Factors That Affect Political Attitudes Of Voters

There is a wide range of factors that influenced people when they cast their secret votes on Election Day. The main research question driven by our survey was to know the factors that shape political attitudes of voters. One of the main political attitude that we are looking at in this research is party affiliation. In order to figure this out, out survey has been grounded around three mains theories. The three main theories that we tested in our survey was about the tendency of certain demographic group to support particular parties, the influence of childhood environment on party identification and the myth of independents voters. The first theory discussed had been discussed in the Chapter 7 â€Å"Party Coalition and Party Change† shows how races, age, educational background and demographic location have influence party coalitions. According to that theory, young, women, and racial minorities tend to affiliate themselves with democrats whereas healthy white, evangelical whi te programs tend to affiliate themselves with republicans. The second theory in the chapter 6 about â€Å"Party identification† identifies how family, relative, and many others religious group influence party affiliation. According to this theory, children tend to grow up and vote the way their parents do. Therefore, families have the first and the most lasting influence on young people s developing political opinions. As this children get older, various others group such as relatives and religious groupShow MoreRelatedAttitude Towards Politics Essay example513 Words   |  3 PagesAttitude Towards Politics A variety of factors, including but not limited to; family, peers, the media and education shape political attitudes. Many things influence the way people feel about politics, and depending on the immediate environments, views can change dramatically. Family can influence the political party that people belong to. Family can also influence the way in which a person does or does not vote. If a family has traditionally voted democratic, chances are that the childrenRead MoreGender And Religion Essay1175 Words   |  5 PagesIntersections of Gender and Religion in Political Participation In the body of political science research, there is a world of information about how female candidates running for office affect the likelihood of women to be politically active. There is also a significant amount of data regarding both candidate religion and religiosity and how these factors could impact their likeability and send subtle messages to voters. However, there is not enough research that has been done on the intersectionRead MoreNews Media And Voting Preferences Essay1391 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction The news media plays an important role in society. It sets the stage for political news, manages sources, and controls the information. It functions as a window to the outside world, and possesses the ability to shape public knowledge, attitudes, and voting behavior. The relationship between news media and voting preferences has become a hot topic in recent years worldwide. This paper will focus on the social and social-psychological aspects of media influence on the voting preferencesRead MoreHow Much Does Socioeconomics Really Impact A Person s Partisanship1332 Words   |  6 Pagescomes to an individual’s political identity what is that based on? An individual directs their attention to the political party that best serves their needs and is a close representation of what they believe in. An individual would not vote for a political candidate that does not fit their correct political mold. Every person identifies differently politically and this could change over time dep ending on what the respective parties bring to the table. There are many factors that can make up an individual’sRead MoreThe Importance of Elections as a Linkage Institution and Voting1187 Words   |  5 Pagesinclude elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media. Elections specifically are supposed to encourage public participation in the selection of governmental officials. Unfortunately, low voter turnout has proved that elections are an imperfect linkage institution. Elections depend on voters to be successful, and some factors that relate to the likelihood of voting include age, education, and race. Although some people underestimate the power of the vote, voter turnout is importantRead MoreDifference Between Equality And Opportunity And Equality1247 Words   |  5 Pagesidentifies as parts of our political culture? The elements that the book identifies as parts of our political culture is civic duty, equality,democracy, individual responsibility, and liberty. 2. What is the difference between equality of opportunity and equality of results? The difference between equality of opportunity and equality of results is that all citizen would have an equal chance however they would get different results back. 3.What difference does our American political culture have withRead MoreU.S. Voter Participation Essay1744 Words   |  7 PagesU.S. Voter Participation In a pluralist country such as America, there are numerous opinions over what societys goals should be, and the best method of achieving them. In theory, every American citizen has an equal say in the political affairs of this county. By participating in politics, people air their voices and thereby contribute to nation through representatives, hence the term representative democracy. It may seem to be beyond argument that political participation is a key objectiveRead MoreSocial Contagion, Emotions And The Voter s Paradox1504 Words   |  7 Pagesby any outside factors. To see if this is actually the case, we’ll be examining phenomena such as social contagion, emotions and the â€Å"voter’s paradox†. Checking back in with the Merriam-Webster dictionary, we see that a vote is â€Å"the collective opinion or verdict of a body of persons expressed by voting†. And there is our first obstacle to a perfectly rational vote - when humans make decisions in the presence of others, they’re influenced by what others think. Social pressures affect people’s decisionsRead MoreModern Political Campaigns1854 Words   |  7 PagesModern political campaigns, according to the political science community, are known to not be the only external influence on both public opinion and candidate support during presidential elections in the United States. Whether campaigns hold a significant impact on election outcomes or if they influence public opinion is a debate that continues. Political scientists are currently challenged, when it comes to campaigns, with the ability to measure their type and the spectrum of their influence onRead MoreThe Vs. Recency Effect, Conformity, And Various Techniques Essay1598 Words   |  7 Pagespsychological concepts played a crucial role in many ways such as molding the voters’ minds which determined their actions and behaviours and playing on the psychology of the candidate’s opponents to gain the upper hand. The concepts I will discuss are the primacy vs recency effect, conformity, and various techniques in persuasion. Finally I will talk about how these techniques could be resisted and a more global use of these factors. The news article I have chosen discusses Presendential Election that occurred

How to Work in Singapore - 652 Words

Wondering how to acquire an employment pass for a company in Singapore? Here are the some ways you can do so. Generally, EP (Employment Pass) is a kind of pass usually issued to professional employees, foreign directors, and managers who are planning to work in Singapore. Likewise, an Employment Pass holder is not qualified for a levy or CPF (Central Provident Fund), and the pass being issued is only valid for 1-2 years and should be renewed after. One of the many benefits of acquiring this is it allows the applicant to work, stay, and travel in Singapore without the need to apply for a VISA just to enter the country. For those who are planning to set up a company in Singapore, they could opt for an Entrepreneur Pass Singapore prior to moving there. Though, it could be more cumbersome when it comes to the renewal of an Entrepreneur Pass Singapore after some time. In order to be certain, check out the criteria when applying for an Entrepreneur Pass: The following are the fees scheduled for application of the Employment Pass: ï€ ­ Initial Processing Fees: S$850 (non-refundable processing fees) ï€ ­ MOM License: 06C3628 ï€ ­ Extra Approval Fees: S$1500 (The approval fees given after the approval of the Employment Pass Singapore, which is the receipt of IPA Employment Pass Singapore). Though, the medical check-up fees are not included. The Criteria for Singapore Employment Pass: With effect on 1 July 2011, every applicant of an Employment Pass must have a fixed salary not less thatShow MoreRelatedEconomy of Singapore 1077 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction In this essay we look in-depth on how government strategies and economic policy play a crucial role in the success of High Performance Asian Economies (HPAEs) during 1960 to 1990 (World Bank 1993).There are eight countries within HPAEs: South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Japan. Its economic development has significantly rise that it was name ‘East Asia Miracle’ (World Bank, 1993). Out of the eight country, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea wereRead More business in asia Essay1320 Words   |  6 Pages DOING BUSINESS IN SINGAPORE BACKGROUND Founded as a British trading colony in 1819, Singapore joined Malaysia in 1963, but withdrew two years later and gained its independence. It subsequently became one of the world’s most prosperous countries, with strong international trading links, (its port is one of the world’s busiest) and with a per capita GDP above that of the leading nations of Western Europe. Singapore is located in the South-eastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia. BecauseRead MoreSingapore Armed Force And Manpower Using The Defense Technology1447 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction: Singapore Armed force is the military arm of the Total defense of the republic of Singapore and acts as the military component of the Ministry of defense. It comprises of three services like Republic of Singapore navy, the Singapore army and the Republic of Singapore Airforce. Recently, the technology advancement in Singapore armed force plays a significant role in all the services. There may have some challenges and opportunities of using technology for the Singapore Armed forces.Read MoreThe Term Policy And Its Effect On Development And Daily Activities Within Industry1542 Words   |  7 PagesThe term Policy refers to a principal of action that is adopted by an organisation or an individual. In an organisation Policy is fundamentally important as it gives control and stability to employees to work effectively. Ritchie (1997) states that policy is a set of rules, regulations, guidelines and directives which provide a framework within which collective and individual decisions affecting development and daily activities within industry are taken. In agreement, Sharma (2009) states that policyRead MoreTopic . The Goals Of My Research Strive To Assess The Biopolitical1457 Words   |  6 PagesTopic The goals of my research strive to assess the biopolitical construction of a socially embedded hierarchy of otherness in Singapore, with specific regards to its impact on the reproduction of low-skilled migrant workers. More concretely, this essay seeks to address the restriction and stratification of reproduction amongst low-skilled migrant workers in Singapore, illuminating and analyzing the key structural factors that contribute to this reality. As fertility levels in developed nationsRead MoreSingapore s Success As A Nation Essay1199 Words   |  5 Pagesnation refers to how Singapore has managed to climb from third world status to first world status today and also how Singapore has managed to handle the continued unrest to maintaining the peace and stability it has today. Hence, I agree to the above statement that the two factors have successfully built a Singapore nation and will continue to be fundamental to Singapore’s future success as a nation. Sustained economic gr owth has successfully built a Singapore nation as it enables Singapore to have sufficientRead MoreInfluence Of Developed Nations During The Development Of Post Colonial States1420 Words   |  6 PagesCountries. Singapore believes in the importance of ODA and promotes continued support for countries in need. Singapore recognizes how ODA contributed to the early development of Singapore, and is dedicated to giving back. However, Singapore is a small nation with limited resources, and cannot provide the same level of assistance as larger countries. Singapore does not give monetary aid, but has, over the past two decades, provided educational assistance to developing countries through the Singapore CooperationRead MoreSingapore s Future Success As A Nation Essay1237 Words   |  5 Pagessuccessfully built a Singapore nation. These two factors will continue to be fundamental to Singapore’s future success as a nation.† Discuss. In my opinion, Singapore’s success as a nation refers to how Singapore has managed to climb from third world status to first world status today and also how Singapore has managed to handle the continued unrest to maintaining the peace and stability it has today. Hence, I agree to the above statement that the two factors have successfully built a Singapore nation andRead MoreSingapore : A Very Interesting Place1154 Words   |  5 PagesMason Vargas January 13, 2017 Period 3 History Essay Singapore History Essay Singapore is a very interesting place. For quite a while people did not even know what to call it, a city, a country or just a territory. It is currently called an island city state. It is located off of the coast of Malaysia and Singapore is a very large center of global finance. Its currency is the Singapore dollar, its GDP is 55,182 United States dollar. And, its official languages are English, Tamil, Malay and standardRead MoreAn Effective Leadership At Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide Inc.1539 Words   |  7 PagesHaving the ability to influence is a power that not many people possess. Mastering how to influence is the key component in becoming an effective leader. It is a necessary skill to have in order to achieve support from your followers. Without a support system leaders will have a hard time implementing new ideas and even decision making. I learned in these last few modules that influencing is an art. One must learn to tailor their behavior and approach accordin gly to their target audience. Influencing

Commodity fetishism and globalization of media free essay sample

This tendency still exists today and is worse than ever before in capitalist societies that thrive on a competitive market full of similar products trying to convince consumers f their products superiority by not focusing on the product at all. Commodities are turning into fetishes as big brand names are globalizing their media campaigns in order to appeal to peoples specific cultural identities, beliefs and values all around the world that have nothing to do with the product itself in an attempt to form loyal communities of people who value and identify with their logos more than their product. Karl Marx addressed the issue of commodity fetishism in his book A Critique of Political Economy by saying: A commodity appears at first sight an extremely bvious, trivial ng But ts analysis brings out that it is a very strange thing, abounding in metaphysical subtleties and theological niceties. 2 Marx borrows the concept of fetishism in anthropology that refers to the primitive belief that godly powers can permanently exist in inanimate objects3. There has always been social value attached to commodities that serve both a physical and social purpose of the consumer. Marx continues: There it is a definite social relation between men, that assumes, in their eyes, the fantastic form of a relation between things. 4 The wentieth century saw a boom in technological developments, resulting in an enormous growth of mass production. The western economy finally reached its ultimate goal of satisfying the material needs of a growing urban population. To achieve this goal, demand had to grow constantly as well. Hence, starting in the 1920s, corporations gradually shifted their attention and resources from the production of material goods to the production of consumer desires. The need to provoke emotions in order to sell mass-produced products became common wisdom. This is what led to the evolution of brands. Brands were the platforms employed to attach feelings and images to physical commodities. They were the primary means of establishing emotional bonds and loyalty relationships with consumers in a market saturated with goods. 6 By the 1980s new marketin g concepts began to emerge. Marketing experts increasingly recognized that a brand should represent a consistent set of values and ideals, rather then vague emotions and associations. Advertising executives started talking about the need to create a brand identity, brand personality, brand character, brand DNA, brand equity, and most dramatically, brand soul. Consumers incorporate brands into their lives as tools for shaping and expressing their own identities, and perceiving the identities of others. Some brands even serve as objects of cults and rituals, and their followers form brand communities. Apple Macintosh users, for example, regard brand community members who switch brands as betrayers. Consumers start believing that the brand they support is a superior product as compared to its competitors even though its quality may not be at par. For example, Coca-Cola consistently fails in blind taste-tests when pitted against other soda rands, and yet its loyal customers persist in their belief that Coca-Cola tastes the best. In a research paper by SanJoy Ghose titled Taste Tests: Impacts of Consumer Perceptions and Preferences on Brand Positioning Strategies, Diet Pepsi was preferred by 51 per cent of the subjects while Diet Coke was preferred by 44 per cent in a blind taste test. In contrast, a branded taste test resulted in Diet Pepsi being preferred by 23 per cent with Diet Coke being preferred by 65 per cent. 8 Big brands are increasingly targeting peoples emotions and desires by giving their roduct an imaginative image, which contains within it a sense of social power and false superiority. In the hit television series Mad Men, the first episode sheds light on the importance of advertising a products image versus the product itself. The advertising agency helps their client Lucky Strike, a cigarette company with their advertising campaign by telling them we can say whatever we want. They tell the company, to use the slogan Its Toasted to give themselves an edge from their competitors. The clients reply saying but everyone elses tobacco is toasted t hich the advertiser says, No, everyone elses tobacco is poisonous. Lucky Strikes is toasted. 9 This signifies that the brand must make its product seem more appealing than it actually is and in turn, fetishize the brand. As media is now globalized and brands are crossing borders and introducing their products to different cultures, they are targeting customers by making them identify their culture in the product instead of learning about the product itself. In her book No Logo, author Naomi Klein talks about the globalization of commodity fetishism by aying, Usually, reports about this global web of logos and products are couched in the euphoric marketing rhetoric of the global village, an incredible place where tribespeople in remotest rain forests tap away on laptop computers, Sicilian grandmothers conduct E-business, and global teens share, to borrow a phrase from a Levis Web site, a world-wide style culture. Everyone from Coke to McDonalds to Motorola has tailored their marketing strategy around this post-national vision10 Brands that originate in the west take their product to the east but while the product tself does not change at all, the brand changes the way in which the approach consumers in different cultures to have them identify with the brand. Coca-Cola has effectively been using this practice around the world by making people believe that the soda has social value. In Canada they recently released a campaign targeting th e issue of obesity. The narration for the commercial opens with For over a hundred and twenty five years weve been bringing people together. Today wed like people, to come together on something that concerns all of us obesity. 1 1 Instantly onsumers are made to believe that this caffeinated and carbonated beverage has the power to impact a society and bring people together on a pressing issue in North America even though the product is simply meant to quench thirst. Coca-Cola is not solving the problem of obesity; it is simply putting the calorie value of the beverage on the front in at attempt to have people make informed choices. Thus by not having to change their product and simply changing the way it appears in a society, the brand can convince people of its power. Therefore it can be established that the social power lies with the brand and not the product. In an equally recent commercial launched by Coca-Cola in India, they use data available in public domain over the last ten years and show images and list facts of issues of great importance in India such as environmental degradation, childrens education and community ties. The commercial ends with text that reads, While some fght over petty issues, millions share a Coca-Cola everyday. 2 While Coca-Cola plays no role in solving these national issues, it wants people to believe that the brand identifies with their national identity and almost makes it seem as if sharing a Coca-Cola will solve all hese problems by bringing people together, which can be seen as an attempt to control mass though and spreading propaganda. This advertising practice by brands i s being strongly criticized as it plays with peoples emotions and makes people believe that the product is capable of much more than it actually is. Douglas B Holt argues that identity brands compete in myth markets, not in product markets.. He suggests that to achieve an iconic status, the brand should be imbued with myths that play upon cultural tensions. 13 In his famous book The High Price of Materialism, Tim Kasser describes a comprehensive mpirical study on materialistic values, which shows that when personal interactions are based on materialistic values, less empathy and intimacy are present in relationships. Kassers research also demonstrates that materialistic values undermine individuals physical well-being and psychological health. 14 The criticism, however, can be argued as consumers choose to participate in this name game. Commodities have branded themselves simply to fulfill peoples desires of wanting materialistic goods to feel empowered in society. Thus the fact that there is a global emand for fetishized commodities shows that both people and brands are involved in laying emphasis on materialistic importance. Overall, it can be established that commodity fetishism has become such a strong capitalistic force that is being endorsed through globalization of media and in many instances, enabling brands to spread propaganda by controlling mass thought. However, people seek ways to assert social status within societies and need branded commodities as a way to do so. Consumers have the choice to purchase cheaper products by less established brand names and thus have the choice whether or not to give in to commodity fetishism.

The Ebonics Debate free essay sample

A paper on the sociology and linguistic perspectives of The Ebonics Resolution a Californian plan to accept African-American language as the primary language of African-American students. The paper shows that in 1996, the Oakland School Board in California passed the Ebonics Resolution a plan to accept African-American language, termed Ebonics, as the primary language of African-American students and to implement a system to teach them in their primary language as a means of assisting them to learn standard American English. The paper discusses the debate that followed involving the public and the media. It shows that while the linguistic experts in the field were in support of the Ebonics Resolution, the Resolution had a significant social impact. By comparing the meaning of the issue from a sociological and a linguistic perspective, the paper shows the real issues involved in their entirety. In the Ebonics debate the part of culture involved is language, a very basic component of our society. We will write a custom essay sample on The Ebonics Debate or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Language is something that is taken for granted, with the belief of the general population being that the accepted language is the correct one. The social rejection of Ebonics and the rejection of accepting it as a primary language can be seen as a form of the majority group of society asserting their own belief in their superiority. This is not necessarily representing that the majority group do not want to accept others. Instead it reflects the basic principle of society assuming that the majority group is correct.

Desperation By Stepen King essays

Desperation By Stepen King essays Desperation, a recent Stephen King novel, is not just a book, but an experience that leaves the reader frightened, paranoid, and questioning his moral beliefs. Picture, if you will, a lone, crazed Nevada policeman who pulls over vehicles on a lonely desert highway and forcefully takes away their occupants. Whichever of them he doesnt kill immediately, he locks up in the jail of the small desolate town of Desperation. Among those captured are the vacationing Carver family, whose car is sabotaged on its way to Arizona. Already incarcerated is Tom Billingsley, a once well-known member of the now slaughtered community of Desperation. They are soon joined by formerly famous, currently old and overweight writer, Johnny Marinville, who is riding across the country on his Harley-Davidson gathering material for a book of short stories. How to escape Desperation isnt the only unanswered question, though. How could and why would one man single-handedly murder the population of an entire town? H ow does he have such control over the minds of the animals? Why are they locked up when he could have killed them like every one else? Whatever it is that possesses the body of officer Collie Entraigan cant last forever, though. After several days his body is falling apart at the seams, and he is bleeding from every orifice. Weirder yet, he is growing several inches a day and is bound to burst soon. Will he? Or are the occupants of the local Desperation jail just backup bodies that the possessor will use when it wears out its current one? If so then what is it? More importantly, whos next? An intriguing aspect of this book is that there is no real protagonist. King leaves the reader in constant suspense. Frequently changing views, the story follows one character or group of characters for one chapter and then in the next chapter, follows another, often intertwining the time sequences. The overlapping action is interrupted only by f...

When Should I Take the SAT Math Level 2 Subject Test

When Should I Take the SAT Math Level 2 Subject Test SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you planning to take the Math II SAT Subject Test for your college applications? As you know, the Math 2 subject test covers more advanced math concepts than the Math I. Because of this, you want to make sure you're taking it at the right time to achieve a high score. This article will help you figure out exactly when is the best time for you take this test. First, let's quickly review what's on the Math 2 SAT Subject Test. What's On the Math Level II Subject Test? Like the Math I Subject Test, the Math II test covers algebra and geometry. Additionally, it tests trigonometry and elementary functions, which describe a relationship between an input and output. A simple function question may ask you to solve for x, while othersmay ask you to definea function's range or domain or to graph it. I'll show some example problems of function questions that appear on the Math II test below. First, here'sthe breakdown of what percentage of the test covers each content area. As you can see, algebra and geometry make up a significantly larger portion of the questions than number / operations and data analysis / probability. Math Concept Approximate Percentage On Test Number and operations 10-14% Algebra and functions 48-52% Geometry and measurement (coordinate, three-dimensional, and trigonometry) 28-32% Data analysis, statistics, and probability 8-12% Some of these concepts appear on the math section of the general SAT, while others, like trigonometry, elementary functions, and graphing, are more advanced and specific to the SAT Math 2Subject Test. The following areexamples of function and graphing questions you might see on the Math II Subject Test. The SAT Math Level 2test contains questions that ask you to definethe range or domain of a function. Function questions may also present you with a graph or, like in the question below, ask you to draw or visualize your own graph and manipulate it to reflect changes in a function. The answers to these questions are D, D, and B, respectively. Studying with lots of official practice questions, along with excelingin your school math courses,isthe best way to prepare yourself for the Math II Subject Test. Like all the SAT Subject Tests, the Math Level 2test is 60 minutes long. In this hour, it asks you to answer 50 questions. Now that we've reviewed what's on the Math Level 2test, when's the best time for you to take it? When Should You Take the SAT Math Level 2 Subject Test? What Year Should You Take the Test? College Board recommends that you should take more than three years of college prep math before you take the Math II Subject Test. These years should include two classes inalgebra and one classin geometry, at least. A class in trigonometry and/or precalculus is very helpful, too. So if you takealgebra in eighth grade, geometry in 9th, algebra again in 10th, and trigonometry/precalculus in 11th, then you would probably be in the best position to take the Math II Subject Test at the end of 11th grade. If you are taking trigonometry/precalculus as a sophomore, then you may be in a good position to take the Subject Test at the end of sophomore year. Usually you want to take Math II, and any other Subject Test, at the end of your school year when the course content is freshest in your mind. That being said, which Subject Test dates coincide with the end of the academic year? What Test Date Should You Choose? The Math Level 2 test is offered at various dates throughout the year. June may be the best time to take it, with May as a close runner up. Math II is offered on May 5 and June 2. Its tentative spring dates for 2020 are May 2 and June 6. Sign up by about a monthin advance, if not sooner, just like the SAT. If you're taking the general SAT in the same year as the Subject Test, which one should you schedule first? What About All Your Other Tests, like the SAT/ACT and APs? A smart way to schedule your Subject Test is to sign up for it after you take the general SAT. You'll likely study a lot for the math section of the general SAT, and this studying could overlap with your Subject Test prep. If you're taking both testsin the same year, you could take the general SAT in March (or May), and the Subject Test in May or June. Remember, you can't take the Subject Test on the same day as the general SAT, but you can take up to three Subject Tests on one date. While SAT prep can be helpful for the Math II test, aligning these tests should be a secondary concern. The most important consideration is subject mastery. So if you've taken trigonometry and precalculus as a sophomore, then you'll probably be best served taking the Subject Test at the end of your sophomore year (which may be a year earlier than you're taking the general SAT). This could also be a good way to spread out your tests and have less on your plate in the spring of junior year. While the Subject Test may or may not coincide with your studying for the SAT, it may overlap with a class final or even AP test. This could further help you know the math concepts inside and out, so you can achieve a strong Subject Test score for your college applications. To Sum Up... A high score on the Math II Subject Test is impressive to any college, and especially to selective technical and engineering schools like MIT and CalTech! By planning your study schedule and choosing the best test date, you'll be in the best position to score high on this competitive and impressive Subject Test. What's Next? You might be familiar with what's a good score for the general SAT, but what's a good test score for the SAT Subject Tests? Good scores actually differ by each Subject Test. Learn all about the averages and good scores for each test here. Are you a math whiz aiming for a perfect score on the SAT math? Read all about how to get an 800 in math by a perfect scorer on the SAT. Need a little extra help prepping for your Subject Tests? We have the industry's leading SAT Subject Test prep programs (for all non-language Subject Tests). Built by Harvard grads and SAT Subject Test full or 99th %ile scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so that you get the most effective prep possible. Learn more about our Subject Test products below:

Triple entry accounting and financial statements Assignment

Triple entry accounting and financial statements - Assignment Example Today many companies often use statements from previous periods or years in order to project the likely outcomes of current finances. This method is not always accurate. Triple-entry accounting is intended to provide predictive accounting that is more accurate than basing results solely on previous outcomes.(Henke)The process of triple-entry accounting is a complex process. It is believed that these methods may be able to predict the future of the business and, even allow, for unforeseen expenditures and happenings. The intention of the triple-entry accounting is to give businesses a clearer view of financial earnings based on an equation that takes into consideration the past, present and future; not just historical data.(Henke)This could be considered a great improvement over current financial statement methodology. Essentially the articulation of the four relevant financial statements simply means that the numbers in the statements among all the statements provided are in agreement with one another. However, there is a lot that goes along with that simple definition The four statements that need to articulate properly are the balance sheet, income statement, Statement of Stockholder Equity, and the Statement of Cash Flow. The balance sheet, is divided into three sections: assets, liabilities, and stockholders’ equity, provides the information concerning the available resources the resources to management and any claims against those resources by present creditors and shareholders. ("Cambridge Publications") All the gains and losses are recorded and then transferred to the income sheet as necessary. The Stockholders Equity reflects the all of the financing provided by the company’s owners. The stockholders hold a claim on residual interest which is accrued via, common stock, prefe rred stock, treasury stock, retained earnings, additional paid capital, any other accumulated income or loss. the statement of cash flows provides

Working Capital and Financial Environment Case Study

Working Capital and Financial Environment - Case Study Example in this case, the most important elements in the environment are the other actors involved either directly or indirectly with a production process. In assessing the internal environment, the professionals try to identify all the relevant actors paying attention to stated goals and strategies. Abbott and Merck requires huge financial resources on research and development and financial internal control helps to evaluate and analyze financial situation and investments risks. In 2006, Abbott has $24.11 billion revenue while Merck has $23.34 billion. Merck operating margin is 24.48% while in Abbott operating margin is 17.84% (Abbott Laboratories 2007; Merck and Co. 2007). Internal control suggests that all activities are reasonably under control from the perspective of costs. Cost variances can be controlled by establishing a good change control process and sticking to it. First, all requests for changes are documented. The requests describe the impact of the change on costs, the schedule , the technical integrity of the deliverable, and other work being carried out. Once they are properly formulated, they are reviewed by a panel of players who are charged with overseeing progress on the activities.

Romeo & Juliet Essay Example for Free

Romeo Juliet Essay Romeo and Juliet is true story written as a play, by William Shakespeare in the Elizabethan time in the 17th Century. This was the period when young girls which was classed as young women and the roles of women was limited, especially those that were rich was never seen outdoors, when venturing outside it was a lot more limited, had private tutoring, educating them to a very high standard and everything would be brought to them, as Juliet in the play is to confined to protect her virginity. This was when woman were owned by fathers then suitable husbands, which were expected to accept. The tradition was Courtney Love, when a man, often a knight, had to woo (gently persuade) a lady to be his love. This sometimes meant singing to her beneath her balcony. She was supposed to play it very cool for a while, as Juliet says she ought to in this scene. It was all sort of a game. The play is about a boy and a girl who fall in love, but remains to keep it secret of their family feud. There is a lot of use of imagery language in the play, one of the example is the balcony scene, where Romeo comes to find Juliet after the party and find her in her balcony. This is at night, where the darkness makes them feel safe, somewhere they can truly be alone. At the balcony scene where Romeo meets Juliet for the second time, he talks about how Juliet is so pretty she is and how she is beautiful than the moon itself the envious moon, this is a simile because he is saying the moon is jealous as it is a symbol of chastity. By saying that it gives us an image of Juliet more beautiful than the moon, so Juliet must seem to be glowing making the night light and bright. The balcony scene is when the audience is shown that the live is real and eternal. Another image of light and darkness is Juliets sun, people cant live without the sun so Romeo cant live without Juliet , so metaphorically Romeo is saying she lightens up the world for Romeo. I think the two images are very powerful, but to be used after only knowing each other after somewhat of couple hours is rather extreme and exaggeration, so at this point I dont find this convincing at all towards the idea of the two are in love. The images of love are as strong as those of light and dark, the first is, Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love And Ill no longer be a Capulet Juliet claims that she will lose her identity if he swears to lobe her, she here gives us an imagery of a big sacrifice because they loves each other, but this to me, I wonder if it is really is that simple? I think the couple dont need to worry about the name; it shouldnt matter if they love each other. A name would be perfectly insignificant, Juliet denies the reality of the situation which is she will never be allowed to marry Romeo because of the feud of the two families, so Romeo and Juliet love must remain secret, so the imagery she uses shows us that thus live cannot and does not survive on earth, which all turns the situation into somewhat of a fairytale. They do die soon later in the play, so this scene shows the audience that it is a special love. Another imagery of love is when Romeo goes on to claim that love can help him to perform such features as climbing tall walls-With loves light wing did I operch these walls, For stony limits cannot hold love out. This again is a metaphor, which is very unrealistic, a feeling cannot give you power to fly, but it is aright for the couples in love. Their love goes beyond the earth, almost heavenly. However, Romeo is flirting with her, not giving her direct truthful responses. Later he uses the word love four times. He talks of love as a actual person. He believes their love to b strong that he personifies it. As if he has brought them together. When asked how he found the garden, he actually describes the personified love as someone hes in partnership with. He gives love extra power. With loves live wings did I oeroperch these walls, For stony limits cannot hols love out; And what love can do, that dares love attempt; Therefore thy kinsmen are no stop to me. Juliet declares in line 133, that her bounty is as boundless as the sea, this is metaphorical term, saying about her generosity. The love she has to give him is so great, not even the sea can obstruct it, the term giving Juliets live somewhat of a infinite quality and eternal. This is off course is unrealistic, but it is similar to Elizabethan voyage of discovery to the new world, to seek out the worlds end, this is yet not found therefore Juliets love is the same, boundless Other images are of birds, Shakespeare the, changes mood when Juliet talks of birds and captivity. We now see interesting images, shown by Juliet, Hist, Romeo, hist! O for a falconers voice, To lure this tassel-gentle back again. Juliet trying to get Romeo to come back to her, she uses the language of falconry, which was an extremely popular sport with the Elizabethan nobility. A tassel was a high-prized male peregrine, this suggest that she feels confident as falconer to her very own, tassel-gentle, Romeo, it is unusual to see her like this in her age. Juliet is dominating the situation. She changes in two days from a little girl to a women, it shows her strength of character, her determination and her love. So I think this is very successful in making the audience realise the two are in love. On the other hand , we have an image of a spoilt child possessing a pet-And yet no farther than a wantons bird, Who lets it hop a little from her hand, Like a poor prisoner in his twisted gives, This gives us and image of Juliet holding Romeo by a string, and she has control of him, as she can pluck him back whenever she wishes, and gyves are prisoner with ropes and chain, this is the case that Juliet is a controlling female, could be of the high standard of her rich life, who is obsessed with Romeo and enjoys having him, whenever she favours, in a little fantasy of hers. For conclusion, I think in the balcony scene, many different images were shown although there were few actual images, which was effective in convincing the audience that the two are in love. There were only few realistic images, whereas unrealistic images present us with unlikely ideas such as Juliets sun, where the audience was given the idea that she was the light to the world. The image of angels might have been used to symbolise that the couple is not meant to be in earth, a little hint from Shakespeare, but overall I think there was enough images and idea given to back up the love of Romeo and Juliet.

The Importance of Language in Richard Wright’s Novel, Black Boy :: Wright Black Boy Essays

The Importance of Language in Richard Wright’s Novel, Black Boy Words are powerful things. They can be used to construct or destruct. In the novel Black Boy, Richard Wright discovers this fact after reading inspirational works written by a man named Mencken. It is at this point in his life where he understands the importance of words. Wright qualifies the idea that language is an important key to identity and social acceptance using figures of speech and warrants. A rhetorical technique used by Wright is this passage is that of metaphors. For example, when describing Mencken’s effectiveness he uses phrases such as â€Å"he was using words as a weapon.† This simile conveys to the reader just how powerful the new experience was for Wright. Richard wondered if he would ever be able to create something so significant. Although the idea seemed frightening at first, Wright was able to fight using his words in the end. In addition, to extend the metaphor of words being weapons, the language on the page is so full of disgust that Wright imagines Mencken had â€Å"slash[ed] [it] with his pen.† This image gives convincing evidence that Mencken was extremely irate with his society. His sword is the pen and his words are the blow. Those who are witness to this ‘duel’ are those who are effected by its cuts. Readers begin to realize just how important language is to identity and beliefs. Richard Wright utilizes evidence to create an ethos appeal for his readers. For instance, he doubts his literary choice once he reads the title of the book given to him: Prejudices. In his personal experience those that had spoken this word were not entirely right, according to him. He toys with the idea that this man (Mencken) is mistaken; he, himself, looked to have been mistaken. Wright made an unjustified conclusion about this writer judging by the single word on the cover of a book. If one word could bring up such emotion from this boy, imagine what a whole slew of these words would create in their wake. Mencken was not accepted by his race due, impart, to his beliefs.

Personal Ethical Communication Statement

Having a strong character, I also have a predisposition to optimism that influences positively my communication. I use these personality characteristics to encourage others, but I have realized that my communication needs to be improved due to societal roles that affect my perceptions. Since the world is made up of different categories of people, cultures, and races with which I have to interact, I have the obligation to watch how my perceptions are formed and influenced. I always believe that the success is the fruit of a hard work or a higher education as a dominant perception; but when reading the text book â€Å"Human Communication in society, I have discovered that the opposite site should be taken into consideration. Focusing on hard work and education was blocking my sight to see what others people are trying. As inference, I thought that some people are living in poverty because they did not go to school or did not want to work hard. This is a wrong inference which I have decided to reject. I recognize that some people did not have the opportunity to go to school despite their willingness to do so. Being from Africa and black, I used to think that due to racial discrimination, the United States would never be led by a black person. The opposite side of my thoughts was proven since president Obama was elected in 2008. That thought was based on my individual experience and the historical time period that showed that among 43 presidents who led the U. S since it has been a country, there was no African American person. This has helped me understand that it is not a good idea to rely on experience or time period. Personally, I realized that I have been experiencing ethnocentrism to some degree because I thought that only my culture was giving more importance to marriage; and all other groups were negligent in the matter. Also, I was stereotyping a group of people according to what I heard about them that most of them were thieves or liars. This has led me to experience prejudice to one of my co-workers who belonged to that specific group. It affected our communication because I could not trust her or believe in what she could say. As a mother, I thought that I knew better than my children so that I could choose for them the kind and colors of their clothes, their fields of studies, their food and so on. To improve my communication with my children, I have decided to discuss with them about everything before letting them making their own choices.

Mesoamerican civilization

In the civilization of the North and South America people, farming started later than the Afroeurasian. But the American civilization started on its own as opposed to the dependence of lending and borrowing of ideas from one community as was witnessed in the Afroeurasian civilization.The argument about the Mesoamerican civilization has been as a result of single culture (known as ‘mother culture’), while others claim that it was through learning and copying from others that the civilization developed, i.e. ‘sister culture’. The civilization arguments has to a larger extend been linked to the Olmec influence.   This is because the Olmec has been considered as the earliest civilization groups in the Mesoamerica.Hence some of its earliest civilization practices can only be found within the heartland of Olmec while others are beyond the heartland of Olmec. Some of the artifacts that are only found in the heartland of Olmec include colosal heads, earthen platfo rm and monolith alters.   There have also been cases where other Olmec style artifacts have been found in other different areas.There are objects that have been considered to be of Olmec – traditions in areas that are out side the heartland of Olmec appearing together with the traditional objects of that place.   For instance, at Las Socas, objects created in local tradition contain Olmec iconography (Reilly, p 371).This indicates that the traditional of Olmec was flowing from the Olmec heartland towards other areas and not vice versa.   In this case the argument of Olmec to be of the â€Å"mother culture† arises.   Michael D Doe is one of the proponents who argue that the Olmecs had a mother culture. â€Å"There is now little doubt that all later civilization †¦ whether Mexican or Maya, ultimately rest on an Olmec base,† (Coe, 2002, pp 62).Those advocating for ‘sister culture’ feel that the Olmec civilization took place simultaneously with the other places.   The argument is based on the fact that Olmec was only among the earliest equal civilizers.   Flannery and Marcus have agued that it is only through competitive interactive that civilization can take place.   â€Å"It is adoptive autonomy and frequ3ent competitive interaction of such chiefdoms that speed up evolution and eventually make useful technologies and sociopolitical strategic available to all regions†, (Flannery & Marcus, 2000. pp. 33).Therefore, looking at both the arguments of the mother culture and sister culture, it is not right to agree that the Olmecs civilization was a mother culture.   For instance, according to Pool (N.d),The Olmecs of San Lorenzo were only a handful of societies in the Americas that had achieved comparable degree of social and political integration by the end of the second millennium B.C. On the other hand, sociopolitical complexity varied among Olmec societies within the Gulf coast region, the intensity and effects of interaction with the Olmecs varied across Mesoamerica, and other Formative societies made significant contribution to the developemtn of a distinctively Mesoamerica civilization tradition, (Pp 2).The use of the term formative (preclassic) was developed by Gordon Wiley and & Philip Philips (1955, 1958), â€Å"Where it indicated the village agricultural threshold and/or sedentary life†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Pool, Pp.8).The formative period has various prehispanic historical changes taking place.   Before 200 B.C. most of the inhabitants lived in small bands that were characterized by several mobility and their main activity being hunting and gathering.   Then came the development of a lot of urban centers by 300 A.D.   These urban centers came about because with time, the mobility was reduced and the group settled into larger groups and thus staying at one place for longer period than before.The increased settlement was influenced by the fact that people have increased domes tication of crops and had also indicated the storage facilities.   â€Å"In the initial formative period (2000-2500 B.C.)†¦The processes of domestication and sedentarization combined to foster the spread of settled farming villages over much of the area that was becoming Mesoamerica,† (Pool, pp.8).The early societies of America shared the hunting and gathering activities with the other societies across the boarders.   These behaviors changed among the communities, as they become more settled and avoided movements.   This lead to the emergence of social hierarchies, centralized governments, and various religious concepts.   Their neighbours adopted the practices that emerged from one culture to another, including the OlmecsLike all other complex societies of the America, the Olmecs also depended on this hunting & gathering, domestication of food and animal as well as fishing for their daily needs.   These activities enabled them to build strong social and politi cal hierarchies that integrated many other small communities.Mesoamerican ReligionIn pre classical periods of the Mesoamerican people religion developed due to the influence of the seasonal cycles, â€Å"In their world –view, the development of the corn plant was one of the principle archetypes.   Another intrinsically tied to the former was the archetype of the alternating powers of fire and water, derived from the division of the year into two seasons, then dry and rainy seasons†, (Obafemi & Olupona, 2004, Pp 199).The Mayan community of the Mesoamerica developed their religion because of the belief that there was a relationship that existed between the human being and the supernatural power.   They nurtured and developed this belief to the extend of giving human sacrifices to the gods.   High priests of the Mayan religion performed the human sacrifices.   The key aspect of this religion was the great importance it gave to the agriculture and the time timeless of the harvests. â€Å"The Mayan religious calendar Ezolkin comprised of only 200 days and two cycles each comprises of weeks spanning 30 days and 20 days.   Another calendar called tun comprised of 360 days and five added unlucky days†The Mayan believed in the cycles of rails and to the harvest of the produce.   They considered the agriculture product to be a gift from God.   To the Mayans, human beings were supposed to be attuned to the cyclical changes so that they can obtain more benefits from them.The offering of sacrifices, of both human and animal was meant to appease the gods.   Songs and dances as well as competitions accompanied the sacrifices.   There was no separation of civil and religious life. Therefore, the kings acted as both rulers and principal intermediaries between human beings and gods. The other reason that was behind sacrifices was that, many gods needed human support which if was not forthcoming; they may weaken and eventually die.Life afte r death was determined by the position that a person held before the demise. Therefore if a person held a high status position on earth, that position will still be held even after death. While those with lower positions held again the same positions.About the universe, the Mayas believed that the universe would continue to be created and destroyed continuously.   The cycle for the destruction would be taking place after a period of about 5000 years.   The destruction and creation would be the exact duplicate of the previous one.   They perceived the earth to be the back of the giant caiman that was floating in the pool, with the exposed part being flat with four comers.   Above the earth, was the human with 13 levels (7 going up, and 6 going down), (http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761580499_2/Pre-Columbian_Religions.html). This was of the same oscillation as the rising setting of the sun.The Maya gods and goddesses formed a family (pantheon), each having four color aspe cts.   The religious followers believed in deities in heaven, but also having counterparts on earth and vice versa.   The deities also comprised of counterparts of the opposite sex.   â€Å"For example the supreme celestial god Itzama, the aged patron of culture and learning.   Kinich Ahau, the sun god, may have been a youthful aspect of Itzama in addition to being his son†, (http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761580499_2/Pre-Columbian_Religions.html).Like the Mayan, the Aztec believed in the destruction and creation of the universe, but that had multiple differences. They believed to be living in the fifth and final universe, which they considered to be the fifth sun. In this case, they believed that there would be no sixth universe after the fifth destruction, and that there was escape or avoiding of this destruction but it could only have been delayed. The sun was considered to be a warrior that fought a continuous unending war against darkness. Therefore, as long as the sun was still fighting, the fifth universe could not be destroyed. To make sure that the sun continued with the fights, they offered blood it through sacrifices. The sacrifices were especially of human who were war captives.Befitting their central role as allies of the sun, the Aztecs thought they lived at the center of the universe. Their earth was divided into four quadrants, each with typical Mesoamerica color-direction symbolism, though the specific pairings of colors and directions were different from those of the Mayas. The four quarters met at the main temple (Templo Mayor) of Tenochtitlan the Aztec capital. This temple was also the point where supernatural forces from the heavens and the underworld came together. The heavens were composed of 13 ascending levels. The sun, the moon, the planets, and the stars traveled through the lower levels. The upper levels were the homes of winds, storms, colors, and remote gods. The underworld contained 9 levels, all descending, u npleasant, and dangerous, (http://www.angelfire.com/realm/shades/nativeamericans/precolumbionrel4.htm).The pantheon of the gods and goddesses of the Aztec were more complex and performing different overlapping functions at different ceremonial functions. The gods were related to different practices. For instance, the Tlaloc was the rain god. There were also the gods that were related to the agricultural produce and deities related to fertility.BibliographyCoe, M.D (2002): Mexico: from the Olmecs to the Aztecs, London, Thames and Hudson.Flannery, K. & Marcus, J. (2000); A Formative Mexico Chiefdoms and the myth of theMother culture; a Journal of Anthropological Archeology, Vols. 19. Issues 1.History of Religion Manna Religion Retrieved on 2nd Nov. 2007 fromhttp://www.clearleadinc.com/site/religion.htmlObafemi J. & Olupona K. (2004):   Beyond Primitivism Indigenous Religious Traditions andModernity, Routledge, ISBN 041527 320X.Pool A. Christopher (N.d):   Olmec Archeology and Earl y Mesoamerica, Retrieved on 2nd Nov2007 from  http://assets.cambridge.org/97805217/88823/excerpt/9780521788823_excerpt.pdfReilly III, F. Kent, (N.d) â€Å"Art, Cultures and Relationship in the Olmec world in AmericansCivilization of Mesoamerican: A Recorder, Blackwell publishing Ltd..

Bartelby essays

Bartelby essays Nothing so aggravates an earnest person as a passive resistance. (13) This is so because there is nothing a rational person can do to combat a passive message. Should a group of people decide not to eat until their government complies with their demands, the government will feel the need to comply from a humanitarian stand point. There is nothing else that the government can do to prevent the death of its citizens and that would simply be unacceptable in the global spectrum of sociological science. The problem with passive resistance, however, is its failure to be recognized. Melvilles Bartleby has a purpose rooted deeply in this as its main character attempts to enlighten the working population to the indefinite strife of low level employees. Bartleby the man is opposing the monotony of life in a work place where production equals success. Essentially a talking Xerox machine, the scrivener uses passive means of resistance to make his main and is fellow subordinates understand the faults in their way of life. Melville does this by taking the downfalls of what was then modern day Wall Street and challenge them with title characters actions. As an employee whose only responsibilities included copying the narrators documents and checking them for errors, there would seem to be no room for any kind of resistance due to the cut and dry nature of his employment. By using passive means, Bartleby wins over part of the narrator and makes his seemingly invalid argument suddenly explode with legitimacy. Even in death, when Bartleby becomes an unknown! martyr, his message is carried on. This narrative could be called the legend of Bartleby, as his message continues to be read and discussed over a century after it was written. Also, to understand Bartleby the man is to understand his environment. Melville created a small social order in this text located on Wall Street in a small but effective law of...

René Descartes Proofs of Gods Existence

Renà © Descartes Proofs of Gods Existence Renà © Descartes (1596-1650) Proofs of Gods Existence is a series of arguments that he posits in his 1641 treatise (formal philosophical observation) Meditations on First Philosophy, first appearing in Meditation III. of God: that He exists. and discussed in more depth in Meditation V: Of the essence of material things, and, again, of God, that He exists. Descartes  is known for these original arguments that hope to prove Gods existence, but later philosophers have often critiqued his proofs as being too narrow and relying on a very suspect premise (Hobbes) that an image of God exists within mankind. In any case, understanding them is essential to understanding Descartes later work Principles of Philosophy (1644) and his Theory of Ideas. The structure of Meditations on First Philosophy - whos translated subtitle reads in which the existence of God and the immortality of the soul are demonstrated - is fairly straightforward. It begins with a letter of dedication to The Sacred Faculty of Theology in Paris, where he submitted it originally in 1641, a preface to the reader, and finally a synopsis of the six meditations that would follow. The rest of the treatise is meant to be read as if each Meditation takes place a day after the one prior. Dedication and Preface In the dedication, Descartes  implores the University of Paris (Sacred Faculty of Theology) to protect and keep his treatise and posit the method he hopes to ascribe to assert the claim of Gods existence philosophically rather than theologically. In order to do this, Descartes  posits he must make an argument that avoids critics accusations that the proof relies on circular reasoning. In proving the existence of God from a philosophical level, he would be able to appeal to non-believers as well. The other half of the method relies on his ability to demonstrate that man is sufficient to discover God on his own, which is indicated in the Bible and other such religious scriptures as well. Fundaments of the Argument In preparation of the main claim, Descartes discerns thoughts could be divided into three kinds of operations of thought: will, passions and judgment. The first two cannot be said to be true or false, as they do not pretend to represent the way things are. Only among judgments, then, can we find those sorts of thoughts representing something as existing outside of us. Descartes examines his thoughts again to discover which are components of judgment, narrowing his ideas into three types: innate, adventitious (coming from the outside) and fictional (produced internally). Now, adventitious ideas could have been created by Descartes himself. Although they do not depend on his will, he might have a faculty producing them, like the faculty that produces dreams. That is, of those ideas that are adventitious, it might be that we produce them even if we do not do so willingly, as it happens when we are dreaming. Fictional ideas, too, could have clearly been created by Descartes himself. For Descartes, all ideas had a formal and objective reality and consisted of three  metaphysical principles. The first, nothing comes  from nothing, holds that in order for something to exist, something else must have created it. The second holds very much the same concept around formal versus objective reality, stating that more cannot come from less. However, the third principle states that more objective reality cannot come from less formal reality, limiting the objectivity of the self  from affecting the formal reality of others Finally, he posits that there is a hierarchy of beings that can be divided into four categories: material bodies, humans, angels, and God. The only perfect being, in this hierarchy, is God with angels being of pure spirit yet imperfect, humans being a mix of material bodies and spirit, which are imperfect, and material bodies, which are simply called imperfect. Proof of Gods Existence With those preliminary theses at hand, Descartes dives into examining the philosophical possibility of Gods existence in his Third Meditation. He breaks this evidence down into two umbrella categories, called proofs, whose logic is relatively easy to follow. In the first proof, Descartes argues that, by evidence,  he is an imperfect being who has an objective reality including the notion that perfection exists and therefore has a distinct idea of a perfect being (God, for example). Further, Descartes realizes that he is less formally real than the objective reality of perfection and therefore there has to be a perfect being existing formally from whom his innate idea of a perfect being derives wherein he could have created the ideas of all substances, but not the one of God. The second proof then goes on to question who it is then that keeps him - having an idea of a perfect being - in existence, eliminating the possibility that he himself would be able to do. He proves this by saying that he would owe it to himself, if he were his own existence maker, to have given himself all sorts of perfections. The very fact that he is not perfect means he would not bear his own existence. Similarly, his parents, who are also imperfect beings, could not be the cause of his existence since they could not have created the idea of perfection within him. That leaves only a perfect being, God, that would have had to exist to create and be constantly recreating him.   Essentially, Descartes proofs  rely on the belief that by existing, and being born an imperfect being (but with a soul or spirit), one must, therefore, accept that something of more formal reality than ourselves must have created us. Basically, because we exist and are able to think ideas, something must have created us.

Finance For Managers Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words - 1

Finance For Managers - Assignment Example The management of any firm is faced with the task of dealing not only with the short term challenges faced by the business, but they must also have a long term vision for the company. Each company has its own internal advantages called Strengths that enable it to do better than some others in the industry. Likewise, each company also has its own internal deficiencies called Weaknesses that prevent it from making full use of its resources and abilities. Like it or not, all firms operating within a particular industry are similarly faced with uniform challenges from the external environment like the legal, social, economic and technological changes that may emerge as Opportunities for the industry if they give it an advantage, or Threats for an industry if they challenge its well being and continuity in the business environment. Jools Furniture Industries Ltd. likewise has its own set of strengths and weaknesses, and is also faced with opportunities and threats from the external enviro nment. It is clear that it must take some action to offset these internal and external challenges if it is to survive and prosper as a continuing business enterprise. This paper is divided into three parts. ... In Part III, we shall assess the proposal for an ?1.8 million loan to be taken by the Kitchens Division of the business, based on the current gearing and ROI criteria as traditionally maintained by the company, and also suggest two other alternatives in this regard. PART I Brief Analysis of the Present Position of the Furniture Business Looking at the industry scenario given in the case, it appears that the furniture industry in the UK is highly specialized and moving towards maturity. In this stage of the product life cycle, there are a whole lot of producers and manufacturers of a product and the competition is intense, hence every firm is looking at ways to enlarge its business and increase its capacity in different areas. Jools Furniture Industries Ltd. has also done the same over the years and has managed to create four different divisions, each dealing in a different type of product or delivering to a different market. We have the Kitchens Division, the Quality Division, the Be drooms Division and the Office Division. The marketplace can also be classified into the Domestic, the Office and the Contract market. The domestic market is geared towards serving the public, mainly through retail outlets and making products for household use. The domestic market constitutes 58 percent or the major chunk of the market demand. On the other hand, the office market deals mainly with products concerning desking, seating, tables, cabinets and other items for the office environment. The office market consists of 13 percent of the total market demand. The contract market caters to the needs of furniture for public areas such as hotels, schools, residential accommodation and airports. The contract market constitutes 29 percent or little less

Terrorism in the 21st century is very different than terrorism in the Research Paper

Terrorism in the 21st century is very different than terrorism in the 20th century - Research Paper Example In the course of this essay I will examine three aspects of terrorism then and now by looking at different groups with different aims. In the course of these examinations or comparisons, many of the salient differences between old terrorism and new terrorism will become evident. In the first case I will examine the Algerian-French conflict in the middle of the 20th century. In this conflict, the French fought an urban guerrilla war against Algerian nationalists who wished to liberate their country from French colonialism. The brutal reprisals of the French were responded to by acts of terrorism such as blowing up mailboxes in Paris. While the conflict elicited a cri du Coeur from other colonial subjects around the world and inspired a great many anti-colonialist thinkers, it did not, for example, draw in foreign fighters or radicalize a generation of extremists. Furthermore, terrorism was to some extent a last resort for Algerians who were consistently refused real political influenc e or power over their country. Their aim was clear and their methods—while highly objectionable—were coherent and connected to their aim. The Algerian terrorists of the time, while ruthless, could and did negotiate with the French. Indeed, the terrorist/freedom fighters were able to secure the independence of Algeria in 1962. In the second case I will examine the conflict in Afghanistan from 1979, what many analysts believe is the genesis of the new terrorism. While issues raised by this very long conflict began with the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, which provoked a somewhat traditional form of terrorism in the form of freedom fighters and guerrillas, as in the Algerian in the 1950s, the form of resistance morphed dramatically by the 1990s and into the 2000s. These years saw the rise of a new form of terrorism, funded and inspired in part by Saudi Wahhabism, and an ideology of global jihad (Coll 2004, 87). These new terrorists did not have clear or rational aims but instead

Retaining Foreign Talents in the Dubai Banking Industry Dissertation

Retaining Foreign Talents in the Dubai Banking Industry - Dissertation Example Advani (2006) mentions that the said situation exists in the said country because of the fact that the employees would rather work for the foreign banking institutions as the latter offers better compensation packages than their local counterparts. The Oxford Business Group (2008) also cited attracting and retaining high quality talent as one of the most common problems experienced by banks in Bulgaria. Generally, this problem is brought about by various issues such as the competition for limited banking resources such as the location that can be used to establish banks, the availability of skilled employees and eligible clients (The Oxford Business Group 2008). In Dubai, as well as in the other members of the Gulf Cooperative Council (GCC), retaining foreign talent in their banking industry is likewise an important issue issue. During the past years, the said countries, most especially Dubai, has been considered attractive in terms of enticing expatriate professionals Nevertheless, it was only considered as relatively successful in a sense that it has merely served as a transient market wherein the young professionals begin their careers, earn tax free income and socialize for 2-3 years. In this sense, employers therein experience high rates of turnovers as regards their staff (Rehman 2007). The 2007-2010 depression which affected Dubai along with the other members of the GCC has resulted to the radical decrease in the number of expatriate workers in the said countries. True enough, many Westerners were employed four to five years ago. However, nowadays, most of them have been transferred to other countries and some have been repatriated to their own countries. More often than not, the decision involving them is brought about by the fact that foreign expatriates are more expensive than others. Undoubtedly, the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, most especially Dubai has long relied on foreign expatriates. However, because of the economic issues that they have faced, most of them have decided to come up with initiatives which are aimed towards the localization of the workforce, replacing the foreign expatriates with skilled local employees. The adoption of these initiatives had been highly influenced by the banking institutions in the countries to cut down their expenses by reducing the compensation packages offered to the expatriate professionals. Aside from these, the decision of financial institutions to cut down the premium pay of expatriates had also facilitated their turnovers (Rehman 2007). Undoubtedly, there is a need to implement employee strategies so as to retain key employees, most especially foreign talents in a certain company. However, because of economic problems such as recession, companies tend to cut down their costs in order to cope with the financial situation. This paper focuses on the issue of expatriate management in Dubai. It focuses on the different innovative strategies that companies, most especially memb ers of the banking industry usually implement in order to retain foreign talent. However, given the fact that Dubai suffered from economic recession in the last three years, this research aims to look into whether or not ht financial institutions therein continue the implementation of the said strategies during this period in the hopes of retaining foreign talent. Statement of the Problem As previously mentioned, the adoption of pertinent employee strategies is of paramount importance in terms of retaining foreign employees. Amongst the members of the banking industry, the key to attracting and retaining employees is through the development of good payment packages. However, banking instituti

Bruce Lee And His Martial Arts

Bruce Lee And His Martial Arts Martial arts became known to the world in the 1960s. This is largely due to Bruce Lee and is what he is known for. Still others are ignorant to this and only know that he is a movie star who fights his way to victory. But none of this would be relevant if it were not for the Chinese Americans before him. Malcolm Gladwell would argue that Lees success was handed down to [him] by the history of the community he lived in (Gladwell 204). People that Lee never knew and never had contact with would lead directly to his success. These men and women suffered horrible racist treatment and had no contact with their families overseas, but were the cause for change in American Chinese relations that is of such fundamental importance to the success of Bruce Lee. It was not only the direct men and women in Lees life that allowed him to succeed in America but the lives of an entire ethnic group. Without their suffering and hardships Lee would not have had success in his trials and painful experiences. Chinese Americans status in the United States began changing for the better at the start of WWII and Bruce Lees martial arts influence was the final indication that Asian Americans had successfully been accepted into the national culture. He became a hero to Chinese Americans for making the final advance towards social equality and accomplishing this through the medium of martial arts film. To understand Bruce Lees impact, one must realize the difficulties of times past. Chinese Americans in the late 19th and early 20th century had such a low status and are shunned and disliked by the great majority of [their] countrymen who live in California and are even called names such as sheepeye (Blonde Chinese 475). The Chinese Americans were treated unfairly such as having to pay a 4 dollar tax each month to fish in California and being required to pay for a foreign miners license in order to work in the mines of California while whites did not have to pay for any of these charges. White labor workers even attacked Chinese homes in an attempt to scare off their competition during economic crises and unemployment periods such as in the Panic of 1873. Eventually the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was passed and prohibited Chinese labor immigration. Up through the 1920s this exclusion act was reinforced by congressional acts and the Supreme Court such as the Geary Act of 1892 and i n the case of Fong Yue Ting v. United States (1893) (Tung 19). Justice Field stated that these Chinese laborers are not citizens of the United States; they are aliens (Fong v. US). This case, along with others, made it clear that the general views of Chinese Americans were of aliens that are just here temporarily even if they were born here. There were also continued attempts at preventing Chinese wives from entering the United States such as the 1924 Immigration act and the case of Chang Chan et al. v. John D. Nagle in 1924. Justice McReynolds decided to mandatorily exclude the wives of United States citizens of the Chinese race if such wives are of a race or persons ineligible to citizenship (Chan v. Nagle). This law made it difficult for Chinese Americans to start families and feel at home in the United States. This all soon changed during WWII when several anti immigration laws were created. These policy changes were not the result of public majority but of politicians who wanted to show the China that America cared about Chinas people. The U.S foresaw an alliance with them because China had been at war with Japan since 1937. The United States knew that Japan joining the Axis powers during WWII would lead to an alliance with China who now shared a common enemy and this is why the U.S. wanted to politically befriend the Chinese by changing policy. The first policy passed was the Nationality Act of 1940 that allowed for the naturalization of Chinese Americans and allowed those born in America to become citizens (Bleeker 14). Bruce Lee happened to be born on November 27 in America a month after the passage of the Nationality Act, allowing him to become an American citizen. Lees parents arrived to San Francisco on a tour with the Cantonese Opera Company and they had to return to Hong Kong shortly after Bruce Lee was born due to their visas expiring. Bruce Lees birth supports Gladwells argument of demographic luck playing a factor in deciding a persons opportunity and success. Gladwell states that the sense of possibility so necessary for success comesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦from our time: from the particular opportunities that our particular place in history presents us with (Gladwell 137). Lee came into the world at just the right time to become an American citizen and have martial arts success in this country. It was the perfect time to accomplish this success that acted as the medium for solidifying Chinese Americans identity. Bruce Lee was raised in Hong Kong. Coming from a humble upbringing, Lee was born into a relatively poor family and came into the world a fragile baby. He had cryptorchidism which is when the testicles fail to drop before the child is born. Bruce suffered from the consequences of this well into his college years. But he worked hard and was determined to excel in what he loved, martial arts. This disease impeded the growth of his bones, muscles, and psychological maturity. Overcoming this disease was a real show of his incredible hard work. Bruce was praised for his unbelievable body conditioning, speed, and definition but it was not a natural genetic possibility for Lee to have this body; he had to have an unmatched work ethic (Bleeker 15). But it would be quite some time before he finds his calling of martial arts. Bruce Lee first gained his heart for martial arts in a time of turmoil. It was 1941 and the British, who controlled the city, had surrendered Hong Kong to the Japanese during WWII; with no police power to keep control, the Triads grew exponentially. The postwar world was in one way or another influenced by these organized gangs. Bruce Lee had trouble adapting to a violent world and found no success in school. The hardships of the war left a mental scar on Bruce Lee which caused him to have somewhat of a temper. He would frequently get in trouble at school for acting up in class and fighting he would get suspended for it (Bleeker 16). Lee lost interest in school and by his teen years, he had gotten involved with gangs and soon got into street fights. He wanted to be the best fighter and became involved with martial arts. He went to different masters and no style satisfied him until his father introduced him to master Yip Man and the Wing Chun style. Lee searched for a style that was truly effective in combat and found it with Yip Man; at least until Lee became more knowledgeable about fighting. Lee became obsessed with fighting and was feared locally by his second year of intensive training. He made many Triad enemies and by 1958, his mother decided it would be best if he used his birthright privilege and move to America. When Lee arrived in America, the civil rights movement was in motion and Chinese Americans were beginning to find cultural acceptance. It brought on a new wave of activism by Chinese Americans who began to organize in multi-ethnic groups such as the Asian American Political Alliance and Orientals Concerned from the UCLA campus. Chinese Americans wanted to be socially integrated into America and sought to gain their identity as Americans. Bruce Lee adventurously arrived in Washington happy to be in a new place because for the first time in his adolescent-adult years he was not living the life of a street gang member in Hong Kong (Bleeker 23). Lee became engaged in the Chinese cultural acceptance movement, at least unintentially, by teaching martial arts to local students. He did this to make money and attend the University of Washington as a philosophy major but had to drop out in 1964 because he ran out of funds. This short college life proved to be useful because it allowed him to g ain enough students to open an official teaching location in Seattle which he would name the Jun Fan Kung-Fu Institution and it is where he found his wife-to-be, Linda Emery. He was among the first in the nation to openly teach non-Asians the way of Kung-Fu. This was good for competition for he had a larger customer base, but it was also bad because he became hated within the martial arts circle for allowing non-Asians to learn their ways; however, this helped him gain national recognition. Once Lee was starting to get established, he could now experiment with the martial arts style he was creating called Jeet Kune Do. This is where Bruce Lee blended his philosophy with martial arts. He sought to create a martial art thats sole purpose was efficiency and combat effectiveness that does away with the distinction of branches,[and is] an art that rejects formality, andà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦is liberated fromà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦tradition[s] established by ancient martial art styles (Little, Jeet Kune Do 47). He was frustrated with the current state of martial arts and hated how most solely focused on traditions and unnecessary movements that resembled dance. He argued that these fighting styles were once created by men who experimented to find effective means to fight. Lee is disappointed how society fails to see this and blindly follows abstraction and mystery [until their movements] resemble anything from acrobatics to modern dancing but [never] the actual reality of combat (qtd. in In osanto, Jeet Kune Do 48). Throughout his life Lee tried to spread his passion of rebellion from the traditional styles and was discovered by peers in America and soon the world. To show his commitment to his ideology, he never competed in a martial arts bout because it was limited by rules and restrictions. Lee would only fight if there were absolutely no rules; he was a true street fighter. Bruce Lee first gained national recognition at the first International Karate Championships held in 1964. He attended and showed off his new style and incredible abilities that lead to his discovery by a film producer. And the film career was soon launched and he first played Kato in the Batman TV series and then on the Green Hornet Series in 1966. This was the first time an Asian man was given a significant role in an American TV series (Fu, 29). It also provided a weekly awareness to Americans about martial arts. Up to this point, Kung FU was relatively unknown to the western work, at least to the general public. But his most famous work came from the films titled Fists Of Fury (1972) and Enter the Dragon (1973) (Little 17). These two films immortalized Bruce Lee as a pop cultural icon. But he would not live to see this through; he died suddenly on July 20, 1973 by a cerebral edema (swelling of the brain) caused by a pain killer given to him by Betty Ting, who he was working with a t the time. He started a rebellion against tradition that could not have come in no other time then the 60s and could not have occurred anywhere else except in America. It was a time when people did not want to follow the rules of a system that were created long ago and this was reflected in his martial arts style of Jeet Kune Do and in turn reflected by his short-lived success in the film industry. He brought an Asian cultural impact to America that effectively introduced Chinese culture to the broad society using the medium of film. This was done by combining Western techniques with Eastern motifs [that are] easily understandable [by] non-Asian audiences (Dresser 138). His work was somewhat of a soft-opener for the American people to witness and accept Asian culture and ultimately it proved effective. The word martial art is a general term that does not indicate a specific quantitative achievement of Lee. He went beyond simply introducing this large subject to the West; he started revolutions within the field. America proved to be Lees decisive point of origin for Jeet Kune Do, the popularization of cross-training, a scientific approach to martial arts, American freestyle karate, the widespread move towards mixed- or no-holds-barred-martial arts, and much in the way of self-help ideology (Bowman 179).

Educational Technology Essay -- Computers Schooling Essays

Educational Technology Education is probably the most important thing in life that someone can obtain. There are many levels of education. These levels begin at Kindergarten and Pre-K and continue on through grade school, junior high school, high school, and undergraduate colleges if so chosen. Then the possibility of graduate school is in the interest of some student and is required for better pay and even in some career fields. Education has undergone many changes over the past 2 decades at all levels. Many of the changes have undergone due to the increasing number of technological advancements in the ways teachers educate and the ways that students learn. The greatest technological achievement to enter the educational realm has been the creation of the PC. One of the first PC to be used in the classroom for educational purposes was introduced by Macintosh. The Apple computer, I can remember, was the first computer I used in grade school. On this PC, students were introduced to 2 dimensional computer programs designed to enhance the mind of students and introduced student to concepts that could be applied in the classroom. With the computer, a number of students could have a hands-on activity that was fun and designed to be fun while working on assignments. The floppy disk was black and was actually floppy. John Sculley wrote an article about computers and their effect on education. The article was publishe d in September of 1988 in T H E Journal (Technological Horizons In Education). The abstract read: â€Å"The effectiveness of computers in schools has been demonstrated, and business, government, and education must now work together to further the integration of technology and education. It is necessary to identify when a... ...ool. Dec. 2002 v42 i4 p4. WD & S Publishing Multimedia Schools. Helping them do it at Home. Mary Alice Anderson. March-April 2003. v10 i2 p19. Information Today, Inc. The Science Teacher. Field Trips online: Investigating water quality through the Internet. Bruce H. Munson. Jan. 2003. v70 i1 p44-49. Telephony. Going to school via Fiber. John Price. May 9, 1988 v214 n19 p28. Telephony Publishing Corp. 1988. T H E (Technological Horizons In Education) Journal. Applications: Online system speeds admissions process. Elizabeth Greengield. Nov.1990 v18 n4 p43. Information Synergy Inc. 1990. T H E (Technological Horizons In Education) Journal. CD-Rom: New Technology with promise for Education. Dennis F. Tanner. August 1988 v16 n1 p57. Information Synergy Inc. 1988 Picture Copywright: http://www.microchip.com/index.asp

Internet cafe Essay

One popular place where students and young professionals commonly hangout nowadays is a cyber cafe. Internet cafe or kiosks have been sprouting everywhere, and not just in the US, but all over the world. With the advent of the internet and its wide range of benefits getting more and more popular to everybody, the demand for more internet cafes keeps on increasing. Internet cafe owners are also keeping up with the market trend. If these cafes were previously known as just internet shops being just providers of internet services, they are now like coffee shops and cafes offering great food and coffee as well. This industry still has a lot more to offer to increase and widen its target market, and to keep its customers always satisfied. Services The main reason why there are internet cafes around is to provide internet services to people who do not have access from their own homes. Usually, there are a lot of computers available which are all connected to one computer that acts as a server. Most of the cyber cafes have at least 10 computers available for their customers. The specifications of these computers are usually of the mid-range category. One important thing is that these units should be running fast. Reliability is also as important because, as an owner, you would not want to lose money by having a computer down and, at the same time, spending a lot for its repair. The server computer, which is the one connected to the internet, usually has a high-end configuration – big storage capacity and fast performance. Most of the cyber cafes nowadays not only offer computer and internet access. There are also added services being offered such as printing, scanning, photocopying, CD/DVD burning, photo printing, faxing, and long-distance phone services. Cyber cafes now aim to be some sort of a one-stop-shop for their customers. These businesses want to keep their customers and not look for another shop for services that they may not be offering. This is a good strategy for businesses to increase their customer base and increase earnings as well. Internet gaming is one of the recent technology introduced by this industry. Existing internet cafes either added more computers or upgraded their existing units in order to be capable of handling different internet game software. This new offering of cyber cafes has been very popular among teens. Internet gaming is the modern version of video arcades and is more challenging and exciting because you are actually playing with humans, and not just computers. For a gaming setup, computers are connected to a local area network with one or more servers. Each of these computers has the highest hardware configuration possible as required by the game software. Depending on the game, the users or players can form teams and fight with other teams. These players and teams are all in the same room so it adds more fun to the game. Since the goal of cyber cafe owners is to keep the customers in their shops for a long time, they also started offering food and drinks. Some even had some space allotted for something like a coffee shop or an espresso bar. If that will be added to the shop, though, the owner should be knowledgeable in the coffee business, or at least hire someone who is. It would be not too easy to manage an internet gaming shop and coffee shop in one since they have are two entirely different industries. The owner or the manager should have the right skills and expertise for the business to be successful. It would be best if there would be one manager for the internet gaming business and another one for the food and drinks part. Having separate managers will give more focus on each group yet work together to compliment on each other’s services and offerings making the business succeed as a whole. Facilities Putting up an internet cafe not only requires business knowledge but technical expertise as well. The major equipments being used by these cafes are computers. These computers are required to have specific configuration for their specific purpose. If the computer is simply used for internet browsing, typing documents and email, a mid-range system may suffice. The common hardware specifications of this kind are as follows: Pentium 4 processor, 512MB memory, 40 or 80GB hard drive, integrated video, audio and network cards. On the other hand, if the computer is used primarily for gaming, the usual specifications are: Pentium 4 processor (preferably Core Duo), at least 1GB memory, 80 or 120GB hard drive, at least 128MB PCI-Express video card, PCI sound card, integrated network card. If the shop is also offering CD/DVD burning, a few units should also have CDRW and DVD ±RW drives. For video editing services, at least one unit should have a video card with video capture capabilities. Other equipments that can be found in an internet cafe are printers, faxes, scanners, and copiers. For efficiency and practicality, most owners would buy the all-in-one type. Networking equipments are also important in this business. Routers, hubs, switches, network cables and data cables are needed to connect each of the computers together. Gaming cafes should have very reliable networking equipments because having these units down is unacceptable for this business. Other shops that are always packed with customers would have TVs as well in their waiting area. Cyber cafes offering food and drinks should also have the necessary kitchen equipments. One thing that may be of a challenge in entering the cyber cafe business is the high maintenance requirement of the equipments. As an example, the owner of Howie’s Game Shack, Howie Makler (as cited in Cheung, 2006), said, â€Å"Every 18 months, I basically have to throw away everything and buy $700,000 in new computers. † That is essentially about $3,500 per computer. It may be expensive but is definitely worth it in the long run. It pays to have all the equipments well-maintained and always updated with the latest hardware and software. Talking about software, applications also form bulk of the investment the owner needs to make. Each application installed in each unit needs a license. But it is usually just a one-time fee unlike hardware that needs constant upgrading. Money Matters There is a very big potential of earning huge money in the internet cafe business. Other than the standard service of offering internet and email access, other options to earn are offering printing services, photocopying, faxing, scanning, even resume services and a whole lot more. If planning to put up an internet cafe, it is better to also have a lot of gaming units since this is the trend nowadays. Network gaming is what keeps kids and teens inside these cyber cafes. The common running rates for an hour of internet and gaming access range from $4 to $7. The best way to determine the right price to set for the hourly access is to know the prices being charged by competitors within the vicinity. If there is no close competitor, which is highly unlikely, market surveys and prices being charged by neighboring counties or states can be used as references. Other cyber cafes, like the Howie’s Game Shack, offer such a thing as a day pass wherein customers need not pay the hourly rate; they can buy a pass for $15 which is good for the whole day (Cheung, 2006). This is an example of a good marketing strategy in order to attract more customers, keep them playing for longer hours, and make them come back more frequently. Logistics and Marketing Although it is mentioned that the earning potential in the cyber cafe industry is quite attractive, it also depends on the location of the business and marketing strategies of the owner. Location is one important factor in any type of business. Cyber cafe’s target markets are mostly teens, students and young professionals. Thus, it is beneficial to choose a location where these people are commonly found such as malls, near the parks and schools perhaps. Having creative and innovative minds would also benefit this kind of business. The owners or managers of internet cafes should never run out of marketing strategies in mind to keep customers coming. The cyber cafe business is definitely one promising industry as more and more people are now appreciating the benefits of the cyber world. Although it may not be deemed as that lucrative a business yet, earning is definitely not a problem as long as it is backed by wise and strategic management. The country will most likely see more cyber cafes being established in the coming years. References Cheung, H. (2006). Gaming heaven for Southern California residents – Howie’s Game Shack. TG Daily. Retrieved February 13, 2007 from http://www. tgdaily. com/2006/05/26/howies_game_shack/ Palo Alto Software, Inc. (2007). Cafe – Internet Cafe Business Plan. Retrieved February 13, 2007 from http://www. bplans. com/spv/3142/