U.S. manned spaceflight proram Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

U.S. manned spaceflight proram - Essay Example Space travels have now become an integral part of the exploration programs in the outer world. These travels are undertaken with the stated objectives of carrying out researches and scientific studies. During the cold war era, when both USSR and USA were busy in upstaging each other's maneuvers the spaceflight program got a big boost.Both countries used to suspect each other's motives and tried to be the first with the latest technology to spy from the outer world. All this, no doubt, enriched the space exploration program, but it came at a huge cost attached to it. This led to severe criticism of such a program and questions were being raised on the utility of such a program. With the disintegration of USSR into many smaller nations the race has come to a halt and now we have only one super-power, but the space program continues. It not only has strategic importance, but there are vast possibilities for the scientific community to know the nature, the environment, the surroundings o f the earth etc. It appears little far fetched, but to explore the possibilities of life in the outer space will also be known only when we continue with the space exploration program. It is indeed capital intensive, and the outcome cannot be quantified in general terms, but it is also a fact that not every nation can afford to have such an ability to spend on exploring the outer world. Colino (1987) contends that when reviewing the space exploration program of U.S. a perceptible change in the policy is quite apparent. 'While in the 1960s and 1970s, U.S. space policy focused on given objectives ranging from national security, to Cold War competition with the Soviet Union, to the belief that exploration of space for learning, knowledge and, perhaps simply, "because it's there" were worthy goals per se. These clearly stated objectives fueled the most successful American space initiatives, many of which were conducted directly, openly, and, in some areas, with extensive international c ooperation.' Now the international community too is actively cooperating with America in the different forms to understand the intricacies of outer space. The financial aspect is of course looked mainly from the American pocket, and that is quite understandable as well. We cannot expect the countries like the third world nations, showing active interest in the space exploration program, to finance such projects. In fact from strategic point of view an international partnership in such projects gives scope for a better understanding amongst nations, which in turn helps in lessening the political rivalry and brings up the mutual trust, a prerequisite for world peace. Manned spaceflight provides more room for exploring the potentials of outer world, studying and analyzing the extraterrestrial activities etc. Manned spaceflights no doubt puts the life of the individual/s on great risk, but it is worthwhile here to mention that with the help of unmanned spaceflights we can only have a limited success in such explorations. Russian space traveler Yuri Garagin was the first one to go up there in 1961, but now American adventures have gone many steps ahead of Russia, thanks to the consistent efforts from the respective US governments. Mr. Steven Weinberg has been questioning the motives and utility of such space programs. The International Space Station (ISS) program in particular has come in the firing line, for not producing scientific results commensurate with the kind of investments (Prechtl and Whitesides, 2007). But, such are the risks with the scientific programs whatsoever. The research community is busy looking out a cure for AIDS, but so far they've not been able to come out with any credible cure for the disease.

Systems installation and configuration Essay Example for Free

Systems installation and configuration Essay You can is the up and down arrow keys to move up and down the drop-down menu. To select and option, highlight the item on the drop-down menu and press Enter. An ellipse after a menu item signifies additional options; if you select that option, a dialog box will appear. Toolbars The standard Toolbar The Formatting Toolbar Toolbars provide shortcuts to menu commands. Toolbars are generally located just below the Menu bar. Before proceeding with the lesson, make sure the Toolbars we will use -standard and Formatting- are available. Follow these steps 1. Point to View on the Menu bar 2. Click the left mouse button 3. Press the down arrow and key until Toolbars is highlighted 4. Press Enter 5. Standard and Formatting should have a checkmark next to them 6. If both standard and formatting, have a checkmark next to them, press Esc three times to close the menu. 7. If one or both do not have a checkmark, highlight customize 8. Press Enter 9. Point to the box next to the unchecked word and click the left mouse button. A checkmark should appear. Note: you turn the checkmark on and off by clicking the left mouse button. 10. Point to close and click the left mouse button to close the dialog The Ruler The ruler is generally found below the main toolbars. The ruler is used to change the format of your document quickly. To display the ruler: 1. Point to View on the Menu bar. 2. Click your left mouse button. 3. The option Ruler should have a checkmark next to it. If it has a checkmark next to it, press Esc twice to close the menu. If it does not have a checkmark next to it, continue to the next step. 4. Press the down arrow key until Ruler is highlighted 5. Press the Enter key. The ruler should display below the toolbars. Creating a Template . BIOS Keeping your PC, secure Setting a password on your BIOS is an excellent way to make your computer more secure. A password in Windows only restricts access to Windows and can be bypassed with a little knowledge; a BIOS password protects the computer from the moment it is switched on. There are two kinds of password that you can set in the BIOS. The first and most important password gives permission to change options in the BIOS itself and is commonly called a Setup password. This is particularly useful if you have stopped the computer from booting from CDs or floppy disks and do not want anybody to change this. This would be protecting my user from unauthorized usages. The other password should be typed in as soon as the computer is switched on, even before the option to enter the BIOS appears a User password. This is the first line of defence you can add to your computer and is very effective. A word of warning about getting too overconfident about these passwords, however. It is possible to reset the BIOS if you can access the inside of the computer and it does not stop someone from removing the hard disk to read on another system. If the files on your computer are secret, consider buying a case that can be locked to stop people from changing these options. Get your boots in order A very useful setting the BIOS allows you to change is how your computer boots. When it first starts, the BIOS looks for a disk containing an operating system to boot from. Usually, this is the hard disk but there may be times when you want to boot from a floppy disk or a CD-Rom. Which drives are checked and in what order is determined by the Boot Order in the BIOS. Changing the Boot Order can make your computer more secure as it gives you more control over how it starts. Even if Windows is password-protected, it is possible for someone to start the computer with a floppy disk or a CD. Alternatively, if you want to stop someone messing around with your computer, you can do so by restricting how the computer starts and make your computer look on your hard drive for an operating system first. Enter your BIOS in the usual way and enter the Advanced BIOS Features screen. You will either see a list of the devices the BIOS checks, or an option to change the boot order. To make our computer more secure we are going to change the first boot device to HDD-0, which is short for Hard Disk Drive 0, or the first hard disk, in other words. Move down to First Boot Device and press Enter to see a list of devices the computer can boot from, Move down to HDD-0 and press Enter again. Changing the boot order for troubleshooting is effectively the reverse of this process. You can load many very good troubleshooting tools from CD or floppy disk. If there are problems with the hard drive, you may need to make the computer look elsewhere first. This might be necessary if Windows has a fault that stops it from loading properly or if you want to boot from the Windows CD-Rom in order to reinstall it. Return to the Advanced BIOS Features screen and change the First Boot Device to the media that you want to boot from. Unlike many other manufacturers that stick to BIOS, MSI often prefers BIOS from AMI. Well, there is nothing wrong as the new AMIBIOS versions, unlike the previous ones, offer a wide range of Setup settings and often show better performance than the BIOS versions from Award. And now lets dwell upon the Setup settings. Memory timings located on the separate page of the BIOS Setup come first. You can see that all the key timings in MSI KT4 Ultra can be modified. Besides CAS Latency, you can change Trp, Tras and Trcd settings as well as DRAM Command Rate, Memory Interleaving and DRAM Burst Length. All the parameters can vary in usual ranges, while CAS Latency can even be set to 1. 5, although we couldnt power up MSI KT4 Ultra with such a CAS value in our test lab. As for hardware monitoring, MSI KT4 Ultra keeps track of system and CPU temperatures, rotation speeds of two fans, processor core voltage and six other voltage values. Of course, MSI KT4 Ultra has something to offer over clocking fans. These tools are listed in a separate BIOS page called Frequency/Voltage Control, and deserve a closer look. Here is a list of options an over clocker receives from MSI KT4 Ultra main board: Â  Bus frequency adjustment. You can set any frequency from 100MHz to 280MHz. Well, the top FSB frequency is just an attraction. The maximum working FSB rate you can set on MSI Ultra KT4 is 233MHz. If you choose a frequency above this value, the bus will actually work at half the desired rate. CPU multiplier adjustment. The range is from 6x to 15x. Â  Manual adjustment of the CPU core voltage. The values available are Auto, 1. 625, 1. 650, 1. 675, 1. 700, 1. 725 and 1. 750V. Therefore, the options here are rather scarce (the regular core voltage is usually 1. 65V). Â  DDR DIMM slots voltage adjustment. The values available are Auto, 2. 6, 2. 7 and 2. 8V. It is also possible to set Termination Voltage (Auto, 1. 27 and 1. 29V). Therefore, MSI KT4 Ultra has every right to boast cool means of memory voltage adjustment. Â  AGP voltage can be set to Auto, 1. 6, 1. 7 and 1. 8V. This would be important for my user because it would let he/she know what facts and settings the BIOS have to offer. After checking all the options in practice, we can state that the entire range of FSB frequencies up to 233MHz is working, that is, the mainboard is stable at any FSB frequency up to 233MHz. Overclockers should really enjoy it and continue the AMDs initiative about raising the FSB frequency of their Athlon XP above 166MHz. But at 166MHz FSB, the memory in MSI KT4 Ultra can be clocked only synchronously due to the restrictions in the VIA KT400 chipset. Moreover, the minimum divisor of the PCI bus thats activated at the FSB rate over 166MHz is 1:5. So, when overclocking the FSB above 166MHz, the system may lose some of its stability because of certain problems with the memory or expansion cards. There is one more unpleasant peculiarity I noticed when overclocking the CPU in MSI KT4 Ultra. This mainboard turned to have no means to reset CPU parameters in case of over-overclocking. So, when the mainboard doesnt start up after a change in BIOS Setup settings, the only way to reanimate the system is to use the Clear CMOS jumper. Practical Components and fittings of a PC Motherboard This is the main circuit board of the computer. The motherboard contains connectors for attaching additional boards. The motherboard contains the CPU, BIOS, memory, mass storage interfaces, serial and parallel ports, expansion slots, and all the controllers required to control standard peripheral devices such as the monitor, screen, and disk drive. A motherboard. Fitting the motherboard The case has a slide-out tray, which provides a very elegant way to install the motherboard and all of its components. Cheaper cases will have a mounting case plate fixed permanently to the case. If I had that type of case, I would first lay the case on its side. Next, I screw in the spacer mounts for fixing the motherboard as seen in the photo above. There are usually more holes drilled in the mounting plate than you actually need. There are standard locations for these holes on the mounting plate, which correspond to the holes on the motherboard. How many of these are actually used depends on the board manufacturer. Fitting the Hard disk Photo of a Typical Hard disk The hard drive is secured with four screws, usually the coarse thread type, and the end of the drive with the connectors must point towards the inside of the case. There are usually a couple rows of holes in the cage, make sure the holes you pick let the screws clear the opening at the front of the case when you put the cage back in. Normally, the second set from the cage bottom is used The Ribbon Cable Always install the ribbon cables before replacing the drive cage in the case. As the cage is being installed back in the case, you can see that the ribbon cable is already connected to the floppy drive and has been fed through the opening prior to sliding the cage in. Note also the position of the screws securing the floppy drive to the cage, all the way forward in the slots, which is the norm. The hard drive is mounted in the second set of holes from the cage bottom. Do not forget to reinstall the screws back in the cage, even though it snaps into place. The CD drive has already been installed in the top bay of our mini-tower, though you can wait until after you restore the plastic faceplate to the case, particularly if you are not sure which set of screw holes will align the drive flush with the cover. The ribbon cable has been installed on to the motherboard; with the red key wire in the ribbon towards pin one on the connector.

Product Life-Cycle Model Essay -- essays research papers

Overview The product can be defined as goods, services or both; in the other words it’s anything that satisfies customer need. Each product has its own limited life, however it shares the same aspect and we define the period that the product goes through as the â€Å"Product life cycle†. The Product life cycle consist of four stages starting from introduction stage, growth stage, maturity stage and decline stage. At the introduction stage, the product is not popular and can’t really make a lot of profit. Its marketing cost may be high in order to test a market and set up a distribution channel. At the growth stage, the product start making a profit, the sales increase rapidly with some cost on marketing especially brand building. Competitors enter the market, often in large number depending on how attractive the market is. When a profit starts to decline, it’s the sign of ‘Maturity stage’. At maturity stage, the sales continue to increase but at the decreasing rate until become stable, because of price competition. The product reaches its peak at this stage, most companies fight aggressively to maintain their market share. The competition is very intense, unfortunately a small firms will die one by one. During the decline stage, the profit start to drop gradually, each firm has to manage carefully. There’re not many choice to choose now; take the most out of it before exit or expand the market by using marketing mix strategies in order to extend product life. Can product life...

Nursing Ethics Essay

What is personal ethics? Many people have their own perceptions and definition of what personal ethics are. When speaking about personal ethics this topic deals with what an individual believes to be morally right or wrong. Personal ethics comes from what one was taught by child by their caregiver whether it was mom, dad, grandmother, grandfather, aunt, or uncle. Since these ethics were instilled in us as children by our caregivers we carried these ethics into our daily lives and the decisions that we made. As a child my mother main focus was to make sure I knew right from wrong. As a parent she just didn’t say that something was wrong, but she told me why it was wrong. I think this is the most important aspect when understanding ethics and why people make the decisions they make. I think it is important to hold personal ethical views so when one is being faced with a challenging moral issue they will be able to efficiently handle the situation. My mother and grandmother based their ethical views according to their religious background. Both my mother and grandmother are Christian ministers and their views were guided from the Bible. As a nurse I make ethical decisions every day. Some of these ethical decisions are easy and some not quite so easy; however, my decision is based upon how I was taught and my personal beliefs and what is the best outcome for the patient. I think as a nurse I am still learning and can always make room for improvement. My personal ethics are constantly being tested as a nurse and the decision I make not only influences patients but also my peers. As a nursing manager in my facility it is my job that I make good ethical decisions because I have other nurses looking at me to make concrete decisions in some cases. Values are a person’s principles or standards of behaviors. My value is what I consider to be important in life. What is important to me may not be important to someone else. This is what I had to consider in the world of nursing. I  would come to accept that everyone is different and though they are different and values are different we both should be able to respect one’s views and decisions. This is important so that we may achieve our primary goal of purpose which is to care for the patient. My values and beliefs are rooted and grounded in my Christian background. Values that I was taught as a child was â€Å"do unto other as you would have them do unto you†. Simply put to treat people how you want to be treated. This causes a sort of immediate feedback for creating our moral standards and making ethical decisions (Scivicque, 2007). As a manager, I have learned how to be humble, and listening and learning from others. Another important value that was instilled in me as a child was to share and to be grateful for what you have. This I come to realize that I being a young woman most women my age have not accomplished the things that I have. By knowing this I do not take my career for granted. I enjoy my co-workers and patients that I work with. I enjoy overall caring for people and watching them thrive towards their highest potential. An example of an ethical dilemma I might encounter in the nursing field is the giving of blood to a Jehovah Witness. According to a Jehovah Witness’ beliefs they do not believe in administering blood or blood products for life-saving measures. The ethical dilemma is what do you do in an emergency situation? What if their beliefs go against everything you stand for? M best response in this situation is to focus on the patient as a whole. As a nurse we have to care for the patient physically, spiritually, mentally, and socially. Physically the patient would need a blood transfusion, but spiritually the patient will decline due to beliefs. I think this is the perfect opportunity to educate the patient of the risk and benefits of receiving the blood transfusion. As a nurse I take my job very seriously. While I’m working I ask myself what if these patients were my family members. How can I be present with the patient and listen to their concerns without judging them as a person? These are all questions I have to ask myself when providing care to my patients. I am not a perfect nurse by far but I am striving to be the best versatile nurse I can be to ensure that my patients reach their optimal level of wellness. References Scivicque, C. (2007). Developing Personal Ethics. Retrieved from http://suite101.com/article/developing-personal-ethics-a34018

Host based Intrusion Prevention

Intrusion Detection Systems (IDSs) recognize the presence of malicious code within traffic that flows through the holes punched into the firewall, our first layer of defense. Though, the word â€Å"intrusion detection† is a bit of a misnomer.Richard Kemmerer and Giovanni Vigna of the University Of California, Santa Barbara, elucidate in an article in the IEEE Security and Privacy magazine: â€Å"Intrusion detection systems do not detect intrusions at all–they only identify evidence of intrusion, either while in progress or after the fact.† (Edwin E. Mier, David C. Mier, 2004)An IDS recognizes security threats by detecting scans, probes and attacks, however does not block these patterns; it only reports that they took place. Yet, IDS logged data is invaluable as proof for forensics and incident handling. IDSs as well detect internal attacks, which are not seen by the firewall, and they help in firewall audits.IDSs can be divided into 2 main categories, footed on t he IDS alarm triggering mechanism: anomaly detection-based IDS and misuse detection-based IDS.Anomaly detection based IDSs report deviations from â€Å"normal† or expected behavior. Behavior other than â€Å"normal† is measured an attack and is flagged and recorded. Anomaly detection is as well referred to as profile-based detection. The profile describes a baseline for normal user tasks, and the quality of these user profiles directly has an effect on the detection capability of the IDS. Techniques for constructing user profiles comprise: (Nong Ye, 2003).Rule-based approach–Normal user behavior is characterized by creating rules, however analyzing normal traffic is a complicated task. A related approach is protocol anomaly detection.Neural networks–These systems are trained by presenting them with a large amount of data, together with rules regarding data relationships. They then find out if traffic is normal or not; abnormal traffic raises an alarm.Stat istical approach–Activity profiles describe the behavior of system or user traffic. Any deviation from normal triggers an alarm.The advantage of anomaly detection is that it can identify previously unknown attacks and insider attacks, without the need for â€Å"signatures†Ã¢â‚¬â€œ that is., predefined attack profiles.One more benefit of anomaly detection is that it's impossible for the attacker to know what activity causes an alarm, thus they cannot assume that any particular action will go undetected.The disadvantage of anomaly detection is that it produces a large number of â€Å"false positives†Ã¢â‚¬â€œ that is., alerts that are produced by legitimate activity. In addition, besides being complicated as well as hard to understand, building and updating profiles as well need a lot of work.The other most important approach, misuse-detection based IDS (also called signature-based IDS), triggers an alarm when a match is found to a â€Å"fingerprint†-a signa ture contained in a signature database. These â€Å"fingerprints† are footed on a set of rules that match typical patterns of exploits used by attackers. As there is a known database of exploits, there are few false positives.The disadvantage is that misuse-detection IDSs can merely detect already-known attacks. Besides, the â€Å"fingerprints† database needs to be incessantly updated to keep up with new attacks. The majority IDS products in the market at present use misuse detection.

Editorial Cartoon Project Essays - Shooting Of Trayvon Martin

Editorial Cartoon Project Essays - Shooting Of Trayvon Martin Cooper Casamento Mr. Carter English 10 Honors, Period 6 14 February 2016 Editorial Cartoon Project Cartoon 1 This political cartoon is about the issue of police brutality in America, and this cartoon is specifically focused on the event of George Zimmerman shooting and killing Trayvon Martin. At the time of this incident, George Zimmerman was a police officer, and Trayvon Martin was an African-American child who was 17 years old. The cartoonist's opinion of this whole issue is that George Zimmerman got off empty-handed, and he shows this by putting a picture of George Zimmerman flying out of a cage on the "Get Out of Jail Free" card from the board game Monopoly. The cartoonist also uses labeling, by putting labels on the tea and the Skittles. He does this because that is what Trayvon Martin was carrying when he was shot coming back from the store. The cage that Zimmerman is flying out of represents jail, and Zimmerman is just flying out of it because he really did get out of jail free. There is also a hole in the middle of Martin's sweatshirt, representing where Zimmerman shot him. This car toon was not very persuasive to me, because I already share the same view point as the cartoonist: Zimmerman was not innocent and he did not deserve to get out of jail that easily. Cartoon 2 This political cartoon focuses on the issues of both college debt, and the large amounts of homework for students in grades lower than college, but it is mainly focused on the issue of college debt. The cartoonist believes college debt is outrageous, and that is why he is writing this cartoon. He is writing this cartoon because he wants something done about this issue, because college debt leaves most former students in debt for many years after they graduate. The cartoonist uses the large backpack on the man labeled college to represent the large amount of debt many college graduates have after they graduate, and he uses the large backpack on the younger kid to show how they are just "in training." The cartoonist obviously exaggerated the size of the backpack, but he did it to show how large the amount of debt really is and how the debt can hold someone down. The cartoonist used labeling to show how the college student is being held down by the debt. The cartoonist is most likely tr ying to aim this cartoon at important people who can change the amount of money it takes to go to college.

Idioms and Expressions - Eye

Idioms and Expressions - Eye The following idioms and expressions use the noun eye. Each idiom or expression has a definition and two example sentences to help with  these common idiomatic expressions. Apple of Someones Eye The expression  apple of my eye  is often used when referring to family members, or those who are closest to us to mean that they are someones favorite person or object. Jennifer is the apple of her fathers eye. Hes so proud of her. My Mercedes is the apple of my eye. Birds-eye View Birds-eye view  refers to a viewpoint from which one can see a wide area. This idiom  is often used figuratively to mean that someone can see a situation from a wider perspective. His birds-eye view of the market will help us beat our competitors. The hotel provides a lovely birds-eye view over the bay. Catch Someones Eye Catch someones eye indicates that someone or something has  gained attention. I caught the servers eye. Hell be with us shortly. That house on Elm street certainly caught my eye. Should we talk a look inside? Cry Ones Eyes Out Crying ones eyes out  is an idiom used for very sad events in ones life. It means to  cry for a very long time in a desperate manner such as at the loss of a loved one. I think you just need to cry your eyes out to get it all out of your system. Marias crying her eyes out. I wonder what happened? Eagle Eye Someone with an  eagle eye  has  the ability to see important details and notice mistakes. Show it to the editor. She has an eagle eye and will catch any mistake. Luckily, Toms eagle eye saw the discounted sweater I was looking for. Feast Ones Eyes on Something If you feast your eyes on something,  you  enjoy the sight of something. This idiom is often used to boast about a possession of which you are very proud. Feast your eyes on my new watch. Isnt it beautiful?! I cant stop feasting my eyes on my new car. Get a Black Eye If you get a black eye, you  receive a bruise from something around the eye. This idiom can  also be used figuratively to mean to suffer a defeat. I got a black eye when I bumped into the door. I guess we got a black eye trying to compete with that big corporation. Get Stars in Ones Eyes Some young people get stars in their eyes  because they  become obsessed about show business. Ever since Janet got the lead role in the high school play, shes got stars in her eyes. Just because you are handsome doesnt mean you need to get stars in your eyes. Give Someone the Eye People will run when  you give them the eye  because you  look at someone in an accusatory or disapproving manner. The teacher was giving me the eye during the test. I guess he thought I might cheat. Dont give me the eye! Youre the one who caused this mess. Have Eyes Bigger than Your Stomach Unfortunately, its easy to put on weight if you  have eyes bigger than your stomach  because you  desire more food than you can eat. Little children tend to have eyes bigger than their stomachs. I remember one crazy night when my best friend had eyes bigger than his stomach. He ordered more than six different meals! Have Eyes in the Back of Ones Head If you have eyes in the back of your head, you are  be able to see what is going on. This can be frustrating because others might think they are being secretive and are not noticed. My mom had eyes in the back of her head. I never got away with anything. Do you have eyes in the back of your head? How did you notice that? Hit the Bulls-eye When a person hits the bulls-eye,  they  hit the center of the target. This expression is also used figuratively to express an impressive result. I think we hit the bulls-eye with our new product line. Youve hit the bulls-eye by getting that job. In the Public Eye If you are in the public eye, you are  in a position where the public can observe your actions, so be very careful! Youll be in the public eye if you take that job. Hollywood actors are all in the public eye. Keep Ones Eye on the Ball People who can  keep their eye on the ball  remain concentrated, especially in a work situation. You need to keep your eye on the ball, no matter how long it takes, to succeed. His ability to keep his eye on the ball assured his eventual success. Turn a Blind Eye to Someone or Something Unfortunately, some people turn a blind eye to someone  and show that they are  willingly to ignore  something wrong. Just turn a blind eye to Ted. Hell never change. Im going to turn a blind eye to that problem for the moment. Without Batting an Eye Most parents help their children without batting an eye  because they  do it without hesitation. He purchased the $2 million home without batting an eye. John made the decision without batting an eye. Idioms With Eye Quiz FIll in the gaps with a word to complete these sentences with expressions using  eye: Our boss has an ______ eye because he catches mistakes that others miss.Lets take a ______ view of this situation to make sure we dont miss anything.Its surprising how many young people get ______ in their eyes and move to Hollywood to start a career.I ordered this cake, but its too much. Im afraid I have eyes that are bigger than my ______.My daughter is the ______ of my eye.I think you hit the ______ when you made that investment. Today, you are a millionaire!She gave her daughter $500 without ______ an eye because she trusts her to spend it wisely.Would you please stop giving me the ______! Youre making me nervous!I got a ______ eye when I fell last week.Politicians are always in the ______ eye.   Answers eaglebirds-eyestarsstomachapplebulls-eyebattingeyeblackpublic

How to Identify and Grow Your Own Fringe Tree (Old Mans Beard)

How to Identify and Grow Your Own Fringe Tree (Old Mans Beard) Fringe Tree or Old Mans Beard is a beautiful, small tree when it is in full spring bloom. It can grow nearly anywhere in the continental United States and its white flower color kicks in just as the dogwood blooms are fading. The upright oval to rounded form of fringe tree adds dark green color in summer, bright white flowers in spring. The pure white, slightly fragrant flowers hang in long, spectacular panicles which appear to cover the tree with cotton for two weeks. Specifics Scientific name: Chionanthus virginicusPronunciation: kye-oh-NANTH-us ver-JIN-ih-kussCommon name(s): fringetree, old mans beardFamily: OleaceaeUSDA hardiness zones: 3 through 9Origin: native to North AmericaUses: container or above-ground planter; wide tree lawns; medium-sized tree lawns; recommended for buffer strips around parking lots or for median strip plantings in the highway; near a deck or patio; narrow tree lawns; specimen; sidewalk cutout (tree pit); residential street tree Special Characteristics Fringetree seedlings can vary in individual characteristics and are nearly impossible to propagate using cuttings. The small tree is cold hardy down to -30 F. Fringe tree makes a great woodland or understory naturalizing plant but can also prosper in full sun. In a word, it is a versatile plant. Horticulturist Quotes This tree looks stunning, almost ethereal when seen at peak bloom at night, illuminated by a full moon. And in the developed landscapes of your home, car headlights scanning around the edges of a driveway work just as well. - Guy Sternberg, Native Trees Fringe tree is an apt moniker for this delightful small flowering tree, whose white blossoms do resemble a fanciful white fringe suspended in the spring sunlight. - Rick Darke, The American Woodland Garden Leaves Leaf arrangement: Opposite/sub-opposite; whorledLeaf type: SimpleLeaf margin: EntireLeaf shape: Oblong; obovateLeaf venation: Pinnate; reticulateLeaf type and persistence: DeciduousLeaf blade length: 4 to 8 inches; 2 to 4 inchesLeaf color: GreenFall color: YellowFall characteristic: Not showy Trunk and Branches Bark is thin and easily damaged from mechanical impact; droop as the tree grows, and will require pruning for vehicular or pedestrian clearance beneath the canopy; routinely grown with, or trainable to be grown with, multiple trunks; not particularly showy; tree wants to grow with several trunks but can be trained to grow with a single trunk; no thorns. Pruning requirement: Needs little pruning to develop a strong structure.Breakage: ResistantCurrent year twig color: Brown; green; grayCurrent year twig thickness: Medium; thick Culture Light requirement: tree grows in part shade/part sun; tree grows in the shade; tree grows in full sunSoil tolerances: clay; loam; sand; acidic; occasionally wet; well-drainedDrought tolerance: moderate In Depth Dark green, glossy leaves emerge later in the spring than those of most plants, just as the flowers are at peak bloom. This differs from Chinese fringe tree which flowers at the terminal end of the spring growth flush. Female plants develop purple-blue fruits which are highly prized by many birds. Fall color is yellow in northern climates, but is an unnoticed brown in the south, with many leaves dropping to the ground a blackened green. The flowers can be forced into early bloom indoors. The plant eventually grows 20 to 30 feet tall in the woods, spreads to 15 feet, and tolerates city conditions well, but trees are more commonly seen 10 to 15 feet tall in landscapes where they are grown in the open. It forms as a multi-stemmed round ball if left unpruned but can be trained into a small tree with lower branches removed. Although reportedly difficult to transplant, the fringe tree can be successfully moved quite easily with proper care. It could be used beneath power lines where no pruning would be required. Fringetree looks best in a sunny spot sheltered from the wind. The foliage appears more attractive when grown with several hours of shade but the tree blooms best in full sun. It is probably best overall with some afternoon shade. A North American native commonly found in upland woods and stream banks throughout most of the South, fringe tree prefers moist, acidic soil and will gladly grow in even wet soils. It grows very slowly, usually 6 to 10 inches per year, but can grow a foot per year if given rich, moist soil and plenty of fertilizer. There is only one flush of growth each year.

Home depot Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Home depot - Essay Example The combined sales of both stores surpassed $7.2 billion. The Home Depot stores cater more to men, contractors, and serious do it yourselfers. Lowe’s on the other hand caters more to women and people looking to put the finishing touches on decorating projects. Home Depot has a greater physical market presence, but Lowe’s due to its superior product selection has been able to achieve greater customer acceptance. In the home improvement industry customers are not loyal to a specific store. I believe that Lowe’s has a better corporate image than Home Depot. During the past year while watching television I have on numerous occasion seen television commercials advertising Lowe’s. In the same time frame I have not seen any commercial for Home Depot. Despite having similar prices my perception based on the advertising I have seen is that Lowe’s has better price points on its merchandise. The fact that Lowe’s has better customer service is a strength that helps create a better corporate image in the eyes of the

Political Science Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Political Science - Term Paper Example Other government funded interests such as education, military and infrastructure will suffer greatly as well. Why these statements are valid along with imparting a general overview of the national debt so as to illuminate the crisis is this paper’s purpose. When Congress spends more than is collected, the country incurs a debt and must borrow money from foreign countries, mainly China, to remain operational. The national debt currently exceeds $13.7 trillion dollars (U.S. Treasury, 2010). According to the U.S. Treasury Department, the yearly payment on this debt, the deficit, reached $1.29 trillion as of last month (October, 2010). (Bartash, 2010). These figures are well past most peoples’ comprehension. Started in 1791, the national debt was, by those days’ standards, an incredible $75 million. Due to President Andrew Jackson’s prudent approach to government spending, the national debt was lowered to, again adjusted to today’s standards, to only $37 thousand. The Reagan/Bush administrations of the 1980’s ran the debt up by historic proportions. The massive increase of debt was not used for infrastructure, education, public programs or even to finance a war. As a result of Reagan’s ‘trick le down’ economic theory, the money wound up in the pockets of the rich. When President Clinton took office in 1993, the debt stood at $2.4 trillion. In the early 1990’s, Congress adopted a ‘pay-as-you-go’ policy and federal spending cuts which resulted in budget surpluses for four consecutive years. Clinton announced that the nation could pay off the debt by the year 2013 if it stayed on the present course (Schoen, 2006). That optimistic predication has long since been forgotten. Since 2000, the debt has more than quadrupled. In this time of increased globalization of the world’s financial markets, American legislators are more easily able to borrow from other countries that are experiencing a surplus of

Principle and Effectiveness of the concept Rule of Law in the UK Essay

Principle and Effectiveness of the concept Rule of Law in the UK - Essay Example The principle behind the rule of law is that there ought to be sureness in law, such that every person can regulate his or her own dealings accordingly. Even though in UK, it is often argued that it seeks to prevent any arbitrary law making by governing officials or inferior courts, critics argues that it is a complex mixture of principles and sub-principles, with the major contention being on what extent the law allows discretionary powers to be applied. Nevertheless, individual liberties extremely depend on the rule of law, such that its effectiveness hinges on the undertaking of trials through jury or the lack of prejudice from judges. Critics also observe that the success of the rule of law principles hinges more so on its prerogative orders, such that it offers the executive the opportunity to rewrite the principles, in order to attain supposed exigencies of a given political situation as recently. Thus, the aim of this paper is to discuss the principle and effectiveness of the concept Rule of Law in the UK. ... out limiting any exercise of discretionary authority whereby laws are founded on standards with significance given to procedures such that it only allows the implementation of Parliament legislative powers while limiting implementation of legislative authority by the executive. Therefore, legislations are prospective instead of retrospective with an underlying moral foundation for every law. Focus is on having rules and procedures, which can make certain that laws are applied in safeguarding rights instead of being avenues of legitimising exercise of powers. Thirdly, the UK notion of justice is based on interpersonal adjudication and judicial precedent, as the rule of law is not about individuals having to account to arbitrary pronouncements made by governmental officials, but it is about individuals guiding public officials actions by referring to what is barred by plainly defined laws. Hence, decisions made by those in authority or any other public official are exercised based on t he powers that have been reasonably conferred to them, and in good faith. In particular, it calls for the government to offer adjudicative procedures, which are fair, and that avenue that have no prohibitive expenses or filled with inordinate delays are offered in resolving disputes5. Effectiveness The effectiveness of the rule of law has been achieved in UK is because freedom is about accounting only to well-defined and earlier developed laws instead of answering to arbitrary or discretionary proclamation of those in administrative powers. Notably, the separation of powers principle is the one that safeguards the principles, since it calls for admission to courts and those in authority to observe intentions judicial review. As such, disputes are settled based on the law and not the

Strategic Choice and Evaluation Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Strategic Choice and Evaluation Paper - Essay Example The Fast food industry is a very competitive industry in which customer service becomes a focal point. The organization has many strong points that gives them an advantage over their competitors. For example, Chick-Fil-A is known for serving nutritional meals compared to other fast food chains. In addition, it was one of the prime restaurants that came up with the idea to have a â€Å"chicken sandwich.† The founder of the company, Truett Cathy, is very religious and ethics oriented coming from a strong Baptist background [2]. Hence, the company believes in strong Christian and family roots as the restaurant is closed on Sundays. Moreover, the company’s marketing department is fantastic in their advertisements as they often use humor to attract customers [2]. The strategy of the company is to serve nutritious food than its competitors, which becomes the focal point in its quest to compete against other rivals. Another strategy that enables them to be a great fast food ch ain is the fact that that the employees are efficient and attentive to the needs of the customers [1]. Chick-Fil-A employees take pride and pleasure in serving their customers instead of a typical â€Å"Your Welcome† statement. In addition, the employees pride in providing the best services that includes folding napkins in a particular way that pleases the customers [4]. Moreover, the company excels in attracting customers with regular promotions and offering coupons after a big meal. Not only does that keep the customers loyal, it also allows the customer to share these coupons with other acquaintances. Furthermore, Chick-Fil-A excel in reducing its operations time while serving its customers. It prime ability to strive to serve its customers within 90 seconds in a drive-through service is an amazing feat no doubt[1]. With the assistance of smart technology, a timer is often set by the computer screen that tells the employees the progress of the order [1]. This enables the e mployees to be efficient in their time management and at the same time be motivated in their services. Reducing the operation time is the key to being a successful customer oriented business in this booming commerce. Annually, the company evaluates and grades it service by investing more than $1 million in the department. The feedback from customers is received through phone surveys conducted by the company [2]. Each survey consists of twenty questions that evaluate the quality, attentiveness, and the service of its employees. Any other feedback is also welcome from the customers. Again, this is a major step taken by the company to allow itself to gain some leverage against its competitors [3]. Knowing and understanding the customers concerns and feedback is a huge step towards becoming a critical player in the fast food industry through improvement. The company does have many opportunities to expand into the market. Since Chick-Fil-A had healthy sales of around 3127 million last ye ar, the organization does have solid market position. In addition, it continues to use customer service as a reliable tool to attract customers. While the company does have many strong points, one has to acknowledge the fact that having only chicken related items in the menu is detrimental for the business. The customers of today more than ever want choices in everything. Young adults and children are picky eaters and sometimes crave just more than chicken nuggets and fries on a regular basis.

Essay question-Non-violent Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Question-Non-violent - Essay Example On the other hand, revolutionaries such as Martin Luther King Jr., Dalai Lama and Mohandas Gandhi used non-violent means to include strikes, sit-ins and peaceful marches. Non-violent revolutions are normally characterized by the peaceful nature that they take rather than use of violence to get a reaction one expects. People who resolve to use this form of revolution often hope to set a better example to the future generations (Sharp, 2003, 183). If anything is to be determined from past revolution, one note that the society as a whole tends to benefit from non-violent revolutions than from violent revolutions. I do agree that non- violent revolutions work Non violence does not explicitly imply not partaking in violence; it can also be viewed as a way in which a person can use positive action as a way of resisting oppression and to bring about transformation in the community. Mahatma Gandhi once stated â€Å"The essence of non-violent technique is that it seeks to liquidate antagonisms but not the antagonists†. This can simply be interpreted to mean that non-violent revolutions aim to change the opponent’s point of view and win them over. It is a win-win situation. Revolutionists who use this method do so in inevitably they will be able to persuade their oppressors into seeing things from their perspective and that their point of view is right. Non violent participants do not seek out to harm their oppressors in any way. On the contrary, they are willing to suffer whatever it takes in order to bring about some form of change in the society. The reason as to why non-violence has such great fascination is because it removes the absurdity of trying to make the society more just and less violent place by using violence as a tool. If people are hoping to be a great leader, then it would be expected that they set the best

DESIGN A MARKETING PLAN FOR A HEALTHCARE(RADIOLOGY) RELATED PRODUCT Assignment

DESIGN A MARKETING PLAN FOR A HEALTHCARE(RADIOLOGY) RELATED PRODUCT - Assignment Example Factors such as form, purpose, close alternatives, substitutes, and their brands are some of the variables that customers may focus on while making the decision to purchase a product. In marketing, companies try as much as possible to investigate the variables that customers seek from a product and try to integrate this in the final product. However, no company exists in the market place without competition and this makes the quality and price variables uniform to some level. Companies in the quest of attracting and maintaining customers use marketing through which they promote and offer information about their products to the potential target customers. Marketing mix is a strategy that companies use to communicate to customers and offer information that can secure a purchase (Berkowitz, 2010). In this case, this paper considers the Lodox Statscanner X-ray Unit, which is a radiotherapy imaging device. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the marketing plan undertaken. The paper an alyses the devices’ use and applicability, technology used, benefits, marketing strategy used, marketing plan, analysis of the marketing plan, and appropriate growth strategy for the product. Product Overview Full and high are two random words that mean wholesome and above average respectively if a defining moment is necessary. When applied to the radiology field, full and high define two major qualities of Lodox Statscanner X-Ray Unit (Lodox). Lodox is a full-body, high-speed digital radiology device used in health care facilities and testing centers to save on time and provide a full x-ray image of the body. Going back on the aspect of time saving, the device can deliver a 6-foot full-body image in about 13 seconds. Compared to other radiology devices such as CR and EMR, this device stands out in the world as the only device of its kind. While comparing the device to the regular X-ray systems, it produces 10 times less radiation hence making it a lot safer and suitable for use in various conditions and on varying patient conditions. In an emergency, the fast and safe manner with which the device provides information makes it not only suitable but also economical in the long run. The system’s full marketing name is the Lodox Statscan, Xmplr-dr and is a radiotherapy (DR) X-ray system for scanning capable of registering high imaging speeds of upto13 seconds for a six-foot image without the necessity of retakes or stitching of images. The production of high quality images can be achieved at any rotation ranging from AP (0o) to lateral (90o). Most of the current X-ray systems are unable to take cross-sectional images but the Lodox is the ultimate answer to this situation. Its sensitive imaging technology is applicable for the imaging of bariatric and paediatric patients. Its uses are not limited to health care institutions and can therefore be applied in other fields (Lodox Systems, 2012). Product Technology The Lodox applies technology that amplifi es safety. With consideration to its unique X-ray system, design and scanning technology, the

Essay question-Non-violent Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Question-Non-violent - Essay Example On the other hand, revolutionaries such as Martin Luther King Jr., Dalai Lama and Mohandas Gandhi used non-violent means to include strikes, sit-ins and peaceful marches. Non-violent revolutions are normally characterized by the peaceful nature that they take rather than use of violence to get a reaction one expects. People who resolve to use this form of revolution often hope to set a better example to the future generations (Sharp, 2003, 183). If anything is to be determined from past revolution, one note that the society as a whole tends to benefit from non-violent revolutions than from violent revolutions. I do agree that non- violent revolutions work Non violence does not explicitly imply not partaking in violence; it can also be viewed as a way in which a person can use positive action as a way of resisting oppression and to bring about transformation in the community. Mahatma Gandhi once stated â€Å"The essence of non-violent technique is that it seeks to liquidate antagonisms but not the antagonists†. This can simply be interpreted to mean that non-violent revolutions aim to change the opponent’s point of view and win them over. It is a win-win situation. Revolutionists who use this method do so in inevitably they will be able to persuade their oppressors into seeing things from their perspective and that their point of view is right. Non violent participants do not seek out to harm their oppressors in any way. On the contrary, they are willing to suffer whatever it takes in order to bring about some form of change in the society. The reason as to why non-violence has such great fascination is because it removes the absurdity of trying to make the society more just and less violent place by using violence as a tool. If people are hoping to be a great leader, then it would be expected that they set the best

Statistical Analysis Math Speech or Presentation

Statistical Analysis Math - Speech or Presentation Example The entire student population of the US has been divided into state/territories as different strata. Samples are then obtained from each stratum. The advantages of this technique are: This structure and design of the frequency table was chosen because it makes it easier to analyze data using tools such as Microsoft Excel and SPSS. It is also simple to extract data from or to do cross tabulations. As you can see the measures of central tendency: mean, mode and median have been easily calculated using MS-Excel. The section in Table 1 written #N/A shows no mode / multimodal data. From chart 2 we can conclude that Grade 12 students had the highest percentage mean of those who rarely or never wore a seat belt when riding in a car driven by someone else. This is different from Chart 3 below which shows us that Grade 9 had the highest percentage median of the same data. This implies that the data has extreme values. From charts above and below looking at the samples for gender we see we have a skewed distribution. We can see long right-tails which implies positive skewness. A normal distribution is symmetric and has a skewness value of 0. The standard deviation is a measure of dispersion around the mean. In our case the standard deviation is very high when compared to the mean, 9.066 for Male data and 9.575 for Female data. This means that our data has a very wide spread from the centre. a. Parameters are numbers that are used to describe characteristics of an entire population while statistics are numbers that describe characteristics derived from a sample that has been drawn from a larger population.   The standard deviation is a measure of dispersion around the mean. It is the positive square root of the variance. Range is the difference between the highest and lowest values in a sample or population. The inter-quartile range is got from the difference between the 3rd and 1st quartiles of the sample/population data. b.

The House on the Lagoon by Rosario Ferre Essay Example for Free

The House on the Lagoon by Rosario Ferre Essay Rosario Ferre is one of the most noted and famous Puerto Rican writers who have made their mark in the world of literature. Her books illustrate the political and social conditions of her native land. In this paper, we attempt to review and understand her book ‘The House on the Lagoon’ which is extremely famous and provides an interesting insight into the Puerto Rican conditions and the views of the writer as a supporter of feminism.   Ã¢â‚¬ËœThe house on the Lagoon’ was nominated for the National Book Award in 1995. The story revolves around Isabel and Quintin Mendizabal who are a quintessential Puerto Rican couple belonging to the privileged section of this society. The wife, Isabel, has a streak of independence and she feels suffocated in the typically bourgeois environment. She wishes to fulfill her long cherished dream of becoming a famous writer. For the fulfillment of this dream she decides to write a novel based on the life and family history of her husband and herself. However, the husband suddenly discovers the less than flattering description of his family that his wife wishes to make public by getting it published. He is obviously shaken and tries to alter the version that his wife has written in order to make it more appreciative of his family.   The story appears to be simple on the surface. However, while reading it, so many undercurrents appear that it becomes a delightful experience to discover the countless nuances. Many special features and styles of writing adorn the book. The most famous, the most talked about and perhaps the most exciting is the concept of two distinct narrative voices. In the beginning, the book proceeds as a simple family history being retold by a woman. However, a few chapters into the book, suddenly we discover that the narration switches over to the woman’s husband Quintin, who discovers that his wife is writing a novel. Surprises do not cease here. We are treated to another surprise as we discover that the book we are reading i.e. ‘The House on the Lagoon’ is the book that the husband is so incensed on finding. Thereon the narrative continues to switch from Quintin to Isabel and vice versa and this turns out to have far reaching consequences on the novel as a whole.   The double narrative allows for a more democratic unfolding of the story than a single narrative. It allows us to find out Quintin’s reactions to his wife’s narration of his family history. It puts in more animation into a mundane story of family history. Their arguments keep the narration alive and keep the reader guessing at reality and the next sequence of events. Also, there is a marked difference in the ways Quintin and Isabel approach the novel. Quintin, as we are told, has been a student of history in Columbia. To him, misinterpretation of facts and misinterpretation of history is a gross error and in addition, he is extremely embarrassed by the way his family is portrayed in a bad light by his wife. On the other hand, Isabel feels that her main objective is to gain literary fame and she is not concerned with being historically, socially or politically correct. While reading the book, we are thus treated to Isabel’s views and then we read her husband’s comments and views on her writing. This allows for a multiple perspective presentation and the nature of characters becomes more engrossing than the story that they are both trying to tell in their own way.   It has been argued that the dual narrative serves certain higher purposes than simply telling us the dual viewpoints on the story. The dual narrative has been construed as a metaphor for colonization[1]. Rosario’s books usually deal with the conflicts plaguing her native land Puerto Rico, the major one being whether to remain independent or become a part of the US. In the book, through dual narrative, Rosario attempts to bring out this conflict. Isabel, the writer’s alter ego, represents Puerto Rico while her husband represents the dominating influence of the US. Thus multiple perspectives enable the writer to demonstrate Puerto Rico’s quest for identity and her constant struggle against foreign dominance.   Another interesting characteristic of the book is the imagery that is used to illustrate certain finer points[2]. Right from the first scene, where there is a confrontation between the boy serenading Isabel and her fiancà © Quintin, we have a glimpse into the strong characters that we will encounter further on in the book. It also illustrates that Quintin has a violent streak. The relationships between the characters are brought out later in the book. Especially evident is the marital discord between Quintin and Isabel over the issue of her novel which Quintin feels paints his family black. Later in the book, we are provided with another extremely vivid scene which portrays the reason why Isabel is so haunted by her past. Isabel’s mother was forced to have an abortion by her grandmother. This abortion was probably botched and the description of the scene from the child’s point of view sends shivers down the readers’ spine. The gory details such as the pool of blood, the unconscious mother and the dropping of the doll are all images which haunt the reader as much as they must have haunted the young girl. It not only tells us of Isabel’s miserable past but also provides us an understanding of the person she is in the present and why. It also helps us to identify with her dream of making it big as she wishes to escape the drudgery that her female ancestors went through.   Also noteworthy in the novel is the daydreams that Isabel indulges herself with. Her past is so woebegone that she tries to absorb herself in passionate pursuits of her dreams and reveries. These reveries lull us into a false sense of security until the silence before the storm breaks with a shattering incident. This sense of the unexpected renders the narrative far from banal. The most interesting of her happiness and indulgence appears towards the end of the story when she enrolls into a ballet school to fulfill her passion. This dream, like that of becoming a famous writer, reveals Isabel’s desire for fame. She enjoys her dancing lessons immensely and we are again forced to expect some happiness coming her way. However, our hopes are shattered brutally by the public display of pedophilia as the curtain opens at the wrong time during her stage performance. Again, Isabel finds herself abused and unhappy. The ending of the story is thus somewhat tragic and in sync with the mood of the whole story.   In conclusion, it must be said that a subject as ordinary as the relation of family history is made extraordinary by the excellent style of Rosario Ferre and her unique writing style including the double narratives, the imagery and the reveries. Her strong characters help us understand human psyche and also provide insight into the actual political and social problems of Puerto Rico through the characters. In the end, the novel turns out to be more than a story of marital discord or a narration of family history. It helps us to understand history, politics, sociology, psychology and also literature. Few novels are able to achieve such high purpose. WORKS CITED â€Å"The House on the Lagoon†, Luke Lecheler, http://voices.cla.umn.edu/vg/Critique/review_fiction/house_on_the_lagoon_the_by_rosario_ferre.html â€Å"Rosario Ferre † http://voices.cla.umn.edu/vg/Bios/entries/ferre_rosario.html â€Å"Reading Guide: The House On the lagoon†, Penguin Group USA, http://us.penguingroup.com/static/rguides/us/house_on_the_lagoon.html [1] â€Å"Rosario Ferre † http://voices.cla.umn.edu/vg/Bios/entries/ferre_rosario.html [2] â€Å"The House on the Lagoon†, Luke Lecheler,   http://voices.cla.umn.edu/vg/Critique/review_fiction/house_on_the_lagoon_the_by_rosario_ferre.html

Essay --

Introduction Trust is a very important concept in accounting. According to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA): â€Å"Accounting is a service activity. Its function is to provide quantitative information, primarily financial in nature, about economic entities that is intended to be useful in making economic decisions, in making reasoned choices among alternative courses of action.† These economic decisions are made by companies, stockholders, consumer, and many other parties. These decisions have to do with money, therefore directly impact the lives of everyone who puts their trust in accountants to paint an accurate financial picture on which these parties make their decisions. However, sometimes it can be beneficial to one party to paint an inaccurate picture, or in other words, report false financial information. This is where accounting scandals come into play. Sometimes big companies use accounting reports to lie about their finances to keep making money. O ne very notable and infamous instance where such an accounting scandal occurred was with Enron from the late 1990s until the end of 2001. Background information Enron Corporation was born in 1985. The government had started deregulation of natural gas pipelines, and Houston Natural Gas and InterNorth, two existing companies merged to create Enron. The deregulation of the gas pipelines however, caused Enron to not have exclusive rights to pipelines and because of the merger, Enron had a lot of debt. To keep itself afloat the company needed a new business strategy to get cash flowing and profits coming in. Kenneth Lay was the CEO of Enron at that point, and he hired Jeffery Skilling, who dealt with asset and liability management, as a consultant to co... ...of the largest accounting firms in America, in charge of auditing Enron then became involved, and destroyed any of Enron’s documents that could prove that they were breaking the law. Consequences and Conclusion In the end, Enron could not keep itself afloat once it turned to fraud. Shareholders lost $74 billion, thousands of employees and investors lost their retirement accounts, and many employees lost their jobs. Lives were ruined. Lay died before serving time. Skilling got 24 years in prison. Fastow agreed to become an informant and therefore got less time in prison. The company filed for bankruptcy. Arthur Andersen was found guilty of falsifying Enron’s account and destroying evidence, and the firm failed. People still talk about the Enron scandal today, and accounting practices are now held to a higher standard in order to avoid a catastrophe like this again. Essay -- Introduction Trust is a very important concept in accounting. According to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA): â€Å"Accounting is a service activity. Its function is to provide quantitative information, primarily financial in nature, about economic entities that is intended to be useful in making economic decisions, in making reasoned choices among alternative courses of action.† These economic decisions are made by companies, stockholders, consumer, and many other parties. These decisions have to do with money, therefore directly impact the lives of everyone who puts their trust in accountants to paint an accurate financial picture on which these parties make their decisions. However, sometimes it can be beneficial to one party to paint an inaccurate picture, or in other words, report false financial information. This is where accounting scandals come into play. Sometimes big companies use accounting reports to lie about their finances to keep making money. O ne very notable and infamous instance where such an accounting scandal occurred was with Enron from the late 1990s until the end of 2001. Background information Enron Corporation was born in 1985. The government had started deregulation of natural gas pipelines, and Houston Natural Gas and InterNorth, two existing companies merged to create Enron. The deregulation of the gas pipelines however, caused Enron to not have exclusive rights to pipelines and because of the merger, Enron had a lot of debt. To keep itself afloat the company needed a new business strategy to get cash flowing and profits coming in. Kenneth Lay was the CEO of Enron at that point, and he hired Jeffery Skilling, who dealt with asset and liability management, as a consultant to co... ...of the largest accounting firms in America, in charge of auditing Enron then became involved, and destroyed any of Enron’s documents that could prove that they were breaking the law. Consequences and Conclusion In the end, Enron could not keep itself afloat once it turned to fraud. Shareholders lost $74 billion, thousands of employees and investors lost their retirement accounts, and many employees lost their jobs. Lives were ruined. Lay died before serving time. Skilling got 24 years in prison. Fastow agreed to become an informant and therefore got less time in prison. The company filed for bankruptcy. Arthur Andersen was found guilty of falsifying Enron’s account and destroying evidence, and the firm failed. People still talk about the Enron scandal today, and accounting practices are now held to a higher standard in order to avoid a catastrophe like this again.

A Review of Emma :: essays research papers

A Review of Emma I’ve read Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, and most recently Emma. All of them are wonderful, and I can never decide which one is my favorite book by Jane Austen. But definitely Emma is, to me, a very engaging one. I have no special feeling about this book at first glance. Because of Jane Austen, I choose it and take some patience to read. And finally, the patience is greatly rewarded. Emma is a timeless story which is both funny and compelling. The characters are all really well developed, especially Emma, a 21-year-old girl, who is portrayed as incredibly human. The story is, briefly, about Emma, who is young, beautiful, rich and witty and lives with her father Mr. Woodhouse. She has vowed herself never to marry, but loves to play a matchmaker. She has just matched her tutor, Miss Taylor, up with Mr. Weston. She is quite proud of her success and finds satisfaction in it. In her arrogance, she believes that she knows what is right for everyone, and determined to appoint herself Cupid for all of her friends. Mr. Knightley, a neighbor and the brother of her older sister’s husband, warns her not to meddle in the other’s affairs, but she doesn’t take it seriously. She takes care of a young girl of unknown parentage named Harriet. Harriet is in love with a farmer named Robert Martin, but Emma thinks that he is beneath her, so she encourages Harriet to set her sights on Mr. Elton, a local vicar, as a future husband. Poor Harriet is completely bowled over by Emma. But unfortunately, everything goes to the opposite side, and fina lly Emma knows the fact that Harriet and Mr. Elton are completely unsuited, and that Harriet and her farmer are made for each other. Through a lot of hilarious scenes, Emma comes to realize that she doesn’t know as much as she thinks, and learns that it’s better to let other people manage their own lives. As the other works of Jane Austen, Emma describes the ordinary person and trivial matters. The plot develops around the activities of choosing spouse for the heroines. It reveals the bad habit that people regarded marriage as the economic insurance to woman at that time. In order to raise the economic position, they emphasized the family status but ignored women’s feelings and rights. The main female characters in Emma all seek the equal communication with man, they demand the equal rights in the social position, and insist on the freedom of observing and choosing spouses.

Craig Ventors First Cell

Cr Craig Ventor first first self-replicating, synthetic bacterial cell ROCKVILLE, MD and San Diego, CA (May 20, 2010)— Researchers at the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), a not-for-profit genomic research organization, published results today describing the successful construction of the first self-replicating, synthetic bacterial cell. The team synthesized the 1. 08 million base pair chromosome of a modified Mycoplasma mycoides genome. The synthetic cell is called Mycoplasma mycoides JCVI-syn1. and is the proof of principle that genomes can be designed in the computer, chemically made in the laboratory and transplanted into a recipient cell to produce a new self-replicating cell controlled only by the synthetic genome. This research will be published by Daniel Gibson et al in the May 20th edition of Science Express and will appear in an upcoming print issue of Science. â€Å"For nearly 15 years Ham Smith, Clyde Hutchison and the rest of our team have been working toward thi s publication today–the successful completion of our work to construct a bacterial cell that is fully controlled by a synthetic genome,† said J.Craig Venter, Ph. D. , founder and president, JCVI and senior author on the paper. â€Å"We have been consumed by this research, but we have also been equally focused on addressing the societal implications of what we believe will be one of the most powerful technologies and industrial drivers for societal good. We look forward to continued review and dialogue about the important applications of this work to ensure that it is used for the benefit of all. † According to Dr.Smith, â€Å"With this first synthetic bacterial cell and the new tools and technologies we developed to successfully complete this project, we now have the means to dissect the genetic instruction set of a bacterial cell to see and understand how it really works. † To complete this final stage in the nearly 15 year process to construct and boot u p a synthetic cell, JCVI scientists began with the accurate, digitized genome of the bacterium, M. mycoides. The team designed 1,078 specific cassettes of DNA that were 1,080 base pairs long. These cassettes were designed so that the ends of each DNA cassette overlapped each of its neighbors by 80bp.The cassettes were made according to JCVI’s specifications by the DNA synthesis company, Blue Heron Biotechnology. The JCVI team employed a three stage process using their previously described yeast assembly system to build the genome using the 1,078 cassettes. The first stage involved taking 10 cassettes of DNA at a time to build 110, 10,000 bp segments. In the second stage, these 10,000 bp segments are taken 10 at a time to produce eleven, 100,000 bp segments. In the final step, all 11, 100 kb segments were assembled into the complete synthetic genome in yeast cells and grown as a yeast artificial chromosome.The complete synthetic M. mycoides genome was isolated from the yeast c ell and transplanted into Mycoplasma capricolum recipient cells that have had the genes for its restriction enzyme removed. The synthetic genome DNA was transcribed into messenger RNA, which in turn was translated into new proteins. The M. capricolum genome was either destroyed by M. mycoides restriction enzymes or was lost during cell replication. After two days viable M. mycoides cells, which contained only synthetic DNA, were clearly visible on petri dishes containing bacterial growth medium.The initial synthesis of the synthetic genome did not result in any viable cells so the JCVI team developed an error correction method to test that each cassette they constructed was biologically functional. They did this by using a combination of 100 kb natural and synthetic segments of DNA to produce semi-synthetic genomes. This approach allowed for the testing of each synthetic segment in combination with 10 natural segments for their capacity to be transplanted and form new cells. Ten out of 11 synthetic fragments resulted in viable cells; therefore the team narrowed the issue down to a single 100 kb cassette.DNA sequencing revealed that a single base pair deletion in an essential gene was responsible for the unsuccessful transplants. Once this one base pair error was corrected, the first viable synthetic cell was produced. Dr. Gibson stated, â€Å"To produce a synthetic cell, our group had to learn how to sequence, synthesize, and transplant genomes. Many hurdles had to be overcome, but we are now able to combine all of these steps to produce synthetic cells in the laboratory. † He added, â€Å"We can now begin working on our ultimate objective of synthesizing a minimal cell containing only the genes necessary to sustain life in its simplest form.This will help us better understand how cells work. † This publication represents the construction of the largest synthetic molecule of a defined structure; the genome is almost double the size of the previou s Mycoplasma genitalium synthesis. With this successful proof of principle, the group will now work on creating a minimal genome, which has been a goal since 1995. They will do this by whittling away at the synthetic genome and repeating transplantation experiments until no more genes can be disrupted and the genome is as small as possible. This minimal cell will be a platform for analyzing the function of every essential gene in a cell.According to Dr. Hutchison, â€Å"To me the most remarkable thing about our synthetic cell is that its genome was designed in the computer and brought to life through chemical synthesis, without using any pieces of natural DNA. This involved developing many new and useful methods along the way. We have assembled an amazing group of scientists that have made this possible. † As in the team’s 2008 publication in which they described the successful synthesis of the M. genitalium genome, they designed and inserted into the genome what they called watermarks.These are specifically designed segments of DNA that use the â€Å"alphabet† of genes and proteins that enable the researcher to spell out words and phrases. The watermarks are an essential means to prove that the genome is synthetic and not native, and to identify the laboratory of origin. Encoded in the watermarks is a new DNA code for writing words, sentences and numbers. In addition to the new code there is a web address to send emails to if you can successfully decode the new code, the names of 46 authors and other key contributors and three quotations: â€Å"TO LIVE, TO ERR, TO FALL, TO TRIUMPH, TO RECREATE LIFE OUT OFLIFE. † – JAMES JOYCE; â€Å"SEE THINGS NOT AS THEY ARE, BUT AS THEY MIGHT BE. †-A quote from the book, â€Å"American Prometheus†; â€Å"WHAT I CANNOT BUILD, I CANNOT UNDERSTAND. † – RICHARD FEYNMAN. The JCVI scientists envision that the knowledge gained by constructing this first self-replicatin g synthetic cell, coupled with decreasing costs for DNA synthesis, will give rise to wider use of this powerful technology. This will undoubtedly lead to the development of many important applications and products including biofuels, vaccines, pharmaceuticals, clean water and food products.The group continues to drive and support ethical discussion and review to ensure a positive outcome for society. Funding for this research came from Synthetic Genomics Inc. , a company co-founded by Drs. Venter and Smith. Background The research published today was made possible by previous breakthroughs at JCVI. In 2007 the team published results from the transplantation of the native M. mycoides genome into the M. capricolum cell which resulted in the M. capricolum cell being transformed into M. mycoides. This work established the notion that DNA is the software of life and that DNA dictates the cell phenotype.In 2008 the same team reported on the construction of the first synthetic bacterial ge nome by assembling DNA fragments made from the four chemicals of life—ACGT. The final assembly of DNA fragments into the whole genome was performed in yeast by making use of the yeast genetic systems. However, when the team attempted to transplant the synthetic bacterial genome out of yeast and into a recipient bacterial cell, viable transplants could not be recovered. Ethical Considerations: Since the beginning of the quest to understand and build a synthetic genome, Dr.Venter and his team have been concerned with the societal issues surrounding the work. In 1995 while the team was doing the research on the minimal genome, the work underwent significant ethical review by a panel of experts at the University of Pennsylvania (Cho et al, Science December 1999:Vol. 286. no. 5447, pp. 2087 – 2090). The bioethical group's independent deliberations, published at the same time as the scientific minimal genome research, resulted in a unanimous decision that there were no stron g ethical reasons why the work should not continue as long as the scientists involved continued to engage public discussion. Dr.Venter and the team at JCVI continue to work with bioethicists, outside policy groups, legislative members and staff, and the public to encourage discussion and understanding about the societal implications of their work and the field of synthetic genomics generally. As such, the JCVI’s policy team, along with the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), were funded by a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for a 20-month study that explored the risks and benefits of this emerging technology, as well as possible safeguards to prevent abuse, including bioterrorism.After several workshops and public sessions the group published a report in October 2007 outlining options for the field and its researchers. Most recently in December of 2008, JCVI received funding from the Alfred P. Sloa n Foundation to examine ethical and societal concerns that are associated with the developing science of synthetic genomics. The ongoing research is intended to inform the scientific community as well as educate our policymakers and journalists so that they may engage in informed discussions on the topic.About the J. Craig Venter Institute The JCVI is a not-for-profit research institute in Rockville, MD and La Jolla, CA dedicated to the advancement of the science of genomics; the understanding of its implications for society; and communication of those results to the scientific community, the public, and policymakers. Founded by J. Craig Venter, Ph. D. , the JCVI is home to approximately 400 scientists and staff with expertise in human and evolutionary biology, genetics, ioinformatics/informatics, information technology, high-throughput DNA sequencing, genomic and environmental policy research, and public education in science and science policy. The legacy organizations of the JCVI are: The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR), The Center for the Advancement of Genomics (TCAG), the Institute for Biological Energy Alternatives (IBEA), the Joint Technology Center (JTC), and the J. Craig Venter Science Foundation. The JCVI is a 501 (c) (3) organization. For additional information, please visit http://www. JCVI. org. Media Contact: Heather Kowalski, 301-943-8879, hkowalski(AT)jcvi. org

Derrick Bell’s “Space Traders” Essay

In looking at Derrick Bell’s â€Å"The Space Traders† as an allegory, the characters personify the abstract subjects of late twentieth-century racial politics. In the text the politics of the United States revolves around anti-black thinking, and many white subjects believe that all the environmental and economical problems in the U.S. is due to the black race. Secondly, â€Å"the space trade† comprehends Bell’s concept of â€Å"the permanence of racism† in the Unites States. Bell believes that â€Å"the space trade† is somewhat familiar to the first African slave trade, and that these two events occur because of â€Å"the permanence of racism† in our society and the structures that allow this repetition to exist. In this essay I will discuss the political positions of the subjects in â€Å"The Space Traders† and the extent in which they personify late twentieth-century racial politics, and then analyze â€Å"the space tradeâ⠂¬  and comprehend it with Bell’s belief in â€Å"the permanence of racism† in the United States. In â€Å"The Space Traders†, Gleason Golightly, a black economics professor who is an unofficial cabinet member of the president, believes that black people need to stand on their own feet. Although he always has good intentions for the black race, he is considered an Uncle Tom by the black community because of his political positions. In â€Å"The Space Traders†, Golightly says, â€Å"As you know, Mr. President, I have supported this administration’s policies that have led to the repeal of some civil rights laws, to invalidation of most affirmative action programs, and to severe reduction in appropriations for public assistance. To put it mildly, the positions of mine that have received a great deal of media attention, have not been well received in African-American communities. Even so, I have been willing to be a ‘good soldier’ for the Party even though I am condemned as an Uncle Tom by my people. I sincerely believe that black people needed to stand up on their own feet, free of special protection by civil rights laws, the suffocating burden of welfare checks, and the stigmatizing influence of affirmative action programs. In helping you undermine these policies, I realized that your reasons for doing so differed from mine. And yet I went along.† Bell personifies Golightly as a black neo-conservative in late twentieth-century racial politics, and because of his conservative beliefs and his continuous support of anti-black views, he is not respected by black subjects. The  aliens in â€Å"The Space Traders† also play a critical role in demonstrating the racial politics that exist in the late twentieth-century. Their actions are similar to that of capitalists because they are only interested in their own needs and wants. Their supremacy in attaining their wants, the African-Americans, is demonstrated when their head alien spoke and looked similar to former Preside nt Reagan. Bell states, â€Å"Then came the second surprise. The leaders of this vast armada could speak English. Moreover, they spoke in the familiar comforting tones of former President Reagan, having dubbed his recorded voice into a computerized language-translation system.† The aliens did their marketing research on what appeals to Americans, and they realized that Reagan’s image, monotone voice, and simple speech is persuasive to white Americans and it reflects what Americans want to see and hear. This persuasiveness inevitably enabled the aliens to take all black subjects back to their land. The white cabinet members also play significant roles in â€Å"The Space Traders†. The cabinet members are anti-black activists who disregard the Bill of Rights, and believe that â€Å"the space trade† would guarantee that America would conquer its present problems and be lead to prosperity for at least the next century. In â€Å"The Space Traders†, Helen Hipmeyer, Secretary of Health and Human Services, says, â€Å"A large percentage of blacks rely on welfare and other social services. Their departure would ease substantially the burden on our state and national budgets. Why, the cost of caring for black AIDS victims alone has been ex traordinary†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Hipmeyer strongly believes that black Americans are the reason for all the social and economical problems in the U.S., and that with their departure the nation’s problems could substantially diminish. The Attorney General also believes the aliens offer should be accepted. When speaking to the cabinet members he states, â€Å"Mr. President, I think we could put together a legislative package modeled on the Selective Service Act of 1918. Courts have uniformly upheld this statue and its predecessors as being well within congressional power to exact enforced military duty at home or abroad by United States citizens. While I don’t see any constitutional problems, there would like be quite a debate in Congress. But if the mail they are receiving is anything like ours, then the pressure for passage will be irresistible.† How can the Attorney General not see a constitutional problem with â€Å"the space trade†? In my opinion, the fact that the Attorney  General, and the other white cabinet members, disregard the constitution and are willing to release the blacks without knowing what will come of them, solidifies their lack of ethics and the extent in which politics in the U.S. revolves around anti-black thinking. In â€Å"The Space Traders† the political positions of the characters enables one to determine the extent in which racial politics exists in this country, and the text also analyzes â€Å"the space trade† and comprehends it with Bell’s concept of â€Å"the permanence of racism† in the U.S. In â€Å"The Space Traders†, Bell is able to analyze â€Å"the permanence of racism† by calling attention to the similarities between the past and present history of the United States. He believes that â€Å"the space trade† is very similar to the first African slave trade, and that racism has existed in this country since the founding of the nation to the late twentieth-century. When the White House and Congress first received phone calls and faxes regarding â€Å"the space trade† it was evident that anti-black thinking was a common characteristic of many white subjects. Bell writes, â€Å"At least a third of the flood of phone calls and faxes urging quick acceptance of the offer expressed the view that what the nation would give up its African-American citizens – was a worthwhile as what it would receive. The statement accurately reflected relations at the dawn of the new century. The President had, like his predecessors for the last generation, successfully exploited racial fears and hostility in his election campaign. There had been complaints, of course, but those from his political opponents sounded like sour grapes. They, too, had tried to minimize the input of blacks so as not to frighten away white voters.† This inhumane decision, demonstrated by the white race, to banish all blacks without knowing where they will go solidifies the fact that whites will never allow the black race to become part of the American people. This unethical act toward black Americans allows the reader to understand that racism will continue to exist in the American culture, and that inhumane acts toward man can indeed exist. If the aliens wanted the white race would America be so willing to release them? Absolutely not!! In my opinion, the major motivation for this country is for blacks to not have anything whites do, and by accepting â€Å"the space trade† offer that goal would be accomplished. The fact that the offer was even  considered was unconstitutional, but it just reiterates the reality that throughout American history blacks have always been hated. Professor Golightly was aware of this hatred toward black subjects, and when he spoke to the cabinet members after the trade had been offered he said, â€Å"It is a mark of just how far out of the mainstream black people are that this proposition is given any serious consideration. Were the Space Traders attracted by and asking to trade any other group – white women with red hair and green eyes, for example – a horrified public would order the visitors off the planet without a moment’s hesitation. The revulsion would not be less because the number of persons with those physical characteristics are surely fewer than the twenty million black citizens you are ready to condemn to intergalactic exile†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Bell’s concept of â€Å"the permanence of racism† in the U.S. is comprehended by â€Å"the space trade†, and by looking at â€Å"The Space Traders† as an allegory, one is able to understand that American is not about the will of the people but about who has the power and guns. In â€Å"The Space Traders†, there is a direct correlation between the abstract subjects of late twentieth-century racial politics, and Bell’s concept of â€Å"the permanence of racism† in the United States. Bell’s ability to symbolize the characters in â€Å"The Space Traders†, allows his readers to comprehend his belief that racism will always exist in America. In conclusion, it is my belief that a color line will always exist in the U.S. between white and black subjects, and that this country’s political and social structure is centered on the will of the white race.

Abolishing the Death Penalty Thesis

Abolishing the Death Penalty October 18, 2010 Abolishing the Death Penalty The death penalty has been an active force in the United States for decades. In the early history of our country, public executions were quite popular. Thousands have been executed with the majority occurring in the early twentieth century. But public sentiment towards the executions began to wane as the concepts of basic human rights were being developed throughout the century. As a result, a kind of unofficial moratorium was placed on all executions while several Supreme Court cases were taking place to determine the legality of the punishment.The result of the cases actually made the death penalty illegal as it stood, so several states rewrote their laws, being more specific as to the circumstances as to which the penalty can be applied. The Supreme Court reversed its decision and those states that met the new compliance could reinstate the death penalty. Today, it is legal to execute death row prisoners in all but fifteen states. While it may be legal, it still holds that the death penalty has not and cannot accomplish the task that it has been reinstated to fulfill. Part I: ThesisThe death penalty should be abolished for a variety of reasons. Initially, the death penalty has long been held to be inherently unjust. It is considered unjust in relation to its application, unjust as to the type of punishment utilized and unjust as a punishment at all. It has and continues to be argued in court that the executions amount to what is considered cruel and unusual punishment and so barbaric that it should be done away with as a type of punishment. It is a sad but true statement to say that the United States is one of the last democratic nations to continue to utilize the death penalty.Our country has wavered back in forth on the issue of capital punishment being illegal and a breach of human rights. Additionally, even while continuing to use the death penalty it has not shown to be a deterre nt of crime and actually may increase it. Opponents of the death penalty also recognize that it has not been applied fairly. For instance, minorities, the poor, and the mentally disabled tend to receive the death penalty with far greater consistency than their counterparts. That cannot be a punishment representative of a great industrialized country.Those against the death penalty also recognize the cost involved with executing a prisoner. To actually take a death row inmate through the complete appellate system, so as to ensure the inmate’s guilt without any doubt, would cost exponentially more than housing the same inmate for the duration of their life. The monies saved could be better served if used towards something positive, like victim’s programs or the like. Lastly, the death penalty is a punishment that is irrevocable; its effects are permanent and there is the sad reality that innocent lives may be lost. There is no perfect system and mistakes are bound to be made.This is one mistake, however, that cannot be corrected. This is why the death penalty cannot be the United States’ answer for grave offenders of the law. Part II: Anti-Thesis Proponents of the death penalty are large in number. According to many polls, as many as 80% of the American population still favor capital punishment. One reason for this is society as a whole believes that if a person kills another person, the killer forfeits his right to his own life. (Christie, 1990). If a person shows such complete and utter disregard for human life, the question is posed, why should any regard be shown for the person?Also, those in favor of using the death penalty argue that it is a just punishment for the crime and it is reliable. After all, though some states are trying to punish people with death for other heinous crimes, such as rape and repeat child molestation, so far the death penalty can only be imposed on murder cases. As far as the reliability argument, supporters wi ll always point out that because of the thoroughness in applying and appealing death penalty cases, the process itself will weed out the innocent and wrongly convicted. Proponents of the death penalty also view it as a deterrent to crime. â€Å"Same old†, 1990). Just by having the possible punishment of death as an end result to a heinous crime has lowered the murder rate in some states. The feeling is that the more executions you have, the lower the homicide rate you will have. Not to mention the innocent lives you will save. Supporters of capital punishment will cite studies showing that murderers who are allowed to live will inevitably kill again. Studies have shown that murderers awaiting their death penalty sentence to be carried out have killed correction officers, knowing there could be no additional fate assigned to them.Another argument made in favor of the death penalty is one of Biblical proportions. There are some activists that say the Bible itself proclaims the right to execute a perpetrator of the most serious of crimes by quoting a scripture from Leviticus 24:20 – â€Å"†¦fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. As he has injured the other, so he is to be injured. † The old adage has not been lost on those who feel that it is their God given right to enforce the laws that God has given them regarding the taking of a human life. Gray, 2010) Lastly, many supporters of capital punishment feel that it is appropriate to give a punishment that fits the crime and one that is universal. It doesn’t matter a person’s color, race, creed, ethnicity, nationality, gender, or financial status; if two people, one white and one â€Å"non-white†, commit the exact same crime under the exact same circumstances, they in fact should receive the exact same punishment. It is believed that the death penalty, when applied under the circumstance of murder in the first degree with aggravating circumstances, is the great equalizer, with everyone being treated the same in the eyes of the law.Part III: Synthesis It is important that the United States realizes, sooner than later, that the death penalty has to be abolished. Proponents want us to think that a killer forfeits his own life. But the reality is all life is precious, regardless of its form or merit. (Thomson, 2001). Although someone has taken a life, and in no way should that be trivialized, it does not change that situation by killing the offender. All it does is show that two wrongs do not make a right. The execution of the murderer does not bring the victim back to life.Quite frankly, the death penalty often provides a way out for the offender and if punishment was the true desire of the sentence then there are situations, other than execution that may be far more punitive than the taking of his or her life. (Thomson, 2001). When it comes to reliability, the argument on behalf of the death penalty doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. Yes, it is true that the exhaustive appeals process does on occasion help to find innocent people who have been convicted of murder. This is largely due to the relatively new innovation of DNA technology as it relates to crime scene investigation. (Gzedit, 2010).Well, if anything, this proves the fallibility of the death penalty process. If over 131 death row inmates could be exonerated and released from death row, that shows just how faulty the system is and proves it is unreliable. Again, as stated previously, once a prisoner has been executed, there is no returning from the grave to say a mistake has been made. At least if the inmate was serving a life sentence and found innocent, they could be released, although still wronged by a jail sentence, but it is a correctable injustice. One of the main arguments in favor of the death penalty is that it serves as a deterrent to serious crime.Would it surprise you to know that this simply is not true? It is a proven fact that the death penalty has not demonstrably deterred crime. (â€Å"Same old†, 1990). The 2004 Uniform Crime Report that was published by the FBI published that Southern states demonstrated the highest murder rate in the country, despite being responsible for 85% of the nation’s executions. (Friedman, 2006, p. 37). As further evidence that the death penalty doesn’t deter crime I introduce you to the state of Texas which has been nicknamed the â€Å"killing machine† because they tend to exercise the death penalty frequently and rapidly.Even with capital punishment Texas has a disturbing murder rate of 5. 6 per 100,000 persons s opposed to Massachusetts, which banned executions and only has a murder rate of 2. 6. (Gzedit, 2010). As for the idea that people who kill once develop an appetite to kill again, there have been no definitive studies that prove this theory. This mindset is based on gut reaction, conjecture, and hysteria. Perhaps one of the most controversial argume nts in favor of the death penalty is the interpreted law given by God to exact the same punishment on the criminal as was forced upon the victim.Supporters of this notion quote scripture from the Holy Bible as a sort of guideline to follow. However the Bible also has scripture that specifically refutes the idea of the death penalty as retribution for man to man. For example, Matthew 5:38-39 insists that violence shall not beget violence. James 4:12 says that God is the only one who can take a life in the name of justice. Leviticus 19:18 warns against vengeance (which, really, is what the death penalty amounts to). In John 8:7, Jesus himself says, â€Å"let he who is without sin cast the first stone. This is truly what Jesus would do! Finally, proponents of the death penalty exclaim that executions are given with perfect exactness according to the crime, without regard to race, color, creed, nationality, etc†¦ , basically saying without bias. However, many different studies hav e show that the likelihood of you receiving the death penalty increases according to those very attributes. People of color are more likely than their white counterparts to receive the death penalty for committing the same crime under the same circumstances.Also, blacks that murder white victims are far likelier to end up on death row than whites killing blacks. Furthermore, studies show that prosecutors are more likely to seek the death penalty against blacks than they will for whites who commit the same crime. (Friedman, 2006, pp. 86-89). So much for all being equal under the law! So, as you see, we are a country somewhat divided. While the majority of Americans still favour the idea of using the death penalty, it has become an increasingly more controversial subject.The United States always holds its head up high as the leader of the free world and is quick to condemn other countries with regards to their human rights violations. How then can we continue to justify our use of thi s antiquated, archaic method of punishment? It is time that our country steps in line with the rest of the industrialized countries into the 21st century and do away with the death penalty once and for all.References Gzedit. (2010, January 27). Pro-death: :America alone. The Charleston Gazette,A. 4. Retrieved October 13, 2010, from ProQuest Newsstand. Document ID: 1948771421). Christie, J. (1990, March 29). At Last, Punishment Fits the Crime Death penalty: It has wide support because ordinary citizens identify with media images of brutalized victims :[Home Edition]. Los Angeles Times (pre-1997 Fulltext),p. 7. Retrieved October 13, 2010, from Los Angeles Times. (Document ID: 60026222). Friedman, L. (2006). The death penalty. Greenhaven Press Gray, L. (4   November). Houston Chronicle Lisa Gray column: Life, death and the prodigal son. McClatchy – Tribune Business News. Retrieved October 19, 2010, from ProQuest Newsstand. (Document ID:  1893533451). Same old anti-crime hype . (1990, October 15). Milwaukee Journal,p. a06. Retrieved October 13, 2010, from ProQuest Central. (Document ID: 64063217). Thomson, R. (2001, June 18). A consistent pro-life stance rules out the death penalty :[SARASOTA Edition]. Sarasota Herald Tribune,p. BS1. Retrieved October 13, 2010, from ProQuest Newsstand. (Document ID: 74204727).