Free Essays on Collectivization

Collectivization Collectivization policy adopted by the Soviet government, pursued most intensively between 1929 and 1933, to transform traditional agriculture in the Soviet Union and to reduce the economic power of the kulaks. Kulaks was the label give to prosperous peasants. Under collectivization the peasantry were forced to give up their individual farms and join large collective farms or kolkhozy. The process was ultimately undertaken in conjunction with the campaign to industrialize the Soviet Union rapidly. But before the drive began, long and bitter debates over the nature and pace of collectivization went on among the Soviet leaders, especially between Stalin and Trotsky, 1925-27, and between Stalin and Nikolay Bukharin, 1927-29. Some Soviet leaders considered collective farms a socialist form of land tenure and therefore desirable; but they advocated a gradual transition to them in order to avoid disrupting the agricultural productivity necessary to stimulate industrial growth. Other leaders favoured rapid industrialization and, consequently, wanted immediate, forced collectivization; they argued not only that the large kolkhozy could use heavy machinery more efficiently and produce larger crops than could numerous small, individual farms but that they could be controlled more effectively by the state. As a result, they could be forced to sell a large proportion of their output to the state at low government prices, thereby enabling the state to acquire the capital necessary for the development of heavy industry. A decision was made by the 15th Congress of the Communist Party (December 1927) to undertake collectivization at a gradual pace, allowing the peasantry to join kolkhozy voluntarily. But in November 1928 the Central Committee and in April 1929 the 16th Party Conference approved plans that increased the goals and called for 20 percent of the nation's farmland to be collectivized by 1933. Between October 1929 and J... Free Essays on Collectivization Free Essays on Collectivization Collectivization Collectivization policy adopted by the Soviet government, pursued most intensively between 1929 and 1933, to transform traditional agriculture in the Soviet Union and to reduce the economic power of the kulaks. Kulaks was the label give to prosperous peasants. Under collectivization the peasantry were forced to give up their individual farms and join large collective farms or kolkhozy. The process was ultimately undertaken in conjunction with the campaign to industrialize the Soviet Union rapidly. But before the drive began, long and bitter debates over the nature and pace of collectivization went on among the Soviet leaders, especially between Stalin and Trotsky, 1925-27, and between Stalin and Nikolay Bukharin, 1927-29. Some Soviet leaders considered collective farms a socialist form of land tenure and therefore desirable; but they advocated a gradual transition to them in order to avoid disrupting the agricultural productivity necessary to stimulate industrial growth. Other leaders favoured rapid industrialization and, consequently, wanted immediate, forced collectivization; they argued not only that the large kolkhozy could use heavy machinery more efficiently and produce larger crops than could numerous small, individual farms but that they could be controlled more effectively by the state. As a result, they could be forced to sell a large proportion of their output to the state at low government prices, thereby enabling the state to acquire the capital necessary for the development of heavy industry. A decision was made by the 15th Congress of the Communist Party (December 1927) to undertake collectivization at a gradual pace, allowing the peasantry to join kolkhozy voluntarily. But in November 1928 the Central Committee and in April 1929 the 16th Party Conference approved plans that increased the goals and called for 20 percent of the nation's farmland to be collectivized by 1933. Between October 1929 and J...

Lithification Defined and Explained

Lithification Defined and Explained Lithification is how soft sediments, the end product of erosion, become rigid rock (lithi- means rock in scientific Greek). It begins when sediment, like sand, mud, silt and clay,  is laid down for the last time and becomes gradually buried and compressed under new sediment. Sediments Fresh sediment is usually loose material that is full of open spaces, or pores, filled with air or water. Lithification acts to reduce that pore space and replace it with a solid mineral material. The main processes involved in lithification are compaction and cementation. Compaction involves squeezing the sediment into a smaller volume by packing the sediment particles more closely, by removing water from the pore space (desiccation) or by pressure solution at the points where sediment grains contact each other. Cementation involves filling pore space with solid minerals (usually calcite or quartz) that are deposited from solution or that enable existing sediment grains to grow into the pores. The pore space does not need to be eliminated for lithification to be complete. All of the processes of lithification can continue to modify a rock after it has first become a rigid solid. Diagenesis Lithification occurs entirely within the early stage of diagenesis. Other words that overlap with lithification are induration, consolidation, and petrifaction. Induration covers everything that makes rocks harder, but it extends to materials that are already lithified. Consolidation is a more general term that also applies to the solidification of magma and lava. Petrifaction today refers specifically to the replacement of organic matter with minerals to create fossils, but in the past it was more loosely used to mean lithification. Alternate Spellings: lithifaction

Clinical Chemistry Case Study , Liver Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Clinical Chemistry , Liver - Case Study Example The only conclusive tests recommended for establishing whether a person is infected with Hepatitis A virus is by obtaining blood sample and then conducting serological tests on the blood sample. The tests include looking for Immunoglobulin M antibody to Hepatitis A virus and Immunoglobulin G antibody for Hepatitis A virus (Palmer, 2004). The laboratory investigations revealed that the levels of urea, creatinine, bilirubin AST and Alk. Phos., above the reference range implying that the patient general had a disease of the liver. Urea and creatinine are usually used to test for liver diseases and higher levels are indicators of renal failure. Bilirubin is usually an indicator of pre-hepatic or post hepatic block depending on the rations while AST and Alk. Phos., are indicators of damage to the biliary tree (Basten, 2010). Biochemical investigations of the liver primarily involves finding out the level of biomolecules found in the liver and the exact position of these biomolecules. Since studies have been able to establish the normal ranges for these biomolecules any ranges outside the normal or when particular biomolecules are found at suspicious sites, then these could indicate liver disease (Sheety, 2009). Urine tests aids in the monitoring of the functioning of the liver and establishing whether the liver is diseased or not. Urine tests also target biomolecules that would otherwise not be found in urine or measures the levels of normal biomolecules found in the urine. An example is the compound Delta Aminolevulinic Acid that is produced from amino acids in the liver. Reduction in the levels of the compound might indicate chronic liver disease. In essence, urine tests target such compounds to establish the condition of the liver at a given time (Schiff,

Data Mining for E-Commerce Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Data Mining for E-Commerce - Research Paper Example The basic purpose of this research is to analyze the use of data mining for e-commerce. This paper will also outline the main areas of implementation, techniques, and potential advantages obtained through this technology. Introduction Data mining is a detailed process which allows the extraction of hidden, formerly unidentified, and actually functional knowledge and information from a huge collection of data. The majority of researchers have defined â€Å"data mining as the process of getting useful and reliable information and patterns from huge data sets by making use of latest tools and algorithms based on the theories and models borrowed from various other domains such as machine learning, management systems, statistics, and database.† The basic purpose of extracting these hidden facts is to facilitate business executives and top management in planning and managing the business strategies and plans for the future. The use of data mining tools and techniques provides a larg e number of benefits and opportunities for business organizations. For instance, data mining tools and techniques allow the business organizations to carry out a deep examination of the customer and business associated data and information, which facilitate business firms to make critical strategic decisions. Additionally, data mining applications can be accessed through a graphical user interface (GUI) which helps business managers to take a deep insight into the collected customer data. In the past few years, there have emerged a large number of powerful data mining algorithms and techniques to help business managers analyze large customer data sets which are the need of the majority of the business firms for the reason that the survival of their business heavily relies on these data and information (Ranjan & Bhatnagar, 2009). Moreover, the data mining offers these decision-making capabilities by making use of a wide variety of methods such as classification, clustering, predictio n, genetic algorithms, association and neural network. In this scenario, classification refers to the process of determining the significant attributes and features of customers’ data which are on the point of churn as well as it also helps to identify the customers. In the same way, some clustering techniques such as K-mean algorithms are used to develop segments of this collected data. Additionally, these data are divided into segments on the basis of their features and attributes. In this scenario, the data with same properties are placed in the same set. Hence, this information can be used by a business organization to determine the potential customers of the firm. There is another useful data mining technique known as a prediction technique used to plan the business strategies for the future.  

Corporate Governance in Australia After Hih Essay Example for Free

Corporate Governance in Australia After Hih Essay In the light of various corporate scandals, regulatory bodies and corporate governance were placed under pressure by shareholders and stakeholders to form a tighter grip in governing corporation’s conduct. The obligations, roles and responsibilities of company’s stewards are under scrutiny of Corporations Act, listing rules, country’s code of corporate governance, ethics as well as social standards. At the same time, advocates of market forces as a replacement to regulations and legislation continue to pursue for market deregulation and liberalisation based on the believe that government intervention will only distort resources allocation and hinder market growth. The collapse of Australian company HIH Insurance Ltd (HIH) in 2001 was analysed in terms of its conduct and compliance to the Corporations Act, listing rules as well as code of corporate governance as released by the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) Corporate Governance Council (CGC). Reforms in regulations and the Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations 2007 by ASX CGC were used to recommend best practices in corporate governance that should have taken place in HIH. Lastly, the effect of globalization and challenges to good corporate governance resulting from globalization were discussed from the perspective of national government, regulatory bodies as well as the corporation itself. Justice Neville Owen, The Royal Commissioner in the HIH Royal Commission Report described corporate governance as the framework of rules, relationships, systems and processes within and by which authority is exercised and controlled in corporations, and the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) Corporate Governance Council added that corporate governance relates to and influences how the objectives of the company are set and achieved, how risk is monitored and assessed, and how performance is optimized (The HIH Royal Commission, 2003; ASX Corporate Governance Council, 2007). The meaning of corporate governance has evolved over time but, in the strictest sense, is linked to the legislation that allows its existence. The law sets forth a company’s rights and responsibilities but this can differ from country to country. However, it is generally accepted that corporate governance extends beyond the law to include a consideration of best practices and business ethics (Birt, Chalmers, Beal, Brooks, Byrne, Oliver, 2008). The structure of corporate governance as put forth by Farrar (2005) and represented in the figure below illustrates the relationship within the corporate governance structure: Figure: The structure of corporate governance (Farrar, 2005). The issues surrounding the rights and responsibilities of corporations are complex and ever changing as financial markets become more global, corporations become larger and more powerful, and society’s perception of the corporate role changes. A school of thoughts advocates for market forces to be the regulator of the financial market. The neo? liberals assume that factor markets work efficiently without government intervention if property rights and competition are guaranteed. They considered government interventions as less efficient than market? based solutions and stresses that government interventions hamper private sector development and that government should concentrate on improving the enabling of business environment through deregulation (Emeseh, Ako, Okonmah, Obokoh, Ogechukwu, 2010). Neo-liberalism challenges the conventional structuralist orthodoxy of government intervention by highlighting the negative effects of â€Å"financial repression† on economic growth and development. They refer financial repression to be the set of government legal restrictions preventing financial intermediaries in the economy from functioning at their full capacity. The distortion of domestic financial markets through rules and legislation is claimed to have negative impact on economic growth. In essence, corporations should be relied on in the main to self? regulate in the critical aspect of business activities. Neo-liberalism has prompted many countries to implement liberalisation and deregulation of their financial markets on the recommendations of the World Bank and IMF (Emeseh, Ako, Okonmah, Obokoh, Ogechukwu, 2010). The significant role of market forces in contributing to good corporate governance and strong corporate performance has for some time been emphasised in economic literature on the corporation and corporate law. In fact, advocates consider the influence of market forces to be an effective substitute for formal legal regulation (duPlessis, McConvill, Bagaric, 2005). However, through-out the last two decades, legislation reforms and corporate governance has also grown rapidly, particularly since the collapse of Enron Corporation in 2001 and the subsequent financial problems of other companies in various countries. As financial scandals continue to emerge, there will be continued attention placed on corporate governance issues, especially relating to transparency and disclosure, control and accountability, and the most appropriate form of board structure that may be capable of preventing such scandals occurring in future (Mallin, 2007). In pursuance of good corporate governance, an area of interest would be how directors’ conduct and decisions should be in the best interest of the company, its shareholders and other relevant stakeholders. In this context, the agency theory is a very suitable framework that can describe the problems associated with the principal-agent relationship caused by separation of ownership and control between shareholders (the principal) and directors (the agent) in corporations. Information asymmetry, moral hazard, difference in attitude towards risk and difference in interest between shareholders versus directors are common agency problems that would usually be at the expense of shareholders (Mallin, 2007; Rahman, Salim, 2010). For example, directors may have a wider range of economic and social needs (such as to maximize compensation, security, status and to boost their own reputation), while shareholders are interested only in maximizing return on investments. Furthermore, as directors are usually contracted to the company on short term basis, they may be eager for short-run payoffs within their contract term, whereas shareholders’ interest would be based on long-term success. Australian companies have a unitary board structure and the regulatory framework for corporate governance and directors’ duties is governed by (i) Statute (notably the Corporations Act), (ii) Common law rules (for example, cases relating to directors’ duties), (iii) The company’s constitution, and (iv) Guidelines issued by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) (Dibbs Barker Gosling Lawyers, 2003). ASIC plays a vital role in enforcing and regulating company and financial services laws to protect Australian consumers, investors and creditors. It acts as Australias corporate regulator and administers various legislations including the Corporations Act 2001, Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001, etc. (Australian Securities ; Investments Commission, 2010a). By the Corporations Act, general duties imposed on directors and officers of companies are stated as (i) the duty to exercise their powers and duties with the care and diligence that a reasonable person would have which includes taking steps to ensure they are properly informed about the financial position of the company and ensuring the company doesn’t trade if it is insolvent, (ii) the duty to exercise their powers and duties in good faith in the best interests of the company and for a proper purpose, (iii) the duty not to improperly use their position to gain an advantage for themselves or someone else, or to cause detriment to the company, and (iv) the duty not to improperly use information obtained through their position to gain an advantage for themselves or someone else, or to cause detriment to the company (Australian Securities ; Investments Commission, 2010b). Beyond their legal duties and obligations, directors are also expected to meet commercial expectations in th e interest of stakeholders, which include, but are not limited to, shareholders. These commercial expectations essentially require directors to drive the bottom line and provide appropriate shareholder returns. Taking it a step further, many directors of today are challenged to embrace triple bottom line reporting and consider the economic, social and environmental ramifications of their corporate activities (Lucy, 2006). While the scope and laws governing the conduct of directors are wide and many, intentional and unintentional breach has shocked the financial market and public numerously. Till today, HIH Insurance Ltd (HIH) that went into liquidation in early 2001 is well remembered by almost every Australian as a collapse caused by mismanagement of the company, and various board members were brought to court on charges including giving misleading information with the intention of deceiving other board members and the company’s auditor. As one of Australia’s largest insurers, the company ran into debts of over AUD$5 billion and subsequent to the collapse, the government carried out an expensive exercise to underwrite many of the failed policies (Mallin, 2007). According to the HIH Royal Commission Report on the failure of HIH, it was concluded that investigators did not find fraud or embezzlement to be behind the collapse. The failure was more the result of attempts to paper over the cracks caused by over-priced acquisitions (notably FAI Insurance Ltd) and too much corporate extravagance based on a misconception that the money was there in the business. The primary reason for the huge loses was that adequate provision had not been made for insurance claims and past claims on policies had not been properly priced. HIH was mismanaged in the area of its core business activity (Bailey, 2003). In chorus, the HIH Royal Commission report fundamentally states that the main reasons for the failure of HIH was poor management and greed characterised by (i) a lack of attention to detail and skills, (ii) a lack of accountability for performance, and (iii) a lack of integrity in the companys internal processes and systems (Nicholson, 2008). Justice Neville Owen further commented in the report on what was the essence of good corporate governance: The governance of a public company should be about stewardship. Those in control have a duty to act in the best interests of the company. They must use the companys resources productively. They must understand that those resources are not personal property. The last years of HIH were marked by poor leadership and inept management. Indeed, an attitude of apparent indifference to, or deliberate disregard of, the companys underlying problems pervades the affairs of the group. † (The HIH Royal Commission, 2003). The above comment can be loosely translated to say that the directors of HIH have failed their duties. Notably, in April 2005, Mr Ray Williams, the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of HIH, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years’ jail with a non-parole period of two years and nine months. Mr William’s sentencing follows ASIC’s successful civil penalty proceedings on the three criminal charges which Mr. William pleaded guilty to. The three criminal charges were (i) that he was reckless and failed to properly exercise his powers and discharge his duties for a proper purpose as a director of HIH Insurance Limited when, on 19 October 2000, he signed a letter that was misleading, (ii) that he authorised the issue of a prospectus by HIH on 26 October 1998 that contained a material omission, and (iii) that he made or authorised a statement in the 1998-99 Annual Report, which he knew to be misleading, that overstated the operating profit before abnormal items and income tax by $92. 4 million (Australian Securities Investments Commission, 2005a). ASIC’s HIH investigation also led to criminal prosecutions of 9 other former senior executives, including directors of FAI, HIH and associated entities on 31 Corporations and Crimes Act charges. Of high public interest was Mr Rodney Adler, a former director of HIH and the majority owner of FAI was sentenced to four-and-a-half years’ jail, with a non-parole period of two-and-a-half years, on four charges arising from his conduct as a director of the HIH group of companies in 2000. ASIC’s chairman, Mr Jeffrey Lucy, in his public statement said, â€Å"Mr Adler was in a position of trust as a director of HIH but he put his own financial interests before the interests of HIH shareholders† (Australian Securities Investments Commission, 2005b). Mr Adler was sentenced after pleading guilty to four criminal charges: (i) two counts of disseminating information on 19 and 20 June respectively, knowing it was false in a material particular and which was likely to induce the purchase by other persons of shares in HIH contrary to s999 Corporations Act 2001, (ii) one count of obtaining money by false or misleading statements, contrary to s178BB Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), and (iii) one count of being intentionally dishonest and failing to discharge his duties as a director of HIH in good faith and in the best interests of that company contrary to s184(1)(b) Corporations Act 2001 (Australian Securities Investments Commission, 2005b). HIH’s disastrous business ventures in U. K. , U. S. , acquisition of FAI Insurance Ltd. nd the Allianz joint venture were identified as what ultimately brought HIH down. These instances of poor decision-making were caused by and reflect a poor corporate governance culture. Corporate governance issues identified included (i) an over-dominant CEO whose decisions were never questioned, (ii) an ineffective chairman who failed his responsibility to oversee the functioning of the board, (iii) an ineffective board who failed to grasp the concept of conflicts of interest, and was unable to monitor and does not question management performance, (iv) inappropriate conduct in remuneration setting and performance measurement (mostly made by Mr. Williams who, although not a member of the committee, attended all meetings by invitation), (v) an ineffective audit committee who showed no concern with risk management and internal control, and (vi) compromised auditor independence (the auditing company was Arthur Andersen and HIH’s board had three former Andersens partners one of them was the chair of the board yet continued receiving fees under a consultancy agreement. Andersens also derived significant fees from non-audit work which gave rise to a conflict of interest with their audit obligations) (Lipton, 2003). Subsequent to HIH’s collapse, The Corporate Law Economic Reform Program (Audit Reform and Corporate Disclosure) Act 2004 (commonly known as ‘CLERP 9’) came into force on 1 July 2004. CLERP 9 incorporated a number of recommendations made in the HIH Royal Commission Report. Reforms were made relating to (i) disclosure of directors’ remuneration, (ii) financial reporting, (iii) auditors i ndependence, (iv) continuous disclosure, and (v) enhanced penalty provisions. CLERP 9 also deals with accounting standards, expensing of options, compliance controls, and encouragement of greater shareholder participation at meeting – all of which represents a significant development in the corporate law framework (Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, 2005; Alcoc, Bicego, 2003). Prior to CLERP 9 coming into force, advocates of corporate governance were delighted with Australian Stock Exchange Limited (ASX) release of the â€Å"ASX Corporate Governance Councils (CGC) Principles of Good Corporate Governance and Best Practice Recommendations† in March 2003. ASX CGC adopted the same principles based approach as taken in the UK Combined Code which governs entities listed on the London Stock Exchange. ASX listed entities are at liberty not to comply with the recommendations, but if they do not, they must explain why not. The Guidelines were built on the belief that one size does not fit all companies. The Guidelines contained 10 essential Corporate Governance Principles (Principles) and 28 Best Practice Recommendations (Recommendations) which was later revised in August 2007 as â€Å"Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations† (Guidelines) comprising of 8 Principles and 26 Recommendations (Farrell, Harding, ; Spilsbury, 2003). The Guidelines also reflect ASX CGC’s emphasis in continuous disclosure by listed companies. Each Principle has a Guide to reporting about the Recommendations at the end of the chapter discussing what should be disclosed and where. Under ASX Listing Rule 4. 10. 3, companies are required to provide a statement in their annual report, disclosing the extent to which they have followed the Recommendations in the reporting period. Where companies have not followed all the Recommendations, they must identify the Recommendations that have not been followed and give reasons for not following them – the â€Å"if not, why not† approach (ASX Corporate Governance Council, 2007). In relation to HIH’s case, a number of the Guidelines’ Principles provide fairly extensive coverage of corporate governance issues identified in HIH earlier. Principle 1 highlights the need for companies to establish and disclose the respective roles and responsibilities of the board and management. In the 2007 edition, the Guidelines added the Recommendation 1. 2 for companies to disclose the process for evaluating the performance of senior executives (ASX Corporate Governance Council, 2007). This Principle serves to provide disclosure in relation to HIH’s situation of an over-dominant CEO and ineffective chairman and board. Where HIH was highlighted to have a board that was ineffective and failed its duties, Principle 2 states that companies need to structure the board to add value with an effective composition, size and commitment to adequately discharge its responsibilities and duties. Recommendations in the principle placed importance in having a majority of the board and the chairman being independent directors to ensure independence in board decisions and prevent conflict of interest. Recommendation 2. 4 suggests that companies should establish a nomination committee to ensure appropriate selection and appointment practices in the company. This Recommendation also provides resolution in relation to HIH’s case whereby the board was mostly made up of directors hired by Mr. William, including the former Andersen partners. In the 2007 edition, the Guidelines added the Recommendation 2. 5 for companies to disclose the process for evaluating the performance of the board, its committees and individual directors (previously this was part of Principle 8 in the 2003 edition, titled â€Å"encourage enhance performance†). This Recommendation helps to ensure directors are given access to continuing education to update and enhance their skills and knowledge that are necessary in performing their duties (ASX Corporate Governance Council, 2007). Principle 3 discusses how companies should promote ethical and responsible decision-making. Beyond legal obligations, directors are expected to make decisions that satisfy not only the company’s shareholders but other stakeholders as well (this principal includes amalgamation from Principle 10 of the 2003 edition Guidelines which was to â€Å"recognize the legitimate interests of stakeholders†). To achieve this, Recommendation 3. 1 encourages companies to establish and disclose their code of conduct pertaining to integrity practices, legal practices and handling of unethical practices. Aligned with this, Recommendation 3. 2 promotes the establishment and disclosure of company’s policy concerning trading in company securities by directors, senior executives and employees (ASX Corporate Governance Council, 2007). Relating to Principle 3 and Principle 7 titled â€Å"recognize and manage risk†, HIH has been considerably questioned of its various business decisions, mostly of which contributed to huge loses and ultimately the company’s insolvency. Criticized decisions made by the company are many, and on top of the list include (i) the acquisition of FAI Insurance (majority-owned by Mr. Adler who later became a member of HIH’s board of directors) for A$300 million which FAI was later estimated to be worth just A$100 million, (ii) re-entering the California market in 1998 and failure to take the difficult decision to exit the market when it proved unprofitable, and (iii) the decision to enter a sector (insurance and re-insurance of film-financing) that has proved problematic for many market participants in London (Cagan, 2001). The lack of risk management within HIH was apparent and Mr. Adler’s unethical conduct was evident with his imprisonment. In view of the importance of risk management, Recommendation 7. 1 urges companies to establish policies for the over sight and management of material business risks (that is financial risks and non-financial risks) and disclose a summary of those policies while Recommendation 7. 2 call for the board to require management to design and implement risk management and internal control system to manage the company’s material business risks and report to it on whether those risks are being managed effectively.

Business Proposal :: Business Proposal

Business Proposal In today’s busy world where time is precious to everybody; getting readymade food at the door steps is everyone’s wish. That’s the precise reason anyone from small restaurant to the biggest have home food delivery service. Everyone have their own choice in foods and eat different stuff at different time. Even In same family someone may want pizza for dinner, someone want subway sandwich, and someone may want Mexican food. In such situation when everyone in family want different stuff to eat at same time; you may end up spending lots of time going through different food menus, calling different restaurants, putting up separate orders and wait to get all orders delivered so that entire family can eat together. Wouldn’t it be great if we have a single place where you can order all your food from favorite restaurants? Yes it would be. I’m planning to propose this business idea where top/famous restaurant would be registered. Customers would able to vie w all restaurants food menu and put a single order of their interests and get delivered at the same time. Customers would have option of ordering over phone or online. This is my EZ delivery Line. Business Planning Objectives I’m always fascinated towards restaurant business. I feel this is the most popular business in the world as food is one of the basic necessities of human life. Opening a restaurant is not a piece of cake for anybody. There are so many challenges you would need to overcome especially when you are new to the whole business planning world. The business (EZ delivery Line) I’m proposing would have different challenges than opening a restaurant. I’m jotting down business planning objectives to make this happen. Research/study the area (town/City) where I would like to launch this business. Create information data about popular restaurants in the area. Propose/market EZ delivery line idea to each restaurant. Make them convenience to register by offering attractive business proposition. Advertise EZ delivery line including launch details in local news papers, television channels to get common consumers attention about this new home delivery service.

Horse and Depreciation Adjusted Basis

Comprehensive Problem Introduction: Betty, whose tax rate is 33%, is in the business of breeding and racing horses. Except for the transactions below, she has no other sales or exchanges and she has no unrecaptured net Sec. 1231 losses. Consider the following transactions that occur during the year: * A building with an adjusted basis of $300,000 is destroyed by fire. Insurance proceeds of $500,000 are received, but Betty does not plan to replace the building. The building was built 12 years ago at a cost of $430,000 and used to provide lodging for her employees.Straight-line depreciation has been used. * Four acres of the farm are condemned by the state to widen the highway and Betty receives $50,000. The land was inherited from her mother 15 years ago when its FMV was $15,000. Her mother purchased the land for $10,300. Betty does not plan to purchase additional land. * A racehorse purchased four years ago for $200,000 was sold for $550,000. Total depreciation allowed using the stra ight-line method amounts to $160,000. * Equipment purchased three years ago for $200,000 is exchanged for $100,000 of IBM common stock. The adjusted basis of the equipment is $120,000.If straight-line depreciation had been used, the adjusted basis would be $152,000. * An uninsured pony with an adjusted basis of $20,000 and FMV of $35,000, which her daughter uses only for personal use, is injured while attempting a jump. Because of the injury, the uninsured pony has to be destroyed by a veterinarian. Task(s): a. What amount of Sec. 1245 ordinary income must be recognized? Sold for $200,000 Depreciation adjusted basis’s of $152,000 $200,000-$152,000= $48,000 b. What amount of Sec. 1250 ordinary income must be recognized? From insurance $300,000 depreciation ordinary $430,000 300,000-430,000= -70,000 c. Will the loss resulting from the destruction of her daughter’s pony be used to determine net Sec. 1231 gains or losses? Yes d. What is the amount of the net Sec. 1231 gain or loss? There’s a loss of $15,000 e. After all of the netting of gains or losses is completed, will the gain resulting from the involuntary conversion of the building be treated as LTCG? No the building is old and it would seem not to fall into that category f. What is the amount of her unrecaptured Sec. 1250 gain? I would say zero because she never really sold anything

Passion and Betrayal in “Roman Fever” Essay

â€Å"Roman Fever† is a very dynamic story, were things aren’t necessarily what they appear. The characters have two faces: the ones they show each other and the ones evident to the reader through the narration. The setting, the title, and the dialogue all develop the plot. Hypocrisy and deceit are present throughout the whole story, and they greatly drive the plot. Wharton uses irony, an omniscient narrator, and symbolism to convey the theme of passion and how it can poison the mind, leading to destructive actions. The way the author chose to narrate the story is vital to how it is perceived. The story is in a third person omniscient point of view, which greatly develops the characterization of Grace and Alida. Various times throughout the story, one of the women says something to the other and afterward that narrator will reveal to the reader what she is really thinking. This helps show the reader the hypocrisy and deception in their words. One example of this is when the women are talking about roman fever and its dangers. In the midst of this, the narrator tells us that Alida thinks she â€Å"must make one more effort not to hate her† (Wharton 115). This exposes to the reader directly for the first time that there are some underlying issues and unfinished business between these characters that they are avoiding. Another factor that contributes to the progress of the plot are the numerous symbols that Wharton chose to employ. One of the most noticeable of these is the setting. Rome is a city that almost always evokes images of passion and romance. Within this setting, the climate and time changes directly parallel the gradual changes in the women’s relationship. This is especially evident when Alida first reveals that she wrote the letter that Grace had though she received from Delphin many years ago. After this information is brought to light, the two women stand â€Å"for a minute staring at each other in the last golden light† (117). The last few moments of sun are representative of the  last moments of politeness between these two women. After â€Å"the clear heaven overhead was emptied of all it’s gold† (118), all of the women’s passionate secrets start spilling out. Grace divulges that she answered to the letter, and that Delphin came to meet her tha t night. This revelation completely changes Alida’s idea of her relationship with her late husband. The ruins that are described, the forum and the Colosseum, also mirror what happened between these two women. These structures, once representatives of Rome’s magnificence, are now reduced to a â€Å"great accumulated wreckage of passion and splendor† (114). The same goes for the friendship between these women. Love and passion came between them, causing great betrayal on both sides. This has diminished their friendship until it is really no longer there, replaced by lies and treachery. Right before Grace reveals her greatest secret, that Barbara was really Delphin’s daughter, she is â€Å"looking away from [Slade] toward the dusky secret mass of the Coliseums† (119). The â€Å"secret mass† of ruins is a direct description of their friendship, which was destroyed because of jealousy and lies. Another important symbol in the sort story is the title. â€Å"Roman Fever† has a double meaning; it was an outburst of malaria that plagued Rome in the past, but it also represents the feverish passion present in the women’s story. It is a symbol for Alida’s jealousy of Grace, and how it has simmered inside her for all of these years. Both of the women are victims of roman fever in the sense that they both fell into dangerous games of love, passion, and betrayal. This betrayal is also alluded to in the story about Aunt Harriet. The story goes that Aunt Harriet â€Å"sent her little sister to the Forum after sunset to gather a night blooming flower†¦but she really sent her because they were in love with the same man† (115). The sister died. It is possible that Alida was inspired by this story to write the fateful letter to Grace. An element that greatly contributes to the overall tone of the story is irony. Many lines throughout the narrative all culminate to the final line of the story: â€Å"I had Barbara†(119). Here, Grace is revealing that her daughter Barbara is also daughter of Alida’s husband Delphin. This line alone exposes the irony in many other parts of the story. This is apparent when Alida is thinking about Barbara Ansley. â€Å"Babs†¦ had more edge. Funny where she got it, with those two nullities as parents† (112). Irony is also present when Alida tells Grace that she was â€Å"wondering how two such exemplary characters as you  [Grace] and Horace had managed to produce anything quite so dynamic?† (114). These lines are very ironic because the reader later learns that Horace Ansley had nothing to do with the birth of Barbara. Through the use of irony, symbols, and an all-knowing narrator, Edith Wharton presents passion, betrayal, and deceit between two women. It is repeatedly conveyed in the story that things are not always what they appear on the surface, it takes a second look to realize the underlying sentiments that are occurring. This is present both in the infinite symbols in the story as well as the passion that drove Grace and Alida’s friendship to ruin. Even though they had known each other for a long time, â€Å"these two ladies visualized each other, each through the wrong end of her little tel escope†(113). Because of the destruction that their betrayals had caused when they were young women, these two people who had been â€Å"intimate since childhood† (112) discover that they truly know nothing about the other at all.

Internal Conflicts in The Cruc essays

Internal Conflicts in The Cruc essays In Arthur Millers play, The Crucible, he tells the story of the notorious Salem witch trials. During this mayhem the people of this small village are faced with false accusations, lies, and sins commited either for the survival of their own lives or to harm others. In a crisis such as this where all the evidence is invisible and the only witness to testify is the victim, all that the people are left with are their own principles, morals, and faith. Unfortunately some are forced to depart from their strongest beliefs and others completely lose their sense of right or wrong with the strong energy that created this entire catastrophe. Three characters in Millers play who abandon their ethics are Mary Warren, whose whole personality turns upside down, John Proctor, who contemplates between the importance of his family and his good name, and Reverend Hale, who battles with himself whether to do what his job says or do what he believes is right. Mary Warren is a girl who is confused with her own uncertainties throughout the play. At the start of the play she is perceived to be a very shy girl who will never speak her mind as shown when Proctor sends her home and she responds with, I'm just going home (Miller 21). As the play continues and as Abigail influences her, Mary begins to break this self-induced mold and does what she wants. Mary Warren, along with many other girls gets caught up in the hype of all the attention and exercising power by provoking and continuing these witch trials. Finally John Proctor, the rationalist, shows that when people like Rebecca Nurse and Elizabeth Proctor who are the saintliest of people are accused of being witches, something must be wrong. Mary Warren has a difficult decision to make and a tough time realizing Proctor is right but she finally realizes that her whole way of life has become full of injustice. However, she is scared to confess to Abigail and her friends a...

Learn about the Doppler Effect

Learn about the Doppler Effect Astronomers study the light from distant objects in order to understand them. Light moves through space at 299,000 kilometers per second, and its path can be deflected by gravity as well as absorbed and scattered by clouds of material in the universe. Astronomers use many properties of light to study everything from planets and their moons to the most distant objects in the cosmos.   Delving into the Doppler Effect One tool they use is the Doppler effect. This is a shift in the frequency or wavelength of radiation emitted from an object as it moves through space. Its named after Austrian physicist Christian Doppler who first proposed it in 1842.   How does the Doppler Effect work? If the source of radiation, say a star, is moving toward an astronomer on Earth (for example), then the wavelength of its radiation will appear shorter (higher frequency, and therefore higher energy). On the other hand, if the object is moving away from the observer then the wavelength will appear longer (lower frequency, and lower energy). You have probably experienced a version of the effect when you heard a train whistle or a police siren as it moved past you, changing pitch as it passes by you and moves away. The Doppler effect is behind such technologies as police radar, where the radar gun emits light of a known wavelength. Then, that radar light bounces off a moving car and travels back to the instrument. The resulting shift in wavelength is used to calculate the speed of the vehicle. (Note: it is actually a double shift as the moving car first acts as the observer and experiences a shift, then as a moving source sending the light back to the office, thereby shifting the wavelength a second time.) Redshift When an object is receding (i.e. moving away) from an observer, the peaks of the radiation that are emitted will be spaced farther apart than they would be if the source object were stationary. The result is that the resulting wavelength of light appears longer. Astronomers say that it is shifted to the red end of the spectrum. The same effect applies to all bands of the electromagnetic spectrum, such as radio, x-ray or gamma-rays. However, optical measurements are the most common and are the source of the term redshift. The more quickly the source moves away from the observer, the greater the redshift. From an energy standpoint, longer wavelengths correspond to lower energy radiation. Blueshift Conversely, when a source of radiation is approaching an observer the wavelengths of light appear closer together, effectively shortening the wavelength of light. (Again, shorter wavelength means higher frequency and therefore higher energy.) Spectroscopically, the emission lines would appear shifted toward the blue side of the optical spectrum, hence the name blueshift. As with redshift, the effect is applicable to other bands of the electromagnetic spectrum, but the effect is most often times discussed when dealing with optical light, though in some fields of astronomy this is certainly not the case. Expansion of the Universe and the Doppler Shift Use of the Doppler Shift has resulted in some important discoveries in astronomy. In the early 1900s, it was believed that the universe was static. In fact, this led Albert Einstein to add the cosmological constant to his famous field equation in order to cancel out the expansion (or contraction) that was predicted by his calculation. Specifically, it was once believed that the edge of the Milky Way represented the boundary of the static universe. Then, Edwin Hubble found that the so-called spiral nebulae that had plagued astronomy for decades were not nebulae at all. They were actually other galaxies. It was an amazing discovery and told astronomers that the universe  is much larger than they knew. Hubble then proceeded to measure the Doppler shift, specifically finding the redshift of these galaxies. He found that that the farther away a galaxy is, the more quickly it recedes. This led to the now-famous Hubbles Law, which says that an objects distance is proportional to its speed of recession. This revelation led Einstein to write that his addition of the cosmological constant to the field equation was the greatest blunder of his career. Interestingly, however, some researchers are now placing the constant back into general relativity. As it turns out Hubbles Law is only true up to a point since research over the last couple of decades has found that distant galaxies are receding more quickly than predicted. This implies that the expansion of the universe is accelerating. The reason for that is a mystery, and scientists have dubbed the driving force of this acceleration dark energy. They account for it in the Einstein field equation as a cosmological constant  (though it is of a different form than Einsteins formulation). Other Uses in Astronomy Besides measuring the expansion of the universe, the Doppler effect can be used to model the motion of things much closer to home; namely the dynamics of the Milky Way Galaxy. By measuring the distance to stars and their redshift or blueshift, astronomers are able to map the motion of our galaxy and get a picture of what our galaxy may look like to an observer from across the universe. The Doppler Effect  also allows scientists to measure the pulsations of variable stars, as well as motions of particles traveling at incredible velocities inside relativistic jet streams emanating from supermassive black holes. Edited and updated by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

Cognitive week 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cognitive week 5 - Essay Example The trace decay theory and the interference theory aim to explain the implications that result from trying to remember or recall memories; these implications being forgetting or distortion of memory which result in causing false memories in an individual. However when we look at the case by Loftus and Polage (1999) on eyewitness testimony we can see how shortly after viewing the video clips the participants answer’s to basic questions regarding what they had seen were inaccurate and false. This leads us to deduce that false memory problem can be a result of short term memory too. In court cases, mostly in 1983 to 1998, false memory in terms of claimed recovered memory of witnesses and victims had been readily accepted by the courts with convictions being solely on the reliability of these recovered memories. However it is clearer now that these alleged recovered memories have been tampered with mostly by therapists of these witnesses and can be hence be false in nature limitin g their reliability in court. For example a woman accused Dr. Thompson, a memory expert, to have raped her. However the doctor was doing a live interview just before the woman’s rape occurred. It was later discovered during a counseling session the woman’s recollection of the event had become confused and she had simply seen the doctor on television before the assault had taken place; a recollection that had been a result of a false memory (Sachter, 1996). Therefore highlighting the huge role false memory plays in the recollections by witnesses which can lead to false or inaccurate convictions if relied on solely. References Loftus, F. & Polage, D. C. (1999). Eyewitness Testimony. Psychiatric clinics of North America. 22, 61-70. Schacter, D.L. (1996). Searching for Memory - the brain, the mind, and the past. New York: Basic

SOC 318 Project T2 Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

SOC 318 Project T2 - Research Proposal Example The question of whether science or religion is more dependable for humans to go forward in life has been a million dollar question since the end of middle ages. The truth of religion became a lesser truth, as science evaded the intellect of humans with a full fledged armoury of reason. From this crisis, emerged several attempts to prove that there is no contradiction between both. These attempts were both in the field of content as well as the methods of scientific investigation. One of the scholars who came in defence of religion was Alister McGrath (1999) who has argued that models and analogies are used by humans to describe complex entities (p.144) in a similar way in religion and science. These entities can be an atom or a molecule in science. They can also be god in religion. Thinkers and scholars like McGrath since then have always tried to draw parallels between these two major schools of thought that exist in human mind. Natural sciences use certain models to describe some aspects of such a complex systems. Primarily, a simple structure of the model is created and tested for accuracy and then it is developed to include hitherto ignored and more complicated features of a complex system. McGrath (1999) has cited the kinetic theory of gases as an example for such scientific models (p.145). In science, when the pressure, volume and temperature of gases were changed, the behaviour of all gases was found to be according to certain laws irrespective of their chemical identity. Boyles’ law and Charles’ law were the major among these laws. Combining these two laws, a perfect gas equation was derived, according to which, gas particles are visualised as invisibly small balls which are in constant collision with the walls of the container. So the pressure on the walls can be calculated from the rate of change of