Interview: Pharmacist

Page R Smith Lean Visuals is the youngest and newest PhD pharmacist in our pharmacy, it is for this reason I choose to interview her. She is responsible for checking medications for drug interactions, correct data entry, counseling patients, maintaining a correct narcotic inventory, interacting with doctors' offices on behalf of patients to obtain new prescriptions or for medication therapy management.Some of her interpersonal Job duties include the management of technicians, and delegate work load within the pharmacy environment when needed due to increased need in an rear, and most importantly how to balance an regulate the corporate aspects and responsibilities of her positions while maintaining the integrity of the customers health care needs. The facility in we work in is a chain corporate retail pharmacy with front store attached. Our pharmacy currently services a growing community and fills approximately three thousand eight hundred prescriptions a week.This includes pharmacis t counseling patients, compounding medications, and vaccinations. Our technicians other responsibilities include filling prescriptions, maintenance of a script pro machine holding one hundred of our fasting moving drugs, billing of insurance companies, insurance over rides for lost prescriptions, mail order over rides, vacation supply over rides. Our pharmacy operates with three pharmacists on a rotating schedule, where two pharmacist work ten hour days in the pharmacy overlapping each other.In the state of Massachusetts a pharmacist can work with a ratio of two nationally certified and tow non-certified technicians under their license; or one nationally certified technician and one intern and two state level technicians. Counseling occurs mostly on new prescriptions and over the counter medications. Customers are concerned about when to take medications, how to take the medications; for example with or without food to buffer against stomach upset.When counseling is being sought for over the counter medications, the pharmacist must ask what the most prominent symptoms are and what other medications the patient may be on before making a recommendation. According to the interview with Lean the most important attributes for success as a retail pharmacist when giving advice to customers in regards to over the counter medications are the following. If you are questioning yourself in regards to an answer about a medication do not be afraid to let the patient know you need to reference the answer before giving it; you cannot remember everything.Also, there may not be a recommendation for every patient based upon symptoms and age. If you feel that there is no appropriate medicine that will assist the patient do not feel pressured into providing the patient with an answer simply tell them there is nothing that can help them with their particular issue. Customer base in a retail setting are local community members and people visiting needing to fill medications. The pha rmacy receives prescriptions through several different methods. We receive prescriptions hard copies brought in directly from providers.We acquire patients from other retails pharmacies in the area and even other sister stores with our chain. The majority of our patients fill maintenance prescriptions either monthly or every ninety days; which is a growing trend in pharmacy care. Other types of prescriptions filled include emergency room prescriptions for acute conditions and hospice prescriptions. Prescriptions in a pharmacy are classified into three different categories for filing purposes. They are class six which are drugs that are class six drugs, non-controlled substances.Controlled Substances which are for drugs classified XIII-C.V.. Finally, narcotics or prescriptions which are medications or drugs classified as Cell's. Medications are classified as controlled substances or narcotics based upon the levels for potential abuse or addiction properties. Leanness career in pharma cy began as a technician at the age of 16 in a pharmacy. She obtained her mandatory state license for technicians after working in the pharmacy for one thousand hours, and maintained his licenser while attending college and working in the pharmacy.She received her bachelor's degree from Worcester State University. Then applied and was accepted to the advanced program of Mass College of Pharmacy in Worcester. Where she graduated in from in 2010 and began working as a full time pharmacist with our company. During this entire time she worked either as a technician or intern for our company while attending school; the designation was dependent upon her level of schooling at the time. The educational requirements necessary to become a pharmacist is doctorate in Pharmacy.Upon obtain the educational requirements you must then pass your states respective law examination and the National Association of Pharmacists Exam to become a licensed Pharmacists. Then every year to maintain your licens e you must take fifteen continuing educational credits. These credits have some specific requirements two of them must be in the field of medical law based and five credits must be obtained at a live seminar. These credits must be submitted to the Board of Pharmacy each year before your license expires with the cost of renewal.When posed with question of whether or not pharmacy education prepares oh for being a pharmacist in a retail environment Lean felt divided over her answer. She felt that the level of schooling prepared new pharmacist adequately to answer medical questions in regards to medications and drug interactions. Where she felt school could not prepare you for in the field was how to deal with the interpersonal aspects of the Job. On the Job training of managing other team members was not a skill she learned until being hired as pharmacist as well.The dealing with customer's issues in a delicate but professional manner while adhering o corporate policies and maintaining your own personal integrity. When asked how you interact with other co-workers in your environment her response was, â€Å"sometimes it is difficult to draw the line between friend and supervisor†. She finds that due to her being a young pharmacist of twenty four. Having employees that are either your senior in age or in experience with the company time frame wise makes managing them difficult.They don't always feel your decisions are valid and may not agree or respect your choices, thus choosing to ignore them. Regardless of your underlings' age or rank within the company you must remember do what you feel is correct and encourage your staff to as well even if it involves disciplinary measures. Years and processing it and making your own decisions is still the best way to allow your staff a voice and be a fair supervisor.When asked to compare pharmacist positions in other organizations Lean referred to her husband who works as a pharmacist in a local hospital. The pharmacy setting deals with slightly different setup as they do not have to handle the public however they also must deal with a lit-level hospital full of nurses and doctors which provided similar demands. Their pharmacy also has the added demand of dealing with intravenous drug dispensing and making sure that the units and dilutions are correct. † As a pharmacist in a faced paced environment with numerous demands being thrust upon you at any given moment you need to take the time to check aspect of a prescription and reference your answers before you give them if necessary so that medications errors are not made The two most important attributes for success as a pharmacist in health care today are the ability to multicast and patience. When asked this question the example she provided was Mimi may be asked to check 3 waiters, perform 2 flu shots and give consultation too waiting patient all at once.You need to prioritize which to do first concentrate on what you are doing at that par ticular moment and maintain your composure throughout. This is an exemplary description of how many directions our pharmacists are pulled in on a daily basis. When asked about patience she stated that as a pharmacist you must have patience not only with customers but also with coworkers and the environment in general; hat it is necessary to not become overwhelmed unduly stressed. How do you see the field of retail pharmacist developing in the future?The greatest change in retail pharmacy this year was the pharmacist immunization program where nearly all staff pharmacist where mandated to become minimizing pharmacists. This was due to the severity of the flu season and the push by corporate entities for flu shots to be administered. Software developments keep adapting to attempt to meet the needs of the customer base, we now have acute prescriptions which moves antibiotics and main medications up in time frame knowing patients will be down sooner in need of them.These types of advanc ements are supposed to help the pharmacy and the pharmacists balance the patients' needs the actual health care or medicine and the basic needs of the corporate environment. Finding the point at which the medicine or health care aspect meets the needs of the patients and the corporate needs actually balance without one overwhelming the other or interfering with the needs of the other is the true challenge of retail pharmacist's Job. In conclusion pharmacists re everyday heroes performing at their peak every day for ten hours a day checking up to seven hundred prescriptions daily some days.Doing their best to ensure errors are not made for the sake of customer safety. Helping the community on a daily basis with recommendations and ensuring their patients safety from medical over dose and drug interactions that may have been missed by patients physicians; or due to the fact patients have multiple physicians. Generally looking out for the well-being of their clients and ensuring their best interests and being taken into consideration on a daily basis. References:

Arguments on Utilitarianism Essay

Which is more valuable: a game of push-pin or the study of Latin? Which has greater worth: the life of a single young girl or the lives of an entire community? These are the sorts of questions raised when dealing with the matter of utilitarianism. According to Jeremy Bentham, the father of the theory, the ultimate moral goal of human beings should be to increase pleasure and to decrease pain. To maximize the amount of time spent in content, and minimize the times of depression. And he has a point. Simply stated like that, everyone can agree that that is definitely something they want to achieve. But when his theory is applied to real-life conditions, the varying answers and resulting situations aren’t always applicable with such a cut-and-dry cure-all. Contrary to Bentham’s theory, just because doing something may seem to create an overall better situation than not doing something, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it should be done. When he states his place, Bentham seems to have taken into account all of the variables. He affirms that the standards of right and wrong, and the chains of cause and effect, will influence what exactly promotes pleasure and prevents pain (306). He also recognizes that the quantity of people being affected is a contributing factor as to whether something is ultimately beneficial or detrimental (311). Drawing upon these recognized facts, Bentham goes so far as to create a virtual mathematical equation for determining utility; Including intensity, duration, certainty, propinquity, fecundity, and purity as factors of what qualifies as happiness, and thereby, righteousness (311). But this in itself is absurd, as it is impossible to gauge the properties he proposes. He does not, and can not, provide a scale with which to measure how certain, how intense, or how pure the â€Å"goodness† level of something is. Nor is he able to quantify the overall amount of utility one law or reason offers to an entire population under government; which is what he suggests at the end of his theory (312). It can be conceded that the utility of a rule should be considered during it’s establishment, as in general rules should be for the greater good and therefore the greater happiness. But there are other factors that come into play that Bentham neglects to recognize. In â€Å"Ivan’s Challenge,† Fyodor Dostoevsky suggests a striking situation in which utility is obviously not the lone factor in determining it’s morality (333). He conjures up a circumstance where a small, young girl is to be sacrificed for the â€Å"edifice of human destiny, the ultimate aim of which is to bring people happiness, to give them peace and contentment at last? † (333). With her death, the salvation of the entire community is achieved. At first glance, and in Bentham’s eyes, it’s a simple equation. One is lesser than infinity. Her death would be justified because the lives of so many others would be saved. But, he fails to consider human emotion. Living with the fact that a young child had to have died in order for themselves to live may not necessarily be a life of cheerfulness. Furthermore, by calling this a justified situation, Bentham is putting a price on human life. This action in itself is immoral. Also, it’s an example of a situation where it’s not really a matter of increasing happiness. Putting a value on a human life is an action in which no party is gaining or losing contentment directly. It doesn’t fit into Bentham’s equation, and apart from it, is an immoral action that should not ethically be able to exist passively beside his main theory of morals by utility. In addition to this flaw, Bentham fails to acknowledge the notion that all pleasures are not created equal. In his first writing, â€Å"The Principle of Utility,† he only manages to recognize the aspect of quantity, and it is in a second, â€Å"Push-Pin and Poetry,† that he proceeds to debunk the possibility of varying qualities of pleasure. To Bentham, there are different kinds of pleasure, but one is not greater or better than another. He breaks them down into two different categories: 1, arts and sciences of amusement and curiosity, and 2, arts and sciences of simple and immediate utility (200). Those of amusement he associates with the fine arts, such as poetry, painting, or architecture, and are generally appreciated aesthetically (200). Those of curiosity he associates with sciences and history, such as the study of foreign languages or biology (200). Those of simple utility are more basic, such as a game of push-pin (200). They are ordinary things that can be enjoyed by anyone. He goes on to say that, â€Å"prejudice apart, the game of push-pin is of equal value with the fine arts and sciences of music and poetry† (200). His only concession is that if music and science are placed above a game of push-pin in utility, it is only because those individuals are more difficult to please (200). Nowhere does he acknowledge that those difficult individuals are correct or justified in wanting a more stimulating source of excitement. Nowhere does he consent that the thrill of curing a disease through the study of medicine overpowers the brief amusement of a board game. But, John Stuart Mill, a supporter of the philosophy of utilitarianism, does. He begins by citing a major criticism of utility, which is that many people feel that the idea of life having â€Å"no higher end besides pleasure? no better and nobler object of desire and pursuit† is degrading and dishonorable (201). His rebuke is that it is only degrading if the accusation â€Å"supposes human beings to be capable of no pleasures except those of which swine are capable† (201). This is obviously not the case. We would not be content simply rolling in mud and gorging ourselves on tangerine rinds. Humans require more stimulation and excitement in order to achieve happiness than an animal, such as swine, with lesser faculties. It is â€Å"better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied† (Mill 203). To be able to fully appreciate and understand the higher pleasures, such as love and friendship, is so much more rewarding than the simple contentments of physical gratification. Despite the truth that a fool or a swine may lead a more content life, it is only because they require less to achieve contentment. This supplements Bentham’s statement of a person who prefers poetry to push-pin being more difficult to please. Bentham just fails to see that human beings in their usual healthy, intelligent forms are all â€Å"difficult† to please. All in all, the philosophy of utilitarianism is an acceptable standard of morality? on most occasions. There will always be situations where what is truly moral does not fully satisfy the idea of existence exempt from pain and rich in enjoyments. And, contrary to Bentham, there are pleasures that are of higher quality than others, just as there are pains more severe than others. Works Cited Bentham, Jeremy. â€Å"Push-Pin and Poetry. † Ethics. Ed. Peter Singer. Oxford University Press: New York, 1994. 199-200. Bentham, Jeremy. â€Å"The Principle of Utility. † Ethics. Ed. Peter Singer. Oxford University Press: New York, 1994. 306-312. Mill, John Stuart. â€Å"Higher and Lower Pleasures. † Ethics. Ed. Peter Singer. Oxford University Press: New York, 1994. 201-205. Dostoevsky, Fyodor. â€Å"Ivan’s Challenge. † Ethics. Ed. Peter Singer. Oxford University Press: New York, 1994. 332.

Partnership and Limited Liability Partnership Organization Essay

Introduction This is a report that shows a comparison between both Partnership and Limited Liability Partnership organization and to advise Mr. Tan on the business organization that is more likely to fit his needs for setting up a new consulting business. For this particular project, our group assumed that Mr. Tan used to be an accountant working for a big accounting firm and is now looking to set up a small accounting consultancy business. 1Process Required to Setup Business Organization Below are the processes to setting up a partnership and a limited liability partnership business organization respectively: 1.1Partnership Firstly, the partners have to fill with the Registrar an application for approval and reservation of partnership name. After the application is being approved, a partnership is required to be registered online via BizFile with ACRA through a professional business registration firm if both of the partners are not local citizen. The partnership must have at least two partners for registration. Following are the information needed: 1) Proposed name of the Partnership 2) Particulars of the partners/managers (foreign passport or Singapore ID) 3) Residential address of the partners/managers 4) Consent to Act as Manager and Statement of Non Disqualification to Act as Manager 5) If partner is a company: Registration details of the company 6) Singaporean or PR must pay Medisave 7) Declaration of compliance ACRA will then send an email of notification confirming the registration. A  business profile containing the registration details can be obtained as a softcopy via email from ACRA upon successful registration. Softcopies are usually sufficient to all purposes in Singapore. (enterAsia Information Services Pte Ltd, 2010) 1.2Limited Liability Partnership Firstly, the partners have to fill with the Registrar an application for approval and reservation of LLP name. After the application is being approved, an LLP is required to be registered online via BizFile with ACRA through a professional business registration. Following are the information needed: 1) Proposed name of the Limited Liability Partnership 2) Particulars of the LLP partners/managers (foreign passport or Singapore ID) 3) Residential address of the LLP partners/managers 4) Consent to Act as Manager and Statement of Non Disqualification to Act as Manager 5) If partner is a company: Registration details of the company 6) Declaration of compliance ACRA will then send an email of notification confirming the Singapore LLP registration. A business profile containing the registration details can be obtained as a softcopy via email from ACRA upon successful registration of the LLP. Softcopies are usually sufficient to all purposes in Singapore. (enterAsia Information Services Pte Ltd, 2010) 2Legal Characteristics of Each of the Business Organizations 2.1The Characteristics of Partnership (ASSAR, 2011) Two or more persons: Partnership involves business by a group of persons. There must be at least two persons to bring partnership into existence. Although there is no maximum number required in the Partnership Act, the Companies Act has placed a maximum limit 20 people in a business. A company must be registered if there are more than 20 people in the business. Contractual Relation: A partnership is a contractual relationship arising out of an agreement among the partners, a person does not become a partner out of his status as is the case in joint family. Persons entering in partnership must be competent to enter into a contract as it is essential, and the agreement among partners may be oral or in writing. A written agreement or deed is preferred because it helps in resolving some disputes among partners later on. Lawful Business: A partnership agreement only exists in a lawful business. Sharing of profits: An agreement among partners must include the sharing of profits and losses. A charitable trust cannot be called partnership because there is no sharing of profits. Profit sharing is only a superficial evidence of partnership but not a conclusive proof. The employees of a business may also share profits but they are not the partners. No Separate Legal Existence: A partnership firm is not a legal entity of its own. This means that the firm and the partners are one and the same. A firm is only a name to the collective name of partners and no firm can exist without partners. The rights and liabilities of the partners are the rights and liabilities of the firm. Management of the firm vests in partners who are its owners also. Unlimited Liability: Every individual partner is liable jointly and severally for the obligations of the partnership firm. Therefore, if assets of the business are not sufficient to meet the liabilities of creditors then private property of partners can be used to meet them. The creditors can claim their dues from anyone or all the partners. If these liabilities are met by one partner then he is entitled to receive rateable contributions from other partners. Restriction on Transfer of Shares: No partner can transfer his shares to an outsider without the unanimous consent of all other partners. It is based on the principle that a partner being an agent of the firm cannot delegate his authority unilaterally to outsiders. Utmost Good Faith: The very basis of partnership business is good faith and mutual trust. Each and every partner should act honestly and fairly in the conduct of business. A firm cannot be run if there is suspicion among partners. Partners must have faith in each other for running the business smoothly. 2.2The Characteristics of Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) A limited liability partnership is a business structures that operates similar to a partnership organizational structure. The difference is the limited personal liability afforded to each member of the company. Each partner is responsible for their own actions while conducting business. LLPs are tailored for professionals, such as doctors, lawyers and accountants. (Howell, 2012) Every Partner Equal: Each partner is an equal member in a LLP company. They decide together on various company issues, such as the name of the business, where it is located and how it is going to be operated. Partners also share equally in the profits and losses of the business. The number of people in LLP must not exceed 20. Limited Liability Protection: Each partner in this type of company is protected against the actions of the other partners which results in a lawsuit. For example, if one partner is subject of a malpractice claim and loses in court and have to pay damages, the other partners are not held financially responsible. However, partners in a LLP are liable for the obligations of the company such as loans used to purchase equipment and utility expenses. Pass Through Taxation of Profits: A limited liability partnership company is taxed similar to a business formed under the partnership and sole proprietorship organizational structures by a process called pass-through taxation. The company profits are not taxed at the company level but instead  are â€Å"passed through† to the partners to be reported on their individual tax returns. This prevents the double taxation that occurs in corporations where profits are taxed at the company and shareholder levels. 3Advantages and Disadvantages of Partnership and LLP 3.1Partnership Advantages of Partnership 1. Capital: Due to the nature of the business, the partners would contribute their share of capital to start up the business. Hence, the more partners there are, the higher the amount they could put into the business. This would give the partners better flexibility and greater potential for growth. It also means more potential profit, which would be equally shared between the partners. 2. Flexibility: It is generally easier to form, manage and run a Partnership. There are fewer restrictions in a partnership than in companies, in terms of the laws governing the formation. As the partners have the only say in the way the business is run without the interference of shareholders, they are far more flexible in terms of management, as long as all the partners can agree. 3. Shared Responsibility: Partners would be able to share the responsibility of the running of the business. This would allow the partners to make the most of their abilities and potential. Instead of dividing the management and taking equal shares of each business tasks, they would be able to divide the work according to their skills. Thus, if one partner is good with figures, they could deal with the book keeping and accounts, while the other partners might have different niche areas and specialize in different tasks. 4. Decision Making: Partners share the decision making and can help each other out when needed. With more partners means more brainstorming could be in place and the information they came out with could be picked out for  business ideas and for the solving of problems that the business may encounter. (Adrain, 2010) Disadvantages of Partnership 1. Disagreements: One of the most common disadvantages of partnership is the possibility of disagreements between the partners. People often have mixed ideas on how the business should be run, the task arrangements and are picky about what the best interests of the business are. All these might lead to arguments which might not only endanger the business, but also the relationship of those involved. That is why it is always preferred to draft a deed of partnership during the formation period to ensure that all partners are aware of what are in place in case of disputes and prepare for the procedures if a partnership is dissolved. 2. Agreement: As the partnership is jointly run, it is crucial that all the partners agree with decisions that are being made. This means that in some situations there is less freedom with regards to the management of the business. This is especially so compared to sole traders, where the sole trader need not seek agreement from anyone but himself. 3. Liability: Ordinary Partnerships are subject to unlimited liability, which means that each of the partners shares the liability and financial risks of the business equally. This might put of the idea of partnership for some people, as they might not want to take the risk. 4. Profit sharing: As partners share the profits equally, it can lead to inconsistency where one or more partners are not contributing a fair share of effort into the running or management of the business, but still reaping equal rewards. 3.2Limited Liability Partnership Advantages of Limited Liability Partnership (Janus Corporate Solutions, 2008) 1. Separate Legal Identity: A limited liability partnership has a separate legal identity. They can own properties, at the same time they can  enter into contracts, and sue or be sued in its’ own name. 2. Limited personal liability: The partners of the limited liability partnership will not be held personally liable for any business debts incurred by the limited liability partnership or the wrongful acts of their partners. A partner may, however, be held personally liable for claims from losses resulting from his own misconducts or omission. 3. Perpetual succession: Any changes in the limited liability partnership (e.g. resignation or death of its partners) do not affect its existence, rights or liabilities. 4. Ease of compliance: Compliance requirements are more complex than sole proprietorship but simpler than a private limited company. Disadvantages of Limited Liability Partnership (Janus Corporate Solutions, 2008) 1. Formation of limited liability partnership requires a minimum number of 2 partners at all times. 2. Individual partners can commit the partnership to formal business agreements without the consent of their partners. 3. Limited liability partnership lacks the ease of ownership transfer and investment that a company structure provides. 4. There are no corporate tax benefits: Tax exemptions are available to private limited companies but are not available to limited liability partnerships. A limited liability partnership is treated as tax transparent which means that limited liability partnerships are not taxed as an entity. Instead each partner is taxed on their share of the profits as per the personal income tax rates. 4Analysis on Choosing the Business Organization Since Mr. Tan is setting up a business for accountancy consulting, he should  opt for a Limited Liability Partnership organization instead of a Partnership. Mr. Tan is currently new to the business world, and might not have found a partner he could fully trust yet; therefore it is also to his advantage if his partner were to act wrongfully or if there is a change in partners, since in LLPs, partners are not liable for losses to outsiders arising from acts of another partner as compared to an unlimited liability if he were to go into a Partnership. In addition, the LLP is also not subject to full financial reporting and disclosure requirements, such as those on capital contributions and changes to capital (ACRA, 2005). This is an advantage to Mr. Tan’s business. Since the business is small, minor changes to capital will not have to be subjected to full reporting and disclosure. Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, LLPs are tailored for accountants. With that, our group is certain that Limited Liability Partnership Organization will meet the needs of Mr. Tan’s new consultancy business. Bibliography ACRA. (2005, May). Retrieved February 5, 2012, from ACRA Legal Digest Issue 8: http://www.acra.gov.sg/NR/rdonlyres/4B52C6B6-E89B-4DC3-A72C-A9C4BC62AAAB/10278/ACRA_LDI_08.pdf Adrain. (2010). The company warehouse. Retrieved 2012, from The company warehouse: http://blog.thecompanywarehouse.co.uk/2010/03/01/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-partnership/ ASSAR, R. (2011). Publish Your Articles. Retrieved February 2012, 6, from PublishYourArticles.org: http://www.publishyourarticles.org/knowledge-hub/business-studies/what-are-th e-characteristics-of-partnership.html enterAsia Information Services Pte Ltd. (2010). entersingaporebusiness. Retrieved Feb 05, 2012, from LTD Singapore: Setting up a limited liability partnership (LLP) in Singapore: http://www.entersingaporebusiness.info/limited-liability-partnership.php enterAsia Information Services Pte Ltd. (2010). How to set up a partnership in Singapore. Retrieved Feb 05, 2012, from entersingaporebusiness: http://www.entersingaporebusiness.info/partnership.php Howell, R. (2012). Hearst Communications Inc. Retrieved February 6, 2012, from Hearst Communications Inc.: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/characteristics-limited-liability-partnership-3729.html Janus Corporate Solutions. (2008). Singapore Limited Liability (LLP) Registration. Retrieved February 4, 2012, from guidemesingapore: http://www.guidemesingapore.com/incorporation/other/singapore-llp-registration-guide

Corporate Governance Law Paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Corporate Governance Law - Term Paper Example Mr. Morrison similarly indicated the importance of selecting the right person for the job based on experience, personal qualification and perspective since these are the benchmarks that would be used in guiding the company during the executive’s incumbency. Ilene Gordon Ms. Gordon spoke about the importance of â€Å"transition† that could lead to the loss of good senior to mid-level executives if not good projects or initiatives that will become lost as the new Chief Executive Officer assumes his post and get acclimated in his new role. Ms. Gordon emphasized that picking the right candidate often times involves hiring with the least amount of â€Å"collateral damage† or â€Å"unintended consequences† or what the board does not want to happen. It is equally important for a chief executive officer to have a viable plan or a good strategy in place within a finite amount of time or within the next 365 days after assuming office. It will not do any corporation any good if the Chief Executive Officer will be dilly dallying on what is the right plan to implement to stabilize the organization. Richard L. Thomas Mr. Thomas discussed the selection process that was adopted by First Chicago, wherein the candidates were rotated and given essentially several tasks that involved all aspects of the operation of the organization. ... When the â€Å"winning† Chief Executive Officer was finally announced, those involved in the carnage that supported other candidates resigned. It should be noted that some of those executives involved good executives who were caught in the crossfire. J. Erik Fyrwald Mr. Fyrwald described two scenarios that he has experienced directly in his career. One involved a succession planning that resulted in an internal candidate being picked, as the new Chief Executive Officer, and that went well for the organization. The other case involved a search that was directed inwards, however, the tumultuous circumstances within the company at the time prevented the search for a good Chief executive officer. The search, therefore, dragged on for several years leaving the company without any direction. After introspection, it was established that the problem was the weakened executive team that was decimated during the exciting years that Nalco has to go through. Challenges Involved in Chief E xecutive Officer Succession Several points were discussed by the speakers to amplify the challenges that they have experienced directly or indirectly in Chief Executive Officer’s succession planning or the lack of it. In the same breadth, I will likewise indicate my observation on these points that may be congruent if not contrary to the opinion of the speakers. The chief executive officer has no easy task and responsibility. Primordial of this responsibility is to ensure that the interest of the stockholders is not only upheld at all times, but it is also his responsibility to ensure that the company remains and becomes a good corporate citizen while complying with fealty to applicable government

Engaging with professional Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Engaging with professional Practice - Essay Example Learners get to acknowledge technical necessities and cultural atmospheres prevailing in a given industry. Such cultural aspects include professional language use, interpersonal relationship patterns and management structures adopted within a given sector. In this case, one learns about integration of theoretical knowledge in actual productive activities. In addition, interests developed enhance stimulation in academic progress. According to Raelin (2008), work based learning provides a mechanism through which students evaluated relevance of their courses in practical economic environments. This essay features on a work based learning program undertaken within the design industry. In the recent past, design industry features as one sector in production with a developed profile and defined roles in facilitating macro economic growth within any nation. In the United Kingdom, design industry plays a supplementary but essential role in ensuring success of other business organizations in the region. According to Cooper and Press (2012), the general services offered by designers revolve around the desire to create conventional and appealing representation of a particular object or message to target audience. Design may include graphical representation of industrial processes, final products or messages providing an insight on the nature of services offered by a given firm. Comstock (2009) say that designers usually incorporate all parameters and activities of a given business organization in developing the most appropriate graphical representation of a subject under consideration. In this context, one can appreciate the fact that designers strive to achieve a substantial degree of aesthetic value and a sense of functionality in their final products. Within the UK market, there are numerous designing sectors including web design, fashion design and even industrial process design. The paper narrows down to a sub sector of designing dealing with architectural and physic al infrastructure design. After my second year of studies, I had an opportunity of conducting my work based learning at Capita Architectural organization, a company located in the central business district of London. Capita Architectural Company, commonly abbreviated as CAC, operates within the industry’s sector of building and constructions design. Founded in 1998, the company receives credit from undertaking design projects to successful companies in UK and across other parts of Europe. It works closely with the UK branding infrastructural development sector in ensuring creation of aesthetic and sustainable infrastructure. This organization usually gathers assignments dealing with customized preferences, and development of residential and business buildings across the metropolitan city. Employees working within the firm are local residents of London. The local employee population is meant to ensure that architectural designs and subsequent buildings take into consideration the local trends and the prevailing aesthetic atmospheres. According to Thompson (2012), most design tasks entail substantial utilization of technological tools, especially computer systems and other relevant electronic devices. In this case, employees within the firm are equipped with the requisite academic knowledge credential and design skills meant to facilitate competence and efficiency in their professional duties. In the process

Fallacies exercise Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fallacies exercise - Assignment Example proverbial cat is already out of the bag, the codification of such a thing as â€Å"animal rights† could potentially lead to consequences that all but the most careless rat-lover would find dire. Certainly if merely gouging a nickel-sized hole in an elephant’s shoulder is the act of a criminal, then hunters should be charged with murder, road kill is manslaughter, and owning a dog an act of involuntary servitude. Scott McPherson This statement commits the slippery slope fallacy, which means that the speaker interprets a simple statement in very general terms and exaggerating it in the process. The definition of animal rights here is exaggerated and its exceptions are not considered by the speaker in that even benevolent acts like owning a dog, unintentional acts like road kill, and purposeful acts for the benefit of mankind like hunting are all considered violations of animal rights. Although this statement also commits the other fallacies of begging the question, non sequitur and false analogy, it is clearly a hasty generalization. The claim of the speaker that the particular university is not recommended is obviously not valid for it is based on but two people. There must be a considerable number of students in a sample plus backing of research before one can make a valid claim that one university cannot be recommended. This statement is a sweeping generalization. Such a fallacy is committed in this statement because the speaker had already labeled all churchgoers as mindless and old even before the actual disadvantages of going to mass or going to church (if ever there are any) were underlined. As far as I know, this statement commits the Red herring fallacy. Instead of the speaker explaining the disadvantages of President Obama’s reversal of President Bush’s ruling on stem cell research, the speaker befogs the issue by tossing out the red herring of his support for President Bush. 8. â€Å"Ugandas controversial ethics and integrity minister†¦ said

Issue of our times Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Issue of our times - Essay Example Additionally, most landmines are cheap to construct and deploy right on the ground. The victim might not have any information regarding the existence of mines on the ground and so he or she might trigger it. According to Chevrier (134), the number of deaths caused by landmines is more as compared to statistics of deaths by other arms. The author argues that the combinations of statistics of deaths caused by biological, nuclear and chemical weapons are less compared to deaths as a result of landmines. Additionally, a research by the U.S. department reveals that close to 110 million landmines are deployed in 64 countries. As pointed out above, landmines pose a great danger to the society, and it also affects the economy of the country. The risks associated such as deaths and mutilation of the victims causes a lot of fear to the society. In this senses, large tracks of lands that could have been exploited for agricultural proposes remains unused. In addition, development projects such as road and dam constructions are halted by lands mine. The results can be devastating to the economy because agricultural farms and accessible roads provide jobs to a significant number of people. For example, Matthew et al. (196) point out that close to 8.49% of the Libyan land has been rendered useless because of a large number of landmines deployed in the land. Furthermore, funds that could have been invested somewhere to improve the economy will have to be use for the humanitarian purpose. Matthew et al. (196) explains that the problem caused by landmines differ from one state to another. Some countries could be hav ing large number of landmines, but their problem could be small. The point is that, setback of landmines is based on the square kilometer of arable land that could have been used to grow crops. Landmines could also be fixed in locations reserved for social amenities such as hospitals, bridge, water towers, sewage treatment plants, schools and

The Effects of Falling American Popularity on US Business Abroad Essay

The Effects of Falling American Popularity on US Business Abroad - Essay Example intentions in all spheres. Finally, individual consumers will be more likely to substitute products and to protest U.S. businesses in a variety of ways. As a preliminary matter, both countries and groups of countries will be more likely to inhibit business practices. Muslim countries, such as Indonesia and Malaysia, may perceive American unpopularity to anti-Muslim policies. Unable to deal with the American government directly, they very well may seek influence by barring certain types of businesses and operations in their own countries. This may manifest itself, for example, in terms of foreign shareholding requirements or excluded enterprises. In addition, trade policies may be changed to restrict imports and exports. This may be done, as well, by larger organizations such as ASEAN. The effects would be to punish U.S. business for American unpopularity. In countries with strategic business resources, whether raw materials or cheap labor, the effects could be severe. In addition, international organizations might become more suspicious of the intentions of U.S. businesses. Claims regarding the sources of manufactured goods, the provision of hidden subsidies, and the compliance with local and international laws might be subjected to much higher standards of proof. U.S. businesses.

Research for nursing practice - Pre operative fasting Literature review

Research for nursing practice - Pre operative fasting - Literature review Example The pathophysiological basis of the aspiration pneumonia was the aspiration of acidic stomach contents into the lungs and the consequent harmful damage to the lung tissues known as chemical pneumonia. As the years went by, the innovative techniques of anaesthesia including the endotracheal intubation led to rethinking on the duration of fasting times. Frequent discussion and research led to the Guidelines from the Royal College of Anaesthetists, the Royal College of Nurses and the Anaesthetists of the US: they stipulated specific periods for fasting for worldwide use (AAGBI, 2001; RCN, 2005; ASA Practice guidelines, 1999). The guidelines sanctioned the shortening of the pre-operative fasting durations but the message was not taken in the right spirit by the nurses and the patients did not enjoy the benefit. The nurses were the ones who instructed the patients about the fasting. Promotion of evidence-based fasting times was to be enforced by them (Crenshaw, 2008). They also had to mon itor the patient’s compliance. The scientific evidence related to the liberalized fasting times were to be initially understood by the nurses themselves before efficacious implementation. Research indicated many fallacies in the system whereby fasting practices were still not conforming to the guidelines. Medication instructions also were not accurately transferred to patients (Crenshaw, 2008). Recent researches were moving away from the strict fasting regimen to a partial fasting method whereby a carbohydrate drink or oral carbohydrate nutrients were administered to improve the outcomes of surgery. The nurses were the ones who actually conveyed the right information about the fasting to the patients. The role of the nurses also involved the promoting of evidenced-based guidelines apart from monitoring the patients to check for compliance and untoward effects (Crenshaw and Winslow, 2006).This paper will be written with the intention of unearthing evidence suitable to provide more alterations in the implementation of pre-operative fasting or partial fasting to conform to the evidence-based guidelines. The aim of this research will be to search for methods that could ensure that the elective surgery patients had the benefit of shorter pre-operative fasting times as per guidelines and the improved outcomes of having the pre-carbohydrate drink and how the nurses were to be encouraged to conscientiously perform their work where the pre-operative fasting was concerned. Review of RCTs Brady et al (2003) studied 22 randomised control trials or quasi RCTs. Healthy patients were included as the controls. Permitted intake of food was a small breakfast in the morning before surgery posted for the afternoon. Liquid intake was limited to not more than 30 ml. to help swallow medicine. Methodological quality was maintained by the randomisation method. â€Å"Allocation concealment, blinding, a prior sample size calculation, and whether analysis was by intention to trea t† were additional methods of maintaining quality (Brady et al, 2003). Regurgitation and aspiration were complications just after the surgery and death was a possibility in many trials. The review of the research articles revealed some limitations. The RCTs were mostly small sampled trials with less than 100 patients. The quality of methodology was inadequate in some trials. The variety in the populations too was minimal and the samples were

Educate parent attending accidebt emergency how to manage childs fever Research Proposal

Educate parent attending accidebt emergency how to manage childs fever at home - Research Proposal Example Managing childhood fever, will aid reduce various parental complaints for fever and reduce the chances of children death or complications resulting from unmanaged fever. Ways of maintaining fever at home Parents determine their children fever via behavioral changes they mainly link to fever. Parents realize immunological advantageous impacts linked to fever and some belief that fever is harmful and causes brain damage and convulsion of febrile. Therefore, to prevent adverse effects of fever, parents must monitor body temperatures of their children, use antipyretics, ensure their children wear light clothing and wash them with cold water or tepid. When a baby has a bacterial or viral infection, it is obvious for him to develop a fever and the fever will not harm the child, (Douglas 23). Children under the age of six months should seek medical attention while older children may be treated at home. Nevertheless, they should be presented to the hospital for medical attention if the fever last over two days. Methods of taking a child’s temperature There are various ways of taking a child’s temperature at home, for instance, rectal, oral (mouth), under the armpit and in the ear (tympanic). The correct method depends on the age of the child. The parent should ensure that the measurements are accurate. For example, using rectal method is the most accurate way, but most children under the age of two do not like this method. Even though, using axillary method is not extremely precise, it may help parents to know whether their children have fever, (Berger, Ann, John and Roenn 41). Temperature management Conventional treatment Various over the counter medications can be administered to manage fever at home, for instance, acetaminophen, aspirin and ibuprofen. Parents should avoid aspirin use because aspirin may lead to adverse side effects, such as fatal Reye’s syndrome leading to inflammation of the brain and vomiting. Parents can manage their children ’s fever by utilizing a cold sponge, and encouraging their children to take increased amounts of cold liquids like ice pops. It is healthy to give young children increased amounts of fluids contain electrolytes because fever quickly dehydrates them. The cold liquids aids cool the body and keep the baby hydrated. One can also use a fan. Always set the fan at minimal setting and direct it to have the air circulation around the child and avoid blowing the air directly to him, (Douglas 26). Additionally, reduce clothing layers so that the baby can lose increased eat easily through the skin. In addition, dress that baby in light clothing and let her stay indoors or under shade to reduce body temperature. Similarly, parents can manage fever in children by giving their children a lukewarm spongy bath. The body cools as the water evaporates from the skin, thus the body temperature lowers. For instance, if the body temperatures are too high, place a wet or damp piece of cloth on the f orehead of a child as she rests. In addition, the parent should ensure that the child gets enough rest. Since fever is because of a potential infection, a child’s body requires plenty of rest or sleep to fight off the agent causing the infection. Experts agree also that having fever makes a child feel exhausted and achy. Therefore, during this period, parents should motivate the children to have plenty of rest

Chief Bill Bratton Leadership Essay Example for Free

Chief Bill Bratton Leadership Essay When one thinks of a leader, what type of person do we think of? Is that individual a hero that we see on television, a cartoon character, a family member, or is that person a public servant? Regardless of occupation and title, a leader is a person who inspires others and they know how to motivate people. â€Å"When they arrive, you see something about them that stands out. The inner strength of their leadership ability emerges†. (Gonzalez, 2007, February 1). Leaders are individuals in your area of work who are focused on the tasks at hand and they have a clear and concise vision on what their respective organizations are set out to do. How do you know if you are being an effective leader? A leader is a person who is looked up to and has a plan to get things accomplished. Within groups, a leader is the person who makes the final decision for the group and it is a person who is motivated to see success for their organization. â€Å"A leader is on a quest and you can see it†. (Gonzalez, 2007, February 1). In the area of law enforcement, Bob Vernon states that there are six questions that every law enforcement officer leader should ask to see if they are being effective leaders. Vernon states that each law enforcement leader should look in the mirror and ask themselves if their organization has the following: a.) Direction, b.) Teamwork, c.) Staff development, d.) Principles, values, and policies, e.) Communication, and f.) controls (Vernon 60-62). Few officers were more of a leader than William Joseph â€Å"Bill† Bratton was. Bratton was born on October 6, 1947 in Dorchester, Massachusetts which is a suburb of Boston. He attended Boston Technical High School and graduated in 1965. Bratton went on to serve in the military and he served in the Vietnam War during the 1960’s. Bratton began his police career with the Boston Police Department in 1970. Within ten years he rose to the rank of Superintendent. During Bratton’s police career he held the position of Superintendent with three of the largest police agencies in the world. Bratton served with the Boston Police Department from 1991-1993, the New York City Police Department from 1994-1996, and lastly with the Los Angeles Police Department from 2002-2009. During Bratton’s tenure with the New York Police Department, the work he did resulted in dramatic change in the level of crime in the city. For example, murder rates dropped from 2,500 per year to just less than 1,000 per year. Shootings fell from 6,000 to 3,000 a year and robberies from 85,000 to approximately 50,000 per year. (Blair, 2002, September, 23).

Research Proposal Essay Example for Free

Research Proposal Essay This research project is entitled ‘Safe pedestrian practices: the perception of children in Sri Lanka’. Road traffic accidents are one of leading causes of death amongst child pedestrians in low-income countries. Despite this, little research has been done into effective interventions to reduce child mortality in these countries. This study aims to provide original and useful data from Colombo, Sri Lanka which will help in the development of new or existing road safety interventions and education, particularly in relation to child knowledge and perception. The method of research involves recruiting school children aged 8-9 years from the Holy Family Convent and St. Peter’s College schools situated on Galle road, Colombo. These schools have been selected as they have similar location, one being a girls school, the other a boys school. The first part of the study involves a draw and write technique where the children will be asked to draw a picture of themselves crossing Galle road, the main road by their school. They will then be given a piece of paper with the instruction ‘tell me what you have drawn and why’. Six children from each class will be then purposively selected to take part in a focus group. Content analysis will be used when analysing this section of the results. Finally I will carry out a two day observation of child pedestrian behaviour on Galle road. Behaviour of the children will be compared using the UK’s Green Cross Code. It is estimated that the research will take approximately four weeks to complete. This includes, recruiting and gaining consent from the participants, carrying out the draw and write activity, completing two focus groups and carrying out the observational study. The estimated cost of this research  £1163. Background Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide with 86% of deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries despite accounting for only 40% of motor vehicles[i]. RTAs are the overriding cause of child injuries killing approximately 180 000 children under 15 each year. Children are rarely the cause of road traffic accidents but suffer as pedestrians, cyclists and passengers[ii]. Lack of research in low-income countries has meant a slow introduction of effective intervention strategies to reduce the mortality rates. Many factors are accountable for the high RTA rates in low-income countries including impaired driving, lack of enforcement and vehicle type. However the most significant differences found in low-income countries are the wide variation in road vehicles and the high number of vulnerable road users. The mixture of road users including pedestrians, bicycles, handcarts, mopeds, rickshaws, motorcycles, vans, cars, trucks and buses means that schemes to combat this problem have not been required in the same extent in high-income countries and therefore local research is needed[iii]. Child pedestrians account for a large proportion of vulnerable road users. The high number of pedestrian and cyclist casualties in these countries reflects not only their inherent vulnerability but also insufficient attention to their needs in policy-making3. A study in Pakistan observed 250 pedestrians in the top 10 risk areas for pedestrian RTAs in Karachi. They observed walking and crossing the road and walking on the pavement. Only 60% of the pedestrians looked left and right before crossing. 52% crossed the street less than 2 seconds before a vehicle passed the point they had just crossed. 35% caused the traffic to swerve to avoid the observed pedestrian. Of the 250 pedestrians observed walking on the street edge, 82% had a pavement available to them but were not using it[iv]. Of the pedestrians using pavements 28% encountered an encroachment and 84% of these stepped on to the street to avoid it. Among those who were observed stepping on the road from the sidewalk, 66% did not look out for oncoming traffic4. Possible study limitations were that only pedestrian behaviour was studied, not actual accidents and the study sites were the top ten risk sites for RTAs in Karachi so may not be transferable to other situations. The advantage of this data is that it was carried out in a low-income country which means the findings can be drawn on for other settings. Policy changes such as restricting the amount of pavement space being used by stalls or shops and publicity to highlight the danger of such behaviour along with the important of observation when crossing roads may make a large difference to fatality rates. Risk perception has been widely studied as a risk factor for injuries however literature relating to child pedestrian safety is seriously lacking. Zeedyk et al[v] carried out research on children who had been taught a programme of road safety. They carried out two studies, both focussing on the skill of finding a safe place to cross the road. Firstly they tested the effect of the programme in improving knowledge and secondly whether the children transferred their knowledge to change their behaviour in a traffic environment. Initial results encouragingly showed that the interventions were effective in increasing the children’s knowledge of safe and dangerous places to cross roads and that this information was retained for six months. The second study however showed that this knowledge did not influence behaviour and that those children who had received knowledge on safety when crossing roads behaved no differently from those children who had receive no information whatsoever. That is the children were not applying the knowledge they had displayed during pre-testing5. The study’s main limitation is that it does not allow any further information on why the children didn’t apply their knowledge in the real situation, only that they didn’t. Research in Australia[vi] into the parental risk perceptions of childhood pedestrian road safety found that cultural risk factors significantly affected risk perception and safety behaviour. The results showed that Chinese and Arabic speaking parents perceived the road environment to be significantly less risky to their children than parents from the other two language groups. One significant limitation of this study is that assumptions were made that the language spoken by an individual was closely linked to their cultural make-up. Since the main finding was the differences between perceptions from different cultural groups it seems important that this factor is reliable. Despite this, this study reinforces the need for local research from which local interventions can be implemented. As described there is very little research on road safety in low-income countries, particularly regarding the safety of child pedestrians. Intervention strategies to help reduce child pedestrian mortality can only be implemented if the factors underlying the increasing rates are established. It is hoped this study will help to describe the behaviour and perceptions of children in a named area in Sri Lanka regarding safe pedestrian practice. The study will help build on existing knowledge of child pedestrian safety but provide an original and detailed description of the behaviour and perceptions of Sri Lankan children in a defined area. The data produced from this study will identify the knowledge and behaviour of child pedestrians, what they perceive to be safe practices and why they think this. This study anticipates highlighting the importance of child perception in safety behaviours. Child perceptions should be taken into account when considering the design of safety education programmes and road safety interventions. Research Question The background literature shows a clear gap in research into the behaviour, knowledge and perceptions of child pedestrians in low-income countries. The research question for this study is: Child pedestrian fatalities: the accountability of child perceptions in Sri Lanka The aim of this study is to discover the perceptions children in Sri Lanka have regarding road safety and specifically related to their own safety as pedestrians which may influence their risk of being involved in a RTA. The results of this study will enable a greater understanding of how a defined group of children in Colombo, Sri Lanka use the local roads, what they know about road safety, how they perceive it and therefore whether they generally behave in accordance to their knowledge and perceptions. This was discussed above by Zeedyk et al5 who found the knowledge of the children in their study did not affect their behaviour. The objectives of this study are to: Observe and record the road behaviour of children in the local area Identify what the children know about pedestrian safety Discover whether the children know why certain practices are safe Make comparisons between what the children know about road safety and say they are aware of and how they behave in the real situation Detailed Research Proposal pedestrian injury Children are particularly vulnerable to pedestrian death because they are exposed to traffic threats that exceed their cognitive, developmental, behavioral, physical and sensory abilities. This is exacerbated by the fact that parents overestimate their children’s pedestrian skills. Children are impulsive and have difficulty judging speed, spatial relations, and distance. Auditory and visual acuity, depth perception and proper scanning ability develop gradually and do not fully mature until at least age 10. Method RTA death rates in Sri Lanka totalled 11 per 100 000 population in 1995[vii] with pedestrian accidents accounting for 45% of the total fatal accidents, one of the highest rates in Asia[viii]. The research will be carried out among children in Sri Lanka. The selected site is Galle Road, Colombo which is the main road from Colombo to Galle along the west coast of Sri Lanka and is the location of a number of schools. The assumption will be made that the majority of child pedestrians walking alongside and crossing that particular road are from one of the local schools. The study population will be girls and boys aged 5-15 years old attending schools in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Research shows RTAs predominantly affect those under the age of 15 [ix]. Schools in Sri Lanka are commonly single sex which means children will be selected from 2 schools, St Peter’s College, a boys’ school and Holy Family Convent, a girls’ school. Worldwide, boys are more likely to be affected by RTAs than girls so studying boys and girls may highlight important differences which could account for such a difference between them[x] [xi]. I was unable to find any research indicating which children are most at risk of RTAs only that those under 15 are an increased risk compared to the rest of the population. Research from Canada suggests children aged 6-9 years are most at risk and in a survey on children’s road safety practice several countries including the UK, New Zealand and the US identified those under 10 as most at risk[xii]. Research such as this in low income countries is scarce. Consequently I have decided to select the age groups 7-8 and 9-10 years as my sample. The methods being used in this study have been deemed inappropriate for children under 6 to carry out. Two classes of children, aged 7-8 and 9-10 from each of the schools mentioned year group will be studied, giving a total of 4 classes. Variations in ages might allow for difference in safety knowledge due to age to be identified. For example if the younger children perceive a certain dangerous practice to be safe and the same results are found in the older children this may indicate a problem with safety education or local road dangers rather than naivety due to age.

The Russian Ruble Crisis Of 1998 Economics Essay

The Russian Ruble Crisis Of 1998 Economics Essay The Russian Ruble Crisis of 1998 is termed as among the worst financial crisis to hit the Russian economy. The Crisis is believed to have been triggered by a number of factors. The Asian financial crisis of 1997 is a major cause of the crisis as it led to declines in the world commodity prices (Owyang, Chiodo 2002, p. 7). Just to be appreciated is the fact that Russian economy was heavily dependent on oil. There are other reasons such as the downfall of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the economic difficulties it brought to the Russian nation. Another common cited reason is poor financial policy practices by the Russian government as well as political crisis that were witnessed in the nation earlier that year (Owyang, Chiodo 2002, p. 7). The Russian financial crisis had various political and economic consequences. First, the crisis compromised the confidence of the citizens of Russian to the government of president Yeltsin. Indeed, facing much opposition in the parliament, Yeltsin was forced to fire Kiriyenko  as the prime minister and nominated Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov to the position (Tarassova, Kraakman, Black 2000, p. 12). On the economic front, the Russian crisis led to the collapsing of the Russian stock, bond, and currency market on august 13, 1998. This was a direct result of investors fear that the government could devalue the ruble as well as claims of failure by the government to repay its domestic debts. This paper gives a critical analysis on the causes and consequences of the Russian Crisis 1998. Causes of the Russian Crisis 1998 The Russian Crisis 1998 was triggered by a combination of various independent factors. First, the Russian nation experienced a decline in its productivity (Colorado School of Business 2009). According to available statistics, the Russian economic was highly dependent on petroleum, natural gas, metal, timber exports which accounted for an estimated 80 percent of its exports. It is claimed that the Asian financial crisis of 1997 significantly compromised the export demand as well as prices for these key Russian export commodities (Colorado School of Business 2009). All these had the implication of negating the nations ability to pay its workers and its domestic debts, a factor that evidently led the country into a financial crisis. Another cause of the crisis is the fact that the government relied mainly on foreign capital inflows which were marked with extremely high interest rates (McArdle 2010). The sustainable growth of an economy is greatly determined by the ability of the government to finance its affairs from its tax revenue collections. However, the Russian government was in 1998 facing an increase in its internal loan, a factor that called for engagement into external borrowing to finance them (Colorado School of Business 2009). As an explanation of this claim is the move to hike GKO interest rates to an estimated 150 percent by Kiriyenko in June 1998. Irregular internal loan payment is also to be blamed for the Russian crisis 1998 (McArdle 2010). Statistical evidence indicates that despite the many efforts by the government to resolve its internal debts, wage debts, particularly in remote regions continued to grow. This had negative impact on the nations ability to fund key budget items such as communal utilities among others. It is claimed that the government was faced with an estimated $12.5 on wage debts by early August 1998 (Owyang, Chiodo 2002, p. 9). This prompted workers to engage on strikes, a move that further complicated the economic productivity of the nation. Still, the war on Chechnya and its economic implications were cited as a potential cause of the Russian financial crisis of 1998 (Tarassova, Kraakman, Black 2000, p. 27). According to available historical information, the war cost on the Russian economy is approximated at $5.5 billion. Just to be appreciated here is the fact that this cost is exclusive of the costs incurred in reconstruction of the ruined economy of Chechnya after the war (Tarassova, Kraakman, Black 2000, p. 27). The opposition by the left wing parties of the government which led to failure to adopt anti-crisis policies by the government by mid 1998 is also another cause of the crisis. It is also claimed that prior to the meltdown, a loan given to Russian by the world bank and the International Monetary Fund was stolen, thus never functioned to serve its intended purpose. The most cited reason behind the Russian financial crisis is the ruble-dollar exchange rates crisis (McArdle 2010). During this time, the Russian government had ordered the central bank to ensure that the ruble exchange rates remained at a preset range. Based on this reasoning therefore, the central bank was forced to invest its foreign reserves in buying rubles if the exchange rate seemed to go beyond such limits. Indeed, this was a major threat to its ability to maintain reasonable foreign reserve (McArdle 2010). It is claimed that the Russian government and other non-government borrower had borrowed large amounts of foreign investment capital over the 1995-1998 period in the form of US dollars. This meant having a huge US dollar inflow for serving these debts (Marshall 2001, p. 26). However, the central bank had spent most of its foreign reserve in sustaining its floating peg policy on the rubles. This only served to negatively affect the exchange value for rubles as well as the governments ability to settle the huge international capital debts. This was further compromised by the poor government policies which negated investor confidence, causing them to sell most of their rubles and assets in Russian (Marshall 2001, p. 29). Indeed, the collapsing of the stock bond and currency market was a direct result of lack of confidence by investor due to eminent devaluing of the exchange value of ruble by the government. According to available information, the value of the stock market had reduced by an estimated over 75 percent between January and August, 1998 (Colorado School of Business 2009). This, coupled with the other economic problems facing the nation at the time signified a real threat to investments. Economic and political implications of the crisis The Russian crisis of 1998 had various social, economic and political consequences. Following the crisis, the ruble exchange value steadily depreciated reaching 21 rubles per US dollar by the September 2nd 1998 (Colorado School of Business 2009). This move prompted the central bank to abandon the ruble floating peg policies, a factor that saw the value of ruble depreciate to 22.5 by the end of the year. It is estimated that the inflation rate in Russian economy in 1998 reached the 98 percent considerably hiking the welfare costs of its citizens (McArdle 2010). The crisis oversaw the closure of various banks in Russia such as Inkombank, Oneximbank and Tokobank. It is claimed that the wage debts by coal miners in the nation grew to more than one percent of the governments overall budget (Colorado School of Business 2009). Still, the crisis led to an increase in food commodities in the nation by 100 percent (Owyang, Chiodo 2002, p. 13). In a move to stabilize its inflated economy, the government quadrupled the prices of imported products. All these served to negate the social and economic lifestyle of the Russian citizens. Another consequence of the Russian crisis is that it led commodity and financial controls through administrative techniques by region governments (Tarassova, Kraakman, Black 2000, p. 27). Governor Aleksandr Lebed for example signed a resolution for bringing down commodity prices in the Krasnoyarsk Krai region. It is also claimed that the eastern region imposed banns for commodity flow beyond the port city to safeguard the food supply for the city residents. In Baltic, tax to the federal government was suspended. All these had the end result of compromising regional budgets and GDP from 18.2 percent in 1997 to an estimated 10.8 percent during the first quarter of the 2000 financial years (Owyang, Chiodo 2002, p. 16). The Russian crisis led to a heated political crisis on the Yeltsin government. By august 23, 1998, Yeltsin fired the then prime minister Kiriyenko (Owyang, Chiodo 2002, p. 16). However, his intend to reinstate Chernomyrdin as the prime minister and his successor for the presidency received massive opposition by the parliament. This is because Chernomyrdin was claimed to have failed in implementing economic reforms in March 1998 when he was the prime minister (Tarassova, Kraakman, Black 2000, p. 31). The parliament nevertheless anonymously approved the appointment of Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov as the prime minister in September 11 as he was perceived as capable of resolving conflicts by Russias quarreling political interest groups. Conclusion It is clearly established that the Russian crisis 1998 was caused by structural weaknesses of Russias fiscal management as well as currency crisis, transparency and contagion. The ruble floating peg policy by the central bank compromised its foreign reserves thus limiting its ability to settle its international capital debts (McArdle 2010). This was further complicated by its huge wage debts and the eroded investor confidence which led to the sale of most their assets including rubles and stocks. Therefore, the crisis is a real example of the social, economic, and political implications of having poor government policies.

Stereotypical Old West Lawman in the Radio Series Gunsmoke :: Gunsmoke

Stereotypical Old West Lawman in the Radio Series Gunsmoke When considering the attributes of the Old West lawman, the mind frequently turns to the lawmen made familiar through works of fiction, created for the purposes of entertainment. One specific example of such a fictional depiction of "the lawman" exists in the episodic radio series entitled, "Gunsmoke." In this series, Matt Dillon, the Sheriff of Dodge City, repeatedly exhibits many qualities, which could be labeled as stereotypical. After analyzing several Gunsmoke episodes, and reviewing the analyses of many others, one trait, which seems to be present in Matt Dillon, is that of invincibility. Matt Dillon shoots the "bad guy" but never gets shot. He is always victorious. He always wins. We can see this pattern exemplified in three diverse situations. First, Dillon always wins a face to face gunfight. Secondly, Dillon is victorious even when he is ambushed or unprepared for an attack. And finally, Dillon wins even when no physical violence or gunplay takes place. The turnover rate, not to mention the stress level, for authentic sheriffs of the Old West was probably quite high. For a radio sheriff, like Matt Dillon, there was undoubtedly a lot of comfort in the assurance that he had to be in the next episode. No quick drawing, ne'er do well would ever best him. The gunfights were frequent and always ended the same way. In the episode entitled "Crack Up" for example, a known killer named Nate Springer, comes to Dodge specifically to do away with Dillon. After much planning and plotting, when the smoke clears from the climactic gun battle, it is Springer sprawled in the dust as the victorious Dillon reholsters his trusty weapon ("Crack-Up." 02-26-55). Similarly, in the episode entitled "Monopoly," an experienced killer named Cam Speckle, who has had a notorious past and had succeeded in outdrawing and killing a man in the street just moments before facing Dillon, falls victim to the Marshall's uncanny accuracy ("Monopoly" 5-22-54). These are onl y two of the innumerable instances in which Marshall Dillon conquers all comers. Another situation from which Marshall Dillon emerges unscathed, is the classic ambush. A determined killer lays in wait, trains his weapon on Dillon, and misses. This very scenario took place in the episode entitled "Paid Killer." Ed Granger, a killer for hire, has accepted $5,000 in gold to kill Matt. He picks a deserted street, takes careful aim and attempts to shoot Dillon, who is nonchalantly strolling down the sidewalk. Stereotypical Old West Lawman in the Radio Series Gunsmoke :: Gunsmoke Stereotypical Old West Lawman in the Radio Series Gunsmoke When considering the attributes of the Old West lawman, the mind frequently turns to the lawmen made familiar through works of fiction, created for the purposes of entertainment. One specific example of such a fictional depiction of "the lawman" exists in the episodic radio series entitled, "Gunsmoke." In this series, Matt Dillon, the Sheriff of Dodge City, repeatedly exhibits many qualities, which could be labeled as stereotypical. After analyzing several Gunsmoke episodes, and reviewing the analyses of many others, one trait, which seems to be present in Matt Dillon, is that of invincibility. Matt Dillon shoots the "bad guy" but never gets shot. He is always victorious. He always wins. We can see this pattern exemplified in three diverse situations. First, Dillon always wins a face to face gunfight. Secondly, Dillon is victorious even when he is ambushed or unprepared for an attack. And finally, Dillon wins even when no physical violence or gunplay takes place. The turnover rate, not to mention the stress level, for authentic sheriffs of the Old West was probably quite high. For a radio sheriff, like Matt Dillon, there was undoubtedly a lot of comfort in the assurance that he had to be in the next episode. No quick drawing, ne'er do well would ever best him. The gunfights were frequent and always ended the same way. In the episode entitled "Crack Up" for example, a known killer named Nate Springer, comes to Dodge specifically to do away with Dillon. After much planning and plotting, when the smoke clears from the climactic gun battle, it is Springer sprawled in the dust as the victorious Dillon reholsters his trusty weapon ("Crack-Up." 02-26-55). Similarly, in the episode entitled "Monopoly," an experienced killer named Cam Speckle, who has had a notorious past and had succeeded in outdrawing and killing a man in the street just moments before facing Dillon, falls victim to the Marshall's uncanny accuracy ("Monopoly" 5-22-54). These are onl y two of the innumerable instances in which Marshall Dillon conquers all comers. Another situation from which Marshall Dillon emerges unscathed, is the classic ambush. A determined killer lays in wait, trains his weapon on Dillon, and misses. This very scenario took place in the episode entitled "Paid Killer." Ed Granger, a killer for hire, has accepted $5,000 in gold to kill Matt. He picks a deserted street, takes careful aim and attempts to shoot Dillon, who is nonchalantly strolling down the sidewalk.

Laundry :: essays research papers

Fold your shirt Find a flat, open space to fold your clothes. A bed, or a clean table or floor are all good spots. Put each folded garment out of the way in a clean space as you finish with each piece. It's best to fold items when they are still warm. Lie the garment on a flat surface and smooth out the wrinkles. If smoothed when warm, they'll stay that way. Shirts: Hold the shirt by its shoulders. Flap up and down once or twice so it hangs straight. Lay it face-down on the folding surface and smooth out any folds. You can do an extra neat job by pulling gently on the side seams to smooth out the back. Now start folding. Fold the shirt lengthwise along the line of the outer edge of the collar or neck band. Smooth the sleeve out, using your fingers to pull at the seam, making it slightly taut. Fold the other side over. Fold it lengthwise, along the line of the outer edge of the collar. Repeat the sleeve-smoother technique. Fold the shirt in half. Take the bottom edge of the shirt with both hands and fold it up to the collar. You're done--onto the next one! To Fold a Shirt: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lie the shirt flat. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fold arms over until they meet in middle of the shirt. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fold shoulders over until they are equal with each other. To Hang a Shirt: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hang the shirt on the hanger as shown above. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Or, if there are clips on your hanger, clip the shirt on the shoulders. To Fold Socks: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Place one sock on top of the other. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Grab three of the top layers of elastic with one thumb, while holding one layer with the other. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Roll your thumbs away from each other until the elastic on the sock is fully turned inside out. To Fold Underwear: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fold the two sides of the garmet together until they meet. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fold over once more if necessary. Folding laundry is an important skill that every person should know since it will be imperative when it comes time to do your laundry in college. Having your laundry folded crisp and tight is very important. You always want your clothing fresh and neat every time you get dressed. It is a good idea to fold clothing while they are still warm because this will help avoid wrinkles and make for a smoother fold. The longer you wait to fold your laundry the more wrinkled and dirty it will get.

Random Drug Testing is a Waste of Time Essay -- Essays on Drug Testing

Her grades fell. She was always tired. She never seemed to be able to focus at school. Classes she used to be interested in became utterly mundane. Friends she used to care about became replaceable. She stopped spending time with her family. She sat on the bench at every soccer game instead of becoming the star player her coaches thought she could. This is what addiction to drugs can do to a young person’s life. Addiction can take away everything that once made that young person happy. The only thing that matters anymore is the drug, getting high, and getting higher. It is a horrible and tragic thing that destroys so many young lives. Some people think that in order to prevent these situations, the best solution is random drug testing. But this is not a reasonable solution whatsoever. Many more students are using and selling drugs as they roam around the campus, but will never be â€Å"caught† with such a fickle and illusive process. Random student drug testing is not a plausible solution for the drug problem in public schools; it is unreliable and it infringes on the lives of those students involved.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Those who support random drug testing argue that the growing trend of drug testing a small population of students in a school is effective at attacking the drug abuse problem, because fewer students will use when there is an obvious consequence (Drug Testing in School Activities 2). They believe if a drug problem is identified early enough, there is a better chance for rehabilitation. This is true, and with this approach, maybe one life can be saved (Legal Issues of Dwiggins 2 School Drug Testing 1). Of course it is worth all the trouble of drug testing many innocent students if one drug addict can be identified and helped, but would it not be much better if that same student’s drug problem, and hundreds more, could have been prevented altogether? (Student Drug Testing News 1)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We cannot identify a drug problem in a significant number of students if only a small percentage is tested; a solid drug education program would be much more effective. It takes something a lot more earth shattering than the DARE program to steer young people away from experimenting with drugs. Sure, DARE does a great job at teaching kids different ways to say no, but do they ever really learn why they are saying no? Does DARE ... ... Joan. â€Å"Drug-testing case generates sparks; Lawsuit over school policy hotly debated.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  USA Today 20 March 2002, A02. â€Å"Drug Testing In Schools Should Be Sensibly Restricted.† Tampa Tribune 22 March 2002, 18. Franz MD, Joseph C. â€Å"Drug Testing in School Activities.† Fall 1997.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (14 April 2002) Greenberger, Robert S. â€Å"Court to Hear Arguments on Case Pitting Drug Tests Against Privacy.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Wall Street Journal 15 March 2002, B5. Lane, Charles. â€Å"Court to Weigh Drug Testing by Schools; Justices to Decide if Choir, Club   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Members’ Privacy, Like Athletes’, May Be Breached.† The Washington Post 17 March   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2002, A10. â€Å"Legal Issues of School Drug Testing.† (25   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  February 2002). â€Å"Student Drug Testing News.† (25   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  February 2002). â€Å"Urban75 Drug Infoâ€Å" (5 March 2002) Random Drug Testing is a Waste of Time Essay -- Essays on Drug Testing Her grades fell. She was always tired. She never seemed to be able to focus at school. Classes she used to be interested in became utterly mundane. Friends she used to care about became replaceable. She stopped spending time with her family. She sat on the bench at every soccer game instead of becoming the star player her coaches thought she could. This is what addiction to drugs can do to a young person’s life. Addiction can take away everything that once made that young person happy. The only thing that matters anymore is the drug, getting high, and getting higher. It is a horrible and tragic thing that destroys so many young lives. Some people think that in order to prevent these situations, the best solution is random drug testing. But this is not a reasonable solution whatsoever. Many more students are using and selling drugs as they roam around the campus, but will never be â€Å"caught† with such a fickle and illusive process. Random student drug testing is not a plausible solution for the drug problem in public schools; it is unreliable and it infringes on the lives of those students involved.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Those who support random drug testing argue that the growing trend of drug testing a small population of students in a school is effective at attacking the drug abuse problem, because fewer students will use when there is an obvious consequence (Drug Testing in School Activities 2). They believe if a drug problem is identified early enough, there is a better chance for rehabilitation. This is true, and with this approach, maybe one life can be saved (Legal Issues of Dwiggins 2 School Drug Testing 1). Of course it is worth all the trouble of drug testing many innocent students if one drug addict can be identified and helped, but would it not be much better if that same student’s drug problem, and hundreds more, could have been prevented altogether? (Student Drug Testing News 1)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We cannot identify a drug problem in a significant number of students if only a small percentage is tested; a solid drug education program would be much more effective. It takes something a lot more earth shattering than the DARE program to steer young people away from experimenting with drugs. Sure, DARE does a great job at teaching kids different ways to say no, but do they ever really learn why they are saying no? Does DARE ... ... Joan. â€Å"Drug-testing case generates sparks; Lawsuit over school policy hotly debated.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  USA Today 20 March 2002, A02. â€Å"Drug Testing In Schools Should Be Sensibly Restricted.† Tampa Tribune 22 March 2002, 18. Franz MD, Joseph C. â€Å"Drug Testing in School Activities.† Fall 1997.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (14 April 2002) Greenberger, Robert S. â€Å"Court to Hear Arguments on Case Pitting Drug Tests Against Privacy.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Wall Street Journal 15 March 2002, B5. Lane, Charles. â€Å"Court to Weigh Drug Testing by Schools; Justices to Decide if Choir, Club   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Members’ Privacy, Like Athletes’, May Be Breached.† The Washington Post 17 March   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2002, A10. â€Å"Legal Issues of School Drug Testing.† (25   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  February 2002). â€Å"Student Drug Testing News.† (25   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  February 2002). â€Å"Urban75 Drug Infoâ€Å" (5 March 2002)

Should Smoking Be Illegal

Introduction/Thesis Statement: People who smoke should have the right to smoke if that is their desire. The Bill of Rights states that as an American we have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. For some people, smoking makes them happy and calms them down in stressful situations. As an American it should be your choice as to whether or not you smoke. Our forefathers based our constitution on our basic human rights. Increasingly vocal â€Å"smokers'-rights† groups, allied with some civil libertarians, have decried the work of governmental â€Å"nannies† that â€Å"refuse to treat smokers as adults. † Clark, C. S. (1992, December 4). Crackdown on smoking. CQ Researcher, 2, 1049-1072. Retrieved November 3, 2010, from CQ Researcher Online,http://library. cqpress. com/cqresearcher/cqresrre1992120400. Jefferson City, Missouri just recently passed its own smoking ban, which is city wide. This means that any citizen that might want to smoke will have to hide somewhere to do it. Apparently the smokers, were absent during this election. Making smoking illegal will only have even more far reaching consequences. Small businesses, particularly restaurants, hotels and transit providers, have warned us that smoking bans will cost them the clientele that sustains their livelihoods. Due to current city ordinances in Columbia, Missouri that have banned smoking, there have been at least fifteen local businesses that have gone out of business. News Tribune (2010), Smoking Ban Passes Anti- smoking groups have also been accused of feathering their own nests, spending more on salaries and fund raising than on research. It has been accused of being an industry that provides â€Å"employment for an army of smoker-bashers, and for many, the opportunity to amass personal fortunes,† writes Fred Phillis, a Trumbull, Conn. , public relations consultant and smokers’-rights activist. There is no denying the health risks that are involved when someone smokes. There are over 400,000 deaths per year that have been directly linked to smoking. This should still be our choice to make, just as it is our choice about whether to watch TV or not. While there have been health issues related to second hand smoke, we cannot lose sight of the fact that, they can always go somewhere else to sit. Non-smokers do not have to sit by smokers. There is much to be said about not smoking, my own grandchildren are allergic to cigarette smoke. Also the University of North Carolina researchers reported that children of smokers showed a 38 percent higher chance of ear infections Clark, C. S. (1992, December 4). Crackdown on smoking. CQ Researcher, 2, 1049-1072. Retrieved November 3, 2010, from CQ Researcher Online,http://library. cqpress. com/cqresearcher/cqresrre1992120400. It is still our choice to not smoke around our grandchildren, someone didn’t tell us not to. In the classic mold of social scapegoating, smokers have been stigmatized, ghettoized and threatened with cultural annihilation. â€Å"Smokers are being made to feel like social pariahs,† declares John F. Banzhaf III, a George Washington University law professor who founded the anti-smoking group Action on Smoking and Health (ASH). Conclusion/Closing: â€Å"What we are also losing in this whole debate is science, which has become political,† says Walker Merryman, a vice president of The Tobacco Institute. Those are the business people who hav e to try to operate when their economic life is threatened? † In conclusion I have but one thought â€Å"Give me a place, even if it's outside. But you just can't legislate it out of my life. †

Privacy and Security Breaces at Acxiom

Privacy and Security Breaches at Acxiom: Case Study Chapter 4 Privacy and Security Breaches at Acxiom: Case Study Chapter 4 Acxiom might be the most important organization that most of us have never heard of. They are the â€Å"world’s largest processor of consumer data, collecting and analyzing more than a billion records a day† (Bigdoli, 2012). Acxiom was founded in 1969, and its’ headquarters is located in Little Rock, Arkansas (About Acxiom, 2013). â€Å"Its customers include nine of the country's top ten credit-card issuers, as well as nearly all the major retail banks, insurers, and automakers† (Behar, 2012).Unfortunately, Acxiom has been faced with some breaches of security that have led the company make some important security changes/upgrades. In 2003, Daniel Bass, a 24 year old computer-systems administrator was found to have stolen the data of millions of individuals from Acxiom’s databases. He spent two years collecting this information and stored it on compact discs (Behar, 2004). He broke into their system by simply cracking passwords (Behar, 2004). Bass was not the only hacker to crack Acxiom however.While authorities were investigating Bass, they ultimately discovered an additional hacker group from Boca Raton, Florida, who had cracked the passwords for the same server that Bass had gotten into as well. While they accessed information for millions of people; it did not appear that either hacking incident resulted in the defrauding of any of the individuals whose data was stolen (Behar, 2012). Acxiom definitely needed to do something to beef up their security measures and protect their customers’ data.They first hired a chief security officer, which had not been a position until these incidents. The chief security officer instituted mandatory encryptions, as well as working to prevent cybercrimes. Acxiom additionally began to conduct security audits (both conducted from inside and outside firms) to test f or weaknesses in security. As far as privacy is concerned, Acxiom is considered to have one of the most stringent privacy policies there are. You can read it here: http://www. acxiom. com/about-acxiom/privacy/.They had a privacy officer long before they had a security officer. In terms of privacy, we are left questioning whether the government should have access to the information that is collected. I believe that the government should have only limited access. Acxiom was able to help the government with the investigation of the terrorist 9/11 attacks (Behar, 2004). The government should only be granted access to information relevant to important cases, not just have free reign to interpret all of the data any way they see fit.Other organizations might also feel they need access to this private data for security reasons. While I do not see how this could ever happen, the possible organizations that might feel they need access to such information might be school districts, private se curity firms, real estate professionals (especially high end), colleges and universities. While safety is an important issue at all of these places (and most others), having access to this sort of information does not guarantee safety, but in fact places unfair targets on many harmless individuals.References About Acxiom. (2013). Retrieved from Acxiom: http://www. acxiom. com/overview/ Behar, R. (2004, February 23). Never Heard Of Acxiom? Chances Are It's Heard Of You. How a little-known Little Rock company–the world's largest processor of consumer data–found itself at the center of a very big national security debate. Retrieved from CNN Money: http://money. cnn. com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2004/02/23/362182/index. htm Bidgoli, H. (2012). MIS2. Boston: Cengage Learning.

Citizen Kane in a Century

The film most likely to be seen and reviewed one hundred years from now is Citizen Kane. The reason Citizen Kane will most likely withstand the next century above the others is the timelessness the concept of the film carries. Based on the media tycoon William Randolph Hearst, the film conveys the sense that the media is controlled by the few with the most money and the most power, a concept that lends itself especially well to film in terms of plot development and tension. Plot and tension garner a large audience that might not otherwise be united on what makes a successful film.For instance, Welles’ use of then-innovative cinematic techniques might be the wedge between an average movie-goer and a film critic, but the use of these techniques added dimension to the plot and tension in ways that previously been unexplored. Now seen as part of the cinematic canon, low camera angles make Kane’s character appear larger-than-life, adding to the dramatic tension. Facial close -ups also added to film’s mood, as the audience became enmeshed in the complexity of the characters and what happened to them.The use of flashbacks was also innovative, telling a story onscreen in a then-unconventional way, adding layers and giving the audience cues into the nature of Kane’s rise to the top of the journalism field, the power and wealth it allowed him, and the crushing fall the fickleness of the media to which he was pushed. Citizen Kane will survive the coming century because it broke ground in narrative technique as well as cinematic creativity, paving the way for all the other films viewed this semester. Martha Stewart: The New Kane?Citizen Kane updated for the times would ambitiously look at the rise, fall, and subsequent rise of home-decorating mogul Martha Stewart. The star would be Cate Blanchett, as she would fit the role physically as well as act the role remarkably. Hilary Swank would play Stewart’s daughter, Alexis, and her husband, An dy, would be Robert Downey Jr. Extensive research would be done, of course, to make the parallels between the real life person on which the film is based and the fictional character representing that person.The title character would be Ruth Helen Kane so as to keep the original film title in tact, to keep the parallel somewhat acute (Stewart’s middle name is Helen), and to play on the word ruthless. The film would be shot using the same cinematic techniques in the same way as Welles used in his original film—heavy use of flashbacks, facial close ups, low camera angles, extended and uninterrupted scenes, subjective use of lighting, and focus shots. The difference would be that the film would not end with the character in jail, but would follow the steady rise back into her original position of power.Martha Stewart as subject would testify to the short attention span of the public today, as well as insinuate that power and wealth make everyone forget the past, alluding t o the 1984 Orwell ominously warned us about. This remake of the 1941 classic film would stay true to the original in the exploration of power and corruption but resonate with audiences today because of the obsession with celebrities and a desire to see them disgraced. Personality and CharacterWoody Allen is a personality star because he never breaks away from the same persona—an eccentric, extremely intelligent, inherently nervous New York Jew. His performance in Annie Hall cements his status as the eccentric, intelligent, nervous New York Jew because he says so throughout the film and throughout the others he writes, directs, and stars in. William Holden is a character star because he plays a believable Max Schumacher, and watching the film I see Max, the character, not Bill, the leading man.Compared to Annie Hall, where I see Woody, the writer/director/actor, rather than Alvie, the character, Holden’s performance makes me see the character, not the actor. Dustin Hoff man is another character star. His Ben Braddock recalls a vivid sense of youth that anyone can relate to, and Hoffman plays him so well that it would be easy to see Hoffman as Braddock in subsequent films were Hoffman not an excellent actor. Billy Bob Thornton is yet another character star, delivering one of the best performances of all the films this semester.The seeming detachment from emotion Karl breathes is conveyed in a clean, authentic manner, making Thornton more of a vessel for the character rather than a messenger. Robert Duvall is a character actor through and through. His characters in Apocalypse Now, Network and even in The Conversation are different from each other, and his long list of credits reveal that Duvall remains a diverse actor in a variety of roles. He does not come off as pigeon-holed into an actor playing the same character in different roles.Narrative in Annie Hall and Citizen Kane Annie Hall begins at the end of the relationship, with Alvie talking direct ly to the audience about his relationship with the title character, Annie Hall. The story is told through the use of flashbacks of Alvie’s previous relationships and his childhood, told often as if he is himself telling Annie these flashbacks. Such a scene occurs specifically when he and Annie go to Coney Island with Alvie’s friend and Alvie is telling Annie about his mother and father and family.The present Annie and Alvie walk in to the past Alvie’s home to look in on past Alvie’s parents and family and house. The scene cuts through the narrative barrier in flashback and brings the presents visibly into the past rather than separating the two. Allen uses the flashback in this way to show how people are forever bound to the past and carry it with them as if they always lived in it. Citizen Kane also relies heavily on flashback to tell its story and begins much the same way Annie Hall does, at the end of the story, Kane’s death.The audience sees Ka ne die, learns that he has in fact died via newspaper media, and then systematically learns about the road to his death. The reporter sent to investigate the man behind the mogul uncovers the life of Kane, told via the people who were closest to him. The use of flashback works especially well in learning how Kane came under guardianship of Thatcher, and the flashback is revealed via Thatcher’s memoirs rather than Thatcher himself. Such use of flashback reveals how much information is attained when first-hand sources are unavailable.