Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Define consumer benefit, market segment and market size of a theatre Case Study

Define consumer benefit, market segment and market size of a theatre (for a real ) - Case Study Example Consumer Benefit Consumers of a particular product seek to identify products that would benefit them and satisfy their needs through knowledge of product attributes, which include brand image, brand perceptions, brand personalities, and brand characteristics (Whaling and Michigan State University, 2007). Consumers are constantly seeking products that would satisfy their unlimited needs with the maximum outcome benefit they can get from the product. The outcomes however vary from satisfaction of needs to getting solutions to particular problems and reduction if not elimination of frustrations. The attributes of a product are meaningless to a consumer if the outcome benefit they are seeking cannot be achieved from purchase of the product. The outcome benefit that the consumers are seeking to benefit from usually carries the rational and emotional component. The purchaser may at times not be the end user of the product but still goes ahead to seek a product that will help him or her ach ieve price and solution benefit. Hopgood have regular customers such as the local council and other companies who hire rooms for meetings and training of their staff. The company representatives responsible for hiring focus on the outcome benefit to their end users rather than just hiring a room. Market segmentation is basically based on the product benefit, and customer characteristics relation. Customers with specific needs and characteristics seek to benefit from specific products that match their situations (Evans, O'Malley, Maurice, and Patterson, 2004, pg 179). The functional benefits that consumers of Hopgood theatre achieve from their products are measured in terms of time and place with which the product is available, the duration that the services last and the prices with which the products are purchased. The shows being offered by Hopgood may be repeated in other theatres in other countries and the prices are normally the same although Hopgood may charge slightly higher i n venues located in the cities as compared to regional venues. Purchasers of goods achieve higher degree benefit with lower prices as compared to products with slightly higher prices although the venue of the shows levels up the price factor. Shows of its own kind are desired by many consumers of Hopgood considering the fact that the shows may not be repeated elsewhere. A variety of shows offered are highly appreciated by Hopgood product purchasers who have the opportunity of choosing from a list all current shows with prices charged for each show that is available on their website. Psychological benefit is also an important outcome that customers of Hopgood seek for when purchasing a product. This benefit enables the purchaser to achieve a pleasant feeling of acquired value for money and self worth. Customers seek to purchase goods that will enable them achieve the highest level of psychological satisfaction to build their own self-esteem and boost value for the products. The outco me is the benefit of the products they use and consume to satisfy their needs. Market Segment Market segment focuses on particular customer characteristics that differentiate one group of customers from another group. Customer profile is the determining factor that differentiates market segments of Hopgood theatr

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Diverse Perspectives in Physics Classrooms

Diverse Perspectives in Physics Classrooms The School of Science invited the esteemed Dr. Sylvester James Gate, currently a professor at the University of Maryland, to give two talks on Tuesday March 21,2017. The first talk What unique perspectives does a minority student bring to a physics classroom?, given in Mayo Concert Hall as the second annual Barbara Meyers Pelson 59 Lecture in Faculty-Student Engagement, focused on Gates experience as an educator and his observations on how minority students bring diverse perspectives to physics classrooms. The event began with Janet Morrison introducing Dr. Gate who is an intellectual pioneer in string theory, super gravity, and super symmetry, has authored over 200 research papers, is the director for String and Particle Theory Center in Maryland, and was honored with a membership in the National Academy of Sciences. He received the National Medal of Science from President Obama for is contributions to scientific research in 2013 and became the first African America to hold an endow ed chair of physics at a major United States research university. In addition to is impressive academic achievements, Gate has also been a lifelong advocate for diversity in the classroom; even being the first physicist to write to the United States Supreme Court to argue the importance of minority students in college classrooms. This letter to the Supreme Court and an article published in response to a judges question about his position was the corner stone of his lecture. Gates opened his talk by giving a short summary of his career regarding physics and public outreach through documentaries and commercials. This lead to him discussing his first documentary in the 1990s where he explored how the sciences were starting to be accessible to minorities communities in ways, such as professor positions and research opportunities, that had not been possible before. This lead to allegory on diversity, starting with all things music, that eventually made its way to the Supreme Court. Gate argued that life is enriched from different musical style (Gate) and I doubt anyone would disagree that their life is poorer due to having more than classical music to listen to. This theme of diversity enhancing a topic or product, Gate argues, can be found throughout the scientific disciplines. In biology, diversity in biomes creates life that is more adaptable to change. In biomedical engineering, the use of genetic modification not only increases yields in food harvest bu t also decreases the use of environmentally harmful pesticides. It is this argument, rather than the moral argument (Gate), that Gate bases his position on. He states that, while it is correct morally to ensure individuals from all backgrounds have access to the sciences, it is imperative for science as a discipline to ensure diversity to survive. So what does diversity do? It enriches the experiences. It gives us a bigger set of choices (Gates) and these choices are the future of scientific development. While Gates never mentions the terms situated knowledge or standpoint theory his arguments and stance about diversity in the classroom and academia are dependent on these theories. He stated during the question and answer part of the talk that the outsider viewpoint which is therefor intellectual diversity which Im talking about. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦In the example that I talked about, it was the presence of the minorityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦that caused the majorityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦to be more careful in their analysis and thats what suppressed the grown of [economic] bubbles. So yes, in that case it is the actual ethnic diversity that did that (Gates)1. Earlier, he also stated that minorities, whether they are ethnic minorities or gender minorities, have a different way of thinking and viewing the world due to their minority statues. This all directly relates to situated knowledge and standpoint theory in the idea that the position of these individuals gives then different perspectives that allows them to better understand the problem at hand. He never outright stated that this perspective is superior to the majority perspective but it was, in my opinion, heavily implied which leads to his arguments being more based in situated knowledge than standpoint theory. I found the talk to be informative but slightly disorganized and the speaker to be open and not afraid to speak his mind even if his opinions were unpopular. During the talk, I learned some very interesting information such as Einsteins history of social justice work and current research on diversity in different disciplines; however, the speaker chose to use an allegory type of storytelling that, if one did not listen intently to, was easy to lose track of. Throughout the talk and while answering questions, Gate was forthcoming on his personal views and beliefs whether the audience agreed with him or not. I believe this was especially relevant during the last question after the talk. The person asking the question seemed to be implying that ethnic diversity did not matter as long as there was intellectual diversity, which essentially reminded me of a person arguing that someone was making something all about race, and I believe Gate gave a wonderful answer which not only spoke on ho w ethnic diversity caused intellectual diversity but how it was essential for intellectual diversity. As a teacher, I am hoping to decorate my classroom with diverse scientists, not the same old white guys everyone thinks about when they think of science, and this talk provided me with even more anecdotal and research evidence of the importance of ensure my students see diversity in science. Note This is in reference to a study Gate mentioned that focused on the growth of economic bubbles in stock markets. The study found that the presence of minority traders suppressed the growth of bubbles in the stock market, like the housing bubble that caused the 2008 United States crash, and that these results could be reproduced in white majority nations and Asian majority nations. Work Cited Gates, Sylvester J. What unique perspectives does a minority student bring to a physics classroom? Barbara Meyers Pelson 59 Lecture in Faculty-Student Engagement, The College of New Jersey, 21 March 2017, Mayo Concert Hall, Ewing, NJ, Lecture.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Driving A Cab :: Expository Cause Effect Essays

Driving A Cab The effects of driving a cab can vary greatly. Meeting different kinds of people is a major factor when driving a cab. Being confined as a driver of a can effect health conditions. Car trouble can be a problem if the car is not taken care of properly. Violence can be the consequence of picking up the wrong kind of person. Lucky Miller is a 24 years old, part-time cab driver who explains how driving a cab has many different effects his life and health. "Interesting, live and colorful people," as Lucky would say, ride in his cab; as a result Lucky meets many of them. One woman he picked up claimed her countrymen were being held captive on the O'Hare landing strip, and she would like to go there. He thought she was sort of wacky and knew she wouldn't stay in the cab. He told her he could only take her as far as the terminal gate. "That's not good enough," she told Lucky as she hoped out. Lucky often drives businessman to work, he discovered that they do not like to talk that much, it disturbs them. They are usually involved with their policies or whatever they are trying to work on or sell. Younger females do not like to engage in talk either. Lucky thinks they have a fear, which is not talking to strange men. As a result of this, Lucky does not start conversations very often, he waits for his passengers to initiate anything. Violence is a problem that always lurks in the back of a cab driver's mind. Since a driver can not fully tell if a person is good or bad, they are never quite sure whom to pick up. One time Lucky picked up a man, who was wearing a nice shirt and slacks, who did not look like a threat at all. They had an amiable conversation the whole trip. The man started talking to Lucky, therefore he did not think anything of the conversation. When they reached their destination, the man pulled a gun on Lucky, and said "give me your money or I'll kill you." This was an eye opener for Lucky, which changed his attitude about whom he would or would not pick up.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Bloodlines Chapter Three

THE DRIVE TO PALM SPRINGS WAS AGONY. I was exhausted from being dragged out of bed, and even when Keith took over the wheel, I couldn't fall asleep. I had too much on my mind: Zoe, my reputation, the mission at hand†¦. My thoughts spun in circles. I just wanted to fix all the problems in my life. Keith's driving did nothing to make me less anxious. I was also upset because my father hadn't let me say goodbye to my mom. He'd gone on and on about how we should just let her sleep, but I knew the truth. He was afraid that if she knew I was leaving, she'd try to stop us. She'd been furious after my last mission: I'd gone halfway around the world alone, only to be returned with no clue as to what my future held. My mom had thought the Alchemists had used me badly and had told my dad it was just as well they seemed to be done with me. I don't know if she really could've stood in the way of tonight's plans, but I didn't want to take my chances in case Zoe got sent instead of me. I certainly hadn't expected a warm and fuzzy farewell from him, but it felt strange leaving on such unsettled terms with my sister and mother. When dawn came, briefly turning the desert landscape of Nevada into a blazing sea of red and copper, I gave up on sleep altogether and decided to just power through. I bought a twenty-four-ounce cup of coffee from a gas station and assured Keith I could drive us the rest of the way. He gladly gave up the wheel, but rather than sleep, he bought coffee as well and chatted me up for the remaining hours. He was still going strong with his new we're-friends attitude, almost making me wish for his earlier animosity. I was determined not to give him any cause to doubt me, so I worked hard to smile and nod appropriately. It was kind of hard to do while constantly gritting my teeth. Some of the conversation wasn't so bad. I could handle business talk, and we had plenty of details to still work out. He told me all he knew about the school, and I ate up his description of my future home. Amberwood Preparatory School was apparently a prestigious place, and I idly wondered if maybe I could treat it as pretend college. By Alchemist standards, I knew all I needed for my job, but something in me always burned for more and more knowledge. I'd had to learn to content myself with my own reading and research, but still, college – or even just being around those who knew more and had something to teach me – had long been a fantasy of mine. As a â€Å"senior,† I would have off-campus privileges, and one of our first orders of business – after securing fake IDs – was to get me a car. Knowing I wouldn't be trapped at a boarding school made things a bit more bearable, even though it was obvious that half of Keith's enthusiasm for getting me my own transportation was to make sure I could shoulder any work that came along with the job. Keith also enlightened me about something I hadn't realized – but probably should have. â€Å"You and that Jill girl are being enrolled as sisters,† he said. â€Å"What?† It was a measure of my self-control that my hold on the car never wavered. Living with a vampire was one thing – but being related to one? â€Å"Why?† I demanded. I saw him shrug in my periphery. â€Å"Why not? It explains why you'll be around her so much – and is a good excuse for you to be roommates. Normally, the school doesn't pair students who are different ages, but†¦ well†¦ your ‘parents' promised a hefty donation that made them change their normal policy.† I was so stunned that I didn't even have my normal gut reaction to slap him when he concluded with his self-satisfied chuckle. I'd known we'd be living together†¦ but sisters? It was†¦ weird. No, not just that. Outlandish. â€Å"That's crazy,† I said at last, still too shocked to come up with a more eloquent response. â€Å"It's just on paper,† he said. True. But something about being cast as a vampire relative threw my whole order off. I prided myself on the way I'd learned to behave around vampires, but part of that came from the strict belief that I was an outsider, a business associate distinct and removed. Playacting as Jill's sister destroyed those lines. It brought about a familiarity that I wasn't sure I was ready for. â€Å"Living with one of them shouldn't be so bad for you,† Keith commented, drumming his fingers against the window in a way that put my nerves on edge. Something about the too-casual way he spoke made me think he was leading me into a trap. â€Å"You're used to it.† â€Å"Hardly,† I said, choosing my words carefully. â€Å"I was with them for a week at most. And actually, most of my time was spent with dhampirs.† â€Å"Same difference,† he replied dismissively. â€Å"If anything, the dhampirs are worse. They're abominations. Not human, but not full vampires. Products of unnatural unions.† I didn't respond right away and instead pretended to be deeply interested in the road ahead. What he said was true, by Alchemist teaching. I'd been raised believing that both races of vampires, Moroi and Strigoi, were dark and wrong. They needed blood to survive. What kind of person drank from another? It was disgusting, and just thinking about how I'd soon be ferrying Moroi to their feedings made me ill. But the dhampirs†¦ that was a trickier matter. Or at least, it was for me now. The dhampirs were half human and half vampire, created at a time when the two races had mingled freely. Over the centuries, vampires had pulled away from humans, and both of our races now agreed that those kinds of unions were taboo. The dhampir race had persisted against all odds, however, in spite of the fact that dhampirs couldn't reproduce with each other. They could with Moroi or humans, and plenty of Moroi were up to the task. â€Å"Right?† asked Keith. I realized he was staring at me, waiting for me to agree with him about dhampirs being abominations – or maybe he was hoping I would disagree. Regardless, I'd been quiet for too long. â€Å"Right,† I said. I mustered the standard Alchemist rhetoric. â€Å"In some ways, they're worse than the Moroi. Their race was never meant to exist.† â€Å"You scared me there for a second,† Keith said. I was watching the road but had a sneaking suspicion he'd just winked at me. â€Å"I thought you were going to defend them. I should've known better than to believe the stories about you. I can totally get why you'd want to gamble at the glory – but man, that had to have been harsh, trying to work with one of them.† I couldn't explain how once you'd spent a little time with Rose Hathaway, it was easy to forget she was a dhampir. Even physically, dhampirs and humans were virtually indistinguishable. Rose was so full of life and passion that sometimes she seemed more human than I was. Rose certainly wouldn't have meekly accepted this job with a simpering, â€Å"Yes, sir.† Not like me. Rose hadn't even accepted being locked in jail, with the weight of the Moroi government against her. Abe Mazur's blackmail had been a catalyst that spurred me to help her, but I'd also never believed that Rose had committed the murder they'd accused her of. That certainty, along with our fragile friendship, had driven me to break Alchemist rules to help Rose and her dhampir boyfriend, the formidable Dimitri Belikov, elude the authorities. Throughout it all, I'd watched Rose with a kind of wonder as she battled the world. I couldn't envy someone who wasn't human, but I could certainly envy her strength – and refusal to back down, no matter what. But again, I could hardly tell Keith any of that. And I still didn't believe for an instant, despite his sunny act, that he was suddenly okay with me coming along. I gave a small shrug. â€Å"I thought it was worth the risk.† â€Å"Well,† he said, seeing I wasn't going to offer anything more. â€Å"The next time you decide to go rogue with vampires and dhampirs, get a little backup so you don't get in as much trouble.† I scoffed. â€Å"I have no intention of going rogue again.† That, at least, was the truth. We reached Palm Springs late in the afternoon and got to work immediately with our tasks. I was dying for sleep by that point, and even Keith – despite his talkativeness – looked a little worn around the edges. But we'd gotten the word that Jill and her entourage were arriving tomorrow, leaving very little time to put the remaining details in place. A visit to Amberwood Prep revealed that my â€Å"family† was expanding. Apparently, the dhampir coming with Jill was enrolling as well and would be playing our brother. Keith was also going to be our brother. When I questioned that, he explained that we needed someone local to act as our legal guardian should Jill or any of us need to be pulled from school or granted some privilege. Since our fictitious parents lived out of state, getting results from him would be faster. I couldn't fault the logic, even though I found being related to him more repulsive than having dhampirs or vampires in the family. And that was saying a lot. Later on, a driver's license from a reputable fake ID maker declared that I was now Sydney Katherine Melrose, from South Dakota. We chose South Dakota because we figured the locals didn't see too many licenses from that state and wouldn't be able to spot any flaws in it. Not that I expected there to be. The Alchemists didn't associate with people who did second-rate work. I also liked the picture of Mount Rushmore on the license. It was one of the few places in the United States that I'd never been. The day wrapped up with what I had most been looking forward to: a trip to a car dealer. Keith and I did almost as much haggling with each other as we did with the salesman. I'd been raised to be practical and keep my emotions in check, but I loved cars. That was one of the few legacies I'd picked up from my mom. She was a mechanic, and some of my best childhood memories were of working in the garage with her. I especially had a weakness for sports cars and vintage cars, the kinds with big engines that I knew were bad for the environment – but that I guiltily loved anyway. Those were out of the question for this job, though. Keith argued that I needed something that could hold everyone, as well as any cargo – and that wouldn't attract a lot of attention. Once more, I conceded to his reasoning like a good little Alchemist. â€Å"But I don't see why it has to be a station wagon,† I told him. Our shopping had led us down to a new Subaru Outback that met most of his requirements. My car instincts told me the Subaru would do what I needed. It would handle well and had a decent engine, for what it was. And yet†¦ â€Å"I feel like a soccer mom,† I said. â€Å"I'm too young for that.† â€Å"Soccer moms drive vans,† Keith told me. â€Å"And there's nothing wrong with soccer.† I scowled. â€Å"Does it have to be brown, though?† It did, unless we wanted a used one. As much as I would've liked something in blue or red, the newness took precedence. My fastidious nature didn't like the idea of driving â€Å"someone else's† car. I wanted it to be mine – shiny, new, and clean. So, we made the deal, and I, Sydney Melrose, became the proud owner of a brown station wagon. I named it Latte, hoping my love of coffee would soon transfer to the car. Once our errands were done, Keith left me for his apartment in downtown Palm Springs. He offered to let me stay there as well, but I'd politely refused and gotten a hotel room, grateful for the Alchemists' deep pockets. Honestly, I would've paid with my own money to save me from sleeping under the same roof as Keith Darnell. I ordered a light dinner up to my room, relishing the alone time after all those hours in the car with Keith. Then I changed into pajamas and decided to call my mom. Even though I was glad to be free of my dad's disapproval for a while, I would miss having her around. â€Å"Those are good cars,† she told me after I began the call by explaining my trip to the dealership. My mother had always been a free spirit, which was an unlikely match for someone like my dad. While he'd been teaching me chemical equations, she'd showed me how to change my own oil. Alchemists didn't have to marry other Alchemists, but I was baffled by whatever forces had drawn my parents together. Maybe my father had been less uptight when he was younger. â€Å"I guess,† I said, knowing I sounded sullen. My mother was one of the few people I could be anything less than perfect or content around. She was a big advocate of letting your feelings out. â€Å"I think I'm just annoyed that I didn't have much say in it.† â€Å"Annoyed? I'm furious that he didn't even talk to me about it,† she huffed. â€Å"I can't believe he just smuggled you out like that! You're my daughter, not some commodity that he can just move around.† For a moment, my mother reminded me weirdly of Rose – both possessed that unflinching tendency to say what was on their minds. That ability seemed strange and exotic to me, but sometimes – when I thought about my own carefully controlled and reserved nature – I wondered if maybe I was the weird one. â€Å"He didn't know all the details,† I said, automatically defending him. With my father's temper, if my parents were mad at each other, then life at home would be unpleasant for Zoe – not to mention my mom. Better to ensure peace. â€Å"They hadn't told him everything.† â€Å"I hate them sometimes.† There was a growl in my mom's voice. â€Å"Sometimes I hate him too.† I wasn't sure what to say to that. I resented my father, sure, but he was still my father. A lot of the hard choices he made were because of the Alchemists, and I knew that no matter how stifled I felt sometimes, the Alchemists' job was important. Humans had to be protected from the existence of vampires. Knowing vampires existed would create a panic. Worse, it could drive some weak-willed humans into becoming slaves to the Strigoi in exchange for immortality and the eventual corruption of their souls. It happened more often than we liked to admit. â€Å"It's fine, Mom,† I said soothingly. â€Å"I'm fine. I'm not in trouble anymore, and I'm in the U.S. even.† Actually, I wasn't sure if the â€Å"trouble† part was really true, but I thought the latter would soothe her. Stanton had told me to keep our location in Palm Springs secret, but giving up that we were domestic wouldn't hurt too much and might make my mom think I had an easier job ahead of me than I likely did. She and I talked a little bit more before hanging up, and she told me she'd heard from my sister Carly. All was well with her at college, which I was relieved to hear. I wanted desperately to find out about Zoe as well but resisted asking to talk to her. I was afraid that if she got on the phone, I'd find out she was still mad at me. Or, worse, that she wouldn't speak to me at all. I went to bed feeling melancholy, wishing I could have poured out all my fears and insecurities to my mom. Wasn't that what normal mothers and daughters did? I knew she would've welcomed it. I was the one who had trouble letting myself go, too wrapped up in Alchemist secrets to be a normal teenager. After a long sleep, and with the morning sunlight streaming through my window, I felt a little better. I had a job to do, and having purpose shifted me out of feeling sorry for myself. I remembered that I was doing this for Zoe, for Moroi and humans alike. It allowed me to center myself and push my insecurities aside – at least, for now. I picked up Keith around noon and drove us outside of the city to meet Jill and the recluse Moroi who'd be helping us. Keith had a lot to say about the guy, whose name was Clarence Donahue. Clarence had lived in Palm Springs for three years, ever since the death of his niece in Los Angeles, which had apparently had quite a traumatic effect on the man. Keith had met him a couple of times on past jobs and kept making jokes about Clarence's tenuous grip on sanity. â€Å"He's a few pints short of a blood bank, you know?† Keith said, chuckling to himself. I bet he'd been waiting days to use that line. The jokes were in poor taste – and stupid to boot – but as we got closer and closer to Clarence's home, Keith eventually became very quiet and nervous. Something occurred to me. â€Å"How many Moroi have you met?† I asked as we pulled off the main road and turned into a long and winding driveway. The house was straight out of a Gothic movie, boxy and made of gray bricks that were completely at odds with most of the Palm Springs architecture we'd scene. The only reminder that we were in southern California was the ubiquitous palm trees surrounding the house. It was a weird juxtaposition. â€Å"Enough,† said Keith evasively. â€Å"I can handle being around them.† The confidence in his tone sounded forced. I realized that despite his brashness about this job, his comments on the Moroi and dhampir races, and his judgment of my actions, Keith was actually very, very uncomfortable with the idea of being around non-humans. It was understandable. Most Alchemists were. A large part of our job didn't even involve interacting with the vampiric world – it was the human world that needed tending. Records had to be covered up, witnesses bribed. The majority of Alchemists had very little contact with our subjects, meaning most Alchemists' knowledge came from the stories and teachings passed down through the families. Keith had said he'd met Clarence but made no mention of spending time with other Moroi or dhampirs – certainly not a group, like we were about to face. I was no more excited to hang around vampires than he was, but I realized it didn't scare me nearly as much as it once would have. Rose and her companions had given me a tough skin. I'd even been to the Moroi Royal Court, a place few Alchemists had ever visited. If I'd walked away from the heart of their civilization intact, I was certain I could handle whatever was inside this house. Admittedly, it would've been a little easier if Clarence's house didn't look so much like a creepy haunted manor from a horror movie. We walked up to the door, presenting a united front in our stylish, formal Alchemist attire. Whatever his faults, Keith cleaned up well. He wore khaki pants with a white button-up shirt and navy silk tie. The shirt had short sleeves, though I doubted that was helping much in the heat. It was early September, and the temperature had been pushing ninety when I left my hotel. I was equally hot in a brown skirt, tights, and a cap-sleeved blouse scattered with tan flowers. Belatedly, I realized we kind of matched. Keith lifted his hand to knock at the door, but it opened before he could do anything. I flinched, a bit unnerved despite the assurances I'd just given myself. The guy who opened the door looked just as surprised to see us. He held a cigarette pack in one hand and appeared as though he'd been heading outside to smoke. He paused and gave us a once-over. â€Å"So. Are you guys here to convert me or sell me siding?† The disarming comment was enough to help me shake off my anxiety. The speaker was a Moroi guy, a little older than me, with dark brown hair that had undoubtedly been painstakingly styled to look messy. Unlike Keith's ridiculously over-gelled attempts, this guy had actually done it in a way that looked good. Like all Moroi, he was pale and had a tall, lean build. Emerald green eyes studied us from a face that could have been sculpted by one of the classical artists I so admired. Shocked, I dismissed the comparison as soon as it popped into my head. This was a vampire, after all. It was ridiculous to admire him the way I would some hot human guy. â€Å"Mr. Ivashkov,† I said politely. â€Å"It's nice to see you again.† He frowned and studied me from his greater height. â€Å"I know you. How do I know you?† â€Å"We – † I started to say â€Å"met† but realized that wasn't quite right since we hadn't been formally introduced the last time I had seen him. He'd simply been present when Stanton and I had been hauled to the Moroi Court for questioning. â€Å"We ran into each other last month. At your Court.† Recognition lit his eyes. â€Å"Right. The Alchemist.† He thought for a moment and then surprised me when he pulled up my name. With everything else that had been going on when I was at the Moroi Court, I hadn't expected to make an impression. â€Å"Sydney Sage.† I nodded, trying not to look flustered at the recognition. Then I realized Keith had frozen up beside me. He'd claimed he could â€Å"handle† being around Moroi, but apparently, that meant staring gape-mouthed and not saying a word. Keeping a pleasant smile on, I said, â€Å"Keith, this is Adrian Ivashkov. Adrian, this is my colleague, Keith Darnell.† Adrian held out his hand, but Keith didn't shake it. Whether that was because Keith was still shell-shocked or because he simply didn't want to touch a vampire, I couldn't say. Adrian didn't seem to mind. He dropped his hand and took out a lighter, stepping past us as he did. He nodded toward the doorway. â€Å"They're waiting for you. Go on in.† Adrian leaned close to Keith's ear and spoke in an ominous voice. â€Å"If. You. Dare.† He poked Keith's shoulder and gave a â€Å"Muhahaha† kind of monster laugh. Keith nearly leapt ten feet in the air. Adrian chuckled and strolled off down a garden path, lighting his cigarette as he walked. I glared after him – though it had been kind of funny – and nudged Keith toward the door. â€Å"Come on,† I said. The coolness of air conditioning brushed against me. If nothing else, Keith seemed to have come alive. â€Å"What was that about?† he demanded as we stepped into the house. â€Å"He nearly attacked me!† I shut the door. â€Å"It was about you looking like an idiot. And he didn't do a thing to you. Could you have acted any more terrified? They know we don't like them, and you looked like you were ready to bolt.† Admittedly, I kind of liked seeing Keith caught off guard, but human solidarity left no question about which side I was on. â€Å"I did not,† argued Keith, though he was obviously embarrassed. We walked down a long hallway with dark wood floors and trim that seemed to absorb all light. â€Å"God, what is wrong with these people? Oh, I know. They aren't people.† â€Å"Hush,† I said, a bit shocked at the vehemence in his voice. â€Å"They're right in there. Can't you hear them?† Heavy French doors met us at the end of the hall. The glass was frosted and stained, obscuring what was inside, but a low murmur of voices could still be heard. I knocked on the door and waited until a voice called an entry. The anger on Keith's face vanished as the two of us exchanged brief, commiserating looks. This was it. The beginning. We stepped through. When I saw who was inside, I had to stop my jaw from dropping like Keith's had earlier. For a moment, I couldn't breathe. I'd mocked Keith for being afraid around vampires and dhampirs, but now, face-to-face with a group of them, I suddenly felt trapped. The walls threatened to close in on me, and all I could think about were fangs and blood. My world reeled – and not just because of the group's size. Abe Mazur was here. Breathe, Sydney. Breathe, I told myself. It wasn't easy, though. Abe represented a thousand fears for me, a thousand entanglements I'd gotten myself into. Slowly, my surroundings crystallized, and I regained control. Abe wasn't the only one here, after all, and I made myself focus on the others and ignore him. Three other people sat in the room with him, two of whom I recognized. The unknown, an elderly Moroi with thinning hair and a big white mustache, had to be our host, Clarence. â€Å"Sydney!† That was Jill Mastrano, her eyes lighting up with delight. I liked Jill, but I hadn't thought I'd made enough of an impression on the girl to warrant such a welcome. Jill almost looked like she would run up and hug me, and I prayed that she wouldn't. I didn't need Keith to see that. More importantly, I didn't need Keith reporting about that. Beside Jill was a dhampir, one I knew in the same way I knew Adrian – that is, I'd seen him but had never been introduced. Eddie Castile had also been present when I was questioned at the Royal Court and, if memory served, had been in some trouble of his own. For all intents and purposes, he looked human, with an athletic body and face that had spent a lot of time in the sun. His hair was a sandy brown, and his hazel eyes regarded me and Keith in a friendly – but wary – way. That's how it was with guardians. They were always on alert, always watching for the next threat. In some ways, I found it reassuring. My survey of the room soon returned me to Abe, who had been watching and seemed amused by my obvious avoidance of him. A sly smile spread over his features. â€Å"Why, Miss Sage,† he said slowly. â€Å"Aren't you going to say hello to me?†

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Godfather Death Essay

What would you ask for your newborn child if you could ask for anything? What would you sacrifice to get it? In the realm of fairy tales, subjects such as these are common catalysts for conveying life choices and the ensuing consequences. Each tale may relate to certain scenarios or social status of a specific gender, but one such tale—Godfather Death—can be related to by every walk of life. The subject that is contemplated by the Brothers Grimm is death and the power or lack of that a person possesses to control it (Grimm 233). â€Å"See,† said Death, â€Å"these are the life-lights of mankind. The large ones belong to children, the medium-sized ones to married people in their best years, and the little ones to old people. However, even children and young people often have only a tiny candle. † This Grimm Brothers’ account of such a tale involves a father that is portrayed as a hard worker that can barely provide his twelve children the basic necessities of life (Grimm 230). When he is informed he has a thirteenth child coming into the world, the father immediately seeks a godfather to make this child’s life an easier one than the previous twelve. After reviewing his found choices of God, the Devil, and Death, he chooses Death as his son’s godfather. The father believes Death is the most unbiased and will provide equality to all. The son becomes of age and Godfather Death provides him a present that will make the life good for the now young man: He took him out into the woods and showed him an herb that grew there, saying, â€Å"Now you shall receive your godfather’s present. I will turn you into a famous physician. Whenever you are called to a sick person I will appear to you. If I stand at the sick person’s head, you may say with confidence that you can make him well again; then give him some of this herb, and he will recover. But if I stand at the sick person’s feet, he is mine, and you must say that he is beyond help, and that no physician in the world could save him. But beware of using this herb against my will, or something very bad will happen to you. â€Å" The Grimm story, at this point, leads us to believe that the man’s father made a good choice in choosing the godfather as the young man becomes famous and wealthy by obeying Death’s instructions of the gift. Most parents would be happy with such results. As with most fairy tales, good fortune usually has a price to be paid. In the case of Grandfather Death, the price is not being able to pick and choose who can die and who cannot as the man finds out when he desperately wants a certain king to live and then the king’s daughter (Grimm 231, 232). The man finds just how true that fact is. This is an interesting point to ponder and in my research I came across an article providing insight into the quality of life during the days of dying (CBSNews 1). So, is extending life a valid action if the quality of life is questionable? In the article, the following was discovered: â€Å"Families cannot imagine there could be anything worse than their loved one dying. But in fact, there are things worse. Most generally, it’s having someone you love die badly,† Byock said. A vast majority of Americans say they want to die at home, but 75 percent die in a hospital or a nursing home. The article points out another fact of how much money is spent on prolonging death just a few days, weeks, months in some cases. I think it’s interesting that we tend to spend a lot of money avoiding the unavoidable. Quality of life? These are all good questions that a person will eventually consider. â€Å"What will I give up to stay alive a little longer? † In the story, Death takes the man to see his candle that represents his life, which has become very short as the man decided to trick Death to let the king and the king’s daughter live. The man finds his fate to be grim indeed, no pun intended, but the tale is most fitting as one that the Brothers Grimm’s retelling (Grimm 233). Perhaps the point that can be extracted from the fairy tale is that a person needs to accept the fact that death is inevitable and make the most of their allotted time given during a person’s life. I believe the contemporary saying of â€Å"life is short, make the most of it† is very fitting. The same message was being pondered then and is still consider an unavoidable subject, no matter how morbid. Death is a timeless, unavoidable issue that eventually all must face. This story just tries to put it in perspective indirectly. The reader of Godfather Death is driven to consider just how precious life is by considering what’s coming at the end. Works Cited Grimm, Jacob. Grimm’s Complete Fairy Tales. Raleigh: Sweetwater, 2012. Print.. CBSNews. â€Å"The Cost of Dying. † CBSNews, December 3, 2010. Web. http://www. cbsnews. com/8301-18560_162-5711689. html.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

19 Interesting Selenium Facts

19 Interesting Selenium Facts Selenium is a chemical element that is found in a wide variety of products. Here are some interesting facts about selenium: Selenium gets its name from the Greek word selene, which means moon. Selene was the Greek goddess of the moon.Selenium has atomic number 34,  meaning each atom has 34 protons. The element symbol of selenium is Se.Selenium was discovered jointly in 1817 by  Swedish chemists Jà ¶ns Jakob Berzelius (1779–1848) and Johan Gottlieb Gahn (1745–1818).Although it is uncommonly found, selenium does exist in relatively pure form, free in nature.Selenium is a nonmetal. Like many nonmetals, it exhibits different colors and structures (allotropes) depending on the conditions.Selenium is essential for proper nutrition in many organisms, including humans and other animals, but is toxic in larger amounts and in compounds.Brazil nuts are high in selenium, even if they are grown in soil that is not rich in the element.  A single nut provides enough selenium to meet the daily requirement for a human adult.English electrical engineer Willoughby Smith (1828–1891) discovered tha t selenium reacts to light (photoelectric effect), leading to its use as a light sensor in the 1870s. Scottish-born American inventor Alexander Graham Bell (1847–1922) made a selenium-based photophone in 1879. The primary use of selenium is to decolorize glass,  to color glass red, and to make the pigment China Red. Other uses are in photocells, in laser printers and photocopiers, in steels, in semiconductors, and in assorted medicinal preparations.There are six natural isotopes of selenium. One is radioactive, while the other five are stable. However, the half-life of the unstable isotope is so long that it is essentially stable. Another 23 unstable isotopes have been produced.Selenium salts are used to help control dandruff.Selenium is protective against mercury poisoning.Some plants require high levels of selenium to survive, so the presence of those plants means the soil is rich in the element.Liquid selenium exhibits extremely high surface tension.Selenium and its compounds are anti-fungal.Selenium is important to several enzymes,  including  antioxidant enzymes  glutathione peroxidase  and  thioredoxin reductase and the  deiodinase  enzymes that convert thyroid hormon es into other forms.Approximately 2,000 tons of selenium are extracted annually worldwide. Selenium is most commonly produced as a byproduct of copper refining.The element was featured in the films Ghostbusters and Evolution. More detailed selenium facts are included with the periodic table data.

Monday, October 21, 2019

COLLEGE PAPER WRITING SERVICE for Students

COLLEGE PAPER WRITING SERVICE for Students Good written paper is no doubt a writing masterpiece. But if you ask yourself, what makes the academic essay so good? The answer to this question will be simple but the good essay writing does require much abilities and skills and college paper writing service is ready to help. Here are a few simple steps for you to follow while writing your perfect college paper. First is to study you the presented sources carefully. In addition to that make sure to sort well the reference sources. Second, communicate on paper your ideas and thoughts the most effective way you know. Third, generate the most impressive content you can come up with, aim to the unique piece of writing in the first place. Fourth is to put the facts into the logical and most sequential order while aiming to provide the continuous information flow. Fifth is to concentrate on using the simple language that speaks directly to the reader. And sixth is to apply your own personal writing style to show your understanding of the subject and to answer the central questions of the given essay.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Examining School Personnel Roles and Responsibilities

Examining School Personnel Roles and Responsibilities It truly does take an army to raise and educate a child. The most recognizable employees within a school district are the teachers. However, they represent only a portion of the personnel that works within the school. School personnel can be divided into three distinct categories including school leaders, faculty, and support staff. Here we examine the essential roles and responsibilities of key school personnel. School Leaders Board of Education – The board of education is ultimately responsible for most decision making in a school. The board of education is made up of elected community members most usually consisting of 5 members. The eligibility requirement for a board member varies by state. The board of education generally meets once per month. They are responsible for hiring the district superintendent. They also generally take into account the recommendations of the superintendent in the decision-making process. Superintendent – The superintendent  oversees the daily operations of the school district as a whole. They are generally responsible for providing recommendations to the school board in a variety of areas. The superintendent’s primary responsibility is handling the financial matters of the school district. They also lobby on behalf of their district with the State government. Assistant Superintendent – A smaller district may not have any assistant superintendents, but a larger district may have several. The assistant superintendent oversees a specific part or parts of a school district’s daily operations. For example, there may be an assistant superintendent for curriculum and another assistant superintendent for transportation. The assistant superintendent is overseen by the district superintendent. Principal – The principal oversees the daily operations of an individual school building within a district. The principal is primarily in charge of overseeing the students and faculty/staff in that building. They are also responsible for building community relationships within their area. The principal is often responsible for interviewing prospective candidates for job openings within their building as well as making recommendations to the superintendent for hiring a new teacher. Assistant Principal – A smaller district may not have any assistant principals, but a large district may have several. The assistant principal may oversee a specific part or parts of a school’s daily operations. For example, there may be an assistant principal who oversees all student discipline either for the entire school or for a particular grade depending on the size of the school. The assistant principal is overseen by the building principal. Athletic Director – The athletic director oversees all of the athletic programs in the district. The athletic director is often the person in charge of all the athletic scheduling. They also often have their hand in the hiring process of new coaches and/or the removal of a coach from their coaching duties. The athletic director also oversees the spending of the athletic department. School Faculty Teacher – Teachers are responsible for providing the students they serve with direct instruction in the area of content in which they specialize. The teacher is expected to use the district-approved curriculum to meet state objectives within that content area. The teacher is responsible for building relationships with parents of children which they serve. Counselor – A counselor’s job is often multifaceted. A counselor provides counseling services for students who may struggle academically, have a rough home life, may have gone through a difficult situation, etc. A counselor also provides academic counseling setting student schedules, getting students scholarships, preparing them for life after high school, etc. In some cases, a counselor may also serve as the testing coordinator for their school. Special Education – A special education teacher is responsible for providing the students they serve with direct instruction in the area of content with which the student has an identified learning disability. The special education teacher is responsible for writing, reviewing, and implementing all Individual Education Plans (IEP) for students served. They also are responsible for scheduling meetings for IEP’s. Speech Therapist – A speech therapist is responsible for identifying students who need speech related services. They are also responsible for providing the specific services needed to those students identified. Finally, they are responsible for writing, reviewing, and implementing all speech related IEPs. Occupational Therapist – An occupational therapist is responsible for identifying students who need occupational therapy related services. They are also responsible for providing the specific services needed to those students identified. Physical Therapist - A physical therapist is responsible for identifying students who need physical therapy related services. They are also responsible for providing the specific services needed to those students identified. Alternative Education – An alternative education teacher is responsible for providing the students they serve with direct instruction. The students they serve often cannot function in a regular classroom often because of discipline related issues, so the alternative education teacher has to be extremely structured and a strong disciplinarian. Library/Media Specialist – A library media specialist oversees the operation of the library including the organization, ordering of books, checking out of books, the return of books, and re-shelving of books. The library media specialist also works directly with the classroom teachers to provide assistance in anything associated with the library. They also are responsible for teaching students library related skills and creating programs that develop lifelong readers. Reading Specialist – A reading specialist works with students who have been identified as struggling readers in a one-on-one or small group setting. A reading specialist assists the teacher in identifying students who are struggling readers as well as finding the specific area of reading which they struggle. A reading specialist’s goal is to get each student they work with on grade level for reading. Intervention Specialist – An intervention specialist is much like a reading specialist. However, they are not just limited to reading and may assist students who struggle in many areas including reading, math, science, social studies, and other subjects. They often fall under the direct supervision of the classroom teacher. Coach – A coach oversees the day to day operations of a specific sports program. Their duties can include organizing practice, scheduling, ordering equipment, and coaching games. They are also in charge of specific game planning including scouting, game strategy, substitution patterns, player discipline, etc. Assistant Coach – An assistant coach helps the head coach in whatever capacity the head coach directs them. They often suggest game strategy, assist in organizing practice, and helps with scouting as needed. School Support Staff Administrative Assistant – An administrative assistant is one of the most important positions in the entire school. A school administrative assistant often knows the day-to-day operations of a school as well as anyone. They are also the person who communicates most often with parents. Their job includes answering phones, mailing letters, organizing files, and a host of other duties. A good administrative assistant screens for the school administrator and makes their job easier. Encumbrance Clerk – The encumbrance clerk has one of the most difficult jobs in the entire school. The encumbrance clerk is not only in charge of school payroll and billing, but a host of other financial responsibilities. The encumbrance clerk has to be able to account for every cent a school has spent and received. An encumbrance clerk must be organized and must stay current with all laws dealing with school finance. School Nutritionist  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ A school nutritionist is responsible for creating a menu that meets state nutrition standards for all meals served at school. They are also responsible for ordering the food that will be served. They also collect and keep up with all monies taken in and spent by the nutrition program. A school nutritionist is also responsible for keeping track of which students are eating and for which students qualify for free/reduced lunches. Teacher‘s Aide – A teacher’s aide assist a classroom teacher in a variety of areas that can include making copies, grading papers, working with small groups of students, contacting parents, and a variety of other tasks. Paraprofessional – A paraprofessional is a trained individual who assists a special education teacher with their day-to-day operations. A paraprofessional may be assigned to one particular student or may help with a class a whole. A paraprofessional works in support of the teacher and does not provide direct instruction. Nurse – A school nurse provides general first aid for students in the school. The nurse may also administer medication to students who need it or are required medication. A school nurse keeps pertinent records on when they see students, what they saw, and how they treated it. A school nurse may also teach students about health and health-related issues. Cook – A cook is responsible for the preparation and serving of food to the entire school. A cook is also responsible for the process of cleaning up the kitchen and the cafeteria. Custodian – A custodian is responsible for the day-to-day cleaning of the school building as a whole. Their duties include vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, cleaning bathrooms, emptying trash, etc. They may also assist in other areas such as mowing, moving heavy items, etc. Maintenance – Maintenance is responsible for keeping all the physical operations of a school running. If something is broke, then maintenance is responsible for repairing it. These may including electrical and lighting, air and heating, and mechanical issues. Computer Technician – A computer technician is responsible for assisting school personnel with any computer issue or question that may arise. Those may include issues with email, the internet, viruses, etc. A computer technician should provide service and maintenance to all school computers to keep them running so that they may be used as needed. They are also responsible for server maintenance and the installation of filter programs and features. Bus Driver – A bus driver provides safe transportation for students to and from school.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Critical evaluation of energy relations between Russian Far East and Dissertation

Critical evaluation of energy relations between Russian Far East and Asia (China & Japan) post 2000 - Dissertation Example During the period of the 1990s the government of the country did not directly control the large number of oil resources and industries in Russia. Rather big business tycoons who maintained a strong relation with the Russian Government officials controlled these industries. The Russian government during the period ranging from 1995 to 2000 endeavored to take decisive steps to bring about reforms in the country’s energy policies, which failed to get fulfilled owing to poor performances of the Russian economy. However the gradual revival of the economy after the 1999 period led the Russian government formulate an energy strategy till the 2020 period. This strategy aims at augmenting the supply of energy to meet the global demand. Further, the strategy aims at reducing the dependence of natural gas from around 50 percent during the 1990 period to around 42 percent during 2020. Rather the strategy focused on increasing the share of coal in energy generation from 16 percent in 1998 to around 23 percent during 2020. These policy directions along with focus on nuclear energy generation are expected to draw huge investments of around $700 billion by the 2020 period (Woehrel, 2009, pp.1-2; Russian Energy Survey, 2002, p.23). Russia’s Energy Policy towards China and Japan post 2000. In the field of energy development, the two countries Russia and China started their cooperation from the period of the late 1950s with Russia rendering technological knowhow for developing the oil industry in China. With the emergence of the 1990 period several government and energy agencies in both countries figured the laying down of gas pipelines between themselves as a feasible idea. With the signing of the ‘Treaty of Friendship’ during 2001 the expectation of energy collaboration between Russia and China gained further ground. The directions took shape under Vladimir Putin’s leadership after the 2001 period with the decision taken by the two countries to construct a joint pipe line for transmitting oil. Exports of oil by Russia to China augmented through different routes from 3 million in 2002 to 16 million during the period of 2006. This clearly reflects the growing interest of Russia on exporting oil to China which gained growth after the 2005 period. The construction period for the gas pipeline laid at 2008 failed owing to failure of price agreements between Russia and China. During 2006, Putin further announced the extension of gas resources to China along the Serbian border. (Eder, Speed & Korzhubaev, 2009,pp.219-2224, 240-242). The energy policy of the Putin government became an area of higher influence by the Japanese diplomats in trying to get the best out of it. The Japanese diplomats desired the map for the oil pipeline to be set from Angarsk to Nakhodka which would be beneficial to the Japanese region. Japan considered the above move a strategic importance for it would reduce their dependence on oil resources of the Midd le East and also strengthen its relationship with Moscow (Amalia, 2006.p.3, 7). Trend of Energy Uses in China and Japan The advent of China in the World Trade Organization augmented the country’s use of energy resources, which gained growth at the rate of 71.5 percent during the period ranging from 2001 to 2006. The region of China during the period of 2003 consumed around 31 percent of the total coal energy in the world. Further, China accounted for 7.6 percent of the global oil consumption and

Friday, October 18, 2019

Interpersonal Skills and a Happy Successful Living Research Paper

Interpersonal Skills and a Happy Successful Living - Research Paper Example The relation of a person with other people around him is known as an interpersonal relationship. The skilled interpersonal qualities are very necessary for living a comfortable life with good social relations. No one is born with social skills. Everyone learns, perceives and absorb the social norms and the ways of dealing people; which comes with time. The first school of social learning of a person is home. Home is the first place where one learns basic etiquettes, social norms and how to deal and respond to people. The basic learning of person is started and is leaned from home. And since then a journey of learning and improving the social skills is constant. The social skills and interpersonal skills of a person are experienced when he enters his professional life. And with time these skills are polished. The interpersonal skills vary from person to person. There are two types of  ­; introvert and extrovert. Both these kinds would be different and thus the relationship, communication, and level of dealing with communication with each type would be different. The interpersonal skills are also affected by the environment we grew in our personal preferences, the way we feel, the personality type etc. Interpersonal skills are needed everywhere. Whenever a person has to deal or communicate with other people the interpersonal skills of person are projected. Basically, there are three stages where interpersonal skills are needed; personal dealing, social interactions, and cooperation. All such relations such as friends, coworkers, family relatives, cousins, neighbors and peers all are included in interpersonal relations.

Organized Crime Group Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Organized Crime Group Analysis - Essay Example One of the most prominent and oldest gangs in the region is the vice lord gang. The gang consisted mostly of individuals from the African American community and participated in various criminal activities including extortion, drug trafficking, robbery, murder and numerous forms of fraud. The gang came into existence in 1958, where several youths of African American origin from the Chicago neighbourhood of north Lawndale, met during their incarceration at a Chicago juvenile facility. The founding member of the gang was named Edward Perry, and he used the alias Pepalo (Chepesiuk, 2007). The word vice, which is prominent, in the gangs name is said to mean a tight grip. The release of leaders from prison resulted in recruitments, which augmented the gang’s participation in criminal activities, within the city’s confines. Their notoriety increase rapidly and by 1964, they were the primary target of law enforcers in the city. They were known for their violent nature and were feared in their neighbourhood (Diamond, 2009). The gang attempted to repair their public image and the gangs name was changed to conservative gang lords. They further took the approach of being a community outreach organization in the 1970s. This was achieved with the help of a social worker David Dawley who was Caucasian despite the gang’s racial inclination. This guise was successful with the gang receiving positive feedbacks from leaders and politicians in the community. Their rebranding efforts were capped with a grant of $275,000 from the Rockefeller foundation (Diamond, 2009). This period saw the consolidation of numerous gangs into the vice lords leading to an increase of their membership. The community, however, were finally able to see through the gangs disguise discovering they were involved with criminal activities and violence in the community. The gang’s involvement in

International Trade Policy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

International Trade Policy - Case Study Example Development of trade and commerce is essentially linked to the survival, growth, and progress of a nation, particularly by concise means of imports and exports. The policies or regulations that essentially govern and deal with defining the international trade between countries are known as the Foreign Trade Policy or International Trade Policy. These policies include, but are not restricted to, the tax brackets, import duties on various pieces of equipment (goods and services), items for trading, non-allowable items, quotas and tariffs, and so on. Inclusive of this data, there are also the incentives for foreign investment that encourages foreign investors to invest in the country along with incentives for local producers to export, and so on [2]. Thus, the policy defines the terms and regulations for trading i.e. imports and exports. The Asian region has been prospering of late with good speed, and amongst the many nations, Pakistan has been one of the prime examples of prospering nations particularly under the current military regime. The name of this nation has been in the headlines since a while now, thus, it would be very informative to analyze their trade policy structure. Particularly considering the fact that the foreign direct investment has been growing in the region of late, it would be very interesting to see the structure that is enhancing this figure in recent times[3]. Since October 1999 to date, Pakistan has moved towards being a much more stabilized nation than it has ever been since its existence in 1947. Under the military regime of General Pervaiz Musharraf, the nation has moved towards economic stability and growth to the current day, with economic development prospering in particular. This stability in the economic and political environment has led to tremendous growth in the net trade figure, inviting foreign investors and trades to contribute and interact with the local ones and have a good prospectus for the future outlook[5]. This report highlights the trade policy for the year 2006-07 so that judgements can be made on fairgrounds that whether this policy has been a success or otherwise. The following paragraphs highlight the main aims and objectives of the international trade policy relating to the export of goods and services [7, 9].

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Nintendo Corporation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nintendo Corporation - Research Paper Example From this paper it is clear that the internal resources include the strengths and weaknesses while its external resources are the opportunities and threats. Nintendo Corporation should strive to maximize its strengths and opportunities while at the same time minimizing its weaknesses and threats. Nintendo Corporation boasts of strong, formidable and established brands in the world market. Most of its products are unrivalled putting it in a better position to command and dictate the taste of the market. For instance, the Nintendo 3DS that was initiated in the US in March 27, 2011 enables the users to view contents in 3D without necessarily using the special glasses. Additionally, the Wii that comes in different advanced revolutionary features has made the product the best selling in the world. The corporation also has a robust and steady escalation in its revenue. Although the company was founded in Tokyo, Japan, it now has branches in all major world markets of the world. As of March 2011, the conclusion of their economic year, the entire proceeds of the corporation was $ 4799.40. This shows that company stands in better grounds in terms of assets and strengths. Besides, Nintendo Co. Ltd. has a strong cash flow system. The operating cash flow indicates the amount of money in cash that the firm generates when it sells its products or renders the services. It is calculated by subtracting the firm’s taxes from the taxes. As of march, 2011, the cash flow for Nintendo was $ 1.19 billion. The major fault that this corporation faces is the shortages of inventories.  

A crime in English Law and Canadian Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A crime in English Law and Canadian Law - Essay Example These two elements are actus reus and mens rea. It is important to note that concurrence of these two elements is mandatory to prove any offence. While existence of these two elements is common in English and Canadian laws, there are some major differences when it comes to their interpretation in these two laws. In order to analyze definition of crime in English and Canadian laws, developing understanding of actus reus and mens rea is imperative. There are varied definitions of crime present in different national and international laws. However, the most recurrent definition is given by Blackburn (1993, p. 5) which defines crime to be â€Å"acts attracting legal punishment that are injurious in some way to the community at large or one or more people within it†. Another Canadian version of this definition is provided by Tappan (1960) which defines crime as â€Å"an intentional act or omission in violation of criminal law (statutory or case law), committed without defense or j ustification, and sanctioned by the state as a felony or misdemeanor (Haggan, 2011).† It is important to note that a crime will only be considered as committed if there is actus reus (guilty act carried out voluntarily) and mens rea (guilty mind leading to intention of committing the act) (Boyd, 2010). Therefore, mens rea and actus reus are the major elements of criminal law. Hence, a crime is a breach of rules defined by the state or any other governing authority. Most of the crimes are considered as offences against the state and community. The definition of crime under Canadian law is relatively similar to the one prevailing in English law. Therefore, the crime occurs when an individual breaches criminal law prevailing in the state voluntarily and with guilty mind (actus reus and mens rea respectively). Both laws also presume innocence of the accused until unless proven guilty. However, Canadian law levies burden of proof on the crown counsel in Canada (Boyd, 2010). There i s also slight variation in the elements of these two laws. In English criminal law, actus Reus and mens rea form the main elements of law. Omission of intent is a third element which is referred to as strict liability. However, in many cases, the criminal intentions are not required to be shown. In such cases, strict liability is applied. On the other hand, elements of Canadian criminal law includes actus reus, mens rea, special circumstances leading to incomplete offences, aiding and assisting in crime (Boyd, 2010). As far as criminal liability is concerned, it forms part of product liability law instead of criminal law. In order to understand differences between these two major elements of criminal law, it is important to analyze how English and Canadian laws consider actus reus and mens rea individually. The origin for actus reus and mens rea is English law and it is adapted in Canadian version of criminal law and other parts of the world as well. Actus Reus itself is a Latin for guilty act and is considered as mandatory criterion for criminal offence. It is important to note that actus reus defines all the elements of an offence other than mens rea which defines one’s state of mind. Actus Reus’ severity is defined by circumstances in which the offence has taken place or its consequences. Hence, the act has to be voluntary and willfully committed in order to fulfill the condition of Actus Reus. There are four types of crimes on the basis of actus Reus which are actions crimes i.e. conduct, state of affairs crimes, result crimes and omission. Actions crimes take place when the consequences of the acts are immaterial. State of affairs

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Nintendo Corporation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nintendo Corporation - Research Paper Example From this paper it is clear that the internal resources include the strengths and weaknesses while its external resources are the opportunities and threats. Nintendo Corporation should strive to maximize its strengths and opportunities while at the same time minimizing its weaknesses and threats. Nintendo Corporation boasts of strong, formidable and established brands in the world market. Most of its products are unrivalled putting it in a better position to command and dictate the taste of the market. For instance, the Nintendo 3DS that was initiated in the US in March 27, 2011 enables the users to view contents in 3D without necessarily using the special glasses. Additionally, the Wii that comes in different advanced revolutionary features has made the product the best selling in the world. The corporation also has a robust and steady escalation in its revenue. Although the company was founded in Tokyo, Japan, it now has branches in all major world markets of the world. As of March 2011, the conclusion of their economic year, the entire proceeds of the corporation was $ 4799.40. This shows that company stands in better grounds in terms of assets and strengths. Besides, Nintendo Co. Ltd. has a strong cash flow system. The operating cash flow indicates the amount of money in cash that the firm generates when it sells its products or renders the services. It is calculated by subtracting the firm’s taxes from the taxes. As of march, 2011, the cash flow for Nintendo was $ 1.19 billion. The major fault that this corporation faces is the shortages of inventories.  

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Using cognitive learning theory to explain what is involved in Essay

Using cognitive learning theory to explain what is involved in learning in particular learning activity - Essay Example This paper briefly analyses the cognitive learning theory and various cognitive functions with respect to a learning activity; â€Å"using a computer application†. I960’s have witnessed the incorporation of cognitive skills to the learning theories. Edward Tolman was the first one who proposed the importance of cognitive functions in learning activities. Even though he was a behaviourist, he has given more preference to the internal mental phenomena and postulated that; Behavior should be studied at a local level; Learning can occur without reinforcement, Learning can occur without a change in behavior; Intervening variables must be considered; Behavior is purposive; Expectations of fact behavior; Learning results in an organized body of information (Cognitive Learning Theory, n.d) Gestalt psychology, Piagets developmental theory, Vygotskys developmental theory etc are some of the well known cognitive learning theories. Gestalt psychologist emphasized the importance of organizational processes of perception, learning, and problem solving. They believed that individuals were predisposed to organize information in particular ways Piaget considered people as active processors of information. In his opinion, knowledge can be described in terms of structures that change with development and cognitive development results from the interactions that children have with their physical and social environments. Vygotskys developmental theory emphasized the importance of social activities in mental development. He believed that children can often accomplish more difficult tasks when they have the assistance of other people more advanced and competent than themselves. (Cognitive Learning Theory, n.d) The propositional knowledge is the knowledge of facts that such and such is the case. For example, the knowledge that MS word is a product of Microsoft (which is evident from the name itself) is a propositional knowledge. Propositional

Monday, October 14, 2019

Self balancing vehicle

Self balancing vehicle 1.Introduction 1.1. Introduction Research on two wheeled, self balancing vehicle is gaining momentum in many laboratories around the world and has made many developments based on it. Balancing carts are defined by their ability to balance on two wheels and spin on the spot similar to an inverted pendulum. It has been the subject of many researches around the world ever since people started investigating the concept of inverted pendulum system. Many forms and functions of a two wheeled cart have been developed and modified, due to its high manoeuvrability, two wheeled balancing cart has been investigated and developed to become a human transport machine. The Segway, Pegasus, and iBot models are such examples of the design of two wheeled balancing robot as a human transport machine. Balancing of a two wheel cart is a non linear control problem which is quite complex to solve in a methodological approach due to two degrees of freedom, i.e. the balancing cart position and angle using only one control input force. The control principle simply involves driving the wheels of the cart in the direction where the body is falling. It has the same principles as balancing a broom stick on the palm of a hand, a person balancing the stick moves the hand in the direction that the stick is falling The scope of this thesis is to design a controller and develop the hardware for the two wheeled cart such that the cart can stay in an upright position while the cart is in a static position or moving. Apart from the above, the thesis will look into the suitability and performance of different types of linear state space controllers namely the Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR), pole placement controller and state observer design in balancing the system. 1.2. Literature Review The wide application of technology derived from the very concept of inverted pendulum has lead to many researches being carried out by many researchers and robot enthusiasts around the world. This chapter provides a review on some vital topics related to the balancing of a two wheeled robot as well as some of the existing human transporters, 1.2.1. Segway The Segway PT is a two-wheeled, self-balancing electric vehicle invented by Dean Kamen. It is produced by Segway Inc. of New Hampshire, USA. The working of the Segway is based on a new technology termed dynamic stabilization, i.e. it uses the bodys movement to enable the Segway to perform its function. For instance, to move forward or backward, the rider has to lean in the required direction, similarly, for left-right movement, the Leansteer frame is turned in the required direction. The dynamics of Segway PT are also based on the concept of the inverted pendulum. It consists of electric motors powered by Valence Technology and phosphate based lithium ion batteries, two tilt sensors and 5 gyroscopes. The servo drive motors rotate the wheels forward or backwards as needed for balance or propulsion. 1.2.2. Self Balancing Scooter Trevor Blackwell built a self-balancing scooter similar to the Segway HT that was completed in 2002. There are two models of the scooter built by Trevor Blackwell and the control system of the vehicle are summarized below, Model 1: The scooter is powered by Remote Control (RC) car battery packs. The packs provide a power source that can support the high discharge rate demanded by the motors. The control system of the vehicle is run from an 8-bit Atmel microcontroller using Proportional Derivative (PD) control with feedback from a piezo electric rate gyroscope. The gain parameters can be tuned by hand while actually using the vehicle. The motors are controlled by the Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) signals from the motor driver. Steering is done by making one wheel go faster than the other. Because all the mass is centered between the wheels, it can spin around quite quickly. The steering system adds and subtracts a small percentage of power from the motors depending on the current speed of the vehicle Model 2: This model is an improvisation of the first model. It is designed to be much smoother, lighter and faster than the first model. Roboteq dual channel motor controller used in the first model is replaced with an OSMC (Open Source Motor Controller) driving each wheel independently. The OSMC can supply from 13V to 50V at 160A continuous and 400A peak while the major advantage stems from the processing time which is in the order of one or two milliseconds compared to tens of milliseconds with the previously used Roboteq motor controller. The gyroscope system used in the first model is replaced with a gyroscope/accelerometer assembly that has significantly less noise and less susceptible to vibrations. This model includes a Bluetooth connection such that the scooter can be driven remotely while balancing. 1.2.3. JOE le Pendule Felix, Grasser (2002) built a revolutionary two-wheeled vehicle called the JOE. It consists of two coaxial wheels with each wheel coupled to a DC motor. This configuration enables the vehicle to do stationary U-turns. The control system consists of two state space controllers which drives the motors so as to keep the system in equilibrium while in motion. In order to reduce cost as well as danger for the test pilots a scaled down prototype carrying a weight instead of a driver was built (Grasser et al). The implemented control system is the pole placement control. JOEs performance can be further enhanced by varying the pole placement in real time depending on the states and inputs of the system. The implementation of these controllers can be seen in papers published by Nakajima et al. (1997), Shiroma et al. (1996), Takahashi et al. (2001) and Grasser et al (2002). 1.2.4 LegWay EquiBot Steve Hassenplugs Lego based LegWay uses two Electro-Optical Proximity Detectors to balance and detect and follow lines. This robot uses Infrared Proximity detectors to deduce the tilt angle of the robot. Another robot similar to the Legway is the Equibot by Dan Piponi. Equibot is a balancing robot which is like a small scale segway. It is based around an ATMega32 RISC Microcontroller. It has just one sensor: the Sharp infrared ranger. This is positioned facing downwards to measure distance to the floor and as a result tilt angle is obtained. The output from this device is used to decide which way the robot is leaning and hence stabilize the system. 1.2.5 nBot Balancing Robot The nBot balancing robot by David P.Anderson is another two wheeled balancing robot that has been developed in the recent past, the concept of balancing this robot could be applied to this two wheeled balancing cart project, for the nBot the wheels are driven in such a way as to stay under the robots center of gravity, hence, the robot remains balanced. The nbot consists of two feedback sensors: a tilt or angle sensor to measure the tilt of the robot with respect to gravity, and also consist of encoders on the wheels in order to measure the position of the base of the robot. The position and motion of an inverted pendulum based machine such as the nBot are defined by four variables. They are the position, the velocity, the tilt angle and the tilt rate. The measurements from these four variables are summed and fed back as a motor voltage which is proportional to torque, hence is used to balance and drive the robot. 1.2.6 EDGAR A student project at the University of Adelaide under the guidance of Dr.Ben Cazzolato resulted in EDGAR, the Electro-Drive Grav-Aware Ride. EDGARs design draws up the successes and failures of the Segway PT and various other attempts of producing self balancing scooters which use different automatic control methods. Angular feedbacks from the gyroscopic sensor and PWM output to motors are used in a control system to achieve balance in EDGAR. The microcontroller used is the Wytec MiniDRAGON+ development board; the microcontroller receives the information from sensors, interprets the information and then sends commands to drive the system to maintain balance.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Teen Romanance is Not Smart Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Essays Y

Teen Romanance is Not Smart      Ã‚  Ã‚   Do teenagers today have their priorities in the correct order when it comes to dating?   More and more often, it does not seem they do.   Some teenagers these days spend too much time focusing on their "romantic" relationships instead of the things that should be more important.   Teenagers who are in serious relationships do not care as much about school, their families, or their jobs.   These teenagers seem to forget everything that should be important to them.     Ã‚  Ã‚   School should be a very important priority for teenagers.   In high school, teachers try to prepare young people for what lies ahead in life.   That includes going off to college and entering the working world.  Ã‚   But many teenagers in serious relationships begin putting off doing their homework and studying for tests.   Their grades begin to drop, and sooner than they know it, they are failing their classes.   Most times when these lovesick teenagers begin failing, they do not care.   In some cases the teenagers even drop out.   In today's world it is nearly impossible to find a decent job without at least a high school diploma.   Without a job, a person can't get very far or have an interesting life.   Is one boy or girl really worth it?   Ã‚  Ã‚   Just graduating from high school this past June, I saw a lot of my friends go down this road.   Many of my friends were honor students through most of their years of school.   Then some of these friends met significant others their junior and senior years, and that was the end of them being honor students.   Whenever I asked my friends about their relationships, they would each give me the same story, that this was the person they wanted to spend the rest of their lives ... ... keep a 4.2 grade point average and graduated fifth in my class.   This was because I kept my priorities in order.   My boyfriend came last in most situations.   He understood and accepted this.   At that point in my life I had more important things to deal with.   I managed to work, go to school, and hold down a serious relationship without getting my priorities mixed up.   So for the people who say it is impossible to do all of these things, I know from personal experience that it is not.   Ã‚  Ã‚   I am not saying that it is wrong to date as a teenager.   Just remember what is important.   The teenage years are to be used as a time to grow and experience new things, but not at the expense of what is important in life.   Just keep a level head and do not get too involved with that significant other right now.   It is important to remember what it important in life.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Fitting In in the book I Want to Be Miss America Essay examples -- Jul

In â€Å"I Want to Be Miss America,† Julia Alvarez examines her adolescent struggle to be â€Å"American.† For Alvarez, her Hispanic culture becomes a burden to her inclusion in American society. So, Alvarez and her sisters, struggle to become what they are not, Americans. Alvarez uses a somewhat biased stereotype to identify the model of an ideal American, but she does make clear. The struggle of all American teenagers to fit into or molded by a standard which for many of them is impossible to achieve. Relating to Alvarez and her struggle is very easy and well known in every generation. Society puts a ridiculous high standard on outer appearances, especially for girls and women. Women grasp the perspective of the standards that are set and put them into drive. Women become stressed, emotional, and nutcases because they want to please others instead of pleasing themselves. In some cases, women have died trying to live up to these customaries, if not becoming dangerously ill. As a young lady, knowing what could happen, frightens but doesn’t phase me. Wi...

Friday, October 11, 2019

Can a Criminal Be Rehabilitated Back Into Society

The purpose of this paper is to research the whole subject of criminals and their rehabilitation. This is a discussion of what society’s responsibility in this matter is and how to approach whether it is reform or punishing those who commit the crime. Should a criminal who claims insanity be rehabilitated into society? This is a common argument that many people find themselves wondering if such thing is possible when a heinous crime has been committed. It is stated that juries find for only about 20 percent of the defendants who plead insanity. Sixty to 70 percent of insanity pleas are for crimes other than murder. They range from assault to shoplifting. There are some opponents that attack the insanity defense for confusing psychiatric and legal concepts, in the process undermining the moral integrity of the law. During the 150 years or so the insanity defense has been and still is an issue in the U. S. within our criminal law and the medical psychology that have gone through many tireless changes in the criminal responsibility and the mental illness relationship. Ignoring this issue we may have steered away from an important source in our struggle with this type of defense. The United States Federal law states that insanity is a fair defense if at the time of the commission of the acts constituting the offense, the defendant as a result of a severe mental disease or defect, was unable to appreciate the nature and quality of the wrongfulness of his or her acts. When invoking insanity as a defense, a defendant is required to notify the prosecution. In some states, sanity is determined by the judge or jury in a separate proceeding following the determination of guilt or innocence at trial. In other states, the defense is either accepted or rejected in the verdict of the judge or jury. Even if evidence of insanity does not win a verdict of not guilty, the sentencing court may consider it as a mitigating factor. The criminal justice system under which all men and women are tried holds a concept called mens rea, a Latin phrase that means â€Å"state of mind†. According to this concept, criminals committed who commit their crimes are oblivious of the wrongfulness of their actions. A mentally challenged person, including one with mental retardation, who cannot distinguish between right and wrong is protected and exempted by the court of law from being unfairly punished for his/her crime. Insanity, what does that word mean? I don’t have a clear cut definition for it but for most of us when we think of that word we think of someone mentally ill or just plain crazy. Does insanity makes us loose the thought of moral value and or our justification from right from wrong? It is stated that most socially recognized authorities such as psychiatrists, medical doctors, and lawyers agree that it is a brain disease. Let say it is a brain disease should we link insanity with other brain diseases like strokes and Parkinsonism? Unlike these two diseases, whose causes can be medically accounted for through a behavioral deficit such as paralysis, and weakness, how can one explain the behavior of crimes done by such criminals? Doctor’s and psychiatrists describe what they say insanity is a neurological illness explaining it to a jury a person's or in this case a criminal’s reason and behavior. It rarely excuses it. Insanity is now considered a legal concept not a medical diagnosis. The most widely known rule in the insanity defense refers to the M'Naghten rule which arose in 1983 during the trial of Daniel M'Naghten who pleaded that he was not responsible for his murders because he suffered from delusions at the time of that he committed the crime. The rule states that a criminal defendant may be excused from criminal responsibility if at the time of the crime, the person accused was laboring under such a defect of reason, from a mental illness, as not to know the nature and the quality of the act he or she was doing. The biggest problem I feel is that with the insanity defense is either examined from a legal angle or a psychoanalytical one which involves talking to people and taking many tests. These tests so far show no proof of confirming the causal relationship between mental illness and the criminal behavior based on a deeper neurological working of the brain sciences. Many doctors and or professionals seemed to find themselves in a double bind where with no clear medical definition of mental illness, he/she must answer questions of legal insanity- beliefs of human rationality, and free will instead of basing it on more concrete scientific facts. For example, let us use a case study to elaborate the argument that law in this country continues to regard insanity as a moral and legal matter rather than ones based on scientific analysis. Remember the insanity case of Andrea Yates which occurred in Houston, Texas in 2002. In March 2002, a panel of Texas jurors debated her fate. A devoted mother with a history of postpartum psychosis, hallucinations, and two suicide attempts, Yates admitted to drowning her five children in a bathtub. Prosecutors conceded that Yates was mentally ill but knew right from wrong and so was not legally insane at the time of the murders. Under the law, jurors could not be told that Yates would be hospitalized if she were found NGRI. The jury rejected her claim of mental illness, found her guilty, spared her the death penalty but sentenced her to life in prison. At least there Yates would be kept in protective custody because of her ongoing mental problems and possible threats from other inmates and unless she needed intensive psychiatric care she would eventually mingle with the general population at the prison known for housing some of the toughest, meanest women in Texas. Yates's symptoms are controlled by medication. How about rehabilitating the insane, is it possible or how are we the society should deal with this issue? Rehabilitation is based on the idea that the criminal violation resulted from inadequate socialization of the offender; it represents an effort to provide some counseling and practical training that can aid an offender and therefore weaken or remove the stimuli that led him or her to committing the crime. Can we just say that the person with the mental illness is not capable of being normal or distinguishing right from wrong so we should just lock them up and throw the key away? One might wonder if criminals use the insanity defense to escape punishment. After all a crime had been committed and therefore they too should be punished maybe not as a normal criminal but with the proper medical assistance needed for their behavior can be controlled. Some of these individuals can in fact be rehabilitated back into society by properly giving them the right medication and not just sending them to jail where they get no help. If in fact the insanity defense is successful the offender then is placed in psychiatric hospital or the psychiatric ward of a state prison which are secured facilities. Many offenders who plead insanity are nonviolent offenders, and most if not all will stay at the hospital longer than they would if they were going to prison if had been convicted of the crime that they were accused of. Again the insanity does not always bring freedom but indeterminate detention. The defense by which defendant argue that they should not be held criminally liable for breaking the law due to being legally insane when at the time the crime occurred. The defendants who attempt such defense will undergo mental examinations beforehand. There are four various insanity defense standards. The first is the M’Nagthen rule which the standard is whether or not he or she did not know what he or she was doing or didn’t know it was wrong. The burden of proof varies, from proof by a balance of probabilities on the defense to proof a beyond a reasonable doubt on the prosecutor and or depending on the state jurisdiction. The second is the irresistible impulse test which legal standard is if he or she could not control his conduct. The third is the substantial capacity test. The legal standard is if he or she lacks the substantial capacity to appreciate the wrongfulness of his conduct or to control it and the burden of proof is beyond reasonable doubt and rests on the prosecutor. The fourth test is the Present federal law which indicates if he or she lacks the capacity to appreciate the wrongfulness of his or her conduct. The burden of proof is clear and convincing evidence and rests on the defense. The insanity defense shouldn’t be confused with incompetency. Individuals who are incompetent to stand trial are held in a mental institution until they are considered capable of participating in the proceedings. The insanity defense should also be kept separate from issues concerning the mental retardation. In the case in 2002 Atkins v. Virginia the U. S. Supreme Court ruled that the execution of the mentally retarded criminals constituted the cruel and unusual punishment and it was prohibited by the 8th Amendment. If a criminal is acquitted by reason of insanity then execution was not an option. The insanity defense has contributed to making the law more humane. The criminal justice system seeks to protect the public, with the main goal of the mental health system in treating and rehabilitating individuals with some sort of mental illness. Another issue is what critics contend that the insanity defense undermines the functioning of the criminal justice system. Wealthy defendants are able to hire experts and have the advantage over the indigent. The defense may be exploited by perfectly sane defendants who have the resources to conclude a credible defense. The wealthy defendant who pleads insanity usually hires his or her own medical team to be evaluated. This often leads to corruption in a rich man's trial, because the wealthy can afford to buy their doctor's verdicts. This is very unfair in that, the wealthy can afford to hire expensive doctors and defenses and are more likely to get off with a non-guilty verdict whereas the poor man or middle class man has less of a chance even if they are actually insane. This presents a violation of the very basic concept that all people, regardless of their wealth or social status, should be given the equal treatment they deserve when in a court of law, but that is not always the case. Some studies have shown that as many as 70 percent of NGRI defendants withdrew their plea when a state-appointed expert found them to be legally sane. Individuals in this type social status are using the insanity plea as a way to get away with their crime and not have to be punished. If a person is truly insane and cannot be counted on to know the difference between right and wrong, this should be seen beforehand by medical doctors, declared insane and then taken out of society's reach for the safety of the innocent. Those who are harmful to the public should be kept away, not as a measure of cruelty but for the one with mental illness they should get the proper care in a secure facility and once they are sane than be transferred to a prison facility. The law states that we have the same rights no matter what our social status is so therefore should get the same treatment. That is not always the case though. It is difficult even for doctor’s to really determine if the defendant really was insane when the crime was being committed. To really understand the nature of the insanity defense one must go back and look at where and how it started. In today's insanity cases, mental health experts, doctors, and scientists have important roles to play. They can inform the jury of the nature of the defendant's mental illness, the likeliness that the crime might be repeated, and whether the defendant may bring harm upon himself/herself. However, like any court case, there will always be divided opinions amongst the mental experts regarding the outcome of the case depending on whether they testify for or against the defendant. Dangerous mentally ill offenders should be confined appropriately to proper treatment facilities while receiving care. Mentally ill offenders I believe would be less of a financial burden to society since they would be able to return to society as productive members following their required treatment. Many mentally ill offenders would no longer be sentenced as if they had the mens rea required for committing the crime. Instead, mentally ill offenders would receive a constitutionally valid sentence that is proportional to their degree of culpability, thus accurately reflecting the criminal justice system’s notion of criminal culpability. References: Anniken Davenport (2009), Basic Criminal Law: The Constitution, Procedure, and Crimes, 2nd Edition, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Paul B. Weston & Kenneth M. Wells & Marlene Hertoghe (1995), Criminal Evidence for Police, 4th edition, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Larry J. Siegel (2004), Criminology: Theories, Patterns, & Typologies, 8th edition, Belmont, Ca. Wadsworth/Thompson Kenneth J Peak (2003), Policing in America: Methods, Issues, Challenges, 4th edition, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. References: Anniken Davenport (2009), Basic Criminal Law: The Constitution, Procedure, and Crimes, 2nd Edition, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Paul B. Weston & Kenneth M. Wells & Marlene Hertoghe (1995), Criminal Evidence for Police, 4th edition, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Larry J. Siegel (2004), Criminology: Theories, Patterns, & Typologies, 8th edition, Belmont, Ca. :Wadsworth/Thompson Kenneth J Peak (2003), Policing in America: Methods, Issues, Challenges, 4th edition, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Todd R. Clear & George F. Cole (2003), American Corrections, 6th edition, Belmont, Ca. Wadsworth/Thompson Frank Schmalleger (2002), Criminal Justice: A brief imtroduction, 4th edition, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Todd R. Clear & George F. Cole (2003), American Corrections, 6th edition, Belmont, Ca. Wadsworth/Thompson Frank Schmalleger (2002), Criminal Justice: A brief imtroduction, 4th edition, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.