Anatomy, Evolution, and Homologous Structures

Anatomy, Evolution, and Homologous Structures If youve ever wondered why a human hand and a monkeys paw look similar, then you already know something about homologous structures. People who study anatomy define these structures as a body part of one species that closely resembles that of another. But you dont need to be a scientist to understand that recognizing homologous structures can be useful not just for comparison, but for classifying and organizing the many different kinds of animal life on the planet. Scientists say these similarities are evidence that life on earth shares a common ancient ancestor from which many or all other species have evolved over time. Evidence of this common ancestry can be seen in the structure and development of these homologous structures, even if their functions are different. Examples of Organisms The more closely organisms are related, the more similar the homologous structures are. Many mammals, for example, have similar limb structures. The flipper of a whale, the wing of a bat, and the leg of a cat are all very similar to the human arm, with a large upper arm bone (the humerus in humans) and a lower part made of two bones, a larger bone on one side (the radius in humans) and a smaller bone on the other side (the ulna). These species also have a collection of smaller bones in the wrist area (called carpal bones in humans) that lead into the fingers or phalanges. Even though the bone structure may be very similar, function varies widely. Homologous limbs can be used for flying, swimming, walking, or everything humans do with their arms. These functions evolved through natural selection over millions of years. Homology and Evolution When Swedish botanist  Carolus Linnaeus was formulating his system of taxonomy to name and categorize organisms in the 1700s, how the species looked was the determining factor of the group in which the species was placed. As time passed and technology advanced, homologous structures became more important in deciding the final placement on the phylogenetic tree of life. Linnaeuss taxonomy system places species into broad categories. The major categories from general to specific are kingdom,  phylum,  class,  order,  family,  genus, and  species. As technology evolved, allowing scientists to study life at the genetic level, these categories have been updated to include domain, the broadest category  in the taxonomic  hierarchy. Organisms are grouped primarily according to differences in ribosomal  RNA  structure. Scientific Advances These changes in technology have altered the way scientists categorize species. For example, whales were once classified as fish because they live in the water and have flippers. After it was discovered that those flippers contained homologous structures to human legs and arms, they were moved to a part of the tree more closely related to humans. Further genetic research has demonstrated that whales may be closely related to hippos. Bats were originally thought to be closely related to birds and insects. Everything with wings was put into the same branch of the phylogenetic tree. After more research and the discovery of homologous structures, it became apparent that not all wings are the same. Even though they have the same function- to make the organism able to get airborne- they are structurally very different. While the bat wing resembles the human arm in structure, the bird wing is very different, as is the insect wing. Scientists realized that bats are more closely related to humans than to birds or insects and moved them to a corresponding branch on the phylogenetic tree of life. While the evidence of homologous structures has long been known, it has just recently been widely accepted as evidence of evolution. Not until the latter half of the 20th century, when it became possible to analyze and compare DNA, could researchers reaffirm the evolutionary relatedness of species with homologous structures.

Free Essays on Male-Female Friendships And Conversation

Male-Female Friendships and Conversation. I have always been fascinated, and sometimes discouraged, by the friendships I have with women. Right now I have three or four close friendships with women; I met and pursued each on because of initial feelings of romance and despite the fact the we remain intimately uninvolved I have secured lasting friendships with each. Friendships between men and women are inherently different than those amongst the same sex conversational partners. One pattern I have observed in my life is that most heterosexual men have more male friends than female and the opposite holds true for most heterosexual women. This is why friendship in opposite-sex pairs, is so unique. It is a fact that men and women grow up in different, yet ongoing social creations known as gender (Walker 1994). These differences influence their conversational habits and techniques. How do men interested in professional athletics, beer, hard rock music, competition and gastrointestinal happenings come to find friendship wit h women interested in relationships, jam bands, photo albums and shopping? Conversational compromise is my answer. In a sense, one of the sexes compromises their usual habits of conversation for the sake of perpetuating friendship. Language is the medium of friendship, and conversations with other people are where we find not only more information about like minded people but information about ourselves. In this paper I plan to unconfound the different aspects of conversation between same sex and mixed sex interlocutors. I will look at multiple aspects of conversation such as asymmetries and symmetries, cross-purposes, interruption, framing and more. By comparing and contrasting the transcribed conversations of my classmates, as well as researching other similar studies in scholarly journals, I hope to find conclusive evidence supporting the fact that males make more of these conversational compromises t... Free Essays on Male-Female Friendships And Conversation Free Essays on Male-Female Friendships And Conversation Male-Female Friendships and Conversation. I have always been fascinated, and sometimes discouraged, by the friendships I have with women. Right now I have three or four close friendships with women; I met and pursued each on because of initial feelings of romance and despite the fact the we remain intimately uninvolved I have secured lasting friendships with each. Friendships between men and women are inherently different than those amongst the same sex conversational partners. One pattern I have observed in my life is that most heterosexual men have more male friends than female and the opposite holds true for most heterosexual women. This is why friendship in opposite-sex pairs, is so unique. It is a fact that men and women grow up in different, yet ongoing social creations known as gender (Walker 1994). These differences influence their conversational habits and techniques. How do men interested in professional athletics, beer, hard rock music, competition and gastrointestinal happenings come to find friendship wit h women interested in relationships, jam bands, photo albums and shopping? Conversational compromise is my answer. In a sense, one of the sexes compromises their usual habits of conversation for the sake of perpetuating friendship. Language is the medium of friendship, and conversations with other people are where we find not only more information about like minded people but information about ourselves. In this paper I plan to unconfound the different aspects of conversation between same sex and mixed sex interlocutors. I will look at multiple aspects of conversation such as asymmetries and symmetries, cross-purposes, interruption, framing and more. By comparing and contrasting the transcribed conversations of my classmates, as well as researching other similar studies in scholarly journals, I hope to find conclusive evidence supporting the fact that males make more of these conversational compromises t...

History Exam Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

History Exam - Research Paper Example Making use of the contacts acquired along the silk route, Europe, and especially Spain, was learning several things from Asia, China and the Islamic world. Europeans tried to learn the craft of textile weaving and dyeing from Indians and Chinese (Pomeranz, 45). Africa was the most skilled manufacturer of steel and iron (Pomeranz, 45). In health care also, Europe had one or two things to learn from the Asian cities (Pomeranz, 46). There was technology transfer happening along the silk road from Europe to Asia and Africa as well. The spread of printing technology was an example. Cultural exchanges also enriched different civilisations along this trade route. But the fall of Mongol empire was fatal to the travels and transactions through this route and soon it disintegrated. The silk road was abandoned by European nations by sixteenth century as â€Å"lack of a unifying political authority in Central-Asia made long-distance overland trade in expensive goods less and less viable† (Foltz, 143). The Islamization of the silk road and the rising conflicts between Islamic world and the Christian world made Europeans think of viable trade alternatives (Foltz, 143). China and India were the new avenues to be explored but Europe yet had not access to these lands unless through Central Asia. The voyages to find a sea route to China and Asia accidentally led to the discovery of the New World, the Americas. The civilisation of Europe had a great cultural history to its credit until then.But gradually Europeans turned into the greatest colonisers and exploiters of the world. The material wealth and trade economy gained importance in the society than culture and human values. Atlantic islands were gaining importance in the life of Europe owing to three reasons. Many of these islands were virgin and extremely fertile  and could become the backdrop for highly productive agriculture (Parry, 121). The

Novel project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Novel project - Essay Example This book very aptly describes different types of client with different requirements in a humorous way and uses the various Indian doctrines and the some prominent religion of the contemporary India to influence and shape up the characters of the book in order to wangle The Marriage Bureau for Rich People. Throughout the book, Zama has displayed generous details of both Hindus and Muslims rituals and their ideologies, which, more or less, falls on the same platform. After having the pleasure of reading the novel, it was easy to identify the doctrines and beliefs that are held by the people of India in a comic and chuckle some way. One set of dogma that is depicted in the story is the one based on religion and traditions such as morale teaching, upholding religion, family institution, community, respect for elders and patience. Whereas, the second creed that is been portrayed by Zama is based on politics and economic statuses. For, rich have different ‘needs’ than a poor. Furthermore, this book expertly includes and excludes complication that arises as a result of these ideologies. How do we know of these ideologies in the book? Well, Zama has deftly portrayed these doctrines in his book with the help of character’s thoughts and words. For instance, Mr. Ali clients sometime consist of wealthy people who have come to find a ‘specific’ type of girl for their eligible, highly educated and smart son. Most of the rich lot came with the hope to find a beautiful and equally or more so wealthy daughter in law, since for them marriage means transfer of money through dowry. For them the bride is the barter and their demand for dowry usually comprises of large amount of wealth, wedding cost to be bore by the bride’s parent and sometimes brand new and shiny car, maybe an Accord?. However, these snobs demand for a bride to be submissive and surprisingly, of poor or middle class, well not so surprisingly since, their aim is to take the girl/maid and make

The Triad Essay Example for Free

The Triad Essay This paper seeks to analyze and discuss whether there is basis to agree to the proposition that the Triad is the fast track to company globalisation and standardisation. We will try to evaluate whether theory and evidence supports such proposition.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First we should know what is the Triad is.   Moore and Rugman (2005) in discussing, ‘Globalization is about Regionalization’ said that the word â€Å"triad† was coined by Japanese consultant and author Kenichi Ohmae which refers to the economies of Western Europe, North America and a small number of East Asian nations, particularly Japan. Moore and Rugman (2005) quoted Ohmae to have argued that these economies are the critical ones from a viewpoint of innovation, trade and investment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The classification of the countries into triad is based on the viewpoint of innovation, trade and investment.   This means that these countries would take the lead in introducing new products ahead of other countries in the world and it also happened that these few countries in the triad are ones   with high GDP according to the last available data from World Bank (Wikipedia- GDP, 2006) (Paraphrasing made).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus Moore and Rugman (2005) agreed with Wikipedia when they categorized a triad whereby MNEs around the world belongs.   They said: â€Å"The vast majority of Fortune 500 companies on which we could compile data (320 MNEs) are home-triad based, having only modest sales in the other two regions.   A set of 36 are â€Å"bi-regional,† with at least 20 percent of their sales in two parts of the triad.   Only 10 of the 500 are truly global, with at least 20 percent of their sales in all three parts of the triad.   Overall, this is a picture of regionalization, not globalization.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In proving the result of the study, Moore and Rugman (2005) they had examined the Fortune Global 500 which deals the largest firms by revenues in the world and found out that the intra-regional sales of 380 of the 500 firms were included in the list.   The author noted that these 380 firms account for 79.2% of the total revenues of all 500 firms.   Thus, researchers concluded that the average revenue for a firm in the top 500 was $28 billion, ranging from Wal-Mart at $220 billion to Takenaka at $10 billion and that the average sales revenue of a firm in the set of 380 firms was $29.2 billion.   Most notable too, is the authors’ finding that across these 380 firms, the average intra-regional sales represent 71.9% (Moore and Rugman, 2005) (Paraphrasing made).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Knowing what the triad is, we should know what globalization is. Jessup, (n.d.) said:   â€Å"Strategically, globalization refers to actors attempts to promote the global coordination of activities on a continuing basis within (but not necessarily across) different institutional orders or functional systems. Such attempts can be pursued through different material and social technologies on the interpersonal, inter-organizational, inter-institutional, or inter-systemic levels.†   The author gave the following examples to illustrate globalization: interpersonal networking; strategic alliances orchestrated by transnational enterprises (alliances which may include more local or regionally-based firms as well as not-for-profit organizations); the institutional design of international regimes to govern particular fields of action; and projects for world government or global governance. Further, Jessup, (n.d.) noted that the forms of coordination proposed for globalization vary widely and none are guaranteed to succeed witness the market-led globalization favoured by the World Bank, the horizontal global governance favoured by proponents (especially NGOs) of international regimes, and plans for more top-down inter-state (or even world) government.   Hence, he inferred that what is generally labelled nowadays as economic globalization rarely, if ever, involves full structural integration and strategic coordination across the globe (Paraphrasing made).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  The term globalization, however, has a very broad meaning for it could also mean cultural integration.   IEL (1999) thus stated that the degree of adaptation or resistance to foreign cultural schemata varies among societies, citing the Schumpeterian concept of creative destruction where there is there is a constant struggle between groups that wish to speed up the process of integrating new ideas, processes, and products and those who want to slow down the speed of losing existing norms (IEL, 1999) (Paraphrasing made).   Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We are then directed to know what standardization is.   Wikipedia (2006) defined standardization, â€Å"in the context related to technologies and industries, is the process of establishing a technical standard among competing entities in a market, where this will bring benefits without hurting competition. It can also be viewed as a mechanism for optimizing economic use of scarce resources such as forests, which are threatened by paper manufacture. As an example, all of Europe now uses 230 volt 50 Hz AC mains grids and GSM cell phones, and (at least officially) measures lengths in metres.†Ã‚   It added that in the context of social criticism and social sciences, standardization often means the process of establishing standards of various kinds, and improving efficiency to handle people, their interactions, cases, and so forth (Paraphrasing made).      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After knowing the concepts, is there now basis to agree that the Triad is the fast track to company globalisation and standardisation?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the basis of the evidence presented that the countries belonging to the triad are the MNEs who have proven track records in their revenues as those belonging to top as per Fortune magazine, and relating now the same to concept of globalization which may be summarized as going to the global market through various means, we could say the triad is fast track to globalization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     As far as path to standardization is concerned, which could mean mechanism for optimizing economic use of scarce resources or improving efficiency to handle people and their interactions, we could also say that the triad is the obvious path because it is there where competing companies for globalization are found. It is argued that globalization produces competition leading to standardization.   Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hence, we could say that triad could really be a fast track for an aspiring company wanting to have globalization and standardization since the triad provides the venue and the opportunities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To conclude, it could be said that will eventually trigger globalization while the latter will result in economic integration of the whole world. .   Globalization is seen to promote further interdependence among countries in East Asian economies as they pass through different stages of development.   MNE being classified as triad-based MNEs indicate that triad first conquers first their own region or triad to sell their products before actually becoming global, hence a company must first become a major player in a country within the triad, then it becomes regional until it becomes global.   However, being part of the triad based does not mean that they will eventually become global, because strategy is still a choice.   Bibliography: Jessop, B. (n.d.) Reflections on Globalization and Its (Il)logic(s), Lancaster University, Department of Sociology{www document} URL   http://www.lancs.ac.uk/fss/sociology/papers/jessop-reflections-on-globalization.pdf, Accessed October 28,2006 International Economic Letter, Number 52 (1999), Globalism {www document} URL http://www.sba.oakland.edu/econpage/newsletters/NewsLetter52.htm ,   Accessed October 28,2006 Moore and Rugman (2005), Globalization is about Regionalization, Mcgill International Review, {www document}   URL   http://www.irsam.ca/mir/Moore%5B27-30%5D.pdf, Accessed October 28,2006   Wikipedia, 2006, Standardization {www document} URL   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standardization, Accessed December 8, 2006. Wikipedia, 2006, List of Countries by GDP, {www document} URL   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28PPP%29, Accessed October 28,2006

Tess of the DUrbervilles by Hardy Essay -- essays research papers fc

-1- SAC Out come 2 – Literature In â€Å"Tess of the D’Urbervilles† Hardy does expose the social injustices and double standards which prevail in the late nineteenth century. These injustices and double standards are evident throughout the whole novel, and Tess, the main character, is the one who suffers them. This becomes evident from the first page when Parson Tringham meets Jack Durbeyfield and refers to him as â€Å"Sir John†. With his whimsical comment, made from the safety of a secure social position, the Parson begins the events which start the destruction and downfall of the whole Durbeyfield family. Logically the fact that Tess’s family and their â€Å"gentlefolk† relatives have the same descendents should mean that both sides of the family are equal, but this is not true. Hardy makes this obvious in the contrast between Tess’s mother’s dialect and the sense of her words, â€Å"That was all a part of the larry! We’ve been found to be the greatest gentlefolk in the whole county.†[p.21] The industrial revolution had begun a social revolution, and with ideas of democracy becoming popular, the notion of equality existed. But in the areas of England that housed the â€Å"landed gentry† it was no more than a notion. The gentry and peasantry were still totally separate and even if the gentry espoused the idea of equality, as Tess was accepted into the richer side of the family, the acceptance was hypocritical. As we find out later in the novel, Alec is not even a real D’Urberville; this perhaps represents the false and dishonest nature of that class privilege. It also highlights how arbitrary inherited position is. Alec D’Urberville, who believed because he had social position that he could do whatever he wanted, treated Tess cruelly. This raises the questions, should the rich treat the poor as they do? And how do the rich get rich? Could it be because they treat the peasants as they do? If they always have someone to look down upon they will always be of a higher class. If they are superior they have a duty to treat the less fortunate with respect and help them. One of the reasons the higher-class people saw themselves as superior was because of their strict religious beliefs. What ever happened to â€Å"do unto others†, and the fundamental equality of all before god? They are strongly religious but can still treat the peasants with disrespect and superiority. I believe t... ...e â€Å"had† Tess before he did, and if so, what about his responsibility for his preloved status? There was really no interest in this at the time, but Hardy does bring it to the reader’s attention. The last phase is called fulfilment, and Hardy finishes his long tale of misfortune and injustice. In a sense there is fulfilment. Tess is not released from the injustice or hypocrisy that she has suffered, but Hardy has ensured that it has been made apparent. The evil and false Alec is butchered, and Hardy does not encourage sorrow about this in the reader. Tess experiences forgiveness and the peace of total love from her ‘Angel’. Her last moments of love are set by Hardy in an ancient place that transcends the preoccupations and petty divisions of her time. Tess has stood with innocence and pride against all the injustice that was sent to her. This strength makes her endure as a symbol of the triumph of innocence over social restrictions, and a deeper meaning seems to imbue the beginning of Hardy’s last paragraph: â€Å" ‘Justice’ was done, and the President of the Immortals†¦.had ended his sport with Tess†.(p.397) Bibliography Thomas Hardy, Tess of the Durbervilles, Penguin Classics, 1998

In Cold Blood Dialectical Journal Essay

Entry 1, page 5 â€Å"But afterward the townspeople, theretofore sufficiently unfearful of each other to seldom trouble to lock their doors, found fantasy re-creating them over and over again—those somber explosions that stimulated fires of mistrust in the glare of which many old neighbors viewed each other strangely, and as strangers.† I found this quote to be a sad truth. It is disappointing to know that in this small town wherein everyone was on a friendly basis with one another, they would all turn their backs on neighbors they’ve known forever, due to the dangers of their own imagination. Once someone has my trust, I don’t think twice about helping them or confiding in them. And in return, anyone who puts their trust in me should feel safe telling me their deepest, darkest secrets. However, when that trust is broken, so is the image of that person. Then I wonder: if they would lie about something that meant a great deal to our friendship, who knows what other lies they must’ve spread? I begin to question who they are, and if they were ever my friend in the first place. It’s as if I am seeing them in a whole new light. The worst part is, no matter how hard I may try, I just can’t bring myself to talk to that person as comfortably as I had before. Now I have to think: do they have an ulterior motive, or are they honestly trying to regain the lost closeness of our friendship? I am also reminded of the power our imagination has. Giving our minds the ability roam free can plant unnecessary fear in our hearts, which, in turn, makes it harder to trust one another. Just because a friend made an honest mistake, doesn’t mean they’re going to do it again. But, in my mind I see him/her telling everybody personal aspects of my life. It can be rather hard to regain our friendship with such a terrifying image in the back of my mind. I imagine that must be how the citizens of Holcomb, Kansas must have felt. They must have been questioning the integrity of each of their friends, wondering, who could’ve killed a well-respected family? Entry 2, page 29-30 â€Å"Mrs. Kidwell sat down on the bed; she wanted to hold Bonnie in her arms, and eventually Bonnie let herself be held. ‘Wilma,’ she said, ‘I’ve been listening to you, Wilma. All of you. Laughing. Having a good time. I’m missing out on everything. The best years, the children—everything. A little while, and even Kenyon will be grown up—a man. And how will he remember me? As a kind of ghost, Wilma.’† After reading this passage, I could not help but feel so incredibly sorry for Bonnie Clutter. Bonnie did want to be a part of her children’s lives, but due to her illness, she spent the majority of their lives in her bedroom or in a treatment facility. I think Capote included this scene with Bonnie in the novel because as a child, his parents neglected him. They often traveled for lengths of time, leaving Capote in the care of his mother’s relatives. Perhaps Capote related to the Clutter children (mostly Kenyon, seeing as how Bonnie spent the least amount of time with him) due to a feeling of abandonment caused by their absent mothers. I couldn’t imagine the guilt poor Bonnie must’ve felt for not playing an active role in the lives of her children. I know for a fact that my mother plays an important part in my life. She has taught me right from wrong, how to take care of myself, and that I should always treat people with respect. No matter what, I know my mother is always here for me, ready to take me in with open arms. Sadly, Capote never learned such things from either of his parents, which may explain why he was so intent on gaining fame and recognition, so that he may finally be praised and have a feeling of accomplishment. The Clutter kids were luckier than Capote because they had a father, Herb, who instilled wonderful morals into his four children and taught them the things Bonnie could not. Entry 3, page 57 â€Å"But as in every manifestation, she continued to tinker with her handwriting, slanting it to the right or to the left, shaping it roundly or steeply, loosely or stingily—as though she were asking, ‘Is this Nancy? Or that? Or that? Which is me?’ (Once Mrs. Riggs, her English teacher, had returned a theme with a scribbled comment: ‘Good. But why written in three styles of script?’ To which Nancy had replied: ‘Because I’m not grown-up enough to be one person with one kind of signature.’)† Nancy, I believe, perfectly represents teenagers, past and present. Nancy shows that we don’t have the slightest clue who we truly are. That is why our teenage years are so important. These are the years in which we begin to find ourselves, beginning with our signatures (heart or no heart?). There are so many people who expect us to know what we will do with our future when, in actuality, we are only beginning to discover our likes and dislikes, nowhere near deciding what we will be doing for the rest of our lives. So many of us teenagers (and some adults) are trying out different handwritings, or ideas of what we want to do with our lives, before we settle on the one type of calligraphy that we will carry with us forever. Throughout my life, my handwriting has changed drastically, as have my aspirations. As a child, I would write in big loopy letters, which perhaps represented the loopiness of who I wanted to be at the time (a princess). Over the years, as my letters became m ore refined and smaller, so did my aspirations. It’s almost as if my handwriting shows how much reality had sunk in. I went from wanting to become a princess, to President, to a spy, to a marine biologist, to a wildlife photographer, to a business executive, and now to a doctor. Nancy is just using her handwriting as another step in finding who she is. Entry 4, page 109 â€Å"‘Deep down,’ Perry continued, ‘way, way rock-bottom, I never thought I could do it. A thing like that.’† This quote expresses my fear of our humanity. We are not perfect beings. We make mistakes. We have limits. But how do you know how far you can go before you spread yourself too thin? That is why we must push ourselves to find our limits. Sometimes it’s good to push ourselves, like in athletics and academics. But, Perry pushed himself to the breaking point. Perry thought he knew his limits. He never intended to murder a family in cold blood; he just needed money. If anything, he was trying to help them in any way he could,  including making them as comfortable as he possibly could. But he got caught up in the moment, and he murdered the Clutter family point-blank. And what’s even scarier is that so many people could have buckled under the same circumstances, just as Perry did. We would all like to believe we will always stand by our morals and always do the right thing, but when push comes to shove, will you? Our natural instinct is to say â€Å"Of course I will.† However, imagine you’re poor, you have no family (that would help you), and you are desperate for a way to change your life for the better. Now, would you commit a robbery? My job as a big sister is to protect my younger siblings, no matter what. Late one night, I was struggling to finish my homework, I was tired, and I had a major headache. As I was rushing to finish up and go to bed, my little brother, the baby of the family, would not leave me alone. I reached a point where I couldn’t handle it anymore, and I tried to push him away from me, but instead he fell on the ground and began to cry. I immediately felt terrible. I tried to help him up, but he ran away to our mother. I imagined he thought of me as some kind of a monster. My reasons for agitation in no way justified my actions. But the worst part was, I never thought I could ever hurt my baby brother. It made me sick to know that I did. Entry 5, page 191 â€Å"‘You live until you die, and it doesn’t matter how you go; dead’s dead. So why carry on like a sackful of sick cats just because Herb Clutter got his throat cut?’† It’s important that we don’t let anything stop us in life, including death. Yes, death does change things, but it isn’t meant to be the end of the world. The world will continue to spin on, and people will continue their daily basis. While it is vital that we deal with a death through mourning, there is no point in worrying ourselves sick over the death of a loved one. If all we ever did was sit around and worry whenever someone died, we would never have the chance to actually live. Our deceased loved ones would actually want us to live our lives to the fullest, so when our time ultimately comes, we’ll know we made the most of our time here on Earth. We can die in the most heroic way possible, or in the most tragic way. That  doesn’t mean our deaths should be held in a higher regard than someone who had died a â€Å"normal† death. No one’s death is more important than another’s. It doesn’t matter who we were when we wer e alive. Your accomplishments over others, the amount of money you had, how big your house was, the car you drove†¦. You won’t keep those material things once you die. They couldn’t mean less because in the end, we all end up the same way: dead. Entry 6, page 202 â€Å"Perry O’Parsons had died without having ever lived. What was there to look forward to?† Perry O’Parsons was Perry’s alter ego. He had planned to use the name as his stage name for when his music career kicked off. Unfortunately for Perry, he never got the chance to perform his music on a stage, so he never got the chance to reveal Perry O’Parsons. Maybe if Perry’s music career had launched, then maybe he wouldn’t have murdered the Clutter family. What upsets me the most about Perry’s alter ego is when he asks, â€Å"What was there to look forward to?† When he realizes he will never be able to start his life all over as Perry O’Parsons, I feel as if he truly gives up on his dreams. Perhaps this is Capote’s way of saying that we don’t always get what we want, but that doesn’t mean we should give up like Perry did. Not everything is easily attainable. For example, I have the hopes of becoming a doctor, but the work and training is very rigorous. But I can’t just give up. Even if I find I do n’t have the work ethic to become a doctor, life still goes on. I can’t throw a little fit because something didn’t work out in my favor. No matter what, I will have to work hard to do well in whatever it is I choose. If I decide that I actually don’t want to be a doctor, then it just means that I’ve narrowed down my career choices by one. It may not sound like much, but that means I have more time to figure out what career does interest me and I am one step further from ending up like Perry. Entry 7, page 240 â€Å"‘Dick stood guard outside the bathroom door while I reconnoitered. I frisked the girl’s room, and I found a little purse—like a doll’s purse. Inside it was a silver dollar. I dropped it somehow, and it rolled across  the floor. Rolled under a chair. I had to get down on my knees. And just then it was like I was outside myself. Watching myself in some nutty movie. It made me sick. I was just disgusted. Dick, and all his talk about a rich man’s safe, and here I am crawling on my belly to steal a child’s silver dollar. One dollar. And I’m crawling on my belly to get it.’† I think this revelation of Perry’s is a crucial part of the book. This is where Perry looks at who he’s become, and he’s not happy about it. Perry not only knows he’s trying to steal money from a family that has never done one single thing to bring that upon themselves, but now he sees just how desperate he is as he searches for a dollar coin that belongs to Herb’s daughter. He realizes that he has turned into a repulsive and pitiful man. I began to pity Perry, mostly because he had hopes and dreams, unlike Dick, yet there he was, scrounging for a measly dollar. I felt sorry for him because he really did reach â€Å"rock-bottom† (page 109). There he was, ready to rob the Clutters, possibly getting ready to kill them, and he was only in this situation because he chose to follow Dick in the pursuit of some money. Even though Perry is committing a senseless, violent act and I should despise him for doing these savage acts to such a kind family, I can’t help but feel sorry for him. No matter what happens to me in life, I would never want to end up in Perry’s position where I’m questioning how I got to be at such a low point in my life. This quote actually reminds me of Capote as he turned to alcoholism and he began to alienate his friends because he couldn’t give up the drug that is fame. Entry 8, page 255 â€Å"‘And I was right!—that’s just what he wanted to do: admit that Hickock had been telling the truth, and that it was he, Perry Smith, who had shot and killed the whole family. He said he’d lied about it because, in his words, ‘I wanted to fix Dick for being such a coward. Dropping his guts all over the goddam floor.’ And the reason he’d decided to set the record straight wasn’t that he suddenly felt any kinder toward Hickock. According to him he was doing it out of consideration for Hickock’s parents—said he was sorry for Dick’s mother. Said, ‘She’s a real sweet person. It might be some comfort to her to know Dick never pulled the trigger. None of it would have  happened without him, in a way it was mostly his fault, but the fact remains I’m the one who killed them.’† After reading this passage, I was in shock. I honestly believed that Dick was the true murderer of the Clutter family. Well, it turns out that Dick is a chicken who can only talk up a big game, but he can’t do much else. I am just even further confused by Perry’s actions. It is hard to believe that he did in fact kill the Clutters. Perry doesn’t seem like he could be such a cold-hearted killer. After all he did to try to get Dick to turn around and ditch their plan, when he stopped Dick from attempting to rape Nancy, all he did to make the Clutters more comfortable, how nice he was to them†¦. And he was the one who ended up killing them all. Not only that, he only decided to tell the truth about Dick killing no one because he was thinking of Dick’s mother. Even though it was because of Dick that he was even in Kansas, he still tries to look out for his mother by taking the full credit for the murders. It’s almost as if Perry is actually two dif ferent people. I don’t know how I should feel toward Perry anymore. My immediate feelings toward him are pity, fear, and compassion. I can see why Capote was so interested in their case. It’s because nothing is as you would have believed they were. Entry 9, page 339 â€Å"As is customary, the warden, having finished his recitation, asked the condemned man whether he had any last statement to make. Hickock nodded. ‘I just want to say I hold no hard feelings. You people are sending me to a better world than this ever was’; then, as if to emphasize the point, he shook hands with the four men mainly responsible for his capture and conviction, all of whom had requested permission to attend the executions: K.B.I. Agents Roy Church, Clarence Duntz, Harold Nye, and Dewey himself. ‘Nice to see you,’ Hickock said with his most charming smile; it was as if he were greeting guests at his own funeral.† I did not expect Dick to be so polite in his last moments. Throughout the book, majority of what he has said was crude, sarcastic, or humorous. Not only was Dick polite, he even thanked Church, Duntz, Nye, and Dewey for capturing him and, ultimately, sending him to his death. It’s interesting  that Dick says he is going to a â€Å"better world,† but earlier in the book, he mentioned to one of the prison inmates, Andy, who was also on Death Row, to find them a shady spot in Hell. So he either believes Hell is better than Earth, or he thinks he is going to Heaven. Or maybe, he believes in the vast darkness of death, and he can’t wait for the void of nothing. I also thought it was interesting that he smiled until the very end. I don’t know if he smiles because he’s come to terms with his debt, or if he just wants to unnerve the group attending his execution. I personally think that he is accepting his fate, and he’s somewhat at peace with it. However, him being Dick, he wants to go out with a fanfare, give the audience a show, so he makes sure he seems as effervescent as ever. Entry 10, page 340-341 â€Å"But Smith, though he was the true murderer, aroused another response, for Perry possessed a quality, the aura of an exiled animal, a creature walking wounded, that the detective could not disregard.† I can understand why no one ever felt any sympathy for Dick as he was walking up to die because Dick was a rough and tough guy who never let anyone see his true emotions. However, with Perry, I believe that most of the audience has begun to feel sorry for him. Unlike Dick, he doesn’t hide his feelings. He is afraid of what will come next, and that has evoked a response from Detective Dewey. But, how do we know his feelings are real? Earlier in the book when Detective Nye goes to San Francisco to visit Perry’s only living sibling, Barbara, she mentions that Perry can easily fake his emotions to make people feel sorry for him. Maybe he was trying to get everyone there to pity him so much that they would stop his hanging and give him a life sentence. Well the crowd did pity him, but they wanted him to hang for his atrocities. Right before he was hung, Perry apologized for his actions, even though he could never make up for murdering the Clutters. I think the reason why Dew ey refused to see Perry hanging is because he did feel sorry for him.

Applications of amortization

amortization Definitions (2) 1. The gradual elimination of a liability, such as a mortgage, in regular payments over a specified period of time. Such payments must be sufficient to cover both principal and interest. 2. Writing off an intangible asset investment over the projected life of the assets. Read more: http://www. investorwords. com/200/amortization. html#ixzz2GXWACfP2 Applications of amortization In business, amortization refers to spreading payments over multiple periods. The term is used for two separate processes: amortization of loans and amortization of intangible assets. Amortization of loansIn lending, amortization is the distribution of payment into multiple cash flow installments, as determined by an amortization schedule. Unlike other repayment models, each repayment installment consists of both principal and interest. Amortization is chiefly used in loan repayments (a common example being a mortgage loan) and in sinking funds. Payments are divided into equal amoun ts for the duration of the loan, making it the simplest repayment model. A greater amount of the payment is applied to interest at the beginning of the amortization schedule, while more money is applied to principal at the end.Commonly it is known as EMI or Equated Monthly Installment. [1] or, equivalently, where: P is the principal amount borrowed, A is the periodic payment, r is the periodic interest rate divided by 100 (annual interest rate also divided by 12 in case of monthly installments), and n is the total number of payments (for a 30-year loan with monthly payments n = 30 ? 12 = 360). Negative amortization (also called deferred interest) occurs if the payments made do not cover the interest due. The remaining interest owed is added to the outstanding loan balance, making it larger than the original loan amount.If the repayment model for a loan is â€Å"fully amortized,† then the very last payment (which, if the schedule was calculated correctly, should be equal to al l others) pays off all remaining principal and interest on the loan. If the repayment model on a loan is not fully amortized, then the last payment due may be a large balloon payment of all remaining principal and interest. If the borrower lacks the funds or assets to immediately make that payment, or adequate credit to refinance the balance into a new loan, the borrower may end up in default. Amortization of intangible assetsIn accounting, amortization refers to expensing the acquisition cost minus the residual value of intangible assets (often intellectual property such as patents and trademarks or copyrights) in a systematic manner over their estimated useful economic lives so as to reflect their consumption, expiry, obsolescence or other decline in value as a result of use or the passage of time. A corresponding concept for tangible assets is depreciation. Methodologies for allocating amortization to each accounting period are generally the same as for depreciation.However, many intangible assets such as goodwill or certain brands may be deemed to have an indefinite useful life and are therefore not subject to amortization (although goodwill is subjected to an impairment test every year). Amortization is recorded in the financial statements of an entity as a reduction in the carrying value of the intangible asset in the balance sheet and as an expense in the income statement. Under International Financial Reporting Standards, guidance on accounting for the amortization of intangible assets is contained in IAS 38. 2] Under United States generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), the primary guidance is contained in FAS 142. [3] While theoretically amortization is used to account for the decreasing value of an intangible asset over its useful life, in practice, many companies will â€Å"amortize† what would otherwise be one-time expenses by listing them as a capital expense on the cash flow statement and paying off the cost through amortization, thereby improving the company's net income in the fiscal year or quarter of the expense Amortization schedule An amortization schedule is a table detailing each periodic payment on an amortizing loan (typically a mortgage), as generated by an amortization calculator. Amortization refers to the process of paying off a debt (often from a loan or mortgage) over time through regular payments. A portion of each payment is for interest while the remaining amount is applied towards the principal balance. The percentage of interest versus principal in each payment is determined in an amortization schedule.While a portion of every payment is applied towards both the interest and the principal balance of the loan, the exact amount applied to principal each time varies (with the remainder going to interest). An amortization schedule reveals the specific monetary amount put towards interest, as well as the specific amount put towards the principal balance, with each payment. Initially, a large portion of each payment is devoted to interest. As the loan matures, larger portions go towards paying down the principal Methods of amortizationThere are different methods in which to arrive at an amortization schedule. These include: †¢Straight line (linear) †¢Declining balance †¢Annuity †¢Bullet (all at once) †¢Balloon (amortization payments and large end payment) †¢Increasing balance (negative amortization) Amortization schedules run in chronological order. The first payment is assumed to take place one full payment period after the loan was taken out, not on the first day (the amortization date) of the loan. The last payment completely pays off the remainder of the loan.Often, the last payment will be a slightly different amount than all earlier payments. In addition to breaking down each payment into interest and principal portions, an amortization schedule also reveals interest-paid-to-date, principal-paid-to-date, and the remaining principal ba lance on each payment date. Example amortization schedule This amortization schedule is based on the following assumptions: First, it should be known that rounding errors occur and depending how the lender ccumulates these errors, the blended payment (principal + interest) may vary slightly some months to keep these errors from accumulating; or, the accumulated errors are adjusted for at the end of each year, or at the final loan payment. There are a few crucial points worth noting when mortgaging a home with an amortized loan. First, there is substantial disparate allocation of the monthly payments toward the interest, especially during the first 18 years of the mortgage. In the example above, payment 1 allocates about 80-90% of the total payment towards interest and only $67. 9 (or 10-20%) toward the Principal balance. The exact percentage allocated towards payment of the principal depends on the interest rate. Not until payment 257 or 21 years into the loan does the payment alloc ation towards principal and interest even out and subsequently tip the majority of the monthly payment toward Principal balance pay down. Second, understanding the above statement, the repetitive refinancing of an amortized mortgage loan, even with decreasing interest rates and decreasing Principal balance, can cause the borrower to pay over 500% of the value of the original loan amount. Re-amortization' or restarting the amortization schedule via a refinance causes the entire schedule to restart: the new loan will be 30 years from the refinance date, and initial payments on this loan will again be largely interest, not principal. If the rate is the same, say 8%, then the interest/principal allocation will be the same as at the start of the original loan (say, 90/10). This economically unfavorable situation is often mitigated by the apparent decrease in monthly payment and interest rate of a refinance, when in fact the borrower is increasing the total cost of the property.This fact is often (understandably) overlooked by borrowers. Third, the payment on an amortized mortgage loan remains the same for the entire loan term, regardless of Principal balance owed but only for a fixed rate, fully amortizing loan. For example, the payment on the above scenario will remain $733. 76 regardless if the Principal balance is $100,000 or $50,000. Paying down large chunks of the Principal balance in no way affects the monthly payment, it simply reduces the term of the loan and reduces the amount of interest that can be charged by the lender resulting in a quicker payoff.To avoid these caveats of an amortizing mortgage loan many borrowers are choosing an interest-only loan to satisfy their mortgage financing needs. Interest-only loans have their caveats as well which must be understood before choosing the mortgage payment term that is right for the individual borrower. 3 Amortization calculator An amortization calculator is used to determine the periodic payment amount due on a loan (typically a mortgage), based on the amortization process. The amortization repayment model factors varying amounts of both interest and principal into every installment, though the total amount of each payment is the same.An amortization schedule calculator is often used to adjust the loan amount until the monthly payments will fit comfortably into budget, and can vary the interest rate to see the difference a better rate might make in the kind of home or car one can afford. An amortization calculator can also reveal the exact dollar amount that goes towards interest and the exact dollar amount that goes towards principal out of each individual payment. The amortization schedule is a table delineating these figures across the duration of the loan in chronological order.The formula The calculation used to arrive at the periodic payment amount assumes that the first payment is not due on the first day of the loan, but rather one full payment period into the loan. While normal ly used to solve for A, (the payment, given the terms) it can be used to solve for any single variable in the equation provided that all other variables are known. One can rearrange the formula to solve for any one term, except for i, for which one can use a root-finding algorithm. The annuity formula is: Where: †¢A = periodic payment amount P = amount of principal, net of initial payments, meaning â€Å"subtract any down-payments† †¢i = periodic interest rate †¢n = total number of payments This formula is valid if i > 0. If i = 0 then simply A = P / n. For a 30-year loan with monthly payments, Note that the interest rate is commonly referred to as an annual percentage rate (e. g. 8% APR), but in the above formula, since the payments are monthly, the rate must be in terms of a monthly percent. Converting an annual interest rate (that is to say, annual percentage yield or APY) to the onthly rate is not as simple as dividing by 12, see the formula and discussion in APR. However if the rate is stated in terms of â€Å"APR† and not â€Å"annual interest rate†, then dividing by 12 is an appropriate means of determining the monthly interest rate. Derivation of the formula The formula for the periodic payment amount is derived as follows. For an amortization schedule, we can define a function that represents the principal amount remaining at time . We can then derive a formula for this function given an unknown payment amount and .We can generalize this to Applying the substitution (see geometric progressions) We end up with For payment periods, we expect the principal amount will be completely paid off at the last payment period, or Solving for A, we get or After substitution and simplification we get 4 Negative amortization In finance, negative amortization, also known as NegAm, deferred interest or graduated payment mortgage, occurs whenever the loan payment for any period is less than the interest charged over that period so th at the outstanding balance of the loan increases.As an amortization method the shorted amount (difference between interest and repayment) is then added to the total amount owed to the lender. [1] Such a practice would have to be agreed upon before shorting the payment so as to avoid default on payment. This method is generally used in an introductory period before loan payments exceed interest and the loan becomes self-amortizing. The term is most often used for mortgage loans; corporate loans which have negative amortization are called PIK loans. Amortization refers to the process of paying off a debt (often from a loan or mortgage) over time through regular payments.A portion of each payment is for interest while the remaining amount is applied towards the principal balance. The percentage of interest versus principal in each payment is determined in an amortization schedule. 5. Amortizing loan In banking and finance, an amortizing loan is a loan where the principal of the loan is paid down over the life of the loan (that is, amortized) according to some amortization schedule, typically through equal payments. Similarly, an amortizing bond is a bond that repays part of the principal (face value) along with the coupon payments.Compare with a sinking fund, which amortizes the total debt outstanding by repurchasing some bonds. Each payment to the lender will consist of a portion of interest and a portion of principal. Mortgage loans are typically amortizing loans. The calculations for an amortizing loan are those of an annuity using the time value of money formulas, and can be done using an amortization calculator. An amortizing loan should be contrasted with a bullet loan, where a large portion of the loan will be paid at the final maturity date instead of being paid down gradually over the loan's life.An accumulated amortization loan represents the amount of amortization expense that has been claimed since the acquisition of the asset. Effects Amortization of debt has two major effects: Credit risk First and most importantly, it substantially reduces the credit risk of the loan or bond. In a bullet loan (or bullet bond), the bulk of the credit risk is in the repayment of the principal at maturity, at which point the debt must either be paid off in full or rolled over. By paying off the principal over time, this risk is mitigated. Interest rate riskA secondary effect is that amortization reduces the duration of the debt, reducing the debt's sensitivity to interest rate risk, as compared to debt with the same maturity and coupon rate. This is because there are smaller payments in the future, so the weighted-average maturity of the cash flows is lower. Weighted-average life Main article: Weighted-average life The number weighted average of the times of the principal repayments of an amortizing loan is referred to as the weighted-average life (WAL), also called â€Å"average life†. It's the average time until a dollar of principal is repaid. In a formula, where: †¢ is the principal, is the principal repayment in coupon , hence †¢ is the fraction of the principal repaid in coupon , and †¢ is the time from the start to coupon †¢ 6. Amortization (tax law) In tax law, amortization refers to the cost recovery system for intangible property. Although the theory behind cost recovery deductions of amortization is to deduct from basis in a systematic manner over an asset's estimated useful economic life so as to reflect its consumption, expiration, obsolescence or other decline in value as a result of use or the passage of time, many times a perfect match of income and deductions does not occur for policy reasons.Depreciation A corresponding concept for tangible assets is depreciation. Methodologies for allocating amortization to each tax period are generally the same as for depreciation. However, many intangible assets such as goodwill or certain brands may be deemed to have an indefinite useful lif e, or â€Å"self-created† and are therefore not subject to amortization

Animal farm Analysis Essay essays

Animal farm Analysis Essay essays George Orwells Animal Farm is a novel based around how the animals of Manor Farm overthrew their human master, after they were mistreated and fed very little by Mr Jones and his workers. Orwell tells about the events that occurred when the animals tried to run the farm, however Napoleons failure to lead well results in damaging consequences for the welfare and the interests of other animals on the farm. After the rebellion took place the animals put in writing the Seven Commandments by which all of the animals would live. From this point all of the animals were supposed to be treated equally and were to have a better way of life, but this didnt happen. Napoleon who was an intelligent pig, made sure that he would be the one who took control of the farm, but before he could do this, he had to ensure that his arch rival Snowball was out of the picture. With Snowball gone, Napoleon was in the position to take control of the running of the farm. Napoleon was in the elite class, and the use of Napoleons power is illustrated in the novel when the animals are reassured by Squealer saying: Do not imagine, comrades, that leadership is a pleasure. On the contrary, it is a deep and heavy responsibility. No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be? This is an example of Napoleon using his power to ensure that the other animals had faith in him and trusted him. Napoleon was taking advantage of the animals, and Napoleon had to ensure that the animals were on his side. A successful leader wouldnt need to brainwash the animals into believing him, only a failing leader would do this. The animals started the construction of the windmill and the other work on the farm, and it is evident th ...

What to Do if Youre Failing a Class in College

What to Do if You're Failing a Class in College Failing a class in college can be a major problem if its not handled in the right way. A failed class can have an impact on your academic record, your progress toward graduation, your financial aid, and even your self-esteem. How you handle the situation once you know youre failing a college course, however, can have a significant influence on what happens after grades get turned in. Ask for Help as Soon as Possible Ask for help as soon as possible once you know you are in danger of failing any class during your time in college. Keep in mind, too, that help can take many different forms. You can ask for assistance from a tutor, your professor, your academic adviser, a learning center on campus, your friends, a teaching assistant, members of your family, or even people in the surrounding community. But no matter where you go, start going somewhere. Reaching out for help just may be the best thing you can do. Learn What Your Options Are Is it too late in the semester or quarter to drop the class? Can you switch to a pass/fail option? Can you withdraw - and if you do so, what is the impact on your transcript or financial aid eligibility (and even health insurance)? Once you realize youre failing a class, your options vary depending on when in the semester or quarter you make that realization. Check with your academic adviser, the registrars office, your professor, and the financial aid office about what you can do in your particular situation. Figure Out the Logistics If you can drop the course, when is the add/drop deadline? By when do you have to get paperwork in - and to whom? Dropping a course at various parts in the semester can have varying effects on your financial aid, too, so check in with the financial aid office about what needs to be done (and by when). Give yourself a little extra time, too, to gather all the signatures and coordinate other logistics for whatever you plan to do. Take Action One of the worst things you can do is to realize you are failing a class and then do nothing. Dont dig yourself in deeper by not going to class anymore and pretending like the problem doesnt exist. That F on your transcript may be seen years later by future employers or graduate schools (even if you think, today, that youll never want to go). Even if youre not sure what to do, talking with someone and taking some action about your situation is a critical step to take. Don't Be Too Hard on Yourself Lets be honest: lots of people fail classes and go on to live perfectly normal, healthy, productive lives. Its really not the end of the world, even if it feels overwhelming at the moment. Failing a class is something that youll handle and move on from, just like everything else. Dont stress too much and do your best to learn something from the situation - even if its how to not let yourself fail a class ever again.

Select an ebusiness company (regional or international) and prepare a Essay

Select an ebusiness company (regional or international) and prepare a case study about what makes it special (you may want to re - Essay Example These retail firms like Amazon are countering the sale and purchase of large number of products pertaining to different categories through its internet sphere. In fact, the emergence of these online retail firms has changed the way through which the people generally make purchases and sales. People started becoming more accustomed to the virtual sphere where they were presented with a huge variety of options of many commodities belonging to different categories. Further the online retail firms like Amazon started intensifying their product portfolio through the activities of mergers and acquisitions and presented to the customers quality products at cheap and affordable prices. Further the study of Amazon is also conducted based on the twelve new principles brought out for the emerging internet economy by Kelvin Kelly. The activities of Amazon is also closely monitored against the practices of its several competitors like EBay in the online retail market and other physical dealers of books and compact discs like Waterstone’s Book company. Such close monitoring would help to understand the effects and potency of Amazon’s strategic initiatives taken to rule the online retail market. ... Amazon.com also earned fame for being the selling agent of a large number of popular retail firms belonging to various sectors. The company puts increased focus to gather a huge market share and also to augment its profitability position. Amazon.com commenced its pioneering work from the period of 1990 owing to the mass scale development and spread of internet user in both domestic and commercial purposes. The advancement of internet helped many companies to conduct sales and purchase activities among a large number of customers on a worldwide basis via the web sphere. In this context, Jeff Bezos came out with an amazing business plan during 1994 which later shaped into Amazon.com to venture into the sphere of online retailing. In the initial years the company mainly highlighted on the selling of books, videos, compact discs, and other computer peripherals and accessories through the online sphere. The company focusing on the sales of books, compact discs, videos and other stuffs str essed on providing the customers with products with a low price range that would help in mass market penetration in lesser time periods. Amazon.com earned a huge popularity within a short period in this direction for the quick delivery of orders placed with it. The company through a large database of publishers and wholesalers helped in faster dispatch of ordered books and materials. Furthermore the company by offering discounts on various categories created a further interest in the consumer’s mind to make purchases through its website. The company also focused to enhance it customer relationship activities through encouraging them in making recommendations, and providing other services like generating information about new

Welfare Reform in the US Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Welfare Reform in the US - Essay Example Drug testing for welfare recipients would save money and effectively limit the number of drug abusers collecting money. Each year in the United States, approximately four hundred billion dollars is given to citizens in the form of welfare. The recipients are out of work or do not make enough money to live a healthy, albeit basic, lifestyle. The cash assistance given is used towards housing, bills and utilities, food, and clothing, and the primary focus is ensuring that any children involved are being taken care of. Though many recipients use their money to make sure their families have food in their stomachs and a roof over their heads, roughly twenty percent of recipients use their government aid to fuel their illegal drug use. They may be in the same financial distress as others on welfare, but instead of using their government aid to improve the quality of their lives, they use it to make it increasingly worse. It has been proposed that people who apply for welfare should be drug tested before being allowed to receive cash assistance from the government. By drug testing recipients, the government can weed out the people who have the potential to abuse the system by using their money on illegal substances. ...It almost becomes a case of who is more deserving of government aid. However, a need for it has arisen. Drug testing potential welfare recipients can be monetarily beneficial for the government. If they stop supplying drug addicts with money, that money can be put to other state or national uses. The extra money can also be put towards other families that need financial assistance and will spend the money on necessities. Another possible outcome that could come as a result of drug testing recipients is that by cutting drug abusers from a primary source of money, then the drug users will have less opportunity to obtain drugs. In the end, more money will exist for the people who sincerely need it to improve their lives, and increasingly less money will be available for the drug abusers to feed their addiction.