Boiled Frog Phenomenon

Boiled Frog Phenomenon Strategic management is very important for success in the increasingly changing global economy. Easily said than done, many organizations fail to plan appropriately leading to failure of major corporations (Dess Lumpkin, 2009, p. 23).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Boiled Frog Phenomenon specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Apart from failure in planning, some business failures have resulted from slow decisions and inactions. â€Å"Boiling frog phenomenon† is one of the explanations that can be offered to many business failure cases in the last two decades. A widespread phrase, â€Å"boiling frog phenomenon† is an important consideration in strategic management. The allegory of â€Å"boiled frog† has a widespread usage in history. If a frog is immersed in a pot containing hot water, it would definitely jump out and save its life. However, a frog submerged in a pot containing cold water and temperat ure raised gradually may fail to notice the rising temperatures ending up being boiled alive. Though there is no barrier preventing the frog from jumping out of the pot, it fails to take the necessary action since change in temperature seems to be very minimal (Polynice, 2008, par 2). Culturally the story is used to warn people who fail to notice or take action to gradual change in their lives. Unable to notice the gradual changes, such people may find themselves in great trouble later on. The â€Å"boiled frog phenomenon† is relevant in many areas of life. In business, the phenomenon is used to warn of the need to notice and take actions to gradual changes. Like the â€Å"boiled frog†, an organization that fails to respond to gradual changes in its area may find itself in great trouble. An organization must be able to notice gradual changes in its market, human resources, technological or legal environment to be successful (Burke, Trahant Koonce, 1999, p. 17). In str ategic management the phenomenon is also used to refer to a strategy for implementing changes in an organization. Implementing changes gradually helps minimize resistance to change. A fair example of â€Å"boiled frog phenomenon† in United States is the failure of Enron. Formed in 1985, Enron developed to be a major player in energy industry in North America. Enron management, led by Kenneth Lay, was obsessed with success. They wanted the organization appear to be doing well despite of various failed projects.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The main concern for the management was maintaining a positive image to stakeholders and the public, and ensuring positive trend of the company’s share prices in the stock market. Instead of addressing the causes of declining performance, the management opted for manipulating books of account in order to portray t he organization to be profitable. After years of unethical accounting practice, the gap in the books of account was too large to conceal (Mclean Elkind, 2004, p. 132). Between 1990 and 2000, the organization registered consistent increase in its share prices. Enron management did not notice the water they were in boiling. By December 2000, Enron’s share price in the stock market was about $83 per share. The share prices however fell as low as $0.63 per share after the scandal was revealed later in 2001. â€Å"Boiling frog phenomenon† is relevant in business as in other areas. To be successful an organization has to strategically deal with gradual changes affecting it. It is prudent not only to notice the changes but also take the necessary action. Collapse of Enron illustrates the risk of â€Å"boiling frog syndrome†. To the organization’s management, manipulating books of account was a prudent thing to do at the beginning but this got out of control. Re ference List Burke, W., Trahant, W. Koonce, R. (1999). Business climate shifts: profiles of change makers. New York: Butterworth-Hernemann. Dess, G., Lumpkin, G. (2009). Strategic Management: Creating Competitive Advantage.New York: MaGraw-Hill.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Boiled Frog Phenomenon specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Mclean, B. Elkind, P. (2004). The Smartest Guys in the Room: the amazing rise and scandalous fall of Enron. New York: Penguin. Polynice, D. (2008). The â€Å"Boiled Frog Phenomenon. Retrieved from https://ezinearticles.com/?The-Boiled-Frog-Phenomenonid=932310

Geography of Burma or Myanmar

Geography of Burma or Myanmar Population: 53,414,374 (July 2010 estimate)Capital: Rangoon (Yangon)Bordering Countries: Bangladesh, China, India, Laos, and ThailandLand Area: 261,228 square miles (676,578 sq km)Coastline: 1,199 miles (1,930 km)Highest Point: Hkakabo Razi at 19,295 feet (5,881 m)Burma, officially called the Union of Burma, is the largest country by area located in Southeast Asia. Burma is also known as Myanmar. Burma comes from the Burmese word Bamar which is the local word for Myanmar. Both words refer to the majority of the population being Burman. Since British colonial times, the country has been known as Burma in English however, in 1989, the military government in the country changed many of the English translations and changed the name to Myanmar. Today, countries and world organizations have decided on their own which name to use for the country. The United Nations for example, calls it Myanmar, while many English speaking countries call it Burma.History of BurmaBurmas early history is domi nated by the successive rule of several different Burman dynasties. The first of these to unify the country was the Bagan Dynasty in 1044 CE. During their rule, Theravada Buddhism rose in Burma and a large city with pagodas and Buddhist monasteries was built along the Irrawaddy River. In 1287, however, the Mongols destroyed the city and took control of the area.In the 15th century, the Taungoo Dynasty, another Burman dynasty, regained control of Burma and according to the U.S. Department of State, established a large multi-ethnic kingdom that was focused on expansion and the conquest of Mongol territory. The Taungoo Dynasty lasted from 1486 to 1752.In 1752, the Taungoo Dynasty, was replaced by the Konbaung, the third and final Burman dynasty. During Konbaung rule, Burma underwent several wars and was invaded four times by China and three times by the British. In 1824, the British began their formal conquest of Burma and in 1885, it gained full control of Burma after annexing it to British India.During World War II, the 30 Comrades, a group of Burmes e nationalists, attempted to drive out the British, but in 1945 the Burmese Army joined British and U.S. troops in an effort to force out the Japanese. After WWII, Burma again pushed for independence and in 1947 a constitution was completed followed by full independence in 1948.From 1948 to 1962, Burma had a democratic government but there was widespread political instability within the country. In 1962, a military coup took over Burma and established a military government. Throughout the rest of the 1960s and into the 1970s and 1980s, Burma was politically, socially and economically unstable. In 1990, parliamentary elections took place but the military regime refused to acknowledge the results.During the early 2000s, the military regime remained in control of Burma despite several attempts for overthrow and protests in favor of a more democratic government. On August 13, 2010, the military government announced that parliamentary elections would take place on November 7, 2010.Government of BurmaToday Burmas government is still a military regime that has seven administrative divisions and seven states. Its executive branch is made u p of a chief of state and head of government, while its legislative branch is a unicameral Peoples Assembly. It was elected in 1990, but the military regime never allowed it to be seated. Burmas judicial branch consists of remnants from the British colonial era but the country has no fair trial guarantees for its citizens.Economics and Land Use in BurmaBecause of stringent government controls, Burmas economy is unstable and much of its population lives in poverty. Burma is however, rich in natural resources and there is some industry in the country. As such, much of this industry is based on agriculture and the processing of its minerals and other resources. Industry includes agricultural processing, wood and wood products, copper, tin, tungsten, iron, cement, construction materials, pharmaceuticals, fertilizer, oil and natural gas, garments, jade and gems. Agricultural products are rice, pulses, beans, sesame, groundnuts, sugarcane, hardwood, fish and fish products.Geography and Climate of BurmaBurma has a long coastline that borders the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Its topography i s dominated by central lowlands that are ringed by steep, rugged coastal mountains. The highest point in Burma is Hkakabo Razi at 19,295 feet (5,881 m). The climate of Burma is considered tropical monsoon and as such it has hot, humid summers with rain from June to September and dry mild winters from December to April. Burma is also prone to hazardous weather like cyclones. For example in May 2008, Cyclone Nargis hit the countrys Irrawaddy and Rangoon divisions, wiped out entire villages and left 138,000 people dead or missing.ReferencesCentral Intelligence Agency. (3 August 2010). CIA - The World Factbook - Burma. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bm.htmlInfoplease.com. (n.d.). Myanmar: History, Geography, Government, and Culture- Infoplease.com. Retrieved from: infoplease.com/ipa/A0107808.html#axzz0wnnr8CKBUnited States Department of State. (28 July 2010). Burma. Retrieved from: state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35910.htmWikipedia.com. (16 August 2010). Burma - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedi a.org/wiki/Burma

Controversy Analysis -- Death Penalty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Controversy Analysis -- Death Penalty - Essay Example The topic is of interest to me in that I would like to know why some countries still practice death penalty and why others abolished. Personally I view death penalty as inhuman and that it is better for capital offenders to be life imprisoned than executed. They could be given a chance to live because humans are made to make mistakes. Therefore, the death penalty should be banned and other form of punishments should be embarked to judge capital criminal offenders. In â€Å"ancient Greece’s death penalty dilemma and its influence on modern society† by Robert Blecker explains the history of death penalty, and reasons why abolitionist are against the act. The abolitionists term the act as being cruel, inconsistent and do not value human beings. They further claim that death, as a punishment is not equitable to any punishment regardless of the size of the crime. According to Blecker, the death penalty should be abolished since it goes against human culture (Blecker 60). He further adds that for the past 30 years many countries are in a big dilemma on how to punish people who have committed capital crimes. From 1200-800 B.C homicide was termed to be more personal than a capital crime. The victim’s family without the involvement of the law punished a person who had committed murder through death (Blecker 60). The victim’s family either killed him or took a monetary exchange equitable to the crime committed. However, in ancient Greece they claimed that monetary value is not comparable to the blood of a human being. Therefore, a capital criminal offender just punishment was death. For instance, in Athens once, the family of the victim went public, the offender was considered a pollutant to the society and anyone had a mandate to kill the offender once spotted. Nevertheless, over the years many European countries have abolished capital punishment and have embraced life imprisonment for capital offenders. The US however, still practice the act for any individual found guilty of capital offenses. Constitutional debate on death penalty has been going on for years, with some philosophers dismissing the act (Blecker 61). The law is required to be careful when the decision is made to execute an individual. Certain considerations should be made on whether the victim of the death penalty is a juvenile or not, or whether the individual is mentally stable. In addition, the abolitionist also recommends that one time criminal offenders should not be on death penalty, because given a chance they can change. On the contrary, Blecker also discussed the issue of morals with regard to death penalty (Blecker 64). He argued that most people are against death penalty terming it as immoral and inconsiderate. Nonetheless, moral norms differ from one society to another, thus some communities view death penalty as the right way of punishing capital criminal offenders. Some philosophers argue that death penalty was established for the soul purp ose of revenge and retribution. Therefore, death penalty should be practiced based on reasonable facts rather than revenge and hatred (Blecker 65). The article is more about death penalty in ancient Greece. Thus, the article gives in detail the history of death penalty and how the society views the issue. Additionally, the article also gives the changes that have taken place over the years with regard to death penalty. The article’s strong points include the origins of death sentence and the view of abolitionist. Robert Blecker is a professor of law in New York

Mgmt 4420 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mgmt 4420 - Essay Example The impact of global pressures on the talent can include a drop in employee engagement, destruction of company reputation or brand, acute shortage in workshop productivity, delayed retirement, and organizational restructuring. Uncertainties create problems Employee turnovers increase and the pressure to reduce costs emerge on the horizon. However, these responses do not consider the long-term consequences. For businesses to survive given the global external pressures, innovations are necessary and the keys to innovations are the talent. In other words, global pressures require innovations for companies and firms to survive the pressures. At the same time, talent management is key for the required innovations for business survival. Some of the key questions that become more important in talent management are as follows: Clearly, the above questions are the key questions in managing the talent. Good talent management will enable the firm to position itself for survival, advantage, and growth. Good talent management that enhances positioning for survival imply workforce rightsizing, labor cost optimization, improvement in operational efficiency, and doing the basics. Good talent management that promotes positioning for advantage should imply measures that promote accelerated innovation, creation of new operating models, upgrading of critical skills, talent acquisition, flexibility in strategy, and rapid engagement and alignment. Finally, good talent management that results to positioning for growth should imply the following: Thus, talent management is a strategic imperative for business firms (Lubitsh and Smith, 2007, p. 6). The discussion of Cheese et al. (2008) is consistent with what we have discussed in the course. Talent management is about retaining the best talent. We have to selectively retain the talent we need. We ought to fire some if a talent does not have a good fit with the business organization (Hedger, 2007, p.

Attitude Towards Women Fathers and Sons Essay Example for Free

Attitude Towards Women Fathers and Sons Essay To analyze the attitudes towards the women question and the most useful starting point would be to look at the representation of the liberated woman, Yevdoxia Kukshina, which can be contrasted with the representation of Bazarov’s mother or Nikolai Kirsanov’s wife, the women ideals of the older generation. Kukshina is clearly meant to the representative of the radicalism of the 1850s to1860s, â€Å"the progressive, advanced or educated woman : nigilistka or nihilist woman† (Richard Stites). She has ‘vowed to defend the rights of women to the last drop of my blood’ and is scornful of Sand ‘an out of date woman’. She has separated from her husband and plans to go abroad to study in Paris and Heildelberg. She thus, personifies the emergence of new objectives and tactics among the Russian emancipees of the early 1860s. However, it is also quite obvious that while much has been written about Turgenev’s attitude towards his nihilist hero, there is no doubt that the female nihilist Kukshina is an unflattering caricature and as Walter Smyrniw quotes â€Å"Turgenev has deliberately portrayed Kukshina as a ludicrous and repulsive emancipee.† Walter goes on to argue that in his portrayal of Kukshina, Turgenev lampooned only certain undesirable tendencies generated by Russian emancipees. The worst among them was a lack of genuine involvement, an inadequate commitment to the movement itself. Some merely assumed the roles of the emancipated women and hence their behaviour was both contrived and unnatural. Although many critics have argued along the same lines of Turgenev’s portrayal of Kukshina as a device for irony â€Å"the progressive louse which Turgenev combed out of Russian reality† (Dostoevsky) and that he has assumed the same sentiment in respect to Russian men who merely assumed the pose of materialists and nihilists (eg. Sitnikov), it is hard to escape that in the description of her person and household we find some of the stereotyping of radical women found in most conservative writing. He did not hesitate in expressing value judgments when ridiculing the pretentiousness and hypocrisy of Russian women who merely played the role of emancipees. She is dirty and slovenly in her habits and person, her room is scattered and dusty, her hair disheveled and her dress crumpled. Moreover, her conversation and behaviour is meant to ‘show’ us that her radicalism is shallow and unaffected. The narrator ‘tells’ us that she greets her guests with a string of questions without waiting for answers. It is important to notice here the narrator’s generalization here, which would seem to impute lack of serious concern (feminine casualness) to all women as part of their feminine nature and not to Kukshina as an individual. The narrator draws repeated attention to Kukshina’s unattractive physical appearance almost as if that were partly her fault. Kukshina is unfortunate enough to show her gums above her top teeth when she laughs and her piano playing revels her flat-cut fingernails. However, what is most significant in terms of the dominant patriarchal ideology of the mid-nineteenth century Russia is her declaration, â€Å"I’m free, I have no children.† From a conservative perspective, this would count as near sacrilegious statement. Though Bazarov himself is a serious character, its possible to read Sitnikov as a parody of the younger generation. At Madame Kukshins, the narrator tells us To Sitnikov the chance to be scathing and express contempt was the most agreeable of sensations (13.44).

Hispanic Girls Growing up on the Border Essay -- Essays Papers

Hispanic Girls Growing up on the Border The Southwest United States is an area of great diversity. It is located on the border between the US and Mexico. In this region there are four main ethnicities represented: Hispanics, African Americans, Anglo Americans, and Native Americans. These groups interact daily working in the same offices and going to school together. Youth of each ethnicity face risks as they grow up. By focusing on the Hispanic adolescent girl the extent of the possible risks to one ethnicity can be explored. These risks will include motivation at school, the risk of dropping out of school, the at-risk classification, which includes gang involvement, and teen pregnancy. The results of studies focused on the risks to Hispanic girls will be compared to an interview with a Hispanic girl living in Tucson, Arizona and what she feels the actual risks are. Through the comparison a full view of the risks to adolescent Hispanic girls growing up in the border region will be seen. At-Risk girls is a term used over and over in order to describe girls that may be predisposed to problems such as dropping out of school or joining gangs. Girls classified as at risk share many of the same characteristics. Not having English as a native language is one of the risk factors attributed to the at risk girl classification. For first and, often, second generation Hispanics the language barrier is a problem leading to poor economic standing and poor education. In the border region this problem is evident in some schools since they may "consist primarily of Mexican American students, most of whom are considered at-risk based on language barriers, economic disadvantages, and poor family education"(Sonne... ...erimental Education 62.1 (1993): 60-71. Granleese, Jaqueline & Joseph, Stephen. "Self-Perception Profile of Adolescent Girls at a Single-Sex and Mixed Sex School." Journal of Genetic Psychology 154.4 (1993): 525-530. Jones, Randall M. & Lauver, Philip J. "Factors Associated With Perceived Career Options in American Indian, White, and Hispanic Rural High School Students." Journal of Counseling Psychology 38.2 (1991): 159-166. Menchaca, Velma D. "Achievement Motivation in Mexican-American Eighth Grade Students." Psychological Reports 72.3 (1993): 971-978. Osborne, Jason W. "Race and Academic Disidentification." Journal of Educational Psychology 89.4 (1997): 728-735. Sonnenblick, Melissa D. "The GALLS Club: Promoting Belonging Among At-Risk Adolescent Girls." The School Counselor 44 (1997): 243-245. Smith, Josie. Personal interview. 24 Mar. 1999.

American Gangster Film Review by Steven Zaillian

A Film Review November 27, 2007 Title: American Gangster Genre: Gangster Writer: Steven Zaillian Director: Ridley Scott Date and Place of performance: November 21, 2007 at my house On November 21, 2007, I was home for break and watched an interesting-historical film titled American Gangster. The film was written by Steven Zaillian and was directed by Ridley Scott. American Gangster was a gangster movie that reflected back on the pass. The performance environment was at my house in the living room on a DVD player. The room was dark, cool, and very comfortable, which made it very relaxing and easier to watch and study the film. American Gangster took place in Harlem, New Jersey, in the 1960’s and 1970’s. It was a movie that was based on a true story, of a man by the name of Frank Lucas. American Gangster was basically about Frank Lucas and his life as a big time business man, big time street-pharmacist, but most of all a family man. Frank Lucas was a business man of street drugs; he was a gangster, who transported drugs from Bangkok in the Vietnam War to the east cost of the United States. Frank Lucas was not just and old street-pharmacist, he was smart he had people working for him, people on his side, like the war, the mob, but most of all his family. He got his money up and had his family had his family move from North Carolina over to New Jersey, in a big white house, this way his brothers could work for him and his clientele would increase and he would save money because his family was working for him. Lucas was also smart because he was not like the other gangsters, he did not flash around his money, and he did not wear loud colored clothing. Lucas wore regular suites, as if he was a true business man, he did not have anybody on to him until people started dying from the drugs he had out on the streets, called Blue Magic. It was called Blue Magic because it was a pure drug, nothing in it was mixed. Lucas had the whole east coast on this Blue Magic; he had the Queens, Bergen Country, N. J. , Brooklyn, and the Bronx. This is when a man by the name of Rickie Roberts came in; he was a man who worked for the law and in a prosecutor’s office. Rickie Roberts was a good cope, at least he thought, he did something no cope would ever do, he turned in nine-hundred-eighty-seven-thousand dollars unmarked cash and did not one police officers respect him for it. Roberts had a lot in his life, he had a son whose mother was taking him to court for custody of the child, he was going to school to become a lawyer and his state bar test was coming up, and he wants to catch Frank Lucas. Roberts finds out about the Blue Magic by his partner dying from it, then that is when he started letting his guard down by wearing the flashy coat his wife bought for him. This is when Roberts had the man he was looking for; he just needed a way to stop him. In the end Lucas finally was caught coming out from church, by Roberts. He was convicted of conspiracy to distribute narcotics and was sentenced to seventy-years in prison but he only served fifteen-years and was released in 1991. His brothers were convicted on drug trafficking. His mother moved back to North Carolina, and his wife moved to Puerto Rico. However, Rickie Roberts quit the prosecutors’ office and became a defense attorney; his first client was Frank Lucas. The film is episodic because of the short scenes and numerous characters. The type of message I received from this movie was â€Å"don’t sale drugs†, because you only in up in two places behind bars or six feet under. It also gave me the feeling of a person getting fast money not working hard for what they want, but â€Å"good things come to people who are patience and work hard†. American Gangster is compared to the American dream; and the American dream is defined as having a nice house, good paying job, kids and a dog, and no worries in the world. The way I think American Gangster relates to that is, Frank Lucas did kind of lived the American dream and beyond because he had a nice house for his family and a good paying illegal job, a dog but no kids of his own, I guess his brothers were his kids. The purpose of this film was to inform audiences about a, true life story, of a man who tried to live the American dream by selling drugs and his negative results. The writing of this film was very unique. I thought the film was a work of considerable technical as well as artistic merit, because it makes you respect and acknowledge the fact that this was a smart dangerous man. I think, Zaillian’s, point of view of this movie was to express how Frank Lucas’s life really was, and to get the audience to feel the hurt that Lucas went through. I thought the story and the theme was interesting because it showed how greed, wealth, progress, and success can lead to trouble in someone life. I think â€Å"the more money you have, the more problems you will see†. The reason why I think this is because Lucas, over the time became greedy and he was not able to receive drugs anymore because the war was over. So he started to have problems with everything, life, family, and his wife. I thought the story gave a fresh insight into human condition of wealth and greed. I thought the American Gangster was based and a portrayal source of historical events, for example, when Roberts’s partner killed the black man for drugs at that apartment, and all the black people were outside the apartment ready to charge the door. It seemed like a riot to me. The whole movie was a historical event because it was based on a true story, which is historical. The director uses a lot of money as a symbol of evil and trouble. I think this because everybody who had money or was real wealthy in this movie was evil and had a lot of troubles in their life. The irony of it was Rickie Roberts. For example, when he had the chanced to have a lot of money he did not take it, he turned it in instead, and everybody thought he was stupid for it, but really he was smart for turning in the money. I think this because the money would have brought evil and trouble to his life and since he turned it in, I think he was the real wealthy person because in the end he to Frank Lucas, he passed his law exam, and was able to become a defense attorney. The directing of this movie was great. I thought the story was told in a visually interesting way, because it showed a lot of action and it was not just about gangsters it was also about learning how to survive in the streets. The special effects were very effective, the way characters would get shot looked real, but most of all when they showed characters use the drugs and the way their skin would look after wards. The director did a great job on the location and studio environment because the sound effects and picture was nice a clear. I think American Gangster did not really show, Ridley Scott’s, personal style of movies, because this movie was about someone’s life and they had to make it like Frank Lucas’s life was back in those days. I thought the actor’s performances were guided by the director effectively. The acting of American Gangster was great. The stars of American Gangster were; Russell Crowe, Denzel Washington, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Cuba Gooding, J. R. I thought their performances were real life like; it gave me that real street life feeling. These are also all magnificent actresses. The actors who played the supporting roles were so effective I would have thought they were professionals. The actors made American Gangster, Frank Lucas’s, story seem believable, serious, and heart fulfilling. The editing was interesting and effective. The sequences do develop emotional impact. For example, when he bought his mother and his family the new house, to see the happy look on his mother’s face when she was told that it was her house, was so emotional it gave that deep feeling like when you want to cry for something that is good. The unusual or symbolic juxtaposition I thought added interest was when Rickie Roberts was trying to put the pieces together by taking pictures trying to put the pieces together by taking pictures of suspects and putting their pictures in order so the story would come together and it would get him closer to Frank Lucas and the bottom of the story. In the end Frank Lucas put all the pictures in order and told the story. The production elements of the movie were effective. The setting of the movie was effective, because it starts with Frank Lucas killing someone by setting them on fire and then he shot them. This made me feel like it was going to be a really good action movie. The lighting was effective it set the moods. The music set the mood as well, when it was sad, happy, and intense. The costumes and makeup were effective; the actors played their parts well when it came down to acting like an old school gangster. For example, when Frank Lucas went into the hood to sale his products he was made up in an afro and long beard, he would be in disguised. The special effects were effective, when they showed the dead bodies on the Army plane, they looked real. There were no continuity breaks while watching this film. The elements that I was able to identify were the music, the special effects, and the makeup. My overall impression of the film was great, I really enjoyed it. The film’s strengths were the special effects and the acting. For example, the special effects were good when someone was shot and when they showed the dead bodies in the army bags. The all around best, I think Denzel Washington is a good actress in every movie he makes. The film’s weaknesses was none, I do not think I seen any weaknesses. I was not disturbed by anything; I was impressed with the whole movie. The movie was great; I would recommend others to experience this film. The iconographic that I came upon was when Frank Lucas speaks of being to loud, like the big bright suits they wore. This made me think of the street-pharmacist today, their profile is big cars with a loud color paint job and loud music with flashy clothing. I think foreshadowing was used when Rickie Roberts gets Lucas’s cousin to snitch, then he tells him that Frank Lucas will find out he snitched then he will kill him because he was his cousin. The films political significance was the use of violence, when the whole world became greedy and wanted money and drugs. The social significance was the study of the society in Harlem, went from bad to everybody on drugs and dying, which I would call it social dead zone. The film historical significance was that it was based on a true story. If the film was from another culture, their conventions would be interesting and unusual. The movie did have subtitles; it was necessary and beneficial to read the subtitles. The effect it had was good; I was able to understand what was going on in the movie and not get confused. I think American Gangster can not be a sequel because it was based on a true story of someone’s life. My critical perspective of this movie was that it was very unique, never seen anything like it, I feel that it will reduce the numerous of people who sale drugs, and overall it was an in creditable movie.

Degree of Operating Leverage

Operating Leverage:Operating Leverage is the term that describes the impact on operating income of a change in the level of output. Brigham says that â€Å"If a high percentage of a firm’s costs are fixed, and hence do not decline when demand decreases, this increases he company’s business risk. This factor is called operating leverage. If a high percentage of a firm’s total costs are fixed, the firm is said to have a high degree of operating leverage. The degree of operating leverage (DOL) is defined as the percentage change in operating income (or EBIT) that results from a given percentage change in sales†¦.In effect, the DOL is an index number which measures the effect of a change in sales [number of units] on operating income, or EBIT.†Autron:Generally, the higher the operating leverage, the more a company's income is affected by fluctuation in sales volume. The higher income vs. sales ratio results from a smaller portion of variable costs, which means the Company does not have to pay as much additional money for each unit produced or sold. The more significant the volume of sales, the more beneficial the investment in fixed costs becomes. Applying this principle the operating leverage of Autron is in a good position and any change in sales volume will not violently affect the income of this company.Ambertech:The position of this company with respect to the Operating Leverage is not advantageous to the company as the ratio is high. It signifies that the fixed costs are at a higher level. This means that any small change in sales volume will adversely affect the profitability of the company.Degree of Financial LeverageCompanyDegree of Financial LeverageFinancial Leverage:‘Financial leverage’ is the term used to describe the impact on returns of a change to the extent to which the firm’s assets are financed with borrowed money. In their 1997 article Buccino and Mckinley define operating leverage as the impa ct of a change in revenue on profit or cash flow. It arises, they say, whenever a firm can increase its revenues without a proportionate increase in operating expenses. Cash allocated to increasing revenue, such as marketing and business development expenditures, are quickly â€Å"consumed by high fixed expenses.†Autron:The degree to which a business is utilizing borrowed money. Companies that are highly leveraged may be at risk of bankruptcy if they are unable to make payments on their debt; they may also be unable to find new lenders in the future. Financial leverage is not always bad, however; it can increase the shareholders return on their investment and often there are tax advantages associated with borrowing. Applying this basic principle, with a low financial leverage, this company is utlising very lower level of borrowed funds. The interest burden on the company will naturally be less and the company is financing its operations from its own sources.Ambertech:As again st the company Autron, this company has high financial leverage which implies that the borrowings are more for this company and the company is running the risk of higher interest payments and meeting their debt commitments on dates.Combined Leverage:A leverage ratio that summarizes the combined effect the degree of operating leverage (DOL), and the degree of financial leverage has on earnings per share (EPS), given a particular change in sales. This ratio can be used to help determine the most optimal level of financial and operating leverage to use in any firm. This ratio can be very useful, as it summarizes the effects of combining both financial and operating leverage, and what effect this combination, or variations of this combination, has on the corporation's earningsAutron:It should be noted that a firm with a relatively high level of combined leverage is seen as  riskier than a firm with less combined leverage, as the  high leverage means more fixed costs to the firm. On the basis of the combined leverage ratio, it can be stated that the company Auton is less riskier as the leverage ratio of – 4.296 is highly advantageous to the firm signifying a lower level of fixed costs and better profitability. As we have seen in the Operating Leverage for this Company, any change in sales volume will result in more profits.Ambertech:In contrast to the company Autron, this company has a higher operating and financial leverage which has resulted in a higher combined leverage. This situation implies that the company’s fixed costs are very high leading to lower profitability. Any change in sales volume will adversely affect the earnings of the company.References:1. Brigham, Eugene F., Fundamentals of Financial Management (1995).2. Buccino, Gerald P. and Kraig S. McKinley, â€Å"The Importance of Operating Leverage in a Turnaround,† Secured Lender (Sept./Oct. 1997), p. 64-68.

Base Form of a Verb Definition and Examples

Base Form of a Verb Definition and Examples In English grammar, the base form of a verb is its simplest form. It exists without a special ending or suffix. Its the form that appears in dictionary entries. lt is also known as the  plain form, simple form, or stem. The base form of a verb functions as the present tense form for  the first- and second-person singular (e.g., I walk, You walk), and the first-, second-, and third-person plural (We walk, You walk, They walk). Said another way, the base form serves as the present tense form for all persons and numbers except the third-person singular,  which has the -s  ending (He walks, She walks, It walks).  Additional verbs can be created with prefixes added to the base verb, for example, overthrow  or undo. The base form also functions as the infinitive (with or without to) and as the present subjunctive  for all persons including the third-person singular. In addition, the base form is used for the imperative mood.   Examples of a Simple Verb Here are some examples of a simple verb, in different contexts: Present Tense Present tense is for action happening now. When I ring the bell, you leave the room.Men live in a fantasy world. I know this because I am one, and I actually receive my mail there. (Scott Adams) Infinitive An infinitive verb is used with to as part of a verb phrase.   I want to see the stars.Its always easier to learn something than to use what youve learned. (Chaim Potok, The Promise, 1967) Present Subjunctive Using the subjunctive tense indicates that the outcome isnt definite. The music teacher insists that John sing.The tour guide recommends that we travel in pairs. In the first example, although the teacher might insist, John might refuse to sing. In the second, some people could disregard the recommendation and go off on their own. Imperative The imperative is a command, with the subject implied as being you (second person). Take my car and drive yourself home.Go to the edge of the cliff and jump off. Build your own wings on the way down. (Ray Bradbury) A Building Block Verb The simple regular verb is used to build other verb forms by using suffixes. (Irregular verbs are beyond the scope of this article.) For example: Simple Past Tense Simple past tense is for action thats completed.   I walked to the store for some bread. Past Perfect Past perfect denotes action that took place before the most recent past action. I had eaten there last year on vacation, but on this years trip, we chose another place nearby.I had walked home after practice yesterday. Continuous, or Progressive, Tenses, and Gerunds Present continuous action is happening now and hasnt finished yet. The simple verb form takes on an -ing and becomes a participle.   I am walking home from school after practice. The participle can also be used for other tenses, such as future continuous.   I will be walking home from school later.   Past continuous shows something continued happening in the past. Contrast it with an action that happened and was then completed: We were walking home when a Stan drove by in his truck.   An -ing form used as a noun is a gerund. Walking is good exercise.

Discover the Worlds Smallest Tree

Discover the World's Smallest Tree Some people claim that the title Worlds Smallest Tree should go to a tiny plant that grows in the coldest regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Salix herbacea, or dwarf willow, is described by some Internet sources as the very smallest tree in the world. Others see the tree as a woody shrub that does not meet the definition of a tree accepted by botanists and foresters. Definition of a Tree The definition of a tree that most tree scholars recognize is a woody plant with a single erect perennial trunk that reaches at least 3 inches in diameter at breast height (DBH)Â  when mature. That certainly does not fit the dwarf willow, although the plant is a willow family member. Dwarf Willow Dwarf Willow or Salix herbacea is one of the smallest woody plants in the world. It typically grows to only 1-6 cm in height and has round, shiny green leaves 1-2 cm long and broad. Like all members of genus Salix, dwarf willow has both male and female catkins but on separate plants. The female catkins are red in color, while the male catkins are yellow.

Legalization of Same-Sex marriage Research Paper

Legalization of Same-Sex marriage - Research Paper Example For example, marriage enables spouses to receive insurance through their partners’ employers. They are also allowed many other rights such as the ability to make decisions for their partner who is being hospitalized, have the right to sue on their partner’s behalf and cannot be forced to testify against them in court. Married couples also pay less in taxes and receive many other social and financial benefits. But because gay couples are legally prevented from marrying, they are excluded from receiving the same considerations that married heterosexual couples enjoy. This paper will more closely examine the benefits denied gay couples as well as the political and legal implications involved with the issue. It will conclude with a discussion involving one of the main non-religious based reasoning’s that those who oppose of gay marriage espouse, the affect of this type of living arrangement on the children of the relationship. Five states plus the District of Columbi a allow same sex marriage and California’s status in currently in the court system. Gay marriage in California will not be allowed to precede until federal and state appeals courts made a decision regarding proposition 8. Gay-rights supporters had petitioned the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and asked it to end the hold put on a San Francisco federal judge's decision last year, that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional and California authorities should stop enforcing it. Other countries such and the UK, Norway, Denmark, and Canada all give full-fledged marital rights to any couple. Seven states and numerous countries allow civil unions. Allowing gay couples to marry works well in several states and countries. Intolerance is the only reason it is not legal in the U.S. Advocates of non-traditional marriage argue that there is no constitutional basis for denying legal matrimony to gay couples. The Constitution not only legitimizes gay marriage but implies that the government sh ould never have considered a ban and should instead actively pursue legalizing gay marriage. As citizens of the United States, all people are guaranteed the inalienable right to pursue happiness. It does not exclude on the basis of sexual preference. The government was originally formed as an entity meant to champion the rights of the individual whether they are on the majority or minority side of public opinion. Laws that were enacted in the South disallowed the marriage between black and white people but were struck down by the Supreme Court. In 1964, the Civil Rights Act followed the tenets of the Constitution by prohibiting this type of discrimination. The opposition to gay marriage is based on prejudice and, as time passes, the concept will become more and more accepted. It, like racial prejudice, will become socially abhorrent (Sullivan, 2000). In addition, the disallowing of gay marriage by legislation violates the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment.   According to t he American Civil Liberties Union, â€Å"The law [against same-sex marriage] discriminates on the basis of sex because it makes one's ability to marry depend on one's gender.† The ACLU continues by saying, â€Å"Classifications which discriminate on the basis of gender must be substantially related to some important government purpose. Tradition by itself is not an important government purpose† (American Civil Liberties Union, 1998, pp. 14-15). In 1997, the General Accounting Office reported that heterosexual married couples enjoyed

Air Quality and Environmental Health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Air Quality and Environmental Health - Essay Example Indoor smoke from solid fuels and unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene are main causes of 580,000 deaths per year. Urban air pollution and exposure to lead and other pollutants are responsible for 405, 000 deaths (World Health Organization, 2005). Studies from the United States and Europe show that persons in an industrialized nation spend more than 90 percent of their time indoors. The indoors however cannot be rendered safer than outdoors since concentration of airborne substances indoors exceed those outdoors. Individuals exposed to it develop chronic diseases more so for those living in the urban areas. Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is the major source of indoor contaminants and it cannot be avoided by nonsmokers who live in the same house. Since the chemicals found in ETS are toxic and carcinogenic, exposure can lead to lung and other cancers, emphysema and other chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and cardiovascular diseases. Everyone gets a share of the effects of harmf ul ETS but children are particularly susceptible (Environmental Protection Agency, 2007). Aside from environmental tobacco smoke, combustion pollutants can also be found at high levels inside homes. This is normally coming from malfunctioning heating devices and motor vehicle emissions. The combustion sources usually contain gaseous pollutants such as carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and sulfur dioxide (SO2). Carbon monoxide is an asphyxiant. It can readily combine with hemoglobin to form carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) which disrupts oxygen transport. The highest with the highest oxygen needs are affected first. CO poisoning symptoms is almost similar to influenza. Nitrogen dioxide is an irritant which mainly affects the mucosa of the eyes, nose, throat and respiratory tract. . Acute S02-related bronchial constriction may also occur in people with asthma or as a hypersensitivity reaction. Pulmonary edema and diffuse lung injury can result form extremely high dose exposure to N02. Acute or chronic bronchitis can result from continued exposure to high N02 levels (Env ironmental Protection Agency, 2007). In addition, airborne lead, mercury vapor, asbestos and radon have its own contribution as health hazards. The microscopic fibers of damaged asbestos-containing material may disperse into the air and inhaled. Its presence within the lungs results to asbestosis, lung cancer and pleural or peritoneal cancer or mesothelioma. The second leading cause of lung cancer is radon. Lead toxicity may alternatively present as acute illness. In children signs and symptoms may include irritability, abdominal pain, emesis, marked ataxia and seizures or loss of consciousness. In adults signs and symptoms include headache, nausea, anorexia, constipation, fatigue, personality changes and hearing loss. Mercury present in paints can be the main source of mercury poisoning (Environmental Protection Agency, 2007). Diesel exhaust particulate is also a primary concern of many communities since it is responsible for 70 percent of the known cancer risk. It also contributes to other respiratory diseases (Air R esources Board, 2005) and pre-existing respiratory diseases can be exacerbated by air pollution. Children who are particularly susceptible to diseases, the Clean Air Coalition claims that children living in more polluted air have