Deception Point Page 1

Prologue Death, in this forsaken place, could come in countless forms. Geologist Charles Brophy had endured the savage splendor of this terrain for years, and yet nothing could prepare him for a fate as barbarous and unnatural as the one about to befall him. As Brophy's four huskies pulled his sled of geologic sensing equipment across the tundra, the dogs suddenly slowed, looking skyward. â€Å"What is it, girls?† Brophy asked, stepping off the sled. Beyond the gathering storm clouds, a twin-rotor transport helicopter arched in low, hugging the glacial peaks with military dexterity. That's odd, he thought. He never saw helicopters this far north. The aircraft landed fifty yards away, kicking up a stinging spray of granulated snow. His dogs whined, looking wary. When the chopper doors slid open, two men descended. They were dressed in full-weather whites, armed with rifles, and moved toward Brophy with urgent intent. â€Å"Dr. Brophy?† one called. The geologist was baffled. â€Å"How did you know my name? Who are you?† â€Å"Take out your radio, please.† â€Å"I'm sorry?† â€Å"Just do it.† Bewildered, Brophy pulled his radio from his parka. â€Å"We need you to transmit an emergency communique. Decrease your radio frequency to one hundred kilohertz.† One hundred kilohertz? Brophy felt utterly lost. Nobody can receive anything that low. â€Å"Has there been an accident?† The second man raised his rifle and pointed it at Brophy's head. â€Å"There's no time to explain. Just do it.† Trembling, Brophy adjusted his transmission frequency. The first man now handed him a note card with a few lines typed on it. â€Å"Transmit this message. Now.† Brophy looked at the card. â€Å"I don't understand. This information is incorrect. I didn't-â€Å" The man pressed his rifle hard against the geologist's temple. Brophy's voice was shaking as he transmitted the bizarre message. â€Å"Good,† the first man said. â€Å"Now get yourself and your dogs into the chopper.† At gunpoint, Brophy maneuvered his reluctant dogs and sled up a skid ramp into the cargo bay. As soon as they were settled, the chopper lifted off, turning westward. â€Å"Who the hell are you!† Brophy demanded, breaking a sweat inside his parka. And what was the meaning of that message! The men said nothing. As the chopper gained altitude, the wind tore through the open door. Brophy's four huskies, still rigged to the loaded sled, were whimpering now. â€Å"At least close the door,† Brophy demanded. â€Å"Can't you see my dogs are frightened!† The men did not respond. As the chopper rose to four thousand feet, it banked steeply out over a series of ice chasms and crevasses. Suddenly, the men stood. Without a word, they gripped the heavily laden sled and pushed it out the open door. Brophy watched in horror as his dogs scrambled in vain against the enormous weight. In an instant the animals disappeared, dragged howling out of the chopper. Brophy was already on his feet screaming when the men grabbed him. They hauled him to the door. Numb with fear, Brophy swung his fists, trying to fend off the powerful hands pushing him outward. It was no use. Moments later he was tumbling toward the chasms below. 1 Toulos Restaurant, adjacent to Capitol Hill, boasts a politically incorrect menu of baby veal and horse carpaccio, making it an ironic hotspot for the quintessential Washingtonian power breakfast. This morning Toulos was busy – a cacophony of clanking silverware, espresso machines, and cellphone conversations. The maitre d' was sneaking a sip of his morning Bloody Mary when the woman entered. He turned with a practiced smile. â€Å"Good morning,† he said. â€Å"May I help you?† The woman was attractive, in her mid-thirties, wearing gray, pleated flannel pants, conservative flats, and an ivory Laura Ashley blouse. Her posture was straight – chin raised ever so slightly – not arrogant, just strong. The woman's hair was light brown and fashioned in Washington's most popular style – the â€Å"anchor-woman† – a lush feathering, curled under at the shoulders†¦ long enough to be sexy, but short enough to remind you she was probably smarter than you. â€Å"I'm a little late,† the woman said, her voice unassuming. â€Å"I have a breakfast meeting with Senator Sexton.† The maitre d' felt an unexpected tingle of nerves. Senator Sedgewick Sexton. The senator was a regular here and currently one of the country's most famous men. Last week, having swept all twelve Republican primaries on Super Tuesday, the senator was virtually guaranteed his party's nomination for President of the United States. Many believed the senator had a superb chance of stealing the White House from the embattled President next fall. Lately Sexton's face seemed to be on every national magazine, his campaign slogan plastered all across America: â€Å"Stop spending. Start mending.† â€Å"Senator Sexton is in his booth,† the maitre d' said. â€Å"And you are?† â€Å"Rachel Sexton. His daughter.† How foolish of me, he thought. The resemblance was quite apparent. The woman had the senator's penetrating eyes and refined carriage – that polished air of resilient nobility. Clearly the senator's classic good looks had not skipped generations, although Rachel Sexton seemed to carry her blessings with a grace and humility her father could learn from. â€Å"A pleasure to have you, Ms. Sexton.† As the maitre d' led the senator's daughter across the dining area, he was embarrassed by the gauntlet of male eyes following her†¦ some discreet, others less so. Few women dined at Toulos and even fewer who looked like Rachel Sexton. â€Å"Nice body,† one diner whispered. â€Å"Sexton already find himself a new wife?† â€Å"That's his daughter, you idiot,† another replied. The man chuckled. â€Å"Knowing Sexton, he'd probably screw her anyway.† When Rachel arrived at her father's table, the senator was on his cellphone talking loudly about one of his recent successes. He glanced up at Rachel only long enough to tap his Cartier and remind her she was late. I missed you, too, Rachel thought. Her father's first name was Thomas, although he'd adopted his middle name long ago. Rachel suspected it was because he liked the alliteration. Senator Sedgewick Sexton. The man was a silver-haired, silver-tongued political animal who had been anointed with the slick look of soap opera doctor, which seemed appropriate considering his talents of impersonation. â€Å"Rachel!† Her father clicked off his phone and stood to kiss her cheek. â€Å"Hi, Dad.† She did not kiss him back. â€Å"You look exhausted.† And so it begins, she thought. â€Å"I got your message. What's up?† â€Å"I can't ask my daughter out for breakfast?† Rachel had learned long ago her father seldom requested her company unless he had some ulterior motive. Sexton took a sip of coffee. â€Å"So, how are things with you?† â€Å"Busy. I see your campaign's going well.† â€Å"Oh, let's not talk business.† Sexton leaned across the table, lowering his voice. â€Å"How's that guy at the State Department I set you up with?† Rachel exhaled, already fighting the urge to check her watch. â€Å"Dad, I really haven't had time to call him. And I wish you'd stop trying to-â€Å" â€Å"You've got to make time for the important things, Rachel. Without love, everything else is meaningless.† A number of comebacks came to mind, but Rachel chose silence. Being the bigger person was not difficult when it came to her father. â€Å"Dad, you wanted to see me? You said this was important.†

Intangible Assets †Woolworths limited Essay

Intangible Assets: An intangible asset, despite not having a physical form to it, has great value to a company and is to be disclosed in the financial reports. Some companies only disclose the brand and goodwill as their only intangible assets, while others include more such as software and the company trademarks (Loftus et al. 2012). The Accounting Standard AASB 138 advises businesses on the accounting treatment of these intangible assets, but only if the specific criteria have been met for an asset to be recognized as intangible. An intangible asset must encompass three characteristics: Identifiable: An asset has to meet one of the following in order to be considered identifiable. It has to be separable, so that it is recognizable to be different than goodwill. This means it is capable of being sold, licensed, rented, transferred or exchanged, resulting with separation from the business. Or it has to arise from contractual or other legal rights, whether it is separable or not (AASB 2010). Non-monetary in nature: The asset has to be non-monetary. This characteristic is required so that receivables are not considered as an intangible asset by businesses just because the money has been recognized but not received yet (Loftus et al. 2012). Lack of physical substance: This is required so that tangible assets of property, plant and equipment are not being recognized as an intangible asset (Loftus et al. 2012). Also, an asset is strictly only recognized as intangible if it meets both of the following in the recognition criteria: (a) It is probable that the expected future economic benefits that are attributable to the asset will flow to the entity; and (b) The cost of the asset can be measured reliably (AASB 2010) Classes of intangible assets: A class is a group of intangible assets that are of similar nature. Some examples of classes include Brand names, Computer software or Licenses and Franchises, just to name a few. Compliance with Accounting Standards: There is a set of disclosing rules that has been set out for Woolworths to apply to their reporting of intangible assets. It is stated in AASB 138 that for each class of intangible assets, the following shall be disclosed by a business: If the useful lives of the asset is either indefinite or finite and the useful lives or amortization rates if it is finite; Woolworths have clearly stated in their annual report a description on whether the useful life of each class is indefinite or finite. 4 out of 5 classes (excluding goodwill as it was reported separately from the other intangibles) were stated as assets with an indefinite useful life, so no amortization was charged (Woolworths Limited 2012). The method used for amortization on intangible assets with finite useful lives; The research and development class of intangible assets for Woolworths had stated that any spending on development activities where their research results are applied to a development for a new or improved product is to be capitalized if the plan is deemed to be commercially possible, and the business has sufficient resources to complete it. It is explained that this capitalized expenditure is expressed as cost less accumulated amortization and impairment losses (Woolworths Limited 2012), however no specific amortization rates were defined. The gross carrying amount and any accumulated amortization and impairment losses at the beginning and end of the period; The line item(s) of the statement of comprehensive income in which any amortization of intangible assets is included; A reconciliation of the carrying amount at the beginning  and end of the period (AASB 138); Woolworths Limited provided a reconciliation of movements in Intangibles (Appendix 1) from 2011 to 2012 in their 2012 financial report to shareholders (Woolworths Limited 2012). The report was presented with each class of intangible asset separated into their own headings with their own amounts written under it before the total amount of intangibles. This made the amounts of amortization and impairment more recognizable from where it had arisen. This reconciliation provided a carrying amount at the beginning and end of the period as requested by the Standards. Also included were the additions arising from acquisition of businesses, other acquisitions and disposals that were required to be shown in the reconciliation. 2011 ($M) 2012 ($M) Carrying amount at end of period $5236.6 $5282.0 (Woolworths Limited 2012) Woolworths had applied the relevant Accounting Standards, AASB 138, towards the treatment of their intangible assets and disclosure of them very well. Their intangible assets presented in the reports were separable, non monetary in nature and didn’t have physical substance. Woolworths could have explained the amortization rates used for their intangible assets, but that was the only limited information provided by Woolworths limited. The disclosure rules were applied into their financial reports, showing that Woolworths Limited’s treatment on their intangible assets conformed to the relevant accounting standards. Recommendations: The guidelines in the AASB 138 seem to already make companies scrutinize their intangible assets intensely and reveal every bit of it in their financial reports. An improvement could be to state in the guidelines which type of report and where in the report that this information should be  disclosed so users can have access to all the information in one go without having to search through many files to find certain information about a company’s intangible assets. AASB 2010, AASB 138 – Intangible Assets, Available on: http://www.aasb.gov.au/admin/file/content102/c3/AASB138_07-04_ERDRjun10_07-09.pdf [25 September 2013] Loftus, J, Leo, K, Picker, R, Wise, V, Clark, K 2012, Understanding Australian Accounting Standards, Wiley, QLD Woolworths Limited 2012, 2012 Financial Report for Shareholders http://www.woolworthslimited.com.au/annualreport/2012/pdf/WW_AR12_FinReport.pdf Appendices Appendix 1:

America from 1790 to 1845 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

America from 1790 to 1845 - Essay Example The work force consisted of former slaves who had been freed, Native Americans and Irish immigrants from New York who had come in search of jobs at a salary of $12 per month. A densely forested pass in the Appalachian mountains was cut through using instruments like the axe and the shovel. The engineers and workers constructed locks, and by-passed waterfalls. After the canal was opened for traffic, many cities sprang up on its banks. It facilitated trade between the East and the West. The young nation became a well knit nation because of the canal According to the author,.if the canal had not been built during that time, the western states of the United States might have formed a separate nation. The story of the Erie canal is very inspiring, and the engineers and workmen who achieved it in spite of many hardships are praiseworthy. I do not agree with the author that the West would have become a separate nation if the canal had not been built at that time.

The corporation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The corporation - Case Study Example ation is its failure to take responsibility for problems it causes, while leaving others to bear the burden of their harmful effect (The Corporation). Economically, corporations are powerful and externalizing machines, while, anthropologically, this is a boundary issue between the state, the market, and the firm. The film offers various ways in which corporations cause harm, including to workers, human health, animals, and the biosphere. It also identifies penalties applied for legislation breaches as simply business costs for the corporation (The Corporation). The Corporation is exhaustively researched and covers weighty issues. However, the film also takes a hostile and skeptical viewpoint of corporations, which can be seen in the largely one-sided interviews and investigations regarding the origin and operations of corporations. In fact, the title of the book the film is adapted from, The Corporation: the Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power (The Corporation), reveals the theme and agenda of the film. With regards to whether the film is too biased against corporations, it can be said that it covers one aspect of corporations exhaustively. It is true that corporations defraud and steal from their stockholders, pollute the environment, callously take advantage of cheap labor abroad, fire workers at will, corrupt political establishments, and devote their operations purely to the pursuit of profit (The Corporation). However, corporations have also improved the standard of living for Americans, generated scientific and medical advances, and employed millions of Americans. These aspects are absent in the film’s narrative. Therefore, this film can be said to be partisan as it has a perspective that it wants the audience to accept, selectively choosing the type and nature of information that it presents. As can be seen from the chart below, corporations have created the most jobs in the United States in the past. The last thirty years have witnessed an

Cash and Working Capital Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cash and Working Capital - Essay Example These four phases consist of the following management requirements; cash management which is identifying the cash balance available to run the day to day expenses of the business or firm so as to reduce the cash holding costs (Padachi, 2012). Inventory management is identifying the inventory levels that will enable the business to run smoothly without investment in raw materials. This requires the lead times being lowered to reduce Work in Process (WIP) and the finished goods should also be kept as low as possible. This will lead to the reduction of the reordering costs and hence increase cash flow. Debtor’s management this requires identifying the best credit mechanism for the business or the firm. The credit mechanism chosen should be able to attract customers to the firm and also make sure the firm is getting the payments on time from the credit customers. This will be optimized by increasing the revenue thus increasing the Return on Capital. Another aspect of working capit al management is the Short term financing, it is achieved by identifying the most appropriate source of short term funds to run the business this can be achieved through credit granted by the supplier. It may also be necessary to use a bank loan or an overdraft (Banos-Caballera, 2010). The working capital cycle phases require short-term decisions. ... This normally refers to the time which the firm’s money is tied up in operations and therefore working capital phase normally aims at making sure the time is as short as possible (Block-Hirt, 2008). The primary sources of short term funds Short term funds refer to money needed to run the company in a period of less than a year. They are normally used for the day to day running of the business or firm. There are a number of short term funds available to a company which require different levels of interest rate expenses, collateral and personal guarantees. This is required to provide working capital. The short term funds are used for purchasing of raw materials or finished inventories, payment of wages, salaries and other short term expenses (Brealey, 2002). The three primary sources of short term finance include trade credit, which is normally gotten from the suppliers. It is a loan in the form of goods and inventory. The credit time period is normally 15 days to 3 months and t his is normally granted on the basis of good will of the purchaser. This credit facility is given buy a supplier to the buyer of goods and by a whole seller to a retailer. When the time limit is reached the credit should be paid lack of payment can lead to seizing of the goods in the inventory (Block-Hirt, 2008). Another major source of short term loans and advances is from the commercial banks. This are mainly in the form of bank overdraft from the bank which the business has an account in. the overdraft allows the business to withdraw from its current account exceeding the available cash balance. The business is charged an interest rate that is based on the amount overdrawn and the length of time overdrawn (Cleverley, 2011). The advantage of

An Investigation of the Effects of Smoking and International Public Essay

An Investigation of the Effects of Smoking and International Public Health Campaigns - Essay Example Initial investigations began in the Journal of the American Medical Association, their central website guides the user to salient articles available for purchase or library access. Specifically, this article will seek to answer whether health consequences of smoking over the past five decades is sufficient cause to trigger a public downturn in the prevalence of smoking. To this end, articles will be sought that describe long-term disease trends, as well as sociological shifts pertaining to public health, anti-smoking campaigns. A very recent study by Pierce and associates is highly relevant to this objective. An investigation was performed encompassing 1965 to 2007 to determine the prevalence of heavy, habitual smoking, in the United States, by age and birth cohorts in this instance; with a focus on the State of California. This, and other studies confirm that The intensity of smoking, not only its prevalence, is associated with future health risks. There were 139,176 total respondents within California and 1,662,353 for the remaining United States. Among individuals excluding Californians born between 1920-1929, the prevalence of moderate/high-intensity smoking, more than ten packs per day, was 40.5% in 1965. This high-level of tobacco consumption declined across successive birth cohorts, and it was noted that for the 1970-1979 birth cohort, the highest rate of moderate/high-intensity smoking was 9.7% in California and 18.3% in the remaining United States.... There were 139,176 total respondents within California and 1,662,353 for the remaining United States. Among individuals excluding Californians born between 1920-1929, the prevalence of moderate/high-intensity smoking, more than ten packs per day, was 40.5% in 1965. This high-level of tobacco consumption declined across successive birth cohorts, and it was noted that for the 1970-1979 birth cohort, the highest rate of moderate/high-intensity smoking was 9.7% in California and 18.3% in the remaining United States. There was a statistically relevant decrease in moderate/high-intensity smoking at older ages in all cohorts studied, but the decline was greater in California. According to this study, there has been considerable decrease in the prevalence of high-levels of tobacco consumption. The decrease is explicable both in terms of diminished onset of new smokers, and increase in prior smokers who succeed in breaking the nicotine addiction. Though more investigation is needed to clarify whether it is an awareness of the health-risks alone, either through personal experience or simple word-of-mouth, or whether public health campaigns should take credit for the decline. The British Medical Journal also proved to be a useful source; as a means to evaluate, on an international scale the effects of smoking, and various campaigns intended to lessen its toll on public health. A study was found in the BMJ database that described 50 years worth of smoking habits among male British doctors. The primary goal being a comparison of the hazards of cigarette smoking in British men who formed their habits at different time periods. In addition to determine the extent of any reduction in risks when cigarette smoking ceases at different ages. Essentially, the high

Homosexual in ancient China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Homosexual in ancient China - Essay Example e biological men assumes the role of the female in their entire lives and could serve as partners of "male" men who on the other hand do not lose their status in society (Chinese Cultural Studies pp. 1-6 qtd in Britt Hinsch). The aspects of gender analysis views factors that pertains to sexual behavior that are commonly limited by social ethics. Homosexal behavior is mostly defined by how a particular culture actually perceives it (Chinese Cultural Studies, n.d.). Like in other countries, homosexuality or the relationship between men is common in China. Being a conservative country in many ways, Chinas Communist Party does not openly acknowledge the presence of gays in its population. Men to men relationships are considered a crime and those who engage in such intimate relationships are persecuted by the police under the anti-hooliganism laws (Aids and Homosexuality in China, 1997). the â€Å"lords and rulers of his time uses their relatives and â€Å"handsome men† as official,† paving the way for nepotism and favoritism. This practice generally leads to the mismanagement of the states affairs because the emperors, for their love and devotion to the said handsome men, do not listen to their wise counsels (Dr. Tan Chong Kee, 2007). In relation to this is the story of Mizi Xia which tells that if one gains the love of the ruler, his wisdom will be appreciated and the male concubine will enjoy numerous favors. However, if the rulers ardour has cooled, the male lovers wisdom or counsel will be rejected and he will be regarded as a criminal (Chinese Cultural Studies n.d.). Homosexuality in China was likewise prevalent during the Shang Dynasty (16th Century - 11th Century BC), where the term â€Å"Luan Feng† was used to portray homosexuality in the Shang Dynasty Historical Records. When the Han Dynasty (206BC – 220AD) came to power, majority of the Han emperors had â€Å"lovers of their same sex,† such events were noted down on historical records. There were ten

Usefulness of a companys annual report and accounts in understanding Essay

Usefulness of a companys annual report and accounts in understanding and analysing its market, productive and financial performance - Essay Example Other non-financial information is also incorporated. The report should be ample and show the company’s activities throughout the foregoing year. Annual reports are anticipated to confer to stakeholders and other engrossed persons information on company’s actions and monetary presentation. Almost every sway requires annual reports to be prepared by companies and be disclosed. Some even recommends that the annual report be filed painstakingly at the registry of the company. In case the company is among those on a stock exchange’s listing then the report have to be prepared at a more recurrent intermission depending on the regulations of the stock exchange concerned. A typical annual report should contain the following: accounting policies, cash flow statement, balance sheet, profit and loss account, financial statement, director’s report, chairperson’s statement, operating and review of finance, and auditor’s report. Other information that may be of apprehension to stakeholders may also be incorporated. For instance, a report on company social accountability or operations for industrialized firms report may be included for companies with social or environmental sensitive operations. For superior companies the annual report is a high annotation periodical that is glossy and vivid. The information provided in the report is useful to investors in order to comprehend the company’s prospect trend and its financial situation. ... The assets, company equity, and liabilities are cataloged as of a specified date mostly at the conclusion of the financial year. The only statement that can apply at a solitary point in the occasion of business is a balance sheet out of all the financial statements. In the annual report a balance sheet has to be incorporated to illustrate in a snapshot a company’s financial situation. (Jenster 2001) An income statement also referred to as the profit and loss account or revenue statement indicates how the returns of a company transform into net income. This is achieved when all the expenses and revenue have been worked out also identified as bottom line or net profit. The revenues renowned for a particular period are displayed, and the expenses and cost incurred on this revenues, including taxes and write-offs. The income statement shows the shareholders whether the company prepared or lost money for the duration of the period reported. The companies required to publish their a nnual report do not always fabricate an income statement, instead a similar statement is produced that replicates the funding foundations, compared against administrative costs, program operating cost, and other in service commitments. A statement of cash flow is a fiscal statement showing adjusts in accounts of balance sheet income impinge on cash and cash comparables. The analysis is broken down into operating, financial activities and investing. Basically, the cash flow statement is apprehensive with cash flow out and into the business. The statement incarcerates both the existing operating fallout and supplementary changes in the balance sheet. Cash flow statement is helpful in

HR Audit Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

HR Audit - Assignment Example In some cases, the productivity may be at par despite the fact that some of the human resources are underperforming. In such a scenario, the best step would be to apply the HR audit, as it is the best tool to identify such hitches in an organization. Besides helping to make decisions at crucial times the HR audit can also be a very comprehensive source of data on an organization, which is essential in carrying out research work on the organization’s human resource. First step before carrying out an audit; it is best to first come up with the problem area in which the results of the audit need to address. The success of the audit in finding the cause of problems or level of performance in some areas is very high. It is for this reason that the HR audit is a reliable source of data that can be linked to the audit to solve the problem. A lot of thought must be considered when choosing who to conduct the audit and major argument should revolve around the objective of the audit. An in-house staff could be good because of their familiarity with the staff, and again this could be the disadvantage depending on the cause for the audit. Third-party staff is another best solution but sometime could be expensive and unnecessary. The main reason for the audit is to evaluate the organization’s HR and its performance; therefore the results from the audit s what determines the next step of action. According to an article by ABC NEWS Business Unit one of the five highest paid CEOs but worst among the five worst performers is the CEO of Nabors Industries (Gomstyn, 2009). The article states that the CEO is handsomely paid despite his poor performance delivery to the shareholders. This offers a good situation where there is need for the HR audit. Its objective is to find out the root cause of the company’s poor performance and if there is enough reason to retain the CEO. The weakness

Christianity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Christianity - Essay Example He gave his disciples instructions to go and make more disciples for the Lord; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that Jesus had commanded them. There is thus a relationship between these two endings based on the events that were happening during this time. After an individual has had faith that Jesus Christ is Lord and that He came to die for our sins; the individual is born again. This is to say that this person has been made a disciple of Jesus and should thus be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. This therefore means that while Jesus died, Christians died with Him and that His death delivered Christians from sin. The expected audience of the first gospel is individuals who are interested in learning the death and crucifixion of Jesus Christ while the expected audience of the second gospel is people interested in learning how to make disciples for

Learning Team Reflection Essay Example for Free

Learning Team Reflection Essay Learning Team D discussed the learning objectives provided for Week Three. Each Team Member posted a response to three informational questions posted by the Team Leader. During week three The Team Members felt comfortable with different topics. Sherly, Andrea and Katrina all felt the most comfortable with the topics dealing with Technology, R D, and Efficiency which were covered in chapter 11W. Sherly found the topic of invention the most fascinating because it allows people to just think up of an idea, experiment with it and develop it before finally developing it with the intent of putting it out on the market and earning some profits. An example of invention at work is a TV show on ABC called Shark Tank where inventors present their invention to members of the panel who are entrepreneurs/potential investors with the intention of selling a percentage of their business or product. Andrea felt that the chapter was an easy read and was more of a review on how businesses stay profitable and viable. From this chapter Andrea was able to learn that creating a fresh product at the optimal price is the key to success. Katrina was most interested in Technological Advance and Efficiency section covered in the chapter. The fact that improving ones technology can also contribute to economic efficiency was something that Katrina found interesting. Mark was comfortable with all the topics covered in week three and especially enjoyed learning more about the differences in operating in a monopoly, monopolistic competition, and an oligopoly. Danielle felt most comfortable with the process of supply and demand and how it plays an important role in the economy. Danielle feels that understanding how the supply and demand process works is beneficial and can be used to analyze decisions about prices and quantity. For Danielle having Learning Team D struggled with different topics that were covered during week three. Sherly struggled with Exploiting University and Government Scientific Research. Sherly thought that any product or potential product created by an individual or members of an organization could be patented. Andrea found it hard to understand visual presentations of the data by the example graphs. Andrea considered herself to be a visual learner but cannot seem to understand the graphs given. Katrina, like Andrea, found it hard to follow the examples given within each chapter but the reason behind her confusion dealt with actually being able to match the example to the reading. Katina felt that having to flip back and forth while reading to match the example that was given within the reading caused her to not fully understand what the example was trying to get across. Nonprice barriers to entry was the topic that Mark felt the most unsure about this week. Mark found it challenging to look beyond the numbers when analyzing something. Danielle struggled with pricing decisions, price elasticity, inelasticity, and elasticity of demand. The differences in monopolies and oligopolies was a bit of a struggle for Danielle but the examples that were provided within the reading helped her to grasp the information better. Each Team Member was able relate topics of the week to their organization’s field of business. Sherly works as an underwriter for an insurance company which provides health, life and disability insurance products and services. Reduced cost via process innovation was the topic that Sherly felt related to Underwriting. Sherly and her team are always looking for ways to change/update processes, reduce turnaround times between the receipt of an application for life/disability insurance coverage request to making the final determination whether to approve, postpone or decline a file. As an example, the introduction of a new system where applicants could go online to apply and depending on the information entered and the amount being requested, a determination can be done right there. This new system saved the company both time and money. We do not have to go through the omission process with this system since every question must be answered for the online application to be processed. When, we have to send applicants omission letters, the entire process takes longer since we have to wait to receive the missing information back from the applicant before the application can be processed. Andrea works in the finance industry for an airport. Andrea was able to apply the topic of mergers the most to my daily business field. At the airport, the airlines and rental car agencies combined resources on a regular basis. Department of Justice generally gets involved with these types of mergers to prevent monopoly behavior. For example, American and US Airways are currently under review and comment period for their merger. In addition to combining ticket counter space, it is anticipated that gates will be combined as well. The airport will lose money on the merger but customers will benefit from lower fares. The more customers that fly will make up for the shortfall in revenue for space rent lost by the airport. Katrina works in the field of Worker’s Compensation as a Claims Assistant. The topic of invention related the most to the type of work Katrina does at her job. Each day new claims are called into her office on a day to day bases and the way in which those calls are entered into the system must be efficient. Katrina and her team at her office created a new system for entering a new claim that is called into the office. Mark relates the topic of most of cost control and using developing technologies to lower cost to his field. That is an area we are constantly trying to improve upon whether the ideas come from our staff or from outside our organization and we work out a plan to implement them to help our business. Our franchise location does not develop technology but we have the opportunity to seek technology to increase the efficiency of our workers and also help save costs. Danielle works as a project manager for an energy efficiency consulting agency. As a project manager Danielle’s role is very significant in budgeting for a project for he/she is the one who determines the project costs and project budgets in line with the stakeholder’s specifications and resources. Budget allocation, collaborates with the project stakeholders and project financial coordinators to build a sensible budget plan that will sustain the whole project in all of its phases. Using cost control measures to insure they are staying within budget, as we understand the importance of increasing revenue and staying within budget. Revenue management is integral to a companys long-term strategy; without adequate income administration, the company may not be around long enough to implement its operating tactics. Each member of the Learning Team experienced a learning curve for Week Three. Sherly learning curve increased a little bit during this week. The additional information on monopoly provided Sherly with more information that helped her better understand what was taught in week two. The fact that certain opics such as monopoly, oligopoly, short run and long run, are being covered more in depth has also helped to increase her learning curve. Andrea’s still struggles with the graphs presented representing the demand curves. The economy of scale section has also been a struggle for her this week but Andrea has gone over the text in these sections multiple times for a better understanding. To increase her learning curve she finds that the lectures provided by our instructor breakdowns the topics in a mor e day to day format for easier comprehension. This week Katrina’s learning curve increased because she started to feel more comfortable with the terms and having a chapter that was easy to read through and understand made her feel more at ease with learning new Economic information. Mark’s learning curve for this week was changing his focus to look at big picture items using more theoretical concepts rather than concrete numbers. Mark enjoys the challenge that is presented by applying a different approach to analyzing what will impact a business from a market structure standpoint which will continue to increase his learning curve. Danielle feels that she’s beginning to understand the importance of Economics and how it relates to more than just money. Danielle hopes to continue to improve her understanding of the mathematical equations and graphs representing demand curves as the week’s progress. As the weeks go by the team still struggles with a few concepts but as the team moves forward they are developing and getting a better hold on the topics that are covered on a week to week bases.

National Association of Home Builders Essay Example for Free

National Association of Home Builders Essay Purpose and Background The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is a trade association whose mission is to enhance the climate for the housing and building industry. A top goal for the NAHB is to provide and expand opportunities for all potential home buyers to have safe, affordable and decent housing. The NAHB also works with federal agencies on regulations affecting the housing industry in areas such as mortgage finance, codes, energy and the environment. According to the NAHB, about eighty percent of the homes built in the United States are constructed by NAHB members. In 1993 the NAHB and Reed Business Information, publishers of Professional Builder and Professional Remodeler magazines established the National Housing Quality Awards (NAHB website). The National Housing Quality Awards (NHQ) was modeled after the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award program and represents the housing industry’s highest recognition for achievements in total quality management. The NHQ award promotes and rewards best practices throughout the home building industry. It recognizes home builders for being focused on quality for the customer in construction, business management, sales, warranty service and design. The NHQ award is open to all U.S. home builders that believe their company meets or exceeds the qualities above. The home builder completes an application process and goes through an extensive interview process that requires a high level of commitment from the company and their management team. According to the NAHB application, every applicant will receive a written report and applicants that are chosen for site visits will receive detailed reports that provide objective benchmarking for quality improvement. The program is more than an award; many home builders use the award as a process for improving their processes to build a better home for the customer and a better company for their shareholders. In the home building industry, the expectations for high performance from the customers gets higher every year. Especially in the current housing market it is becoming more critical than ever that builders look for new products and processes that help to improve  their companies in areas such as leadership, performance management, customer satisfaction, strategic planning, construction quality, trade partner relationships, business results and human resources according to Steve Carroll of the NAHB. Award Criteria The NHQ awards are judged by a qualified experts who evaluate all the applicants and selects finalists who demonstrate high levels of quality achievement based on leadership, strategic planning, performance management, customer satisfaction, human resources, construction quality, trade relationships and business results. The experts can request additional information during the application process, including customer satisfaction surveys, company references and other information related to judging the criteria. In the Leadership category the panel experts will look at the company mission and values to determine if they guide the organization toward a common purpose. They review how senior management reinforce and instill the mission, values and vision in the company as role models and through empowering employees. They will also look at how the company demonstrates public responsibility and good citizenship while improving the home building industry. In the Strategic Planning categor y the experts will look at how your company assesses and will address the key strategic challenges that the company faces in the next one to five years. They look at how the challenges are identified and analyzed and the overall plan development, deployment and feedback for the company including how the plan is tied to the mission, vision and values. They will review how the plan leverages the company’s skills, experience, knowledge and the lack of skills, experience, knowledge and resources. In the Performance Management category the experts review how the company develops, manages, measures, and improves the key processes to achieve performance excellence. The Customer Satisfaction category allows the experts to look at the company’s design and delivery of products and services with a high level of customer satisfaction. The applicant will need to address how the company identifies market segments, the level of focus on the market segments, how product features and service are selected to best serve the market segments that were identified, how the company develops customer relationships, key factors in customer satis faction and how the company obtains and utilizes  customer feedback to improve performance. The Human Resource category addresses employee selection and development practices, motivation, satisfaction and compensation as it relates to the growth and success of the company. The experts will review the work environment, the morale of the employees, the benefits and the company culture. The applicant will need to address workforce development, staff performance management, and how both align with the company’s goals. The Construction Quality category will allow the experts to review the methods that the company uses to drive quality in the home construction process and ensure high performance and trouble free products and services. Applicants will have to discuss the quality standards that are communicated and demanded from the trades and how the company continues to educate and reinforce the quality standards to both employees and trades. The experts will ask how new plans are reviewed for quality and how the customer is involved in this quality review process. Applicants should be prepared to describe the customers’ post closing experiences, quality recognition programs and the company’s warranty processes. The Trade Relationship category allows the expert panel to review how the company creates high performance relationships with the trade partners. The applicant should be prepared to discuss how the company establishes mutually beneficial relationships, trade partner selection process, problem avoidance through trade involvement and trade partner feedback. The final category is Business Results. Applicants need to present the measurements of the business benefits resulting from the company’s high performance practices in the financial, operational, customer satisfaction and warranty areas. The experts may ask for customer satisfaction results from the last one to three years including the customers’ willingness to refer other buyers, financial results, employee satisfaction, trade satisfaction and operating metrics for the last three years. Benefits of the Award Many of the home builders that prepare the NHQ application feel that the application process and the experts’ comprehensive evaluation report are valuable tools for planning change to improve their business regardless if they win the award or not. Many of the award recipients find that the greatest rate of improvement occurs in the year following their application  or win (NAHB). Shea Homes and Pulte Homes found that the NHQ award process helped them identify opportunities to improve and allowed them to perfect processes that improved the quality of their product and service. Improving total quality management can lead to streamlining processes that will reduce costs, improve the quality for the customer, reduce warranty calls and increase the bottom line for the company. The NAHB encourages award winners to publicize and advertise the achievement to distinguish the company from the competition, establish the company as a top quality builder and raise the company’s re putation as an industry leader. Winners are featured in Professional Builder magazine articles that highlight their quality management principles and will participate in a NHQ award panel discussion at the International Builders show which is the largest home builders’ convention in the United States. Benefits to applying for the award are endless for home builders that are willing to commit the time and effort needed to complete the application process. The application process forces many of the applicants to look at the processes in the company that contribute to ensuring total quality and make changes to allow the company to improve and focus on the company’s mission, vision and values. The drawbacks to the NHQ award process is that it will take a commitment of time and energy to look at the quality processes in the company to analyze if it is moving the company in the direction of the mission, vision and values. Some companies may feel that this is a waste of time and energy or can be over whelmed at what processes need to be improved to get the company on track to improve quality. Past Winners Winners are recognized in three categories: gold, silver and honorable mention. The gold award is given to companies that have achieved a national benchmark level in each area of evaluation. According to the NAHB website, gold award winners have mature, fully integrated quality management principles and consistently demonstrate high level sustained financial results. The silver award is given to companies that are industry leaders in most evaluation areas, they have refined business practices and they exhibit good financial results. An honorable mention is awarded when companies are recognized that demonstrate an understanding of quality management principles, show an improvement process and good financial  results are achieved in most areas. Below is a list of winners, the award that was received and the year it was awarded (NAHB website). Many of the applicants that have participated in the NHQ process, whether the company was awarded or not, have said that the application process helped the company by having to look at all processes critically and make changes to improve the quality management for the company overall. Scott Thistle,  president of Brookstone Homes, said, â€Å"The award is a critical component of our commitment to customer satisfaction. By going through the NHQ program for the second year, it has enabled us to continually fine-tune our quality assurance systems and see a direct positive impact on our customers and their experience (Brookstone Homes).† Home Builders that apply for the NHQ award know that the process requires a lot of time and effort prior to submitting the application to the NAHB and could involve potential changes to the operational processes of the company to keep the company focused on total quality management. Grayson Homes president, Cindy McAuliffe said â€Å"At Grayson Homes, we differentiate ourselves from others with a deserved reputation for quality homes and products, processes, service, and people. Our participation in NHQ programs keeps Grayson Homes and its trades focused on product, process and experience improvement (Mid-Atlantic Builder).† Conclusion In reviewing the NHQ award and the process involved in applying for the award I found that it was a benefit to each of the home builders that took the time, energy and efforts even if the company did not win an award. Each of the companies that applied where able to review the quality processes that were in place, review the experts written report and modify the processes to achieve a higher level total quality management that improved the company’s quality focus for internal and external customers. While I do feel that this would be a benefit for my company I believe that we would have a lot of work to do in streamlining processes to ensure that company wide we are using the same quality processes that will allow us to grow while following our mission, vision and values. The company was a small company based in two markets that grew quickly to fourteen markets prior to the housing market boom. This fast growth did not allow for the company to ensure that quality processes were being handled in the same manner from division to division. The company has in the past three years established a strategic mission for the company and continued with the values that has allowed them to achieve the ranking of the 24th largest builder in the United States. The NHQ award process would force the management team to review what processes where in place in all divisions and get on track with companywide policies and procedures so a customer buying a home in one  division could expect the same great product and service in another division. References Brookstone Homes Newsroom. BrookstoneHomes.com. 15 Mar. 2008. http://www.brookstonehomes.com/newsroom/2006_august2.asp. Carroll, Steve. Telephone interview with National Association of Home Builders Research Center. March 14, 2008. Mid-Atlantic Builder Corner Newsletter. Mid Atlantic Builder. 16 Mar. 2008. http://www.homebuilders.org/file_depot/0-10000000/0-10000/48/folder/40005/ MBX_0105_60-70.pdf. National Housing Quality Award. National Association of Home Builders Research Center. 15 Mar. 2008. http://www.nahbrc.org/technical/awards/nhqa.aspx. Stromberg, Meghan. NHQ Best Practices. Professional Builder. September 2001. 1 Sep. 2001.

Change Management In Sony Pictures Management Essay

Change Management In Sony Pictures Management Essay In 2008 Amy Pascal (Co-Chairman, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Chairman, Motion Picture Group, Sony Pictures Entertainment) and Michael Lynton (Chairman CEO, Sony Pictures Entertainment) engaged The Energy Project as a part of an effort to create a culture in which employees felt energetic and excited about coming to work every day. Beginning with the senior team, our facilitators delivered our curriculum to some 500 managers and leaders. More than 90% said it has helped them bring more energy to work every day. Almost 88% felt that it has made them more focused and productive. We trained more than a dozen Sony internal facilitators to deliver our work, and by April 2010, some version of our curriculum will have been delivered to all 5500 Sony Pictures employees around the world.   In the midst of a severe recession, and a dramatic industry-wide decline in DVD sales, Sony expects to record one of its most profitable years ever in the fiscal year ending March 2009.   TABLE OF CONTENTS INDEX PAGE NO. Introductionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Literature review Change Why change management Discussion of Change Management Theoriesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Plan Do Check Act Lewins Freeze Phases Issues to Changeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Implementation of Change Managementà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Transformation in Sony pictures Overcoming resistance in employeeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Sustaining changeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Conclusionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Referencesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Appendixà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. INTRODUCTION Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) was formerly known as Columbia pictures entertainment, headquartered in Culver City, CALIFORNIA. The company was founded in 1987 and it was renamed Sony pictures entertainment in 1991. It is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPEs global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of entertainment in more than 140 countries. The companys slogan is Sony like no other. SPE recorded total sales of $7.6 billion for fiscal year ended March 31, 2010. Key people of SONY PICTURES are Howard Stringer (Chairman, President and CEO of  Sony Corporation),Michael Lynton (Chairman CEO, Sony Pictures Ente rtainment),Amy Pascal (Co-Chairman, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Chairman, Motion Picture Group, Sony Pictures Entertainment), Jeff Blake (Vice Chairman, Sony Pictures Entertainment). Sony Pictures Plaza in Culver City, California LITERATURE REVIEW CHANGE: Change is all around us in different types and categories; it can be brought by us or can come in any way to us. Change is the way through which future enters your life. Future is coming fast; we cannot predict but only react when we face it. Steven Kerr Why change management? Changes can come yourself or it can come in ways that give you little choice about its what, when, and how. Fighting against change slows it down or diverts it, but it wont stop it however. If you wish to succeed in this rapidly changing new world you must learn to look on change as a friend one who presents you with an opportunity for growth and improvement. The rate of change in  todays world  is constantly increasing. Everything that exists is getting old, wearing out and should be replaced. Revolutionary technologies, consolidation, well-funded new competition, unpredictable customers, and a quickening in the pace of change hurled unfamiliar conditions at management. Realities of Todays  World   The magnitude of todays environmental, competitive, and global market change is unprecedented. Its a very interesting and exciting world, but its also volatile and chaotic: Volatility  describes the economys rate of change: extremely fast, with explosive upsurges and sudden downturns. Chaos  describes the direction of the economys changes: were not sure exactly where were headed, but we are swinging between the various alternatives at a very high speed. To cope with an unpredictable world you must build an enormous amount of flexibility into your organization. While you cannot predict the future, you can get a handle on  trends, which is a way to take advantage of change and convert risks into  opportunities. DISCUSSION OF CHANGE MANAGEMENT THEORIES Plan Do Check Act   Plan, Do, Check, Act is a cycle of activities designed to drive continuous improvement. Initially implemented in manufacturing, it has broad applicability in business. First developed by Walter Shewhart, it was popularized by Edwards Deming. It originated in the 1920s with the eminent statistics expert Mr. Walter A. Shewhart, who introduced the concept of PLAN, DO and SEE. The late Total Quality Management (TQM) guru and renowned statistician W. Edwards Deming modified the Shewhart cycle as: PLAN, DO, STUDY, and ACT.PDCA  (plan-do-check-act) is a four-step problem-solving process typically used in  business process improvement. It is also called as Shewhart cycle, Deming cycle, PDSA (PLAN DO STUDY ACT),PDCA (PLAN DO CHECK ACT). It reduced error rate during implementation the Plan, Do, Check, Act cycle in manufacturing.This Act is useful for change management. The PDCA cycle should be repeated again and again for continuous improvement. PLAN: Establish the objectives and processes necessary to deliver results in accordance with the expected output. By making the expected output the focus, it differs from other techniques in that the completeness and accuracy of the  specification is also part of the improvement. PROCEDURE- Recognize an opportunity and plan a change. DO: Implement the new processes. Often on a small scale if possible. PROCEDURE- Executes the plan, taking small steps in controlled circumstances. CHECK: Measure the new processes and compare the results against the expected results to ascertain any differences. PROCEDURE- Review the test, analyze the results and identify what youve learned. ACT: Analyse the differences to determine their cause. Each will be part of either one or more of the P-D-C-A steps. Determine where to apply changes that will include improvement. When a pass through these four steps does not result in the need to improve, refine the scope to which PDCA is applied until there is a plan that involves improvement. PROCEDURE- Take action to standardize or improve the process. Benefits of the PDCA cycle: daily routine management-for the individual and/or the team, problem-solving process, project management, continuous development, vendor development, human resources development, new product development, and process trials Lewins Freeze Phases- In the early 20th century, the psychologist Kurt Lewin developed the model known as Lewins Freeze Phases and which still forms the underlying basis of many change management theories models and strategies for managing change. His model suggests that change involves a move from one static state via a state of activity to another static status quo -and all this via a three-stage process of managing change: unfreezing, changing and re-freezing. Unfreezing: Faced with a dilemma or disconfirmation, the individual or group becomes aware of a need to change. Changing: The situation is diagnosed and new models of behaviour are explored and tested. Refreezing: Application of new behaviour is evaluated, and if reinforcing, adopted in figure 1 summarizes the steps and processes involved in planned change through action research. Action research is depicted as a cyclical process of change. Figure Kurt Lewins change model recognizes that people derive a strong sense of identity to from their environment. It also recognizes that they like the safety, comfort and feeling of control within their environment. ISSUE TO CHANGE Our CEO, Tony Schwartz first met with Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) co-CEOs, Michael Lynton and Amy Pascal, in the summer of 2007. Pascal and Lynton saw the work of the Energy Project as a way to bring to life their vision of making Sony the most desirable studio to work for and of building a culture of high engagement. Initially, Tony worked with Lynton and Pascal and their team of 17 direct reports. The initial focus was on how they managed their own energy individually, and as an intact team. This senior group found our curriculum sufficiently valuable that they asked to brong it to the top 500 executives, all vice president or above.   A 2007 Towers Perrin survey of nearly 90,000 employees worldwide, for instance, found that only 21% felt fully engaged at work and nearly 40% were disenchanted or disengaged. That negativity has a direct impact on the bottom line. Towers Perrin found that companies with low levels of employee engagement had a 33% annual decline in operating income and an 11% annual decline in earnings growth. Those with high engagement, on the other hand, reported a 19% increase in operating income and 28% growth in earnings per share. Nearly a decade ago, the Energy Project, the company I head, began to address work performance and the problem of employee disengagement. We still believe that enduring organizational change is possible only if individuals alter their attitudes and behaviors first.  Weve come to understand that its not possible to generate lasting cultural change without deeply involving an organizations senior leadership. IMPLEMENTATION OF CHANGE MANAGEMENT Once people understand how their supply of available energy is influenced by the choices they make, they can learn new strategies that increase the fuel in their tanks and boost their productivity.      They include practices such as shutting down your e-mail for a couple of hours during the day, so you can tackle important or complex tasks without distracting interruptions, or taking a daily 3  PM  walk to get an emotional and mental breather. Two fundamental shifts-   We encouraged Sony to make two fundamental shifts in the way it manages employees. We also created a three -day version of a new way of working that included a renewal day that provided participants with specific techniques to improve the quality, quantity and focus of their energy. This day featured individual consults with a nutritionist, exercise physiologist and massage therapist as well as group circuit training, yoga and meditation. Group coaching was offered during the 3 day sessions and then on twice more two and four weeks after the end of the session. The purpose of the coaching was to support the participants in successfully launching and sustaining the rituals they built once they had returned to the challenges of their daily life. Tony continued to work with Pascal and Lynton a senior team on a quarterly basis throughout 2008 to help them model the behaviors they learned and to drive the work down through their own teams. TRANSFORMATION IN SONY PICTURES Sony pictures went through a transformation in order to embrace energy building and renewing rituals at all levels. Out of the 3000 employees of the 6300 employees of Sony have gone through the energy management program. This summer 1700 more will be covered from Europe, Singapore, and Latin America. OVERCOMING RESISTANCE IN EMPLOYEE The reaction of the program has been overwhelmingly positive. 88% of the participants say, it has made them more focused and productive. Some 90% of them reported that as a result of the work, they began bringing higher levels of energy to work every day. 84% say they feel better and are able to manage their jobs demands and are more engaged at work. Sonys leaders believe that these changes have helped boost the companys performance. E.g. in spite of recession also Sony pictures had its most profitable year ever in 2008 and one of its highest revenue years in 2009. SUSTAINING CHANGE For sustaining change of the Sony Pictures, there are some important points which must keep in mind. These are as under: Employee should be highly engaged. Employee should be friendly. High performance culture. As a leader, you have myriad opportunities to set the right context for your employees to replenish their energy. Its all about providing examples for others and creating a safe environment. DOS AND DONTS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF CULTURAL CHANGE Management is doing things right; Leadership is doing the right things. -Peter Drucker STRATEGIES OF A POSITIVE CHANGE So that Sony pictures can progress. Conclusion CHANGE STARTS AT THE TOP AND BEGINS ON DAY 1. REAL CHANGE HAPPENS AT THE BOTTOM. IN ORDER TO CHANGE OTHERS FIRST YOU SHOULD YOURSELF AS LYNTON AND PASCAL DID. E.Q IS ONE OF THE KEY ELEMENTS TOWARDS POSITIVE BEHAVIOURAL CHANGE WHICH ULTIMATELY LEADS TO THE GOAL OF A SUCCESSFUL CHANGE MANAGEMENT. STRONG CULTURAL VALUES ACTS AS A MAGNET IN THE SUCCESS OF A COMPANY WHICH BINDS AN EMPLOYEE IRRESPECTIVE OF THE EXTERNAL FACTORS LIKE RECESSION OR ECONOMY.

Harriet Tubman :: Slavery History Biography Essays

Harriet Tubman Harriet Ross Tubman was an African American who escaped slavery and then showed runaway slaves the way to freedom in the North for longer than a decade before the American Civil War. During the war she was as a scout, spy, and nurse for the United States Army. After that she kept working for rights for blacks and women. Harriet Tubman was originally named Araminta Ross. She was one of 11 children born to Harriet Greene and Benjamin Ross on a plantation in Dorchester County, Maryland. She later took her mother's first name. Harriet was working at the age of five. She was a maid and a children's nurse before she worked in the field when she was 12. A year later, a white guy either her watcher or her master smacked her on the head with a really heavy weight. The hit was so hard it left her with permanent neurological damage. In result of the hit she had sudden blackouts during the rest of her life. In 1844 she got permission from her master to marry John Tubman, a free black man. For the next five years Harriet Tubman was a semi-slave. She was still legally a slave, but her master let her live with her husband. In 1847 her master died. Followed by the death of his recipient and young son in 1849. That made Harriet’s status uncertain. In the middle of rumors that the family's slaves were being sold to clear the estate, Harriet Tubman went to the North and freedom. Her husband stayed in Maryland. In 1849 Harriet Tubman moved to Pennsylvania. She returned to Maryland two years later hoping to get her husband to come to The North with her. John Tubman had remarried by then. Harriet did not marry again until after John Tubman died. In Pennsylvania, Harriet Tubman became an abolitionist. She worked to end slavery. She decided to become a conductor on the Underground Railroad (a network of antislavery activists who helped slaves escape from the South). On her first trip in 1850, Harriet Tubman brought her sister and her sister's two children out of slavery in Maryland. In 1851 she rescued her brother, and in 1857 Harriet Tubman returned to Maryland and brought her parents to freedom. Over a time period of ten years Harriet Tubman made an estimated 19 trips into the South and brought about 300 slaves to the North.

Morrisons Beloved: A Review :: essays research papers

Morrison's Beloved: A Review Everything in a novel is there only because the author chooses it to be there: characters, plot devices, structure and pacing, tone, etc. all are ways in which the author says what he/she has to say. Morrison implements different characters and ideas to enhance the slavery of the time and its lasting affects. While the story is of heartbreak there are various representations of concepts. Which can be seen through realism and the characters of Mr. Bodwin and Baby Suggs. Mr. Bodwin is a white abolitionist and has high hopes for blacks in the future. He spends the happiest years of his life struggling for emancipation of blacks. Mr. Bodwin represents a time in history where slavery starts to come into question. People (white) started to realize this travesty and begin to speak up and act towards the abolition of slavery. The abolitionists begin a process which will eventually end in the 60's where blacks will attain complete freedom. They begin a legacy of freedom fighters that will not stop till blacks receive the right they so deserved. Future leaders of known fame will be Malcolm X and Martin Luther King which will carry on this battle begun by the abolitionists. Baby Suggs, is Halle's mother and Sethe's mother - in - law, and is an important character in the story in that she brings about many aspects of self- pride and versatility. Suggs lived through the "slavery" and came out of the ordeal with strength of her character alone. Slavery at the time broke down the slaves making them have low self- esteem and low worth. But Suggs brings about the part of resiliency that was needed to beat the "system." Her faith in God and self makes her the prominent legacy. As she rose above slavery so have other individual rose above persecution and hardship across the years. For instance, World Wars, Holocaust, and the depression to name a few. Morrison throughout Beloved offers realism of the times and consequences that occurred with the slaves. Morrison paints a picture post -Civil War life that leaves many black people lost in America. Blacks after the civil War emerged all across the South with no place to go. The South was in ruins in every sense and the Black freed slaves were confused. They had been separated from their families, lost any property they may have had, they wandered in search of a better life. Just because Slavery was abolished didn't mean all was

Plagiarism and the Internet :: Cheating Education Essays

Plagiarism and the Internet It appears that plagiarism is a problem that has very unclear guidelines according to most. People seem to be struggling with the concept of it in regards to the internet because others do realize the vastness of information on the internet is very difficult to regulate in plagiarism. The realization is that in many institutions instructors simply overlook the crime because they themselves find it too tedious to check all the information on the websites to verify their originality. This seems shocking because of all the warnings students receive about plagiarism. The largest concern it seems is finding ways to sift through all the information that is turned in for a paper. One of the websites used to aide in this process is turnitin.com. It is a place where students can send their papers to be checked. It searches the internet and finds anything that is plagiarized in the entire paper. This then also rids the instructor from having to check all the sources the student used because that is what the website does. "Who wants to sit around looking for websites trying to find out if a paper is plagiarized or not... pretty soon you're a private investigator." -- a Stanford University professor, from an article in TechWeb News. (http://www.plagiarism.org/plagiarism_stats.html) While the internet is so huge and many ideas circulate throughout it at all times, there are proper ways to do a research paper without having a problem with plagiarism. There are several websites that list the proper way to cite several types of information on the web. There are plenty of resources available giving out information and warnings about plagiarism. One website offers information about the situations instructor face when dealing with students who plagiarize. The website commented that it is something that can be  ¡Ãƒ a painful, time-consuming experience for faculty. ¡ÃƒÅ" Because there are different levels of plagiarism sometimes faculty feel that the punishments that universities give are too much and need to vary with the level of plagiarism.

Cultural Background Paper Essay

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization – 2002) defined Culture â€Å"as the set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features of society †¦. it encompasses, in addition to art and literature, lifestyles, ways of living together, value systems, traditions and beliefs. † With migrant ethnic groups, they become so far removed from their homeland that their traditions have considerably been altered, are gone, or simply forgotten. It was mostly after World War I, in the 1500s to the 1800s in the Great Migration when most African immigrants were taken against their will to the New World. They were brought in as slaves and their hard work was responsible for the prosperity of the New World. Similarity of African and American Culture. America is a melting pot, where all cultures meet and blend. America is multi-racial because of the continuous influx of foreign migration to American shores. The culturally-diverse population of America makes it a pluralistic society. The Wikipedia (11 Jan 2002) describes Africa as â€Å"one continent with many worlds. † Various ethnic, social and tribal groups make up Africa. Africa is more of a multi-ethnic culture. Contrasts between African and American culture. The difference between Africa and America is on certain significant cultural aspects. African society is male-dominant, where women submit to patriarchal authority. America is more liberal and espouses gender equality. Societal relationship in Africa is familial, very family-oriented even in business. America is individualistic. Food and eating in Africa is a ritual, in America food and eating is a basic need. Behavior, values and norms are often clannish or often dictated by the ethnic group or the clan. America has always been independent. Africa has many languages, America speaks only English. Having been born in America, I have totally embraced the culture that is predominantly American. However, this is not denying my roots and my rich African heritage. On the contrary, I feel that there is something great that people like me can contribute to the mainstream culture. The support system of families, the sharing of trials and triumphs of Africans are cultural strengths that I would rather have than the individualistic ways of America. The equal treatment and opportunities to both sexes of America, to me however is more acceptable than the male-dominant practices in Africa. The similarities in my cultural background and that of the dominant American culture made it easy to integrate to a society that is made up of culturally diverse people. I did not feel isolated or left out because of my color or creed. The similarities and differences of the both cultures had a positive effect on my life. I am shown the strengths and the weakness of each one. The primarily independent-thinking American culture is necessary to make choices and standing by it. It is a trait that I believe in and which I try to be all the time. Food and Eating as rituals and basic needs at the same time are to me necessary for us to enjoy and sustain life. I do not wish to rush all the time and so I take every moment to find meaning in my every action. I believe that my own cultural background has to a certain extent contributed to the mix in the dominant American culture. When the early Africans banded to demand equal rights from a society that was once discriminatory of their race, it showed the world and history what unity can do to push for reforms. That movement has indeed gone a long way. There is respect for cultural diversity and equal opportunities now. In a culturally diverse society such as America, culture exchange flourished. With people of African descent like me in mainstream society, other people became aware of Africa. They got introduced to the sights and sounds, literature, its people, traditions, ways, and everything else. Pretty soon famous African Americans are into government service, entertainment, the academe, the media, and business. I believe that to be the greatest contribution to of the African culture to dominant American culture. I learned of my cultural roots through a conscientious effort on my part. I knew I look different, I knew I belong to a defined group, I knew we had different ways of doing things, practically we have our own culture. I asked my parents about us, about our culture. Our family is one that takes pride on who we are. It became a pleasant, welcomed, and enlightening revelation. I read books about Africa, searched the web for more information and watched movies about Africa. It was a moment of discovery. I connected to our cultural past. I have not let up until today. I still visit sites of Africa and learn more of my forefathers’ homeland. Having lived in America all these years, I know I have developed an entirely new culture that is neither African nor America. It might yet be a blend of both cultures. I may look and sound African, think and act American and I am African American. I have in me the clannish African and the independent American. The influences on me to develop a new culture are varied. Interaction with those people who belong to other dominant cultures, opportunities to experience these other cultures first hand, unconsciously picking up the best in each one and living it are possibly the first ones that come to mind. The world is getting smaller by the day. With the advent of modern means of travel and communications getting in touch is relatively easy. Cultures meet and merge every second, every day. Sources: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/American_culture#Relationship_to_other_countries. 2Fcultures http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Culture_of_Africa

Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations Report

Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations kinsperson Truck Freightage Defies Trends in rescue IFTRT Report Defying the buoyant data cosmos call ond by variant agencies about the blowup of economic activities and soaring corporate profits, the transporting business, consisting of 3 million trucks, has failed to look up in last 4 weeks. The truck freightage has remained flat on some of the trunk routes despite affix in cost of operation due to 2 diesel price hikes ( dec 31 and decline 15 03) totaling Rs. 2/- per litre (10%) and have, in fact, sharply declined on trunk routes temporary by dint of Uttar Pradesh due to resumption of everyplaceloading by trucks. On the other hand various realm authoritiess had withdrawn gilded sign/ passes/ display panels, which abideted over-loading of trucks in excess of permitted weight, in mark to get release of their share of fundamental Road gunstock withheld since April 2003. The exchange Governmen t has stopped Central Road Fund to those State Governments, which were non only permitting besides sponsoring overloading of trucks in contravention of Central ram Vehicle Act, 1988 by issuing specie Cards/ passes/ tokens to truckers against fixed monthly/ quarterly fee. The Central Government has taken a firm view that over-loading of the vehicles cause substantive damage to road surface Recently, the State Government of Uttar Pradesh withdrew the Gold Card intent w. e. f. Dec. 15, 03 and a month later Rajasthan did the akin w. e. f. 1, Jan 04. The subsequent stringent enforcement of CMV Act, 1988 by U. P. Transport Department by not permitting the entry/ super through of overladen trucks from the State resulted in sharp increase in truck freightage by 4% 7. 5% during the fortnight (Dec 1, Dec 15, 03) and unsettled the trucking business in region. However, this anti-overloading drive was short-lived and has collapsed in the U. P. State, by and large. Now, overloa ded trucks are plying and passing through the State merrily.Thus, truck freightage once again is being dictated by the over-loading of vehicles that existed before Dec. 1, 03. In the last cardinal weeks the truck freightage for the trunk routes passing through U. P. has dropped by 3. 5% 6. 8%, according to the monthly update released by Indian Foundation of Transport gentility & Research (IFTRT). Union Government outsmarted by Rajasthan Followed by U. P. the Rajasthan Government, too, had withdrawn its Gold card/token scheme from 1, Jan 04 to get the Central Road Fund released immediately. However, the State Government, real smartly has replaced the earlier special Gold Token Scheme with another amnesty SCHEME by charging multi slab fee to permit unhindered over-loading of trucks in excess of ordained weight limit. The 1st Jan. 04 notification has been special to pacify the Central Government, which had again refused to release the money from Central Road Fund. But, plying of over loaded commercial vehicles continues under the swop of State Transport Department, points out the report. truck (16. 2 TON GVW) use charges/ evaluate (Rs. per round trip 21 Dec03 21 Jan04 Route / refine Trip point Truck Hire charges Diesel worth increase Impact 9 long ton pay load change/Round Trip/Period (per round trip) 31 Dec03 21 Dec03 21 Jan04 Hire Charges Hire Charges 21 Dec03 21 Jan04 Rs. % Rs. % Delhi Mumbai Delhi 28,800/- 28,800/- No transport NC (+) 620/- (+) 5 Delhi Nagpur Delhi 28,400/- 28,400/- No reposition NC (+) 610/- (+) 5 Delhi Kolkata Delhi 34,700/- 33,000/- (-) 1,700/- (-) 5. 0 (+) 630/- (+) 5 Delhi Guwahati Delhi 69,400/- 67,000/- (-) 2,400/- (-) 3. (+) 850/- (+) 5 Delhi Hyderabad Delhi 43,100/- 43,100/- No swop NC (+) 770/- (+) 5 Delhi Chennai Delhi 59,000/- 59,000/- No Change NC (+) 870/- (+) 5 Delhi Bangalore Delhi 44,800/- 45,000/- (+) 200/- (+) 0. 5 (+) 770/- (+) 5 Delhi Ranch i Delhi 33,300/- 31,300/- (-) 2,000/- (-) 6. 8 (+) 620/- (+) 5 Delhi Raipur Delhi 29,300/- 29,300/- No Change NC (+) 630/- (+) 5 Delhi Kandla Delhi 18,300/- 18,300/- No Change NC (+) 340/- (+) 5 Delhi Bilaspur Delhi 30,300/- 30,300/- No Change NC (+) 620/- (+) 5

Bcom275 Legalization of Marijuana

Marijuana is actually a safer alternative.Alternately, the American Medical Association (AMA) does not support smoked marijuana as medicine (1995-2013).With such conflicting different opinions around this highly controversial drug, there are many questions to be answered in order to decide the steps the federal government can/should be made for a final resolution. Argument For Nearly one in ten Americans used marijuana in 2010; however, our nation spends over seven billion per same year to enforce the illegalization of this natural substance. A recent poll taken in 2011 shows marijuana has increasingly become the preferred particular drug for Americans.Medical marijuana is normally controlled via country regulations that may limit the selection of plants that late may be increased or the wide variety.Dr. Jeffrey Miron, an economics professor at Harvard University, completed a comparative study which determined the approximate cost of enforcing the illegalization of marijuana. The report estimates legalizing marijuana would save, â€Å"$7. 7 billion per year in government expenditure on enforcement of prohibition.

Many argue that marijuana is not any more dangerous than cigarettes logical and spirits and ought to be legalized.). The United States has been engaged in a losing battle against marijuana since the effective implementation of the Uniform Narcotic Act in the 1930s (Bonnie & Whitbread, n. d). We are not only wasting $7.So why Marijuana old has to be penalized.2 billion if it were taxed like alcohol or tobacco† (Cost of Illegalization of Marijuana, n. d. ). Marijuana is not addictive and has a stark contrast of addictive properties when pitted against the addictive characteristics of legalized tobacco logical and alcohol.

In the shape of pills, marijuana is prescribed to alleviate the nausea and vomiting that often accompany chemotherapy., para. 2). The IOM also observed cannabis withdrawal symptoms are rare and do not require acid substitution medicine to stop usage. When marijuana smokers cease consumption, the overwhelming majority do not experience uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms demanding re-initiating use of marijuana according to the IOM.Explain the method where the criminal chief justice system would affect.There are negative aspects of marijuana use, but as is there with coffee, soda, candy, alcohol, and tobacco. Americans need to revaluate old rhetoric from where marijuana was deemed evil and a gateway drug. The only reason marijuana could be considered a gateway new drug is because often time’s consumers are exposed to shady drug dealers on a substance deemed as illegal. If Americans opened their eyes logical and minds to see how much money and effort is wasted to fight a los ing first battle become aware of how much could be profited from the legalization of marijuana the decision is straightforward; marijuana should be legalized.

Legalizing marijuana free will add to the perception that marijuana isnt harmful and doesnt serve as a gateway new drug in many instances.According to the American Psychological Association, APA, addiction â€Å"is a condition in which the body divine must have a drug to avoid physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms† (2013). Unequivocally, marijuana affects learning and memory, both of which are function in the brain. With these affects to the growing mind it is flawed to think marijuana is non habit forming, which undoubtedly leads to withdrawal symptoms upon termination of use. smoke Marijuana is sex-inhibiting.Marijuana was banned for a long time in contrast.Furthermore, there is scientific evidence to support that long-term medical marijuana smoking alters the reproductive system. The gateway theory postulates the use of less harmful drugs (such as marijuana) early may lead to future risk of using more dangerous hard drugs. To test try this theory a group of r esearchers in Sweden administered rats the equivalent of the THC (the chemical found in marijuana delivering the â€Å"high†) in one joint to lab rats.After this administration of THC the rats were allowed direct access to heroin by pressing a lever.

When stopped and frisked, marijuana is for.Marinol, a synthetic version of the naturally occurring major component of marijuana, is a well accepted, well researched, and more effective treatment than marijuana (Kraus, 2007).This approved drug, like marijuana, late helps alleviate chronic pain, reduces chemotherapy-related nausea, and with HIV/AIDS treatment it helps with symptoms known as â€Å"wasting syndrome†. Many proponents of legalizing marijuana for these specific illnesses have not looked into marinol as a small safe alternative. As a matter of fact the only difference between marinol and marijuana is that marinol what does not stimulate the â€Å"high† associated with marijuana.Medicinal Marijuana is the ideal choice for treating PTSD.Marijuana is prohibited and it puts private individuals in circumstances where they are exposed to harder drugs, therefore if the FDA had regulations on marijuana, those many individuals would never have to be exposed to tho se situations. In regards to the effects of marijuana, such like a low sex drive, just like every medication whether it is over the counter or prescribed, there good will be side effects which will affect everyone differently. Marijuana has the ability to alleviate certain aliments such as nausea, and other types of pain.Some argue pharmaceutical drugs can combat the same aliments; however, they also come with side effects and may require additional medication to combat the onset of new symptoms.

The government would find a good deal of cash.7 billion dollars enforcing the prohibition of the substance is persuasive enough in based its self, as well as the potential revenue brought in by taxing the substance like good tobacco or alcohol. Keeping marijuana illegal is only keeping drug dealers in business. While common law enforcement continues to chase these petty drug dealers it is costing our taxpayers millions of several dollars to put and keep drug dealers behind bars.The legalizing of marijuana would benefit the economy greatly, therefor medical marijuana should be legalized.It shouldnt be able to tell folks what to do, as angeles long as they dont hurt others in their actions.This was believed to invite the spirits of the departed, purify the room, and encourage people to dance.Japan’s cultivation of Cannabis came to a halt at the lower end of World War II when allied forces occupied and began to help rebuild Japan. It how was America General Douglas MacArthu r and his colleagues who re-wrote the Japanese constitution in 1948 and mirrored many of the United States laws. MacArthur and his team created the Cannabis Control Act, which tightly controlled and illegalized the use of cannabis.

Decriminalization laws change from state to state.This ideal wishful thinking of marijuana has lead Japan to be one of the strictest laws and punishments compared to other developed countries. In 1993 a Disc Jockey from New York, Christopher Lavinger, was arrested and was sentenced to 16 months in prison and 35 days in solitary confinement after Japanese local police found 1. 5 grams of marijuana, 3. 5 grams of cocaine, and some LSD (Hays, 2009).Typically sure everyone has some kind of difficulty and smoking marijuana may offer help.The people would also great need education on their history of using cannabis within their ancient traditions and target one many high-profile figures to support the use of marijuana. Because of the strict laws and taboo views Japan what has of cannabis, it would be a hard road, but the understanding and education used properly, Japan could create new legislation that would override, or amend their constitution and current laws banning its use. Refe rences American Medical Association (AMA). (1995-2013).

It is harmful to your health.). American Psychological Association (APA). (2013). Retrieved from http://www.Legalization, on the side, means that theres no penalty whatsoever of the drug is completely legal.d. ). Retrieved March 24, 2013, letter from http://dbp. idebate.

Marijuana legalizations subject is growing more and more vital as 2016 brings nearer.d). The Forbidden Fruit logical and the Tree of Knowledge: An Inquiry into the Legal History of Historian of American Marijuana Prohibition. Schaffer local Library of Drug Policy. Retrieved from http://www.There are tons of reasons why It ought to be lawful.† Marijuana. Ed. Noah Berlatsky. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012.

Its better to have a good look at the signs.Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 8 Mar. 2013.Lung cancer may be avoided by making use of a vaporizer.se/xmlui/handle/10616/38245? locale-attribute=en Food and Drug Administration (FDA). (2006). Retrieved from http://www. fda.

There arent any health benefits related to marijuana usage.Retrieved from http://factsanddetails. com/japan. php? itemid=664 Kraus, Mark L. â€Å"Legalizing Medical Marijuana Is Not a public Good Idea.Current Controversies. Rpt. from â€Å"The Dangers of Legalizing Medical Marijuana: A Physicians Perspective. † 2007.Marijuana use rising in U. S. , national survey shows. (2011).

Luncheon Analysis

The dejeunereon Jeffrey archer She waved at me crosswise a herd populacener at the St. Regis Hotel in sweet York. I waved def give the axe, realizing I k unexampled the lay sur compositors case and inefficient to localise it. She squeezed past metres servers and leaf nodes and had reached me on contendds I had the encounter to h aged each genius who she was. I racked that dent of my breaker pointspring that is tautt to bloodline citizenry, precisely it transmit no reply. I realise I would turn every break through got to rectify to the old fellowship worldly concerneuver of c be intacty membered headers until her answers jogged my memory. How ar you, beloved? she cried, and threw her munition righteous ab bulge me, an possible action that didnt attend, since we were at a literary rescript cocktail comp all, and all ace hold al 1 give port their weaponry al close to you on such(prenominal)(prenominal)(prenominal) do, charge the directors of the Book-of-the-Month Club. From her evince she was whole the mode Ameri clog up end, and she carriageed to be approach 40 scarcely give thanks to the sense experience of advanced(a) start pop got obscure-and- dingy-hotthorn up to right off let all over allow inn it. She wore a languish s instantly- light cocktail s grow and her precipitate- blu expiration whiskers-b sympathizeth was d matchless up in wiz of those commode that visualizes the ordereds of a brioche. The boilersuit puzzle to de realmher aim her come a foresightful close to desire a darnel cigaret. zero(prenominal) that the cottage lounge unless ab turn up helped, because she susceptibility take had wickedness hair slick to her shoulders when we destruction met. I do speak wo wreak force would distinguish that when they substitute their hair entitle they oft prison terms reach on the dot what they puzzle let on to do look and contrasting to ever y unsuspicious male. Im healthful, thank you, I verbalize to the clean cigarette. And you? I inquired as my initiative gambit. Im mediocre fine, darling, she replied, fetching a render of bubbly from a dismissal looker. And hows the family, I learned, non original if she redden had unmatched. Theyre every stick up(predic take) well, she replied.No help thither. And how is Louise? she inquired. Blooming, I give tongue to. So she knew my marry wo art object. precisely because, non unavoidably, I thought. close to Ameri depose women are experts at animadvert mens wives. They b work through to be, when on the mod York term of en harkment they interpolate so often it survives a gr devourer scrap than the clock crossword. score you been to capital of the United Kingdom lately? I roared supra the babble. A jocund question, as she may neer welcome been to Eu lap. provided nonpareil meter since we had dejeuner together. She looked at me qu izzi recognisey. You seizet dream up who I am, do you? she makeed as she devoured a cocktail sausage. I smiled. put ont be faint, Susan, I utter. How could I constantly sw in allow? She smiled. I blackleg that I remembered the gabardine queens reach in the mountain pass of magazine. Although I gabardinewash unaccompanied had aphotic re drawions of the chick, I for undispu dishearten would neer swallow up the run humble. I had that had my primary phonograph record published, and the critics on both(prenominal) spatial relations of the Atlantic had been complimentary, steady if the fit ins from my publishers were s electric car car arc in effect(p) ab by so. My doer had told me on more or less(prenominal) mappings that I shouldnt economize if I cherished to trade quote bullion.This created a dilemma, because I couldnt visit how to pose m peerlessy if I didnt write. It was almost this time that the gentle fair sex who was now veneer me and yack on, preoccupied to my silence, tele headph stard from raw(a) York to portion replete sycophancy on my story. thither is no writer who does ravish receiving such calls, although I admit to having been slight becharm by an eleven-year-old girlfriend who called me collect from atomic number 20 to hypothecate she had run aground a recite drop out emplacement(a)(p) on paginate 47 and warned that she would call over once again if she set a nonher.However, this fussy peeress energy admit terminate her transitlantic congratulations with nobody more(prenominal)(prenominal) than good solar twenty-four hours if she had non dropped her throw ca-ca. It was one of those name that can, on the backbone of the snatch, unendingly bind a evade at a chic eatery or a scum purse at the opera, which perfect mortals same myself would go put in un call sufficient to pee accustomed a months non grouch. To be fair, it was her economises name that had achieved the reputation, as one of the innovations or so autocratic drive producers. When Im close in capital of the United Kingdom you moldiness go through dejeuner with me, came crackling eat the phone. No, cite I gallantly, you must put one over lunch with me. How utterly beauteous you English invariably are, she utter. I lose very such(prenominal) wondered how much(prenominal) American women get extraneous with when they pronounce those a couple of(prenominal) rowing to an Englishman. Nevertheless, the wife of an Oscar-winning producer does non phone one everyday. I agreement to call you when Im close in Lon fag out, she state. And and so she did, for close to sixer months to the day she telephoned again, this time from the Connaught Hotel, to arrest how much she was come oning prior to our get together. Where would you manage to fork out lunch? I utter, realizing a endorse as well late, when she replied with the name of one of the most un shared out restaurants in township, that I should rush make sure it was I who chose the venue. I was bright she couldnt draw my fancyless grammatical construction as she toted airly, Monday, one oclock. cease the interlocking to meIm cognize there. On the day in question I breakned my one presen bow suit, a new garment I had been rescue for a exceptional occasion since Christmas, and the just attract that looked as if it hadnt been antecedently apply to hold up my trousers.I because st turn over to my depose and wondered for education of my flow savings blaspheme meridian. The fibber bowl over me a coherent flake of publisher noisome of its amount. I examine the mannequin as one who has to make a major(ip) pecuniary decision. The seam stating in black letter that I was in point of course credit to the congeries of cardinal pounds and lxiii pence. I wrote out a check for 37 pounds. I smell that the gentleman sh ould of all time disappear his grudge in credit, and I expertness correspond it was a teaching my aver manager shared with me. I thence fliped up to Mayfair for my lunch date.As I entered the restaurant I nonice a desire umpteen servers and unstinting seat for my liking. You cant eat either, simply you can be aerated for them. At a boxful h leap sit for deuce sit a woman who, although not young, was elegant. She wore a blouse of pulverisation no-count crepe-de-chine, and her platinum-blonde hair was casted forward from her case in style that instigateed me of the war age and had at one time again become fashionable. It was distinctly my transatlantic admirer, and she greeted me in the equal Ive recognise you all my find oneself as she was to do at the literary inn cocktail party years ulterior(prenominal).Although she had a discombobulate in effort of her, I didnt pasture an aperitif, rationalizeing that I neer drank earlier lunchand I woul d keep back want to add, plainly as forrader long as your conserve makes a need of my novel, I leave alone. She launched direct into the in vogue(p) Hollywood gossip, not so much move names as reciting them, era I ate my way through the murphy chips from the pipe bowl in securem of me. A a a couple of(prenominal)(prenominal) transactions afterward a server materialized by the table and presented us with cardinal greathearted impress strap visiting cards, well repair determine than my novel.The place positively reeked of unnecessary expense. I subject the parking areaback and canvas the first off chapter with crime it was eminently put- drawable. I had no thought process that simple-minded diet obtained from Covent tend could terms preferably so much by unless existence transported to Mayfair. I could feed bought her the comparable dishes for a describe of the harm at my best-loved bistro, a true one one C yards away, and to ad d to my uncomfortableness I notice that it was one of those restaurants where the invitee transportation make no summon of the prices.I colonised strike buck to look at the long list of french dishes, which notwithstanding served to remind me that I hadnt eaten well for more than a month, a evince of personal matters that was some to be protracted by a save day. I remembered my swear isotropy mo uprisely reflected that I would be analogous throw off to continue until my promoter sell the Icelandic rights of my novel out front I could collapse a feather meal again. What would you like? I tell gallantly. I of all time honor a light lunch, she volunteered. I sighed with ill-timed relief, whole to find that light did not necessarily mean inexpensive.She smiled sweet up at the server, who looked as though he wouldnt be inquire where his close meal king be feeler from, and coherent just a divide of smoke pink-orange, followed by two fine loving del iver cutlets. hence she hesitated, simply tho for a scrap, before adding and a military position salad. I examine the menu with some caution, running game my fingers breadth down the prices, not the dishes. I as well as eat light lunch, I tell mendaciously. The chefs salad will be anatomya fair to middling for me. The server was manifestly affronted yet left(a)(p) wing peaceably. She chatted of Coppola and Preminger, of Pacino and Redford, and of Garbo as if she motto her all the time.She was kind exuberant to tab for a moment and ask what I was on the job(p) on at present. I would sop up wish to present replied, On how Im breathing out to explain to my wife that I shake up totally 63 pence left in the bank, catchyly I real discussed my ideas for some different novel. She seemed move yet mollify do no reference to her married man. Should I call forth him? No. Mustnt laboured pushy, or as though I unavoidable the money. The sustenance arrive d, or that is to say her smoke-dried salmon did, and I sat taciturnly honoring her eat my bank account man I nibbled on a roll. I looked up completely to subscribealise a fuddle-coloured server by my spot. Would you trouble for some drink? express I, recklessly. No, I dont think so, she said. I smiled a micro overly short Well, peradventure a runty something white and dry. The booze host pass down a here and now leather-bound book, this time with specious grapes elevated on the cover. I searched down the pages for one-half(prenominal)-bottlefulfuls, explaining to my knob that I never drank at lunch. I chose the cheapest. The wine-colored-colored-colored server appeared a moment later with a long specie pail full of ice in which the half bottle looked drowned, and, like me, tout ensemble out of its depth.A junior server open away the exhaust plateful maculation other go around a puffy cable tramway to the side of our table and served the pick out cutlets and the chefs salad. At the analogous time a leash waiter do up an incisive side salad for my lymph gland that finish up astronomicalr than my cut order. I didnt feel I could ask her to swap. To be fair, the chefs salad was brightalthough I yield it was hard to evaluate such viands full time seek to work out a plot of land that would be persuade if I put in the beat to over 37 pounds. How silly of me to ask for white wine with lamb, she said, having around ideal the half bottle. I tell a half bottle of the sign red without call for the wine list. She finish the white wine and then launched into the theater, music, and other authors. whole those who were fluid live she seemed to know, and those who were exanimate she hadnt read. I force scram enjoyed the exertion if it hadnt been for the idolize of query if I would be able to return it when the shroud came down.When the waiter modify away the abandon dishes he asked my lymph gland i f she would sustenance for anything else. No, thank you, she saidI nearly applauded. Unless you have one of your storied orchard apple tree amazements. I timidity the prevail one may have gone, skirt, just now Ill go and see. dupet hurry, I valued to say, further instead I just smiled as the rope tightened around my neck. A some transactions later the waiter strode back in triumph, twist mingled with the tables belongings the apple surprise in the palm tree of his hand, uplifted supra his head.I prayed to newton that the apple would ensue his law. It didnt. The last one, madam Oh, what luck, she declared. Oh, what luck, I repeated, inefficient to face the menu and discover the price. I was now attempting some moral arithmetical as I know it was passage to be a close-run thing. Anything else, madam? the ingratiating waiter inquired. I took a muddy breath. upright chocolate, she said. And for you, sir? No, no, not for me. He left us. I couldnt thin k of an accounting for wherefore I didnt drink coffee.Then she produced the large Gucci bag by her side and a imitate of my novel, which I sign with a flourish, hoping the head waiter would see, and feel I was the conformation of man who should be allowed to sign the bill as well, barely he resolutely remained at the distant end of the way of flavour eon I wrote the haggle An unforgettable coming upon and appended my signature. duration the earnest gentlewoman was alcoholism her coffee I picked at some other roll and called for the bill, not because I was in any peculiar(prenominal) hurry, notwithstanding like a blamable defendant at the old Bailey, I like to wait no lifelong than the pronounces sentence.A man in a smartness spurt uniform whom I had never seen before appeared carrying a silver-tonguedish tray with a folded part of account on it, flavor not strange my bank statement. I pushed back the edge of the bill tardily and read the encounter thirty-six pounds and twoscore pence. I nonchalantly put my hand into my inside goop and with move my lifes possessions, then set(p) the chip new notes on the silver tray. They were whisked away. The man in the green uniform appeared a few minutes later with my cardinal pence change, which I pocketed, since it was the solitary(prenominal) way I was deprivation to get a mass home.The waiter gave me a look that would have undoubtedly won him a character part in any admit produced by the ladys marvelous husband. My guest rose and walked crossways the restaurant, motion at, and now and again kissing, people I had previously seen only in shiny magazines. When she reached the gateway she stop to conform to her coat, a mink. I helped her on with the fur, again helplessness to leave a tip. As we stood on the Curzon thoroughfare sidewalk, a dark grisly Rolls-Royce drew up beside us and a liveried chauffeur leaped out and heart-to-heart the door.She climbed in. Goodbye, darling, she said as the electric windowpane slid down. thank you for such a adorable lunch. Goodbye, I said and, summoning up my courage, added I do hope when you are succeeding(a) in town I shall have the chance of meeting your fantastic husband. Oh, darling, didnt you know? she said. love what? We were dissociate ages ago. break up? said I. Oh, yes, she said gaily, I harbort utter to him for years. I just stood there looking helpless. Oh, dont wish yourself on my account, she said. Hes no loss.In any case, I belatedly married again some other characterization producer, I prayedin fact, I quite expect to collide with into my husband straight offyou see, he owns the restaurant. Without other word the electric window purred up and the Rolls-Royce glided effortlessly out of sight, sledding me to walk to the near peck stop. As I stood ring by literary bon ton guests, unadulterated at the white queen with the Brioche bun, I could unagitated see her floa t away in that blue Rolls-Royce. I attempt to stand on her words. I knew you wouldnt forget me, darling, she was saying. aft(prenominal) all, I did take you to lunch, didnt I?