnott, 2008). With this merger YouTube became YouTube timeline. This new forum facilitated individuals across the globe to connect, inspire and inform their counterparts. YouTube since its merger with Google has gone on to make strategic alliances with companies like CNN, Reuters and etch. It has broadened the scope of its operations by offering the forum as a debating platform and also a place where election candidates can undertake their election campaigns. You Tube’s Business: Since its inception YouTube has become one of the most popular search engines. YouTube has become the second biggest search engine all over the world (Johnson, 2009). Thus, it provides a great opportunity for online advertisers to use this forum to advertise their products and services (Johnson, 2009). The main attraction for online advertiser s is the high traffic that the website is able to generate towards it. In this regards, YouTube in recent years have undergone deals with different companies, in which its host live streaming events, allow video renting and display music videos site links (Halliday, 2011). Business Environment of YouTube: YouTube can be classified as a business that is competing in a video sharing market. With its strong brand equity, brand awareness and a

Evaluation of Critical Theory in Tourism Essay Example for Free

Evaluation of Critical Theory in Tourism Essay In spite of the consensus on the importance of research, the existing literature in hospitality and tourism research does not contain any commonly agreed upon ways of evaluating research performance. The most frequently used proxy for assessing research performance is authorship and institution analyses by counting the number of published articles in selected research journals (Jogaratnam, McCleary, Mena, and Yoo, 2005; Malhotra and Kher, 1996; Sheldon, 1991; Weaver, McCleary, and Farrar, 1990; Zhao and Ritchie, 2006). 4 While counting the number of published articles in selected journals may be simple to perform and interpret, this approach is subject to many methodological problems. Wood (1995), as well as Losekoot, Verginis, and Wood (2001), argued that counting publications in selected journals as an indicator of academic productivity is too narrow and geographically-based. Similarly, Ryan (2005) and Hall (2005) stated that focusing on publications in research journals would exclude many researchrelated activities such as writing books, supervising postgraduate students, and taking on leadership roles in the international academic community. Likewise, the conjecture which this paper makes is that using the number of published articles in selected tourism and hospitality journals as an indicator of research performance is an incomplete, if not biased approach, as other research-related activities are simply excluded from consideration. Such a statement is made on the basis that many established academics do not publish in the selected journals. In addition, in order to obtain a more comprehensive measurement of research performance, other scholarly activities such as participation in research projects, editorship of research journals, membership of editorial boards and conference committees, participation in international conferences, and memberships of international/national organisations should also be incorporated into the overall evaluation process. In response to the absence of prior studies on determining research performance for tourism and hospitality academics in a comprehensive way, this exploratory study makes an attempt to fill the void by investigating the perception of university program heads on the importance of different research-related activities. Program heads are the academics who assume key responsibilities in academic departments or  divisions. Examples of these key responsibilities include research leadership and evaluations (Wikipedia, 2006). Findings are thus anticipated to lead to 5 further insights on research performance evaluation, which in turn help academics appropriately set their own career development plans.

Sullivan vs. Bennett Essay -- Gay Marriage Homosexuality Essays

Sullivan vs. Bennett The two texts examined within, present the opposing extremes of views regarding gay and lesbian marriage. The first text entitled Let Gays Marry by Andrew Sullivan examines the intricacies of same sex relationships and why homosexual couples should be allowed to publicly show affection for one another. The second text that will be examined is titled Leave Marriage Alone written by William Bennett. Bennett gives his views on why couples of same sex nature should not be allowed to engage in marital relations. These two authors, although very different, each has a view of the ideals of marriage, and how it should be presented to the public. Sullivan, a proponent of same sex marriages is a firm believer that gay and lesbian couples should be treated as equals in society and no different than anyone else. Many people are afraid of the effects that same sex marriages may have on our culture, and Sullivan explains that gay men and women are no different from anyone else in society as far as political and moral beliefs are concerned. These people are not out to change America as a whole, they just want the freedom to decide and to do as they wish. Sullivan explains that homosexuals want the right to marry for the same reasons as anyone else and that the lobbying of gays in America, for marriage, is not to destroy our moral system or who we are, they just want to be able to devote to one another as a regular couple does. Same sex marriage may seem, to some, a crazy idea as marriage in this country is built on the foundation of a man and a woman marrying, but Sullivan points out that until recent centuries marriage was a contract into which a woman entered so that she would be controlled by her husba... ... to agree on the fact that the issue at hand is one of religion. Religion seems to be the deciding factor right now when it comes to the question of what is right and what is wrong. Both authors see religion as the main concern when the question of homosexual marriage is brought up. So as each has very different ideals for society as a whole, both Bennett and Sullivan try to represent the happiness of the people as a whole, in their own ways. The two authors present very different points of view and each has well thought out reasoning behind what he has to say. Although the authors feel very different about how marriage should exist and how it should be regulated, there is some common ground between the authors. Citations †¢ Sullivan, Andrew. Let Gays Marry. United States: Random, 2002 †¢ Bennett, William. Leave Marriage Alone. United States: Random, 2002

The European Impact on Native American Technology Essay -- American Am

The European Impact on Native American Technology When European exploration led to the populating of the Americas, it was described as the event with one of the greatest ecological impacts in history. The force behind this impact was the mass movement of people and their behavior's toward their "New World". It only stands to reason that a clash would occur with the natives of these lands. One of the areas with the greatest conflict was the field of technology. Scientifically, when the cultures of 15th century Europe and the natives in the Americas are concerned, the two are fairly alike. In Europe,a great deal of work was done in astronomy. Of course this was because it was a necessity for navigation. From the studies of the heavens, the Europeans were also able to have calenders and a reliable way to keep time. Perhaps the best instrument was the astrolabe(a flat model of the night skies). (McGovern ,61). Despite these achievements, tables used for planetary positions were still very inaccurate. At the time of Columbus, the Earth was still the center of the universe and the planets revolved around it. It would be another 40 years before the Copernican system of the sun being the center of the universe was even suggested(McGovern, 66). The Indians of South and Central America also had calenders and time pieces based on the stars and movements of the planets. The Indians had a much better understanding of the actions of the universe than did the Europeans. This could be considered odd when you think that the Indians did little or no oceanic navigation for any great lenghts, but nature was the foundation of the Indian religion. In the 1490's in Europe, the human body was still a mystery. Christian religious beliefs... ...eadily when traditional concepts are breaking down. The acceptance of these technologies has other effects on the society.(Rogers,56) Such was the case when the Indians began accepting European technology. The Europeans took it as a sign from God that what they were doing was right. The Indians took a feeling of inferiority as they watched their society crumble. The destruction of native life would have made it difficult for many aboriginal groups to maintain their traditional methods even if they wanted to.(Rogers,49) The American Indian had no powerful incentive to dream up new technologies to assist human survival.(Sale,322) The postcontact Indian was a far different creature than the pre-contact Indian, and the aberrations of those later societies can be laid to the effects of decimating diseases, and the pressures of war, alcohol, and technology.(Sale,321)

Parole and Truth in Sentencing Paper

Parole and Truth-in-Sentencing Paper xxxxx xxxxxxx CJS/200 November 19, 2011 xxxxxx Parole and Truth-in-Sentencing Paper Before parole becomes an option to an offender or an offender remains on parole, there are conditions and concepts and goals that must be practiced or met. Typical conditions influence parole as the inmate is released from prison. Truth-in-sentencing laws have goals in relations to parole. To understand the concepts on which parole is based, one must know and understand the definition of parole. Parole, the early release of an inmate from correctional confinement under supervision, is a sentencing strategy that returns offenders progressively to productive lives (Schmalleger, 2011). According to Schmalleger (2011), â€Å"By making early release possible, parole can also act as a stimulus for positive behavioral change. † Parole is based off and supports the concept of imprecise sentencing, which held that an inmate can gain early discharge through good conduct and self-improvement (Schmalleger, 2011). The conditions of parole place general and special limitations on offenders who have been released from prison early (Schmalleger, 2011). The offender’s criminal background as well as the circumstances of the offense is taken into consideration when referring to special conditions, while general conditions are fixed by state statutes (Schmalleger, 2011). Under the conditions of parole, a parolee must periodically check in, or report, to parole officers, and parole officers may visit the parolees home or place of employment unannounced (Schmalleger, 2011). While an offender is on parole, he or she must obtain employment within 30 days and continue work as it has shown to reduce the probability of repeated offenses (Schmalleger, 2011). In accordance to Schmalleger (2011), â€Å"General conditions of parole usually include agreement not to leave the state as well to obey extradition requests from other jurisdiction. † Truth in sentencing, a close connection linking the sentence imposed on an offender, and the amount of time served in prison, benefited offenders while infuriated victims (Schmalleger, 2011). What you get is what you serve† became the emphasis on truth in sentencing and has become an important policy focus of many state legislatures and the United States Congress (Schmalleger, 2011). The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement set aside funds that adopt the truth-in-sentencing laws assure that certain violent offenders will serve at least 85 percent of their prison sentence (Schmalleger, 2011). The concept of parole allows an offender to be released from confinement before the end of their sentence under certain circumstances. Conditions must be followed and maintained to ensure the offender stays on parole. The goals of truth in sentencing are based on violent criminals completing 85 percent of their time to honor the victim. References Schmalleger, F. (2011). Criminal justice today: An introductory text for the twenty-first century (11th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ. Pearson Prentice Hall.

Insolvency in anglo american law The WritePass Journal

Insolvency in anglo american law Introduction Insolvency in anglo american law IntroductionA. General1.The concept of security2.The purpose of taking securityB. Problems caused by security1. Problems of misallocating resourcesa. Types of unsecured creditorsi.Uninformed Creditorsii. Voluntary Creditorsiii. Involuntary Creditorsb. Problemsi. Involuntary creditorsii. Uninformed creditors2. The efficiency of secured creditC.Proposals of reform1. Ensuring the payment through insurance2. Non-consensual Creditors are given Priority over Secured Creditors3. Are these proposals persuasive?D.ConclusionBibliographyRelated Introduction A. General 1.The concept of security There are many attempts to define â€Å"security†, but this concept varies in different countries, and even in different fields of economic and financial activity. Simply put, it can be understood that â€Å"security† is originated from the instinctive fear of risk of financiers. It is similar to a guarantee that someone’s investment, at least, will not make him loose more than what he expects to gain. As clarified by Professor Goode, the concept of security depends on concepts of ownership and possession; it â€Å"involves the grant of a right in an asset which the grantor owns or in which he has an interest†. ‘Security’ is not officially defined under English law. Its scope has to be drawn from judicial interpretations. Pursuant to the judgment of Re Paramount Airways Ltd, security is defined as â€Å"created where a person (the creditor) obtains rights exercisable against some property in which the debtor has an interest in order to enforce the discharge of the debtor’s obligation to the creditor.†However, this definition is not fixed. The problem of lacking an official definition results in some uncertainties in regulating secured credit under English law. Under American law, in contrast, ‘security interest’ is clearly defined as â€Å"an interest in personal property that secures either payment of money or the performance of an obligation†. The functional approach in secured transaction under American legislations is preferred than the formal approach under English law. There are two main types of security which are fixed and floating charges. A fixed charge is defined as â€Å"a charge or mortgage secured on particular property, such as land and buildings; and intellectual property such as copyrights, patents, trade marks. A floating charge is an equitable charge on assets which can continued to be traded from time to time without the reacceptance of the mortgagee.Between these two, floating charge is used more commonly. 2.The purpose of taking security According to Professor McCormack, there are several reasons of taking security. Firstly, security will give priority to a creditor over other unsecured ones in the event of insolvency. According to a survey by the Society of Practitioners of Insolvency, about 75% unsecured creditor received nothing after asset distribution. Suggested from the definition of insolvency, which is a situation that a company loses its ability to pay all of its creditors, priority in insolvency proceedings is very important. Another reason is that a creditor who takes security will have more control on the lent assets as well as insolvency proceedings. The regime in England under the Enterprise Act 2002 allows a floating charge’s holder to appoint an administrator, whose duty is to ensure a certain share of the insolvent company’s assets for the benefit of such holder. This type of â€Å"self-help† remains controversial. It is criticized a lots as such control is too substantial. Last but not least, the taking of security is regarded as useful to reduce the cost of investigation into the debtor’s financial situation. Professor Buckley called such costs the â€Å"screening costs†.According to his arguments, as the borrower has to reveal information to the lender so as to ensure that it is financially able to take the loan, a securely informed creditor will benefit from avoiding more risk in the market. Such information, in insolvency proceedings, will aid in determining the debtor’s creditworthiness and anticipated bankruptcy value. Sub-conclusion: To sum up, security plays a significant role in financial activities of companies. It gives both the borrowers and the lenders benefits which are crucial in their transactions’ decisions. However, from the perspectives of a unsecured creditor, the ability of taking security by some creditors results in their higher possibility of receiving nothing in return in the event of insolvency. This essay will discuss such misallocation of resources to the unsecured creditors and examine the reform proposal to solve these problems in 2 main parts respectively. At the end, a conclusion will be drawn that although security causes troubles to non-consensual creditors, any reform needs to be taken with a lot of considerations on the method and in the system as a whole. B. Problems caused by security 1. Problems of misallocating resources Lynn LoPucki, in his analysis, has demonstrated that most unsecured creditors are given such status against their will and awareness.   Therefore, it is unfair when they are given even less than what they can gain because of the security’s usage. By taking securities, the secured creditors, with all the control and benefits as examined above, may take a substantial part of the debtor’s assets. The unsecured creditors, who usually outnumber the secured ones but only receive a much smaller part of the insolvent’s resources. Although the basic principle of insolvency law is â€Å"equality of misery†, many people are forced to be more miserable than others. In order to detect a solution for this matter, this part is illustrated in 2 smaller parts, the first deals with the classification of unsecured creditors and the second discusses the problem in allocating the debtor’s resources. a. Types of unsecured creditors There are three types of unsecured creditors, depending on their reaction to such status: uninformed creditors, voluntary creditors and involuntary creditors. Each category is suffered different problems caused by security to their group. i.Uninformed Creditors Uninformed creditors are those who accept the status of unsecured creditors despite their acknowledge of the debtor’s situation because they do not properly estimate the risk they are about to take. These creditors are similar to voluntary creditor because they know the situation before making their decision of invest into such debtors. But they are also similar to involuntary creditors because if they had known the â€Å"true state of the law and the debtor’s finances when they made the fatal decision to extend credit (or not to withdraw from an extension already made), [they] would have decided differently.Their consent, therefore, is not meaningful due to the lack of true understanding of what they are consent to. The example for this type is trade creditors who are so â€Å"uninformed that they systematically undercharge for the extension of credit† ii. Voluntary Creditors Examples of voluntary creditors are employees and customers. Employees: In case employees’ wages are not paid, they become creditors of their employer. The missing of payment by an employer serves as the most alarming precaution of its financial situation to the employees. However, as stated by Buckley, â€Å"claims   for unpaid wages are   not substantial   in most   bankruptcies [†¦] because   few   employers   are willing   to   risk work   stoppages   by gambling with unpaid   wages.† Customers: Customers are also classified as voluntary creditors of a retailer in case they have warranty claims. In certain cases, the prices they are willing to pay may reflect their ability to foresee the default. Therefore, customers become creditors only if they have proper reaction to such foreseen possibility. iii. Involuntary Creditors It is estimated in a study by Sullivan, Warren, and Westbrook that 23% of unsecured creditors filling bankruptcy under Chapter 7 and 13 of the Bankruptcy Code was involuntary creditors. This category includes governmental claimants (tax agencies, pension agencies), tort victims, environmental agencies, utility companies. We will now examine the first two examples of this type. Governmental claims: A company has many governmental responsibilities. This is shown by its duty in many tax related activities ranging from corporate taxes to employees’ income taxes. Moreover, it may have to be involved in some social security program. Thus, in the event of insolvency, it may become debtors of several state entities. And in common cases, the governmental claims will not consent to be under the status of creditors because it is likely that they will gain nothing due to the unsecured characteristic of debts the company owed to them. Tort claims: Tort victims are regarded to be the most typical kind of involuntary creditors. As indicated by a study of Manville Corporation cases, the company’s book value when it filed for insolvency was only $1.2 billion book value, while its tort liability was $1.9 billion is in asbestos-related claims. It is common that tort claimants do not agree with their unsecured creditor status. In many cases, they even do not agree to be creditor if it is not because of wrongful acts by the debtor violating their rights and benefits. Such wrongful acts may ranging from harmful business acts (negligence, interference,†¦) to infringement of intellectual property rights However, the insolvency law has not treated them with sufficient priority over other creditors (especially secured creditors). b. Problems In the context of this essay, we will discuss the influences of consent-based theory in examining the problems of involuntary and uninformed creditors. It may be argued that to identify the direct consequences of the lack of consent of a creditor when involving in a company’s business is not always easy. Brian Mccall has illustrated an example where a supplier sell inventory on credit to a buyer. The buyer then sells the inventory and uses the proceeds to pay a bill instead of paying the supplierAs a result, the supplier becomes an non-consensual creditors as resources are misallocated without his consent. Mccal concluded that this can happen because the supplier does not have the general right to consent to every action of the buyer that has an effect on him. However, that problem should not preclude the idea of fairness and sympathy for unsecured creditors, which is basis for the argument of consent-based theory. The theory provides that it is a violation in taking away the right to payment of creditors who are not consent to such status. By granting security for some creditors, a debtor affects the shares in the asset pool of other involuntary and uninformed creditors. Followers of this theory emphasized that there should not be any distinction between secured and unsecured creditors because both types are entitled to receive their and only their proportional distributions of their respective debts Any priority to one group will result in an â€Å"unjust† distribution to the other. We will now analysis the problems resulted by security which are challenging unsecured creditors. i. Involuntary creditors In his work, Lynn LoPucki has explained why security is used despite the fact that a major of creditors does not agree with it. The relationship, after using security, between the debtor, the secured creditors and the unsecured ones is indicated as a contract where the first two agree with each other that the last will gain nothing. Therefore, security is widely used because of two parallel stimulations: no one wants to be in the situation of an unsecured creditor whose value in the debtor’s asset is contracted to expropriate for others; and, a debtor also wants to take benefits from â€Å"selling secured status to its voluntary creditors†. This problem threatens the right to payment of tort victims most. They clearly do not give their consent to the unsecured creditor status as well as the granting of security for other creditors. However, instead of giving them some priority as usual in tort judgement, the introduction of security to insolvency proceedings reduce their chance of receiving exposure to the debtor’s tort liability. This issue is originated from an argument that the consent of the unsecured creditor – the third party, on the contract – the granted security, between the debtor and the secured creditors, is â€Å"implied†. Such argument, according to Lopucki, is â€Å"not likely to save the institution of security†. It is also argued that it is a principle in economic theory that tort victims should be fully compensated. In regulating the issue of security, legislators who allow its use may not necessarily decide that by granting security, a company can limit or eliminate the exposure to tort liability. Where a company can give full compensation to its tort victims, it should do so â€Å"to the full extent of their wealth†. ii. Uninformed creditors Sympathy should also be given to creditors who do not really understand the meaning and consequence of their consent when voluntarily entering in insolvency proceedings. It is not a â€Å"meaningful consent† because they would not agree with their status and extend credit if they are well-informed to proper estimate the risk of debtor’s business. It may be reasoned that the system should not be changed for the benefit of uninformed creditors because they are responsible for their own decision. Also, some security-supporter may consider that the harm caused to uninformed creditors is â€Å"slight†. However, it is not unreasonable that a substantial number of creditors do not really know what trouble they are falling into due to the complexity of the insolvency regime. Taking Art. 9 of the UCC, which govern insolvency matter in American system, as an example, Lynn LoPucki regards it as â€Å"highly complex, unintuitive, and notoriously deceptive†. Many creditors are small business. Thus, they have to struggle in understanding the principles provided under Art. 9 because they may not afford qualified lawyers. Moreover, this Article is clearly in favor of creditors who are secured and have full knowledge in respect of the company’s financial situation. It becomes easier for them to win in the filing â€Å"race† of insolvency proceedings in spite of the fact that in certain cases, their loans are not justified; or even despite a founded principle to protect legitimate expectations of other creditors. For the purpose of further analysis, uninformed creditors are grouped with involuntary creditors to be referred to as non-consensual creditors. 2. The efficiency of secured credit According to Steven Schwarcz, there are two types of efficiency of secured credit. The first one is where the taking of security ensures the benefit of both secured and unsecured creditors by increase the debtor’s value to cover both types of debt. The second one focus on the harm to unsecured creditors, which is acceptable if it â€Å"does not exceed the benefit to the debtor and the secured creditor†. However, it is unlikely that secured credit can achieve either types of efficiency. The debate over whether secured credit is efficient is triggered by an article by Professors Jackson and Kronman, in which they argued that it is so. Subsequently, many scholars approved this argument by indicating the economic benefits of secured credit such as   lowering screening costs or giving more control and benefits to secured creditors. These are the purpose of taking secured status in transactions, which has been analysed in details above (section A(2)). In contrast, David Carlson casted doubts on the efficiency of secured credit because â€Å"secured lending is not necessarily inconsistent with economic efficiency, though whether any given security interest is efficient is highly contingent and probably unknowable.† Brian Mccall further emphasized on the fact that even if the proof of economic efficiency can be established, it â€Å"merely tells us one of the effects of a given course of action it does not tell us normatively if such a thing should be done.† By demonstrating the nature of security under the regime provide by Art. 9 in the UCC, Lynn LoPucki also proved that security is not efficient. The main reason given to establish such conclusion is that the features of security are not always present. There are three features which the author referred to as â€Å"priority, encumbrance and remedy†. Each of those may exist in one type of security but not others; and some arrangements which include an above feature may not be regarded as â€Å"security†. Thus, it is difficult to ensure the â€Å"efficiency† of all secured credits granted. Sub-conslusion: Not all creditors are granted their unsecured status in the same circumstances. Depending on the reasons which results in their involvement in the debtor’s business, there are three different types: uninformed creditors, voluntary creditors and involuntary creditors. Among these three, uninformed creditors and involuntary creditors are the most vulnerable by the effects of secured credit. Generally, the lack of their consent may be regarded as a detriment to the right and the legitimate expectation for payment of these creditors. In addition, it is established that the use of secured credit may not always be efficient and granting security for creditors may not always be the best solution for the economy. Therefore, these problems of security should be solved by a reform of nonconsensual creditors’ treatment. C.Proposals of reform As analyzed above, only a smaller proportion of creditors in insolvency proceedings may be benefited in the use of security, and their benefits are originated from the detriment of a major number of non-consensual creditors. Besides, the using of secured credit is not always effective. The question is now raised that whether there are any persuasive proposals of reform. In considering the position of non-consensual creditors in secured credit, there are three alternatives:   (1) leaving the situation as it is now; (2) ensuring the payment to unsecured creditors by mandatory insurance; or (3) giving priority for nonconsensual creditors over the secured creditors As leaving the situation as it is now (alternative 1) is considered as ineffective above, we will only examination two later proposals. 1. Ensuring the payment through insurance This alternatives may be used to achieve the first type of efficiency mentioned above    the debtor can ensure the payment for all creditors, regardless of their status as secured or unsecured despite its situation of insolvency. It is suggested by LoPucki that mandatory insurance should be taken by a company which may incur liability over involuntary creditors, especially tort claimants. By doing so, such company make it possible for their involuntary creditors to fully recover from the insurer instead of pursuing for payment from the debtors. Concurrently, the first position of secured creditors in insolvency proceedings is not arguable. 2. Non-consensual Creditors are given Priority over Secured Creditors Professor Paul Shupack has argued that if non-consensual creditors are given priority over secured creditors, no loss will be caused to the secured creditors because they may be fully compensated for the conditional risk by conditioning their loans on the debtor’s payment of a premium. To   reach   the   same conclusion with Professor Paul Shupack, LoPucki put the relationship among debtors, secured and unsecured creditors in an assumption that a debtor has   two creditors,   one unsecured (nonconsensual) and one   secured,   and   that   in case of being insolvent, he can only to pay one of them. The aggregate loss to the economy is calculated in two alternative models: where the secured creditor has priority over the unsecured; and where the unsecured creditor has priority over the secured. In the first model, there is no other choice for the nonconsensual creditor but to extend his credit in a hope to receive some payment. Concurrently, the secured one will also extend his credit because he will be repaid. Priority is given to the later. Therefore, the unsecured will receive nothing. It may be concluded that â€Å"except to the extent, if any, that the debtor derived benefit from inflicting loss on the [nonconsensual] creditor, [that] creditors loss would be an aggregate loss to the economy†. In contrast, if nonconsensual creditors have priority as in the second model, the loss to the economy is claimed to be zero.LoPucki argued that because in this case, the secured creditor knowing that priority is granted to the other, will not extend credit beyond the debtor’s ability to pay. Accordingly, the nonconsensual creditor will receive expected payment and there will be no loss to the economy. If the above analysis is correct, giving priority to the unsecured instead of the secured creditor will be the most effective way to reduce the summative loss to the economy and resolve the problems of misallocating resources as well as inefficient secured credit. However, it is not easy for a regime which has been considered to operate smoothly for long to accept any kind of change. Consequently, the above proposals have been subsequently criticized. 3. Are these proposals persuasive? First of all, regarding the proposal of using insurance, LoPucki himself realized the disadvantages of applying this solution.   Firstly, it is a phenomenon that a company may be more likely to commit wrongful acts if such acts’ consequences have been insured. The acts may be committed intentionally or unintentionally, but the counter-productive result is that the company will be less alert to avoid them. Consequently, insurance in this case may bring more bad than good things, to the company, any potential tort victims and the society as a whole. Moreover, insurance will left over a large number of uninformed creditors, who are in most cases also non-consensual but can be benefit from the debtor’s mandatory insurance policies. Concerning LoPucki’s best solution that is to give non-consensual creditors priority over secured creditors, it becomes a controversial topic where everyone expresses their own view on the relationship between security and insolvency, law and economic regulations.   Professor Block-Lieb, in her reply to LoPucki’s argument, even concluded that â€Å"his reformulation   of the unsecured   creditors   bargain   is   insufficient   justification   for   drastic alterations   to   the law of secured   transactions.† Professor White, in considering the proposal, questioned whether â€Å"Article 9 [of the UCC] is   the place   to   deal with   them†. Firstly, he argued that governmental agencies would not need priority over secured creditors because they can use tax liens for themselves. Concerning tort claims, White’s arguments are based on elevating the status of claimants if amending Art. 9   He suggested that â€Å"significant   subordination   of   perfected security   interest will   drive   secured   creditors   to   look   for   security devices   that are more wasteful but more effective   (for them)†. In addition, there may be a distinction between claims for pain or suffering and claims for economic injury (libel, fraud, negligence victims). Thus, it is difficult to identify which claims should be granted priority or not. Besides, â€Å"if the Bankruptcy   Code   grants   priority   to   the   tort   claimants,   it can   give them superiority over not only personal property   secured   claimants but   also   over   other   lien   holders   and   real   property   mortgagees[, but] Art. 9   cannot   reach   real   estate mortgagees   and   only with   awkward   expansion   could   it   possibly   reach   and   grant   priority   over other   liens   in   the   law   of every   state. At best, modification   of Article   9   would be only   a half measure   because   it   deals neither with   claims   secured   by   real   estate   nor with   claims   of nonconsensual    lienors.† Sub-conclusion: It is submitted that there seems to be an agreement on the inefficiency of secured credit which requires many consideration for reforming. However, the reform of only a particular regime as Art. 9 in the case of the UCC is not the best solution. Security has been used for quite a long time. Its development has been so closely connected with other aspects of regulating rights and benefit of many economic factors. Therefore, a change of regime under Art. 9 alone cannot be expected to be effective. D.Conclusion Bibliography Legislations The Enterprise Act 2002 the United Kingdom The Uniform Commercial Code – The United Stated Books Gerard McCormack, Secured Credit under English and American Law, Cambridge University Press, 2004 Royston Miles Goode, Legal problems of credit and security, Sweet Maxwell, 2003, 4th Ed. Journals Alan   Schwartz,   Security   Interests and   Bankruptcy   Priorities:   A Review   of   Current   Theories,   10   J.   Legal   Stud.   1   (1981) Brian M. Mccall, â€Å"It’s just secured credit! The natural law case in defense of some forms of secured credit†, 43(1) Indiana Law Review, (2009) David Gray Carlson, On the Efficiency of Secured Lending, 80 VA. L. REV. 2179 (1994) Elizabeth Warren, Making Policy with Imperfect Information: The Article 9 Full Priority Debates, 82 Cornell L. Rev. (1997), 1389 F.H. Buckley, The bankruptcy   priority   puzzle, 72 Va. L. Rev.   1421 (1986) James J. White, â€Å"Work   and play   in   revising   article   9†, 80 Va. L. Rev.   (1994), 2096 Lynn M.   LoPucki, â€Å"The unsecured   creditors   bargain†, 80 Va. L. Rev. (1994), 1907 Paul M. Shupack, Solving   the Puzzle   of Secured Transactions,   41   Rutgers   L.   Rev. (1989) 1067 Steven L. Schwarcz, â€Å"The easy   case for the priority of secured claims   in bankruptcy†, 47 Duke L.J. (1997-98), 480 Susan Block-Lieb, The Unsecured Creditors Bargain: A Reply, 80. Va. L. Rev. (1994), 1989 Thomas H. Jackson Anthony T. Kronman, Secured Financing and Priorities Among Creditors, 88 YALE L.J. (1979), 1143 Other documents Eighth Survey of Company Insolvency by Society of Practitioners of Insolvency (1997-8). Statistics from Teresa   A.   Sullivan,   Elizabeth   Warren      Jay   L.   Westbrook,   â€Å"As   We   Forgive   Our Debtors†Ã‚   18,   294   (1989)

Descartes Essays (1492 words) - Ren Descartes, Free Essays

Descartes Essays (1492 words) - Ren Descartes, Free Essays Descartes Descartes Meditations Descartes Cogito Ergo Sum (I am, I exist) argument is a complex one. In many ways, he constructs a convincing argument for the existence of the self, and for the process of the thinking being, the essence of that self. In this meditation on his philosophy, Descartes on numerous attempts tries to convince both the readers, as well as himself, of his theory that we must reject all of our present ideas and beliefs and start from nothing. He believes that the only thing that has any certainty at this point is his own existence as a thinking being. Everything else, which he has learned throughout his entire life and believed in, is to be thrown out because it is not known clearly and distinctly. Descartes method and theory on knowledge was well planned and carefully thought out. It is evident that he spent a great deal of time determining the principles that he would use as determinants for judging whether a specific idea was justified and true. In my opinion, there are some flaws contained in Descartes argument. Among these flaws are Descartes apparent determination to prove his theory on his individual existence in the world and the existence of G-d to backup and prove himself and his theories. At the beginning of meditation two, Descartes is stuck in the middle of nothingness. He has nothing, nothing to believe in and everything around him he regards as false. This is because he cannot believe what he has learned and he is also unable to trust his senses due to the fact that they deceive him. He feels like he is drowning in a whirlpool and cannot reach the top and get out nor can he put his feet on the bottom and stand. Everything in the world at this point he has called into doubt, including himself. Everything that he has ever seen, learned or thought is now external from what he deems to be true and he is beginning his knowledge from non-existence. Descartes although is certain of one thing, nothing (but to be certain of nothing is still to be certain of something?). Descartes is a rational thinker and he rationalizes through his studies that nothing in the world is known. He decided to re-start his belief process and call everything he has ever believed in, into doubt. He is debating complex ideas in his head, changing his mind and objectively making decisions, so his existence in a world has to be a certainty. The fact that he is having these thoughts, whether right or wrong proves mental capacity. Descartes then states with certainty Cogito ergo sum (I am, I exist). This is the first accurate idea that Descartes knows with any conviction, he knows that he is a thinking being. Descartes still does not know what he is, he says but what then am I? A thing that thinks. What is that? A thing that doubts, understands, affirms, denies, wills, refuses, and that also imagines and senses. He is aware of his mental capacity and knows he thinks, deliberates and makes decisions, but he still rejects his body and his senses. O ne major flaw found in Descartes argument is that while critically examining, and then rejecting, mostly everything in the world around him, he maintained that he could prove the existence of G-d, beyond a shadow of a doubt. For thousands of years, people have been trying to prove G-ds existence but he has yet to be successful. It seems to me that Descartes showed a display of arrogance in supposing that he could devise a method of proving the existence of G-d, doing so without a great deal of difficulty. At one point in his discourse on method, Descartes sets out a code of morals, which he plans to abide by. Descartes states that he plans to obey the laws and the customs of my country, constantly holding on to the religion in which, by G-ds grace, I had been instructed from my childhood . It is quite apparent from this passage, that Descartes had accepted and embraced the idea of G-d long before he even began to question it. With this pre-judgement of

Do you aspire to live a stress-free life You might want to reconsider.

Do you aspire to live a stress-free life You might want to reconsider. STRESS. Just the word brings on a quickening of my heartbeat, a tightening in my chest and upper back, and a narrowing of my brow. These are the signs of stress for me. When my stress level gets really high, I might feel a pulse in my left temple that is alarmingly out of my control. Stress is not a comforting or comfortable feeling, and when experienced on an ongoing basis can literally kill. But is stress inherently a bad thing? It turns out it’s not. Stress raises our levels of cortisol and adrenaline, hormones that prepare us for reacting under an imminent threat. This response is useful not just for escaping from a physical attack, but also for handling non-life-threatening challenges that come our way. For instance, I am historically a high performer on standardized tests. I have pulled scores that surprise me as being significantly higher than my practice test scores. Believe me, I felt plenty of stress when I took the SAT, the LSAT, and the New York Bar Exam. It was stress that made me focus intensely, work fast, and think more clearly than I ever would under everyday conditions. I feel stress every time I give a presentation or even write a blog article. Stress has helped me in multiple job interviews. Stress somehow got me, as a 13-year-old gymnast, to earn a medal in my â€Å"worst† event (vault) at the New Jersey State Championship – and to win the competition in my age group. Stress pushes me to perform. I never thought I would say this, but†¦ I would not want to give up my stress! However, since there are inarguably negative health effects to persistent stress, it’s worth looking at how to take a break from stressful episodes. I think this is where things like exercise and meditation come in. If I did not have my daily yoga and swimming practice, I might never get a break from my anxiety-ridden daily life. Hugs help too (they release oxytocin, which helps our heart cells regenerate). Psychologist Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D., in a TED Talk, noted that how we manage stress is key to how harmful or helpful it is. If someone views stress positively, that person is likely â€Å"to be less stressed-out, less anxious and more confident.† Stress can help us with solving problems, tackling challenges, and bouncing back from failure. Not only that, but if someone views stress as helpful, their physical response actually changes! In particular, their blood vessels do not constrict, but instead stayed relaxed. That difference, compounded over time, could easily be the distinguishing factor between an early heart attack and living into old age. McGonigal recommends that we become aware of our negative thinking, so that we avoid defaulting to drama and jumping to unsupported conclusions. The support of friends, family, and colleagues can be key in this process. I historically have viewed some of my stress as positive and other as negative. My commitment now is to spin it to positive as frequently as possible so I can live a long and stress-managed (not stress-free) existence. Do you experience stress as a positive or negative influence in your life? What techniques do you find useful for managing stress? Please share below! [This article was inspired by John H. Ostdick’s article, â€Å"The Upside to Stress,† published in the May 2014 issue of Success Magazine.]

American History Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

American History Analysis - Assignment Example The assignment "American History Analysis" talks about the American history study that was captured by the ideas of President Eisenhower and General Marshall who noticed the ill-preparedness of the America’s military armed forces which led to the considerable loss. Fulfillment of the task of protecting the nation required the projection of the army’s preparation past the immediate prospect. They advocated for military preparedness through establishing and maintaining a good defense policy. Modern warfare requires proper planning if the war was to bring forth peace. They both noted the need for peace which was the main objective of the war or conflict. General Marshall came up with ideas which if implemented could help in their defense strategies. He supported President Washington’s program which was for the peace time training or the universal military training of the citizens. The essence of this training was to ensure that in the case of an emergency, the train ed citizens could be recalled to help in the forces. The idea behind this was to create employment opportunities to the trained citizens directly or indirectly in fields related to security. It was noted that technology could not be relied on solely in times of war as the machines required people to operate them. The Axis powers used the strategy of imposing an invisible unpleasant force to win any biased row and to their disadvantage brought out their weaknesses. Marshall also noted that there was a misunderstanding of military preparedness.

Divorce Regulations in Great Britain Research Paper

Divorce Regulations in Great Britain - Research Paper Example One answer no doubt lies in what could be called 'the spirit of the age'. 1963 was, after all, the year in which (according to Philip Larkin) 'sexual intercourse began'. It was also the year of the so-called Profumo affair in which a Minister of the Crown admitted lying to Parliament about his relationship with a woman, and unprecedented press publicity was given to the surrounding events and rumors. (For example, another Minister was said to indulge in 'weird sexual practices' involving his appearing naked--save for a mask--at parties.) Lord Denning's exhaustive investigation into these matters (concluding that although there had indeed been orgies where guests indulged in 'sexual activities of a vile and revolting nature' and that it was true dinner had been served by a naked masked man yet there was not a 'shred of evidence' that the man in question was a Minister) did little to calm the fevered atmosphere. In the circumstances, it became increasingly difficult to believe that civ ilisation would be endangered by allowing the thousands of (often elderly and usually eminently respectable) couples living together in what came to be called 'stable illicit unions' to crush the 'empty legal shell' of an earlier marriage so that they could become in law what they had long been in fact (Castles and Flood, 1991). The massive increase in divorce associated with ...At a somewhat less lofty level, those concerned with the administration of the family justice system became preoccupied with avoiding its collapse under the apparently relentless pressure of divorce petitions. 1But even amongst those who firmly believed the ideal of marriage--in particular as a way of providing children the 'settled and harmonious life on which so much of their future happiness depends' --to be the traditional union 'for better for worse, for richer for poorer . . . till death we do part' there was concern about a lot of the hundred thousand or more people living apart from their legal spouses in stable unions to which the law denied recognition. The impossibility of legalizing such relationships against the will of an 'innocent' legal spouse denied many men and women (and in particular the children they bore) adequate social and financial protection (Ceschini, 1995).In 1951 in an attempt to meet this concern, Mrs. Eirene White had introduced a Private Member's Bill into the House of Commons, avowedly intended 'to deal with marriages in which the spouses have lived separately for seven years, but in which no hitherto recognized ground for divorce exists or in which one partner, having grounds for action, declines to take it and keeps the other partner tied against his or her will, generally for life'. The Bill did this by invoking 'a new principle, in that it looks to the breakdown of the marriage as the ground for divorce (whilst not prejudicing the right of an injured party to seek divorce under the existing matrimonial offense provisions). This was to be achieved by adding seven years' separation to the existing grounds for divorce.

Organisational Change Consultancy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Organisational Change Consultancy - Case Study Example It is such problems that contribute to the tarnishing of Toyota’s reputation, especially concerning the safety issue (Mark, 2010). These defects also contributed to more than 50 deaths globally, and since customers prefer an assurance of their goods, Toyota Company could pay dearly for such defects. For instance, customers around the world may lose their trust in the Toyota brand and opt for another brand that is more effective and with less or no defects. Another arising issue is the April threat by Toyota’s union members to fight the cuts on their shifts by half, following the disaster in Japan. Nevertheless, the company sees the need for these cuts due to the heavy losses incurred after Japan’s tsunami and earthquake in March (Donovan, 2011). Employment levels would also be reduced by half, O’Brien (2010) reports in an interview on the state of Toyota following the recalling process of over a million vehicles. In her report, Toyota has always based thei r brands on quality and reliability, to the extent of many clients preferring used Toyota vehicles due to their effectiveness over the years. However, with the recent questions on Toyota’s effectiveness due to various noted defects, it is likely to have a major impact on its market. Some of these results would include stiff competition from Ford and General Motors, which are some of the competitors in the motor industry. According to Willacy (2010), Toyota Company suggested that it would cease production temporarily in Britain and France following sales decrease, as a result of the worldwide safety recalls on their vehicles. The recall of over a million of their vehicles had a negative impact on their sales; hence, a quick action was required. This followed lawsuits from the United States clients who sued the Japan automaker company over the Toyota car defects; for instance, the sticky accelerator pedals. The ongoing car recalls in Toyota could damage its brand name and decre ase its sales, as the company’s image is destroyed due to the many challenges of defaults that heave occurred over the past few years. In the United States, Toyota’s market has deteriorated; however, based on this year’s projections, Toyota expects higher returns in Japan, Russia, and Asia (DBRS, 2011). Nevertheless, the Toyota company as a whole faces a lot of challenges in its various branches; for instance, in Australia, over 3000 employees went on strike demanding promotion and the cease of the proposed wage cut on their salary, as the workers have not received wage increase since April 2010, (Bryne & O’Connor, 2011). Toyota Tsusho Corporation controls operations for Toyota distributors and retailers in seven countries, whilst assisting in distribution for Toyota vehicles and parts to variety of distributors. Toyota Tsusho has worked hand in hand with Toyota Motor Company to become the leading automotive company. Therefore, most challenges that face t he parent Toyota Company also affect Toyota Tsusho and its subsidiaries as well. Nevertheless, supply has been interrupted due to the Japanese earthquake and tsunami disasters early this year. For Toyota Tsusho to enhance its business in the south pacific, certain changes have to be made. Change Management Plan According to Queensland government, (N.d, p1), change management plan contributes the required flexibility, since it is designed to satisfy the needs of the organization. The change management

Mona Lisa and The Vitruvius man Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mona Lisa and The Vitruvius man - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that Mona Lisa falls under half-length painting since a standard man can stretch his or her hands without reaching the portrait borders. The portrait is one of its kinds as it has good spacing between the main image and its borders. The painting or portrait has the image of a woman dubbed Mona Lisa sitting on a chair with her left hand carefully placed on the same chair. The portrait has a landscape effect from the wall behind the chair. Mona Lisa is an original piece due to its size, the shadow and landscape effects. The application of different tones of colors on various components of the painting makes it pleasant to study and analyze. Dark colors on the edges create the effect of continuity and all these make the portrait one of its kind. The Vitruvius Man is a painting of a naked man with the legs as well as arms stretching beyond a circle which happens to be inscribed in a circle. The painter is believed to be communicating some basic f acts of the relationship between nature and creation. Mona Lisa has more than one basis point of interest as the viewer's eyes’ roam between form the main picture to the rocks and water body. The same applies to the Vitruvius man whose arms stretch from the circle inscribed in a square. However, the moods in the two paintings differ as Mona Lisa is composed of a happy woman while the Vitruvian man is more of a secret cult.  

Subarctic Hunters Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Subarctic Hunters - Research Paper Example The Inland Tlingit people living in the Subarctic include the Carrier, Dene and Cree. While the Algonquin people occupy the east, the Athapaskan people occupy the west (Holly 10). Despite the slight variation in the culture and language of these groups, the Subarctic hunters generally have similarities in their lifestyles that sought to make them adapt to the harsh environment they lived in. Traditionally, the Subarctic people were hunters, though they also fished and gathered plants and berries. From an early age, boys were taught how to hunt as this would remain part of their daily activities for the rest of their lives. While men were involved in big-game hunting, women were mostly involved in snaring hare, fishing, processing hides and cutting and drying meat (Anthony 3). Bows and arrows were used in hunting together with other indigenous traps, deadfalls, snares and devices such as the pound and caribou drift fence. The thin distribution of wild animals, making them only available seasonally or locally contributed to the scarce population in the region estimated to have about 60,000 people. The Subarctic hunters had cultural concepts that appreciated both the need for personal competence and also the reliance on others and the need to put the group’s interest ahead of individual interests. Thus, personalities such as deference to others, self-control, reticence and emotionally undemonstrative styles of interaction were fostered according to O’Neil. The traditions of the Subarctic people associated illness with soul loss. Cures were therefore sought from shamans, women and men with strong spirit powers (Pritzker 483). Shamans also found lost things and foretold the future. Similarly, their religion had everyone believe in various natural powers. They fasted, held vigils and dreamt so as to attract guardian spirits to provide assistance. They respected nature, and food animals formed

Mona Lisa and The Vitruvius man Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mona Lisa and The Vitruvius man - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that Mona Lisa falls under half-length painting since a standard man can stretch his or her hands without reaching the portrait borders. The portrait is one of its kinds as it has good spacing between the main image and its borders. The painting or portrait has the image of a woman dubbed Mona Lisa sitting on a chair with her left hand carefully placed on the same chair. The portrait has a landscape effect from the wall behind the chair. Mona Lisa is an original piece due to its size, the shadow and landscape effects. The application of different tones of colors on various components of the painting makes it pleasant to study and analyze. Dark colors on the edges create the effect of continuity and all these make the portrait one of its kind. The Vitruvius Man is a painting of a naked man with the legs as well as arms stretching beyond a circle which happens to be inscribed in a circle. The painter is believed to be communicating some basic f acts of the relationship between nature and creation. Mona Lisa has more than one basis point of interest as the viewer's eyes’ roam between form the main picture to the rocks and water body. The same applies to the Vitruvius man whose arms stretch from the circle inscribed in a square. However, the moods in the two paintings differ as Mona Lisa is composed of a happy woman while the Vitruvian man is more of a secret cult.  

Part 2 Theories of the Policy Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Part 2 Theories of the Policy Process - Essay Example Bentley's (1908) research offered preliminary insights on how advocacy groups affect the policy process. After Bentley's research, numerous studies on interest groups followed, with each study revealing the importance of interest groups to the policymaking process and the difficulty of measuring the impact of interest group influence on the policymaking process (Baumgartner & Leech, 1998, p. 45-46). In addition to interest groups, political scientists also emphasized the role of bureaucrats, policymakers, and the media in the policy process. All of these entities could influence a specific policy subsystem such as agricultural subsidy policy, pesticide regulatory policy, or any policy considered by policymakers. Over the course of 100 years, political scientists used case studies and quantitative analyses to further examine the impact of these variables on the policy process. By the late 1980s, this collection of research helped to provide the theoretical backdrop to models such as the ACF and PE that attempted to theorize about policy process. The ACF owes much of its intellectual heritage to research on the impact of interest groups on the policy process. This line of research started in the early 1900s and can be roughly divided into four eras. In the first era, lasting from 1900- 1930s, researchers examined the pressure tactics of groups and the impact of those tactics on the policy process. Significant works during this era included Arthur Bentley's (1908) The Process of Government. Bentley broadly theorized that groups compete against one another in order to influence governmental processes (p. 222,269). Although Bentley was not concerned with constructing specific theories on group activity, his research was the first to suggest that groups influenced the policy process. It also helped political scientists refocus their research efforts to other aspects of government aside from legalistic examinations of governing institutions (Bentley, 1908, p. 162). Similar works that examined the role of interest groups, or pressure groups as they were commonly known during this period, followed with each work examining the importance of interest groups in policymaking and reconciling that notion with theories of government and democracy (Griffith, 1939; Herring, 1929; Odegard, 1928; Schattschneider, 193 5; see also Cleveland, 19 13; Crawford, 1939; Croly, 19 15; Pollock, 1927; Zeller, 1937). Even more than Arthur Bentley, whose work was generally not even recognized until the 1950s, these researchers made the study of interest groups' impact on the policy process noteworthy (Garson, 1978, p. 77). However, it was not until the 1950s that interest group research really became important to political science. During this second era of research, lasting approximately from the 1940s- 1960s, the study of interest group influence on the policy process reached its scholarly zenith as the administrative size of the federal government increased. Research during this time period reaffirmed the importance of interest groups to policymaking (Griffith, 195 1 ; Latham, 1952; Truman, 1951 ; see also Key, 1952; McConnell, 1966). Some of the most influential research also extended the notion of interest group influence on the policy process to the notion that interest groups, policymakers, and agencies jointly controlled the policy proc

Case Study on Launch of Water Park Essay Example for Free

Case Study on Launch of Water Park Essay The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) announced Asian Attractions Expo (AAE) 2014 will take place at the China National Convention Center (CNCC) in Beijing 17-20 June 2014. Since 1997, Asian Attractions Expo has been the premier international trade show and conference for the multibillion-dollar leisure and attractions industry in Asia. â€Å"IAAPA is looking forward to bringing Asian Attractions Expo to China,† IAAPA Vice President, Asia Pacific Operations Andrew Lee said. â€Å"The attractions industry within China is growing at a rapid pace with several attractions recently completed and a number of other major amusement parks in development, making its capital city, Beijing, a logical choice to host AAE 2014. † â€Å"Beijing’s experience as host to the 2008 Olympic Games, its area tourist attractions, and its history and diverse culture make it a perfect backdrop for Asian Attractions Expo, the attractions industry’s fastest growing trade show and conference in the region,† said IAAPA President and CEO Paul Noland. Owners, operators, manufacturers, and suppliers will conduct business, learn, and network More than 5,000 attractions industry professionals from more than 60 nations are expected to participate in the event. The trade show floor will showcase products from more than 250 companies from around the world in more than 100 categories, including amusement and theme park rides; architectural and design services; and coin-operated games, skill games, and redemption prizes. The trade show floor is the place for CEOs, directors, general managers and senior managers of amusement and theme parks, water parks, zoos, aquariums, museums, family entertainment centers, casinos and resorts to experience what’s new in the attractions industry and purchase attractions and services to enhance the guest experience and increase revenue at their facilities. The event will include education sessions related to safety, operations, and management presented by worldwide industry leaders in each discipline. Session discussions will center on industry trends and best practices, and throughout the week participants will network with colleagues to strengthen longtime business relationships and establish new partnerships. WWA offers webinar on Affordable Care Act BY AMUSEMENT TODAY | FEBRUARY 25, 2013 The World Waterpark Association will broadcast a live webinar on March 6, 2013, at 2 p. m. ET with a session on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, brought to you by the WWA’s Government Relations Committee and the WWA Insurance Program and its partner agency, Haas Wilkerson Insurance. The Affordable Care Act: What It Means For Waterpark Operators Healthcare expert Dennis Maggart will deliver a presentation on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) that was signed into law in 2010. Many of the major changes are scheduled to be enacted on January 1 of 2014. Maggart will speak to World Waterpark Association members on how these new laws may affect your company. The seasonal nature of the waterpark business and the amount of part-time and temporary labor the industry hires makes compliance with many of these new requirements very challenging. This webinar will be very useful in helping you with your compliance and in developing a strategy to deal with these new rules and regulations. Dennis Maggert is President of McInnes Maggart Consulting Group, located in Fairway, Kan. , McInnes Maggart Consulting Group is a strategic partner of Haas Wilkerson Insurance. There is no cost to attend this webinar. However, space is limited for the live event and turnout is expected to be strong, so register today and sign-in at least 5 minutes before the event begins. To register visit the webinar registraton web page.

The Evolution Of Telemedicine Health And Social Care Essay

The Evolution Of Telemedicine Health And Social Care Essay Who would have ever imagined that a doctors visit could be conducted through a phone-line, video, or the use of a computer 1000 plus miles away? Medical records can be view by another medical professional for a second opinion three counties away before you arrive. A radiologist in Singapore has diagnosis your femur fracture here in the United States. Medical diagnosis, treatment and consultations are being performed from miles away because of technology. It seems as if there is no limitation to the well being of a patient through a wide range of telemedicine services. What is telemedicine? According to the American Telemedicine Association telemedicine is the use of medical information exchanged from one site to another via electronic communications to improve patients health status. Emails, videoconferencing, transmission of still images, e-health including patient portals, remote monitoring of vital signs, continuing medical education and nursing call centers are all considered part of telemedicine.(http://www.americantelemed.org) This interactive form of medical services has provided healthcare to individuals many miles away or minutes away in the comfort of their homes, physician offices and hospitals. Ways to communicate services Store-and -forward is a means of transmission of medical information to other medical professionals and facilities that will provide the recipient pertinent medical history, vital signs, medical records, lab results and images. Store-and-forward telemedicine systems have the ability to capture and store digital still or moving images of patients, as well as audio and text data. A store-and-forward system eliminates the need for the patient and the clinician to be available at the same time and place. Store-and-forward is therefore an asynchronous, no interactive form of telemedicine. It is usually employed as a clinical consultation (as opposed to an office or hospital visit). (http://www.ahrq.gov) One of the major concerns with store and forward is whether it is as effective as face to face medical visits, does it have comparable outcomes, is it appropriate for appropriate medical management, is the patient truly satisfied with the outcome and level of services and is it cost effect ive? There are several benefits of store-and-forward technology. Patients in rural areas are able to be seen by specialty physician miles away when there is limited access to the services in the area. The store-and-forward of medical information is also being used with emergency response teams to communicate the information to the emergency room staff for an efficient transfer of vitals and medical status. The store and forward technology is said to be the least expensive way to communicate and the most accurate in real time for patients at a distance needing medical consultation. Another type of store and forward technology is videoconferencing technology. The two way television allows two doctors in two different areas to communicate to provide treatment, a diagnosis, or telesurgery. There are several healthcare areas that benefit from telemedicine Some of the common teleservices Telemedicine includes several medical disciplines that benefit from the services. Services like radiology, dermatology, nursing, pharmacy, pathology, neurology and psychiatry. The need for a second opinion in healthcare has seen a demand, and the shortage of specialty doctors in rural areas increased. The development of telemedicine has benefited the patient in many ways because of technology. Teleradiology- is the transmission of x-ray, CT, MRI, PET, and SPEC images that can be read by radiologist in another facility or country. The information is sent via the store and forward process of telemedicine. Large and small hospitals have began to use teleradiolgist to cut down on expense and having access to immediate diagnosis. Teledermatology- is the use of video conferencing and store and forward images to provide a consultation for an individual that requires a dermatologist. There have been concerns with the consistency of this tyoe of visit for patients due to unclear images of the skin and the possibility of not having that face to face visual from the dermatologist to make an adequate diagnosis. Telenurse- the use of phone, electronic email, videoconferencing, and computers to provide healthcare services or consultation to a patient. Telenusring has continued to grow in the areas of telephone triage for health insurance carriers. Telenursing has grown with interactive patient training related to changing wound dressings, insulin administering, self management of a patients health. Reimbursement Many of the healthcare providers must follow certain guidelines to receive payment for telemedicine. According to Medicare its condition for payment must include an interactive audio and video telecommunications system that is used and must permit real-time communication between the physician or practitioner at the distant site and the beneficiary at the originating site. The medical providers that are covered under this fee for payment are services rendered by a physician, nurse, physician assistant, midwife, clinical nurse specialist, or clinical psychologist. The current list of Medicare telehealth services includes: Consultations Office or other outpatient visits Individual psychotherapy Pharmacologic management Psychiatric diagnostic interview examination End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)-related services Neurobehavioral status examination For ESRD-related services, at least one face-to-face, hands on visit (not telehealth) must be furnished each month to examine the vascular access site by a physician, NP, PA, or CNS. (http://www.cms.hhs.gov) New Trends in telemedicine Trends observed nationally include: using telemedicine in correctional facilities and home health care settings, can significantly reduce the time and costs of patient transportation; providing additional services to rural area linking physicians together more efficiently linking hospitals and schools together to improve care and widespread The benefits With a growing population and healthcare on the rise many public and private medical providers have seen a cost reduction with the use of telemedicine and patients have benefited from the technology in telemedicine. Insurance providers are paying for less hospital in patient days because the patient can be monitored from a distance. The patients are able to communicate with a nurse or physician at home through phone, video, or Bluetooth monitoring. Telemedicine allows more freedom to the patient to feel less restricted to home visits, they have access to some providers 24 hours a day and it cuts down on their travel time to medical visits. The patients family has also displayed satisfaction from the use of telemedicine because its less strenuous on their travel time and loss of work days. Another benefit of telemedicine provides an outreach to rural areas to be included in clinical trial studies and procedures. The providers have also benefited because they are able to receive real t ime feedback from other professionals that are able to transmitted medical information quickly, decreased travel time, and continued patient education and communication. Issues that need to be addressed Education regarding telemedicine and its usage. There are concerns that many do not know that he services exist. Cost and evaluation of the services. Will the cost for reimbursement be lower because there is no face to face contact? How will the affects of technology increase cost? Liability and malpractice issues. Out of state practices of medical professionals crossing their licensed boundaries. How will they be regulated and which state laws and rules will they be governed under? Security is always a concern regarding information sent via phone and internet lines. Can medical information be protected properly and the doctors will be held liable for the misappropriation of a patients medical information. Although there are HIPPA laws regarding patients privacy according to ORTCC its much more difficult to guarantee confidentiality because several individuals outside the traditional medical team. The transmission procedure requires technical staff at both ends. In small communities, it is possible that the patient knows the nonmedical personnel socially, compounding the sense of loss of privacy. Thus, the nature of the doctor patient relationship changes dramatically with telemedicine, challenging traditional concepts of privacy and confidentiality. (http://www.ortcc.org) Conclusion With technology making waves telemedicine has been able to grow through leaps and bounds allowing those that are limited and restricted to receive the medical attention of medical professionals. Physician has gain quicker access to other professionals without sitting face to face, digital images, and audio files of heartbeats and fetal movements. The privacy, protection, reimbursement, malpractice, and governing laws are still a concern but the efficiency of communication to provide medical care is needed.

Friendship in The Pact :: The Pact Relationships Essays

Friendship in The Pact Friendship is a huge part of everyone's life, whether they know it or not. In some way shape or form everyone needs relationships. In the book The Pact, friendship is huge. Three boys George, Sam, and Rameck become best friends and you could say that they save each others lives. Not physically but in a sense that without the pact they made there lives might not be where they are today. I can relate this book to a very good friend of mine that got caught up in a bad situation. I’ll use the name â€Å"Bob†. We live in the small town of Cape May, NJ and everyone knows everyone. Not always the best situation for people like Bob. He and I became friends before any of these awful things started to happen. Bob got caught up in the wrong crowd one summer and begandealing cocaine. At the time I was un- aware of this. I began to notice a change in him around the middle of the summer, I asked him if there was anything wrong or if I could do anything for him. Bob wouldn’t tell me what was going on, he said, â€Å"I don’t want to hurt you.† With this statement, â€Å"I don’t want to hurt you.† I immediately knew that something was seriously wrong. At the time I didn’t know what, but I was going to find out. So I started snooping around, and I did my own investigation. Some may say that it was me being nosy, but I know that I’m sure glad I was. It’s a good thing I did too. In my snooping around I found out that Bob was dealing cocaine. It was at this time that I realized Bob’s situation was real, and I would have to do something about it. I thought Bob simply needed to get away from where he knew everyone, and drugs were so easily accessible. Bob and I then sat down to talk. This was not easy for me to do and I’m sure it wasn’t easy for him to hear. I mean, picture someone you think of as a little sister sitting you down and saying, â€Å"Bob, I know all about you dealing cocaine.† It takes a lot to stand up to your friends, but it takes a lot more to just sit and watch their lives go down the drain.

19th Century English Architecture Essay

Introduction * The 19th century heralded the arrival of the Industrial Revolution, which wrought unprecedented socioeconomic and technological changes in England, transforming it into a modern industrial society. This essay examines the impact that these changes have had on the design and construction of two new building types, namely the railway station and prison. * This essay argues that the design and construction of railway stations in England had to be adapted to the changes wrought by the Industrial Revolution, such as widespread rural-urban migration, rapid urban growth and rising affluence in English society. On the pragmatic side, station builders also had to look for alternative materials resistant to corrosion from steam and smoke emitted by locomotives. This essay also examines the social changes and penal reforms in 19th century England which caused a shift in societal perspectives towards crime and punishment, and how these impacted the design of three major prisons at that time. See more: Examples of satire in adventures of huckfinn essay Railway Stations Due to the rapid economic growth and development resulting from the Industrial Revolution, many urban areas expanded at a dizzying rate as people in the countryside flocked to towns and cities looking for employment. Historian Eric Evans notes that Glasgow grew by 46 percent in the 1810s and Manchester by 44 percent in the 1820s. Social problems such as overcrowding, congestion and crime soon followed. These changes resulted in new functional needs and requirements for buildings. * Prior to the 19th century, trains were primarily built for transporting cargo. At the turn of the century, railway stations had to be adapted to cater to the increase in passengers travelling through England for work and leisure. They served as terminals and interchanges for many trains from the different rail companies, as well as waiting areas and temporary accommodation for passengers. From an architectural standpoint, they were important buildings because their * construction incorporated all the major architectural movements of the 19th century, in terms of materials, style and structure. * The first English railway station at Crown Street, Liverpool (fig. 1), like all railway stations, was built mainly to provide shelter for its occupants – passengers and trains. In addition, the preceding modes of transportation – the canal and the century-old turnpike system – had specially catered architecture for its passengers; inns were used instead as departure points, relay stations and terminals. As there was no precedent for this building type, most early railway stations, including Crown Street, had their shelters constructed based on the design of sheds built for cattle and wagon. However, the style of railway station evolved in the mid-19th century, due to unprecedented urban growth in cities in England, the increasing social significance of stations and opposition to railway construction. As railway companies began to expand their networks, more people started moving to the cities. Growth in traffic and migration led to overcrowding and congestion in the cities and soon there was a need for a re-evaluation of the station designs. * Railway stations bore social significance in 19th century England as they were iconic landmarks. Driven by the idea that â€Å"the station was to the modern city what the city gate was to the ancient city†, the station’s design was the first impression that travellers got of the city/town. Rising affluence among the English due to the industrial boom meant that the public would also use the station’s design to get a feel of the city and gauge how attractive it was to live in or travel to. One such example is Euston station, universally lauded by the English public for its majestic Doric Arch entrance. As rail travel quickly became affordable for the masses in the 19th century, the design of railway stations also had to take into account class differences in English society. Therefore, the Crown Street station, and many other stations after it, also had different booking areas/waiting rooms designated for first-class and second-class passengers. * The wide-scale construction of railways throughout England faced much opposition from many locals, who criticised the pollution, noise and encroachment it made to rural landscapes. Therefore, builders used design and local building materials to absorb railways into the rural scene. Country stations were designed to look like cottages, gate lodges and farmhouses, using materials such as red brick in the Midlands, golden limestone in the Cotswolds and pale grey in Derbyshire. In the mid-19th century, station builders sought to achieve architectural feats due to increasing competition between companies. One such example was Paddington (fig.2) – which boasted of having the widest single-span train shed at that time to cater to the technical demands of the changes in occupant load and social identity. This became an example for other railway stations which were built after it. At the turn of the mid-19th century, due to a significant increase in new building material production, iron became increasingly available and was more frequently used in architecture. At the same time, railway stations were expanding in size due to increasing demand. Wider-span train sheds were needed to accommodate the growing occupant loads on trains. With the previous completion of works demonstrating the potential of iron in achieving wider-span roofs, railway builders started using it. Wide-span roofs allowed greater flexibility in accommodating the growing crowd and the alteration of track and platform beneath it. In addition, iron was regarded as the most suitable choice for railway sheds. As timber (the common material used before iron) deteriorated rapidly under the exposure to sulphurous steam produced by trains, iron, which was more resistant, was used as a substitute. This is a clear example of station builders adapting their materials to peculiar conditions in rail stations. Prisons Prisons in England before the 19th century were places of temporary custody, where inmates regardless of age, gender or offence were locked together in a method known as congregate confinement. Such confinements were overcrowded and had poor ventilation, lighting and sanitation. Among the inmates, there were ill people, drunkards and lunatics. Due to lack of public funding, prisons were also poorly staffed and inmates’ welfare was usually neglected. Official statistics show that crime rates rose in the first half of the 19th century, before eventually falling in the second. The rise coincided with the rapid urban growth in the early years, which led to a demand for more prisons to be built, especially in the cities. In fact, 90 prisons were built or added to between 1842 and 1877. Notable prisons during that time include Millbank, Newgate and Pentonville. The design of these three prisons were affected by ongoing social changes and prison reform movements. The 19th century also saw major reforms to the prison system in England, namely the mass building of large prisons and changes to the treatment of prisoners, due to a shift in societal perspectives. Firstly, severe punishment, often through public execution, became less favoured compared to calibrated punishment proportional to the crime. Secondly, thinkers like Foucault saw prison as a tool for disciplining the offender, for correction and reform. Social reformers like John Howard lobbied for prisoners to be separated according to their gender, crime and health, by solitary confinement and imposition of silence to encourage reflection and penitence among the prisoners. Another social reformer, Jeremy Bentham, conceptualised the â€Å"Panopticon† scheme for a model prison, which consisted of prisoners occupying cells in the circumference of a circular building, allowing fewer guards to survey them from a central observation point. While the design was never implemented in its whole, the key idea of surveillance did take hold in certain prisons. Millbank prison incorporated this idea by building small storey surveillance towers for its staff from which they could receive and give information. To deter potential offenders, the architecture style of prisons was adapted to ensure maximum secrecy and communicate the severity of crime. For example, in Pentonville, the imposing Gothic style was used to great effect, with a portcullis entrance and castellation around the walls, which featured in subsequent prison building. Such barriers kept the public fenced out and sent an implicit message about what went on inside. Another example would be the felons’ door in Newgate which was also ominous and foreboding with â€Å"overpoweringly grim character†. Such designs gave prisons their own peculiar appearance, which eventually became recognized by the public. Prison architects also sought to enforce the separation/confinement school of thought in their design of internal arrangements. Large rooms for congregated confinement were replaced with smaller individual solitary confinement cells. Partitions were erected in spaces whereby prisoners were gathered, such as chapels and workshops (fig.X). These designs were imposed to prevent interaction among prisoners and to emphasise penitence. At Newgate, the chapel was designed such that male felons, debtors and women would enter it through isolated corridors. The chapel feature was novel for its time, adhering to reformers’ belief that moral penitence could rehabilitate offenders. In Millbank, prisoners were separated in silent cells and could only graduate to work together in groups through good behaviour. Conclusion The 19th century is widely seen as the era in which England developed into a modern state, owing to the Industrial Revolution which saw the inception of important inventions such as the steam engine and the development of the railroad and iron industries. Such technological changes also gave rise to socioeconomic changes in England, which affected the style, structure and materials of buildings. Railway stations had to be designed to cope with population growth in urban areas driven by economic development, but also be aesthetically pleasing – some became iconic landmarks embedded in the public consciousness. The use of materials also had to take into account the practicalities of rail operations. On the other hand, prisons were more affected by social changes and penal reforms arising from public debate over crime and punishment. Prisons were expected to incorporate elements of rehabilitation in addition to punishment. Humanitarian reformers like Bentham and Howard also lobbied for the separation of prisoners rather than congregation confinement. These movements changed the way prisons were designed and built in the 19th century. Both building types changed and evolved greatly in the 19th century not merely because of technological breakthroughs, but due to changing beliefs, values and attitudes in English society, which was going through an era of Enlightenment. Given the far reach of the British Empire then, these changes not only impacted England at that time but also its colonies throughout the world and remain visible today. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Eric Evans, 2001, The Forging of the Modern State: Early Industrial Britain, 1783-1870 by (3rd edition) London: Longman Pearson [ 2 ]. Carroll L. V. Meeks, 1956, The Railway Station An Architectural History, Yale University Press, USA, Pp. 27 [ 3 ]. Christian Barman, 1950, An Introduction to Railway Architecture, Art and Technics, London, Pp. 16 [ 4 ]. * Carroll L. V. Meeks, 1956, The Railway Station An Architectural History, Yale University Press, USA, Pp. 39 [ 5 ]. The Inception of the English Railway Station [ 6 ]. Jack Simmons, 2003, The Impact of the Railway on Society in Britain, Ashgate Publishing, Ltd, Pp. 122 [ 7 ]. E2BN, 2006, â€Å"Victorian Crime and Punishment from E2BN†. East of England Broadband Network. Web. 5 Oct 2012 [ 8 ]. Robin Evans, 1982. The Fabrication of Virtue: English Prison Architecture, 1750-1840. Cambridge University Press, pp 247 [ 9 ]. John Pratt, 1993. ‘This Is Not a Prison’: Foucault, the Panopticon and Pentonville. Social & Legal Studies December 1993, pp 373-395 [ 10 ]. Harold D. Kalman, 1969. Newgate Prison. Architectural History, Vol 12 1969. pp.7 [ 11 ]. Harold D. Kalman, 1969. Newgate Prison. Architectural History, Vol 12 1969. pp.5 [ 12 ]. David Wilson, 2002. Millbank, Panopticon and their Victorian Audiences. The Howard Journal, Vol 41 No. 4 September 2002. Pp 369

Mobility essay Essay

The Unites States is the land of opportunities where people pursuit the American dream to have a better life. American life is built on the faith that it is possible to rise from humble origins to economic heights. In that case social mobility plays a big role in todays society. Social mobility refers to the ability to change the positions within a social stratification system. In other words, when people improve or decrease their economic status in the way that it affects their social class, they experience either pward or downward social mobility. With this in mind, the social mobility in United States appears to be stalled or in decline. One of the main reasons is poverty that is causing a decline. Furthermore, the rich-poor gap that widens also has an effect on mobility causing income inequality. Also, European social mobility is much better than that one in the United States. Some other factors that influence social mobility include race, income, mother and father occupation, and ethnicity. Certainly, one of the reasons why social mobility in United States appears to be talled or in decline is because of poverty. The higher the individual starts on the social ladder the more likely that individual will end up higher than where he or she first started. The more income the parents have will guarantee more opportunities for that person. According to Economic Mobility Project, 40% of Americans that are born in the bottom quintile remain stuck there as adults (â€Å"Upper bound†). That means that that almost half of that social group doesn’t change their position within a social stratification system. That doesn’t mean it is their fault because people that are poor start with a disadvantage. For example, according to Eric Wanner, president of the Russell Sage Foundation, â€Å"Upper-income families can invest more in their children’s education and they may have a better understanding of what it takes to get a good education. † (â€Å"Harder for Americans to Rise From Lower Rungs† by Jason DeParle). That means that a child that comes from a richer family has more educational opportunities than a child coming from the poor. Furthermore, a child oming from rich family will have a better understanding on how to succeed in school where on the other hand, child from poor family doesn’t have that opportunity. However, Just 8% of American men at the bottom rose to the top fifth. That shows that even though it is difficult it is still possible. Generally speaking, the rich-poor gap that widens also has an effect on mobility causing income inequality. As the gap between rich and the poor has widened since 1970, the odds that a child that is born in poverty will climb to wealth remain stuck. Same goes to child that is born rich will fall into middle class. One reason for mobility gap may be the depth of American poverty which leaves poor children starting especially far behind. Most of the time it is determined by the father and mother occupation. Based on the new data gathered by Bhashkar Mazumder of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, he argued that 60% of a son’s income is determined by the level of income of the father. (â€Å"Goodbye, Horatio Alger†). This means that more than half of men are dependable on their father’s income. Furthermore, this shows that the higher the income ot parents, the more opportunities the child example, researchers now estimate the elasticity of father-son earnings at 0. 5%. That means that for every 1% increase in father’s income, his sons’ income will be increased or expected to increase by about 0. 5%. ((â€Å"Harder for Americans to Rise From Lower Rungs†). In other words, the better the income of the father, the better the income of the son. So the family background is very important in social mobility. In contrast, European social mobility is much better than that one in the United States. European countries have made serious investments to create equality of opportunity for all. According to Fareed Zakaria in â€Å"The downward path of upward mobility,† they have extremely good childhood health and nutrition programs, and they have far better public educations systems than the United States does. Furthermore, poor children compete on a more equal footing against the rich and in the United States poor children compete for better education few steps behind then others.

Television Broadcasts Limited

Television Broadcasts Limited, commonly known as TVB, is the first wireless commercial television station in Hong Kong. It was first established on 19 November 1967 with only about 200 staff. The Group has now grown to a size of about 4,200 including contract artistes and staff in overseas subsidiary companies. The major activities of TVB are television broadcasting, programme production and other broadcasting related activities such as programme licensing, video distribution and satellite broadcasting etc.It transmits over 17,000 hours of programming on its Chinese Jade channel and English Pearl channel free of charge to 2. 34 million homes in Hong Kong. It is one of the largest producers of Chinese language programming in the world. Many of the Chinese programmes are dubbed into other languages and are distributed to more than 40 countries and cities, accessible to over 300 million households. During the prime time viewing hours, the Chinese Jade Channel and English Pearl Channel a chieve a remarkable average of 87% and 80% of Hong Kong’s television audience share respectively.To cope with future development, the Company invested HK$2. 2 billion in the construction of a new state-of-the-art TVB City in Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate. The management and production facilities, with a building area of over 110,000 sq metres, 30% more than the TV City at Clear Water Bay Road, came into full operation in October 2003. There are two outdoor shooting locations and 22 production studios in TVB City. The new TVB City is fully digitized to enhance its services to the public.On 31 December 2007, TVB officially launched its 24-hour HD channel, HD Jade, providing diverse and brand new audio/visual entertainment in the digital era. In addition to the simulcast of digital Jade and Pearl channel, TVB started operating J2 and iNews digital channels in June 2008 and January 2009 respectively. The Company has always been striving for excellence in serving the people of H ong Kong and its efforts are widely recognized. The Company, has thus received 450 international awards for its various television programming and programme promotions in the past.In 1997, TVB has also been awarded as one of Asia’s 50 most competitive companies; one of the top 20 companies in Hong Kong and one of the Asia’s 200 Leading Companies. In 2001, it was also awarded the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) International Broadcasting Excellence Award 2001 for its outstanding contributions to the community. Now, let me sum up our proposal. Our mission is to develop a diverse development company. In the past, we have developed magazine industry, music industry, film industry and internet industry.In the future, we plan to develop agency industry, which are combine advertisements and sales. We plan to operate online sales thought the television and earn the commission. There are several reasons that can support our proposal to be a successful one. First of a ll, we have an excellent financial situation now and we have cash balance total HK$3,604 million in 2012. If the our proposal is implemented, more sponsorship in the clothing and jewelry of the TV series or some annual TV shows. It can decrease the cost of production. nline shopping become more popular, this development of this kind of business can really help the company to generate more earning. Secondary, TVB have already a huge fixed amount of audience and we believe that more audience will be attracted by the new scheme, which means that more customers are provided. Moreover, nowadays, online shopping has become a tendency in Hong Kong since it is convenient. When you are taking the train, on your way to work; or lying on the sofa, enjoy your weekend at home, you can watch our programs though your cell phone and TV.Our artists wear the fashion items that you want, you can only touch that item on the screen to get it. The details of the item will be shown after you touching the screen. If you decide to buy, you can add the item to your shopping bag and confirm you order. You can use any of the payment types listed on the screen to pay for your order, for example VISA, PAYPAL, AMERICAN EXPRESS. Your details are safe with us as we take security very seriously indeed. U may doubt that whether the proposal is feasible. It can surely give u an answer.Yes! We plan to cooperate with SONY to make the technology of touch screen can be perfected and fixed with this proposal. SONY which is an initiate company always seeks for a breakthrough has a strong technology to support us. It can match with the technology that our plan needs. TVB has been serving the audience for 44 years. It will continue to keep its promise, delivering excellence in programming and cutting-edge broadcasting technology to the people of Hong Kong and to Chinese communities around the world. umanitarian initiative Apart from fighting for greater profits, it is our obligation to perform our human itarian initiative. After shooting dramas, we can ask our clients for their clothes for charity sale. All income from charity sale will be donated to charities. Clothes which are abandoned can donate to charities as well. Our actors and actress are also willing to donate their clothes either for the charity sale or the charities. establish a new department in response for the agency job.