Walgreens Fiancial Analysis - 2167 Words

Walgreens Corporations Financial Analysis Introduction Walgreens operates 7,907 locations in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico with over 247,000 employees serving customers. The company has seen an increase in revenues, but an end to its contract to participate in the Express Scripts pharmacy provider network on December 31, 2011 poses a threat to revenues and profits for 2012 and future fiscal periods. This analysis will discuss Walgreen’s business strategy, provide a current financial analysis of the company, risks associated with the company, address prospective analysis of Walgreens and provide a decision on future investments in the company stock. Business Strategy Analysis A differentiation strategy†¦show more content†¦The negative outlook also acknowledges the sizable level of debt maturities that Alliance Boots which is the largest drugstore in United Kingdom faces and that its interest expense may rise as a result of any potential refinancing of these maturities. This negative outlook shows the risk that both combined Walgreen and Alliance Boots entities may not be able keep the companies leverage as much as the companies currently anticipated (Taylor, M. 2012). Walgreens 8-K currently filed by Gregory Wasson who is the President and CEO of Walgreens filed a Statement of Change in Benefits Ownership pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public and the Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 financial statements that would indicate that the financial statements may be of dubious value (Wasson, G. 2012). Schedules and exhibits have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K. Under the Investor Relation of company’s 8-K filing, the Company agreed to furnish supple-mentally to the SEC a copy of any omitted schedule upon request (Wasson, G. 2012). The above responses were reported by Walgreens to the Securities Exchange Commission on August 18 2012: Explanation of Responses: †¢ This transaction was effected pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the reporting person inShow MoreRelated Marketing Plan for a Cosmetics Company Essay6046 Words   |  25 Pages As the chart shows, the company follows a centralized structure Where all departments must respond directly to the CEO. Underneath the CEO there are 4 departments : production, RD, ? BUSNESS AND IND. NIKOLAS BUSINESS STRATEGY SWOT Analysis A scan of the internal and external environment is an important part of the strategic planning process. In the following points I will try to figure out the strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats. Strengths: After studding Cosmo in

Differences Between Marx And Feuerbach s Conceptions Of...

The following essay will be considering the differences between Marx’s and Feuerbach’s conceptions of the relationship between philosophy and religion, as well as the implications this has for their thoughts on religion, which brief discussion on the criticisms one could pose to these thinkers for their theories. What is important to note before we begin is that both of these thinkers are reacting to the Enlightenment era of Philosophy which is the idea of a rational and scientific approach to religion and the self. Kant defined the enlightenment as a move to autonomy away from heteronomy, meaning that human thought moved from considering God to be central to everything to viewing God as an entity who was important but more on the back†¦show more content†¦Ultimately Descartes does return to the idea of god, as they are necessary for thought to be consistent as God holds the rules of the universe in place. And this is what Feuerbach wishes to avoid because he i s critical of the enlightenment criticism of religions. For Marx this isn t correct at all, instead, Marx sees religion to be a concept created purely by humans, in an effort to right their suffering and bad lives, and furthermore, Marx the relationship between religion and Philosophy is less clear. Marx first rejects past philosophy, stating that if we are to know the realities of the world then this is to be done through the natural sciences, not through philosophical questioning of the world. Instead, Marx takes a Hegelian take on philosophy and takes it to be more about the history of social thought and society itself. Though Different to Hegel, Marx wishes to question the claim that history is rationally ordered. To see how this relates philosophy to religion is to see that Marx has reduced the reach of philosophy to only consider subjects such as religion because metaphysic is not an extension of science. This is important because it leads to Marx attacking Feuerbach s idea that religion delivers self-knowledge through philosophy, something which I will come to explain in the following essay. In the following essay, we shall see that Marx and Feuerbach differ immensely in their take on religion and its relation to philosophy, but bothShow MoreRelatedSchool Violence Essay2314 Words   |  10 Pages INTRODUCTION Karl Marx and Emile Durkheim are some of the founding fathers in the Sociological discipline. Each developing the discipline in their respective area, contributed to the social science course becoming what it is today. Durkheim the man who coined the term social facts and some sociological theories on functionalism, division of labour in society, education and social solidarity, methodology, positivism and sociology, primitive classification, religion and suicide. Durkhiem believe thatRead MoreSocial Facts, Social Actions and Historical Materialism: a Theoretical Comparison3896 Words   |  16 Pageswill spot similarities and differences between them and summarize the sociological research strategies, which are coming from their ideas. In the concluding part of this essay, I will argue that Social Facts and actions are useful conceptions for the study of social phenomena, but Historical Materialism, provides a far more robust method of analysis. Identifying the causes of social phen omena in the material grounds of the process of production and class antagonism, Marx offers a rigorous scientificRead MoreBranches of Philosophy8343 Words   |  34 PagesBranches of philosophy The following branches are the main areas of study: †¢ Metaphysics investigates the nature of being and the world. Traditional branches are cosmology and ontology. †¢ Epistemology is concerned with the nature and scope of knowledge, and whether knowledge is possible. Among its central concerns has been the challenge posed by skepticism and the relationships between truth, belief, and justification. †¢ Ethics, or moral philosophy, is concerned with questions of how

Is Competition Necessary in Leisure Activities, School, and Work free essay sample

Competition is the act of two or more people, or groups of people facing off against each other in order to attain a greater goal. It is used for many things from building team spirit, to enticing the best out of your employees. Through competition, people grow and improve themselves. Healthy competition makes people work harder and helps build self confidence. If on the winning side of a competition, people glow in the realization that their hard work has gotten them this far. On the other hand, those that finish later may learn new strategies for dealing with ideas and through healthy self criticism, learn ways to better themselves and their situation to the point of excelling. It is for these reasons that competition is important. Without a reason to compete, a society remains stagnate and devoid of progression. Matters, used a pumpkin carving contest at her sons school as an example of why competition is important. At the end of the contest, the judges gave every child a ribbon instead of announcing one winner. Silvert states that, it is as if we grown-ups believe that kids are too fragile to handle defeat (Silvert p. 12). While it is true that children may be upset at the idea of not coming in first, it is important to note that through each competition that they endure they are learning something new about themselves and the environment around them. While games and contests illustrate the importance of drive and determination, they also teach our children how to lose, (Silvert p. 12). Everyone enjoys positive feedback and affirmation as often as possible, but as life is fluid so are our experiences within it, and with that sometimes comes failure. As losing is as much a part of life as winning, it is important to teach the skills of sportsmanship and failing with grace early on. In Chiacos article, A Look at the Commercialization of Sport, it is said that, Games helped children develop the skills that they would need in adult life while grown-ups probably competed for status, entertainment, and social bonding, (Chiacos). This shows that while young, competition plays a vital role in the socialization of youth while preparing them for the challenges of being an adult. Signs of competition are everywhere in the natural world, as well as the artificial world that we as humans have created for ourselves. Initially competition was natures way of weeding out those unfit for continuation, but as we as a species evolved, competitions purpose became less dire and more symbolic. Humans have most likely competed in athletics since the inception of our species, (Chiacos). We have found pleasure in the conception of games that pit our abilities against other people. Through them, we learn about ourselves and each other. The techniques that we attain from others enable us to forge ahead in ways not possible without the insight of another. Because of this fact, competition has become an integral part of almost every part of human life. An example of the immersion and pay off of competition in society is college. Competition in school dictates a certain degree of success for the attending students and this in turn makes for better recruits for the job market. Students with higher grades often times have an easier time attaining their goals. There are companies that maintain a minimum GPA of 3. 0 requirement for graduating students to be considered for an interview. This ensures that those being considered have worked hard to be at the level of success that they are at. This is good for the company as well as for the prospective employee because both have/ and will benefit from the hard work of the student. A more personal example of this occurred while I was searching for a post graduate job in my major of Accountancy. Initially, I had a 3. 0 and through networking through classmates and peers of school organizations that I was a part of, I was able to score an interview with a prospective employer. To interview with this firm, the required GPA was a 3. 0 and because of my ties with others, I felt confident in my ability to acquire a job from them. However, having been my first interview ever, it didnt go as well as I had hoped and so I was unable to get the job. The following year, I re-applied but because my GPA dropped I was not even considered for an interview. My lack of competition and feelings of security through networking caused my grades to drop, barring me from my main goal. A lack of a grading structure or some other type of competition in school can cause a lackluster attitude towards studying. They are less likely to try their best because they feel that there is nothing to lose. An example of this is a credit/ no-credit class in which those enrolled, due to a lack of a grade and thus a less tangible consequence, do not try as hard. This is not to say that every tudent enrolled feels this way, but with a passing grade of a C being enough to get full credit, it is easy to see how this assumption can be made. The main goal of the grade trumps the idea of the knowledge gained. I have now come to realize that my greatest competitor is myself and I now strive harder than ever to work hard in the short term in order to reap better benefits in the future. In conclusion, healthy competition is necessary in almost all human activities rang ing from school and work to leisure time activities. It enables the growth of the people involved through interpersonal interactions as well as self assessments. Adequate pressure to succeed is the key in order to navigate through the society we have made for ourselves. We must be wary of hyper-competition and those who push to hard and too fast. Competition should always be looked at for what it is and not for what it is not. We must remember that while the overall desired effect is to win. people should not forget what lessons of win and lose that they have learned while enduring their struggle. Assimilating these lessons into their daily lives will enable them to forge ahead and better themselves and possibly the world in the future.

The End Of Illusions Essay Research Paper free essay sample

The End Of Illusions Essay, Research Paper The terminal of illusionsMichael March: If you were a painter, how would you paint the twentieth century? What colors would you utilize? Arthur Miller: Red, truly, for the blood. I don # 8217 ; t believe there # 8217 ; s any other clip in history when so many were killed. Murdered by ground forcess, by province forces, and so on. Look at the 2nd universe war. Look at Vietnam, Korea, Rwanda, the Balkans # 8230 ; We # 8217 ; rhenium barbarians. Yet scientific discipline has achieved unbelievable efforts of imaginativeness within shouting distance of the violent death Fieldss. The head can # 8217 ; t absorb this ; we # 8217 ; ve managed to set it aside. The films get made and the stone music goes on, painters are painting images and I # 8217 ; m composing dramas and everybody # 8217 ; s traveling about as though it # 8217 ; s OK. I don # 8217 ; t believe it # 8217 ; s OK. I truly do believe that there are plentifulness of motives available to warrant the devastation of this c ivilisation. We will write a custom essay sample on The End Of Illusions Essay Research Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page MM: What are your feelings for this new century? AM: I can # 8217 ; t acquire rid of the thought that it is within the scope of possibility for person in a little boat to convey an atomic bomb into New York seaport, calculating he # 8217 ; s traveling to travel directly to heaven. To me, this is possible. About 50 old ages ago this could non be thought, except by a moonstruck. Surely a lunatic like Saddam Hussein is absolutely capable of warranting this act. You know, they # 8217 ; re messing around with Israel, which has atomic bombs. And the Israelis are non traveling to be destroyed before they destroy person else. We # 8217 ; re standing on the border with India and Pakistan. In my dramas I search for light, but I # 8217 ; ve lost any semblance of safety. I # 8217 ; m non paranoid, it # 8217 ; s absolutely existent. You have a billionaire at the terminal of the Arabian desert pouring money into developing people to make this. The point is that they have an ideological and spiritual justification for the whole thing. So they # 8217 ; re every bit sensible as we are.MM: Yasunari Kawabata, the Nipponese author, said that # 8220 ; the grave is a work of art # 8221 ; .AM: I know a twosome in Connecticut who had bought a grave, a infinite, in a peculiar little graveyard up in the state, because they liked the position. And it was serious. They wanted the good position. My gramps asked to be buried in one of the graveyards in Brooklyn, jammed, really crowded, and he asked that he non be buried on the aisle, because he didn # 8217 ; t want people stepping over him to acquire to where they were traveling. He would instead be off in a corner someplace where cipher would be trouble oneselfing him. What eldritch things we are.MM: What decease would your salesman impact today? AM: First of all, Death of a Salesman is produced more now than it of all time was, and people say it # 8217 ; s more brooding of world now. In the old yearss the chief character merel y represented an extreme to which the bulk was remotely connected: now it # 8217 ; s the bulk. And, furthermore, there # 8217 ; s an interesting thing here. One of the proposals of Mr Bush is that money be removed, one million millions of dollars, from the pension financess, to be invested in the stock market at the behest of the proprietors of such financess. So Bush would do gamblers out of everyone who had non yet tuned into this # 8211 ; people who merely wanted to be reassured that they would non hunger in their ulterior old ages. They want to liberate up that money so that these people become investors, which is truly a nice word for chancing. Now, in the last twelvemonth the market has lost a significant sum of its value. So what would hold happened to all these people and their pensions if the authorities had already done this? Millimeter: We travel from immorality to power: forces that deprive adult male of his self-respect and work, impoverished through this dream, thro ugh the semblance of wealth, a signifier of immorality in the investing of power.AM: I agree with that. It # 8217 ; s what they # 8217 ; re making or seeking to make, it # 8217 ; s non yet been done, but it could really good go on pen. They’re trying to make unreal what at least had a certain amount of reality. This spreads unreality into the masses from the smaller class of people who are gambling on the stock market.MM: And social security?AM: The more detailed you get about this system, the more illusionary, and in many cases the more hallucinatory, it becomes. The big resistance to this new tax proposal – which would give even more benefits to the wealthiest 1% of the population – is coming from a small group of extremely rich people, like Bill Gates, probably the richest man in the world, who object to this proposal on the grounds that it would make them somewhat richer, but reduce the amount of charitable donations. That way it will create a class of heirs who, no doubt, will be idle and unworthy. MM: For the moment they feel secure in their wealth. AM: They feel that this will cause a degeneration of the system from which they benefited so greatly, and that it will create a class of people who simply stand with a big basket and all the money falls in – who are not necessarily moved to invent or work or do anything else. The question you have to ask yourself is: whence comes this idea? From a brand-new president. And I can only imagine that, since he is in the oil business, and the oil business is notoriously predatory – don’t go where the oil is, even if it’s in your bathroom – they figured that their man could extract more money from the tax department. And to hell with everybody else. MM: Travelling backwards, we could say that art mummifies life. Through mummification, we receive a sense of reality. It’s extremely ironic.AM: Basically, that is what its function is now. It’s just to stop time. You stop time. That massive flow of images that floods every country, with no meaning, no definition – art stops it. Long enough for you to say, â€Å"Oh, that’s what the hell it is!† It gives you a moment of recognition. But all you get is that moment. If I can generalise from my small experience with younger people, they know something is missing. They’re quite conscious of it. They think – in relation, let’s say, to my work or the work of my generation – that this something once existed. They long for an emergency. An emergency that will give them values; in other words, things you have to do. Ideas you have to understand in order to survive. They don’t have any such ideas. Every idea is something they choose to have or not have. Everything they do is arbitrary. There’s no necessity in anything. That’s a very common situation now, probably the most common situation, really forced upon us by an apparent culture which throws up an endless string of meaningless images. MM: We’ve reached a state where the communicable world is lost.AM: I don’t know what the reason is, but I do know what the effect is: that economic man is all there is. There isn’t a culture. And I’m wondering whether it was destroyed by the many wars of the last 100 years or so. A religion, for example, which offers itself as a means of dignifying humanity, and blesses, but does not condemn a Holocaust, finally evolves into vapour in the human mind. Religion in this country is like a football game. People get together in large institutions and cheer the minister. The idea of changing one’s life by turning towards some set of values is very remote. The only value is that we’re all together. That’s the value. We’re all together. We’re all singing together and we’re all praying together.MM: We’re all together on a sinking ship.AM: Yes. The one thing about this country which you can be sure of is that it’s gonna change. That’s the only certainty I know. Whatever is today will be somewhat different tomorrow.? Michael March, 2001 · Michael March runs the Prague Writers’ Festival.

Pharoah Tutanchamen essays

Pharoah Tutanchamen essays Tutanchamen name means living image of AMEN. Tutanchamen birth name was Tutankhaten. He was the son of Pharaoh Amenophis IV and his Queen, Kiya. He married his half sister Ankheseenamun, the daughter of Amenophis IV and Queen Neferrtiti. He became king when he was 9 years old (around 1333BC). Imagine ruling an entire country when you are only nine! King Tut ruled Egypt, which is located in the northeast corner of Africa along the banks of the Nile. Tutankhamen became king after the death on Ikhnaton in 1362 BC. During most of his rule he lived in Memphis, near present day Cairo. Egypt was actually governed by his senior officials and Ay, senior minister of state. Peace was brought to Egypt during his reign as the worship of Amon, which was abandoned under Ikhnaton, was restored and Thebes the city sacred to Amon, Egyptians enjoyed life on earth and they planned for life in the here after. They lived in impressive houses and enjoyed dressing up and wearing wigs. Most people wore clothes made of linen. They were entertained by musicians while feasting on goose, meat, figs, dates and pomegranates and they drank grape or date wine. Some of their favorite pets were monkeys, King Tuts reign was very short He died suddenly during the war with the Hittite people. He was only 19 years old. He had no heirs. No one knows the mystery of his death. He was buried in the Valley of the Tombs, of the kings of southern Egypt. The Egyptians believed that life after death was similar to life on earth. They protected and preserved themselves for the next life. The pyramids protected the bodies and mummification preserved the body. The mummification process could take as long as 70 days. All the organs were removed and put in jars to dry. Then the body was embalmed and treated with oils and molten resin. The body w ...

Teen smoking essays

Teen smoking essays Teen smoking. Those two words mean a lot of things to a lot of different people. To some it means nothing. They are just two meaningless words found under T and S in the dictionary. To others it is as if these words symbolize some sort of treason or crime against society. Yet to others it is just another stereotype to be placed under. And to some it is a salvation. An escape. Unfortunately I am writing this paper so you will get my positions on teen smoking rather than other peoples. Teen smoking gathers a lot of emotions when I think about it. It makes me very angry sometimes. My first draft of this was good but I saw myself getting angry and lashing out on everyone, so I revised it. But enough of that, I find teen smoking to be a very controversial subject. To be completely honest with you I am smoking right now as I am writing this. Obviously I am a smoker. I am 17 years old and I am a smoker. In the late 1990s, the statistics showed that approximately 25% of teens smoke. Thats one out of every four teenagers. High school is a tough time for teens. These years are critical to a teens future. This explains why a vast majority of smokers start at 16 years or younger with the most common age being 14 years old(freshman). It has also been proven also that teens who score lower in school smoke more than higher scoring students do. It seems that everyone smokes in our school. Our school is overrun with smokers. It is right now at least 50% smokers and 65% if you count the people who will smoke before their high school career is up. We practically encourage it. I mean Firemans Field practically condones teen smoking. Teen smoking is defiantly a problem in our school, as well as schools all over the United States. I feel that teen smoking is a huge problem. I feel that too many teenagers smoke cigarettes. It is something that needs to get dealt with. But before I get into that I should probably start with the causes ...

The House of Lords Lynn Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The House of Lords Lynn - Case Study Example The question then arises what type of conduct will be sufficient to infer a common intention to share ownership Lord Bridge appears to suggest in Lloyds that indirect contributions are insufficient to found a beneficial interest under an implied constructive trust too: "In this situation direct contributions to the purchase price by the partner who is not the legal owner, whether initially or by payment of mortgage instalments, will readily justify the inference necessary for the creation of a constructive trust. But, as I read the authorities, it is at least extremely doubtful whether anything less will do." It is not clear to which cases Lord Bridges is referring in his final sentence. There are high profile cases where it is argued that indirect contributions should be regarded as evidence that an agreement for a beneficial interest should be inferred: Gissing v Gissing [1971] AC 886 and Burns v Burns [1984] 1 Ch 317. The line of reasoning in these cases suggest that it is not just the making of the indirect contribution; there must also have been the aim of assisting in the purchase of the property and/or that without that contribution the mortgage would not have been paid. "Contributions are not limited to those made directly in part payment of the price of the property or to those made at the time when the property is conveyed into the name of one of the spouses. For instance there can be a contribution if by arrangement between the spouses one of them by payment of the household expenses enables the other to pay the mortgage instalments." Given the importance of precedent in English law it is submitted that Lord Bridge's statement could not have been meant to overrule such authorities. Clearly there is established authority that in appropriate circumstances the court may infer that the parties' common intention was to give the claimant an interest by way of indirect contributions. We are told that 'Mike would not have been able to meet the mortgage payments out of his own salary' had Lynn not worked part-time to discharge the other household expenses. There is clearly a link between the mortgage payments and the expenses undertaken by Lynn. It is therefore submitted that Le Foe v Le Foe [2001] 2 FLR 970 is consistent with Lord Bridge's speech in Lloyds and in fact is a direct application of precedent in this area. As Mr Mostyn QC himself said: "I believe that a fair reading of [May LJ's judgement in Burns v. Burns [1984] FLR 216] is that such a state of affairs should suffice to enable the necessary inference to be drawn. Otherwise these cases would be decided by reference to mere accidents of fortune, being the arbitrary allocation of financial responsibility as between the parties." Le Foe is an illustration of such contributions and their effects, where the court construed the Lloyds' principles and concluded that the claimant will be entitled to a beneficial interest by way of indirect contributions in exceptional circumstances. It is therefore submitted that at first instance and appeal Lord Bridge's remarks have been misinterpreted and that Lynn does indeed have a beneficial interest in the property via an implied constructive trust. Waite LJ's judgement in Midland Bank plc v Cooke [1995] 4 All ER 562 goes to quantification of the

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

Pesticide - Research Paper Example The term pest includes insects, weeds, mammals, and microbes, among others† (Tadeo 2). They are categorized based on the pest that they destroy. For example, herbicides kill eradicate weeds and other plants growing in places where they are unwanted, insecticides destroy insects and other anthropods and fungicides are used to kill fungi (Atterholt). Other types of pesticides are acaricides, molluscicides, nematicides, pheromones, plant growth regulators, repellants, and rodenticides (Tadeo 2). Pesticides are usually chemical substances, although they can be sometimes biological agents such as virus or bacteria. â€Å"They may be derived from natural sources such as pyrethrin insecticide extracted from certain chrysanthemum plants. Another example is azadirachtin, an extract from the neem tree† (â€Å" natural and synthetic†). Pesticides are also made from artificial (synthetic) sources such as pyrethriods, which is an insecticide. Herbicides can be further classified as soil- or foliage-applied compounds which are normally absorbed by roots or leaf tissues, respectively. These compounds can be total or selective herbicides. Total herbicides can kill all vegetation, whereas selective herbicides can control weeds without affecting the crop (Tadeo 4). Insecticide Pyrethrum, the dried flower of Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium, or its solvent extract, has been used for centuries in order to kill insects. The plant, is originally native to the Near East (Adriska 24). The active substances of pyrethrum are pyrethrin I , pyrethrin II, Cinerin I, cinerin II, the 3-but-2-enyl analogues, as well as jasmolin I and jasmolin II, the 3-pentyl-2-enyl analogues of the pyrethrins. When an insect is intoxicated with pyrethroids, it quickly develops hyperexcitation and tremors, which are followed by paralysis. These symptoms of poisoning imply that pyrethriods act primarily on the neuromuscular system (Narahashi 337). The highly lipophilic nature of the synthetic pyrethoids

Ethinicity And American Culture Essay Example for Free

Ethinicity And American Culture Essay The treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 1850 was signed between the American government and the interim government of the military occupied Mexico which resulted in the end of the Mexican-American War. This was intended to bring peace in the disputed territory and the end result was that Mexico ceded a large territory to the United States and its size was reduced by forty-five percent. The land Mexico ceded to the U. S. is now a number of states: Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and California. The military government in Mexico received fair compensation for the territory. The treaty of Guadalupe paved the way for the way for the immigration of Mexicans especially workers to the U. S. this was necessitated by the United States’ need for labor to develop the newly acquired territory. Immigration patterns have been determined by American manual labor needs. The Immigration Process The immigration of Mexicans to the U. S. began soon after the territory was surrendered, the U. S. government sought labor from Mexico to build the railroad which was to connect all the new territory to the other states. Between 1850 and 1880 the U. S. government brought in 55,000 migrant workers from Mexico into the former Mexican territories to work on the railroad. The government preferred Mexican laborers because they were not entitled to any constitutional protection and they could work for substandard wages in the harsh conditions. The process of immigration began to peak up speed in 1910 when the Mexican revolution took place. After the revolution, more then 50,000 Mexican workers immigrated to the U. S. in search of jobs which they felt were better than those available in their home country. Changes over Time Change in the immigration process began to take shape in 1929 when American citizens massively complained that the illegal workers were taking up their job. The government responded by launching major crackdown on immigrants who did not posses the relevant immigration documents. This resulted in the forceful deportation of over two million Mexican of which about one and a half million had been born in the U. S. this was harsh as those born in the U. S. were therefore citizens by birth. The U. S however found itself in a tight spot when it got in World War II in 1942 which elicited the need for Mexican workers. The U. S. acted quickly to remedy the situation by getting into an agreement with Mexican officials and this was known as the Bracero program. Under the program guest Mexican workers would be allowed to enter the U. S. and provide labor on a temporary basis though they would not be afforded the labor protections accorded to their U. S. counterparts. The program run through out the period of World War II and went on up to 1964 as major Corporations had pulled string to ensure that the laborers continued to work as they wanted to cash in on the cheap labor. Since 1964 there was what has been referred to as an unspoken agreement between the undocumented workers, Corporations and the government. The government has intentionally failed to implement border regulations after being lobbied by major corporations which benefit highly from the labor if the immigrants. Though the agreement has been said to benefit all the parties which is utterly false as the immigrant workers are subjected to poor living conditions, are paid substandard wages and do not enjoy the protection of labor unions or practices. In 1986 three million undocumented Mexican-American workers were granted amnesty by the Reagan administration and this consequently made them subject to human rights protections, (Borjas National Bureau of Economic Research, 2007). Effect on Chicano Movement The Chicano movement was vastly affected by the immigration of undocumented as they were not officially recognized by the U. S. government. This meant that they did not enjoy constitutional protection like other American citizen and the movement’s job was harder as attempts at demanding for rights resulted in deportation. Mexican workers therefore did not seek the help of the movement as they fear that its intervention would result of their deportation, (Rosales, 2000). Conclusion The immigration of Mexican to the U. S. began with the need by the U. S. government to have cheap labor for building of a railroad through the territory acquired from Mexico in 1850. The immigration pattern has however been tied only to the manual labor needs of the U. S. as the government allows entry of undocumented Mexican workers when they are in dire need of cheap manual labor like during World War II. The pattern is also evident from the push and pull debate that rages on the undocumented workers. Reference Borjas, G. J. National Bureau of Economic Research. (2007). Mexican Immigration to the United States. Chicago? : University of Chicago Press. Rosales, F. A. (2000). Testimonio: A Documentary History of the Mexican-American Struggle for Civil Rights. Houston: Arte Publico Press. ESSAY TWO Some historians describe the Civil Rights Movement as a two-phase process of a southern movement to guarantee basic human rights and a northern movement focused on economic and social inequalities. In an essay, which incorporates lecture, readings and class discussion analyze this process. Introduction The Civil Rights Movement sought reform in the way the American society treated African Americans and it sought to change the perception. The movement originated in the urban areas of the south after large numbers of African Americans migrated from the rural areas and this was after the abolishment of slavery. The American Civil Rights Movement faced a number of challenges in its quest for equal civil rights for African Americans and other minority groups. This came in the form of legislation which promoted the injustices committed against African Americans by white Americans. The movement was therefore forced to employ different strategies and tactics so as to have its voice and that of its people heard. The movement suffered major losses in the road to the eventual attainment of those rights. The Civil Rights Movement refers to a reform movement of African Americans which sought to attain equal civil rights under the law for all people. It sought to have the abolishment of both public and private acts of discrimination and segregation against African Americans. The movement is said to have originated in the southern urban areas when millions of African Americans migrated from rural areas to the urban centers of the south. The Civil Rights Movement employed various strategies which included: nonviolent strikes, civil disobedience, marches, boycotts, protests rallies and freedom rides. The movement therefore focused on disenfranchisement and the Jim Crow laws in the south. The Civil Rights Movement in the south can be said to have been the most intense as it was in the south that African Americans faced the greatest resistance to their attempts to struggle for equal rights. The south had become the most notorious when it came to the suppression of rights of African Americans. The laws in the south permitted or required four acts of discrimination against African Americans. They included voter suppression or disfranchisement, denial of economic opportunities, private acts and mass racial violence and racial segregation which was first upheld by the U. S. Supreme Court decision in 1896 in the case of Plessy v. Ferguson. It was also in the south that most of the milestone events in the civil rights movement took place in the south which included the: Martin Luther king Jr. assassination, march on Selma, Alabama, Mississippi freedom summer and the Montgomery bus boycott. The south was also home of some of the most important literature to come out of the Civil Rights Movement like Dr. King’s Letter from Birmingham jail. It also home to important Civil Rights Movement landmarks like the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Site. The latter also house a museum which chronicles the American Civil Rights Movement. The challenges of the movement in south emanated from the legislature passing of the Jim Crow laws which legalized segregation in all public facilities. This law meant that African Americans and other non-white citizens were designated different facilities this includes: lavatories, buses, restaurants, housing establishments among others. These went on to be adopted by most local government across the country and this turned to be a major challenge to the Civil Rights Movement. It was the successes of the Civil Rights Movement in the south which made life better for African Americans all over the United States. The civil rights movement culminated in the passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 and the Voting Rights Act in 1965 but of which were a clear symbol of the success of the Civil Rights Movement, (Williams Bond, 1988). Conclusion Despite the major challenges the American civil Rights Movement faced, it managed to succeed in its cause because of its strategies, sacrifices and it resilience. Some of the sacrifices the movement had to contend with included the loss of one of its leaders, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who was assassinated. Though this was a major blow the movement managed to remain resilient and it was rewarded with the passing of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act in 1964 and 1965 respectively. The fact that most of the Civil Rights Movement events took place in the south does not mean that the northern part of the country was not involved as activities like the march on Washington took place in the north. The march was the venue for famous â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech by Dr. Martin Luther King. The civil rights movement therefore came along way to achieve success. Reference Williams, J. , Bond, J. (INT) (1988). Eyes on the Prize: Americas Civil Rights Years, 1954- 1965. ISBN 0833514318, 9780833514318: Bt Bound

The Republican Party Essay -- American Government, Minorities

Though the Republican Party was founded on pro-minority ideals and continued to have the support of minorities its reputation quickly began to change. Wagner (2007) states that during the early late 1800s and the early 1900s, Republican support weakened among the working class. In addition, many Americans, including a sizable number of Republicans, believed that American society had lost its moral fiber. As a result of these factors, many Republicans became affiliated with the Progressive Movement, a reform movement designed to assist the working class attain better working conditions in the form of religious fundamentalism. During the Progressive Era, the Republican Party split into two groups: those Republicans interested primarily in reforming America and those Republicans still favorable to business. This division permitted the Democratic Party to gain control of the presidency between 1913 and 1921. The principal reason for why Republicans did not maintain control of the presid ency during the 1930s was the Great Depression. The American people blamed Republican presidents for causing this economic downturn and chastised the government for not responding to the needs of the people more quickly. These complains particularly harmed the minority vote and caused them to favor the Democratic Party. Therefore, the majority of racial minorities voted Democratic presidential candidate Franklin D. Roosevelt in the election of 1932 who created various government programs aiding racial minorities. During the 1940s and 1950s more moderate Republicans gained control of the party. Though President Eisenhower lobbied for equal rights for women and ethnic groups from 1953 to 1961, Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy gained power and influenc... ...otes. Though Democrats was the majority in the House of Representatives with 259 members to 176 Republicans, almost as many Republicans voted for the civil rights bill as Democrats in the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The final vote was 290 for the bill and 130 against where 152 were Democrats and 138 were Republicans (meaning three-fourths of those who voted against the bill were Democrats). Another example was when Lyndon Johnson opposed civil-rights legislation while in Congress, but as president sought to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He argues that neither would have passed without the strong support of congressional Republicans (149-161). The above evidence proves that not only is the Republican Party misaligned with its pro-minority ideals, but the Democratic Party influenced the negative reputation of the Republican Party.

Real Choices at Starbucks

Real Choices at Starbucks Starbucks started as small coffee shop in a tourist area called Pikes Place Market in Seattle. The three unknown pioneer of Starbucks wanted to share their passion for brewed coffee and tea. During their first year in the business, they experimented with all sorts of coffee blend until they came up with their own flavor. Their business became an instant success using the word of mouth selling brewed coffee cup by cup. This is what inspired them to open a second store to target the wider market. By the early 1980’s, Starbucks expanded to four new stores in Seattle area.Since then, they became the largest retail company in the world. This coffee company grew from four Starbucks store to having currently 16,635 stores globally including 11,068 in the United States, 1000 stores in Canada, and more than 800 in Japan (Salomon 271). This amazing expansion can be attributed to Howard Shultz’s dedication to brewing coffee who bought the coffee’s trademark twenty five years ago. The main reason Starbucks has done so well for four decades can be attributed to their commitment to high quality products and passion for educating customers to appreciate the qualities of fine coffees.Strength Starbucks has become a popular company for selling the best tasting coffee products around the world. As a result, everyone saw Starbucks as the biggest and best in the business (Higbee 6). They acquired a solid brand reputation and have a world renowned company logo. There are no other national coffee bar competitors in the same scale as Starbucks. They are the only competitor in the coffee business that has a recognized brand image. They also own trademarks, copyrights, domain names, patents. The current SEC filing of Starbucks shows that the company is in a positive financial condition.The company’s total revenue for the first quarter of fiscal 2012 had increased sixteen percent and the net income was up more than ten percent (Smith , http://wallstcheatsheet. com/). This result was primarily driven by increase revenues from company-operated stores, licensed stores, and CPG foodservice contributing to approximately $3. 44 billion (http://investing. businessweek. com/). The overall areas of Starbucks business, from domestic and international retail operations to the company’s specialty businesses delivered strong financial performance, and innovation was the reason for the success of the company’s operations.The statement below shows the current financial status of the company as of January 1, 2012. Financial Statements Results of Operations (in millions) Revenues Quarter Ended ___________________________ Jan 1, Jan 2 % 2012 2011 Change _________ ________ ________ Company-operated stores $ 2,731. 8 $ 2,451. 3 11. 4% Licensed stores 306. 6 254. 3 20. 6 CPG, foodservice and other 397. 245. 3 62. 0 Total net revenues $ 3,435. 9 $ 2,950. 8 16. 4% Weakness Even though Starbucks has strength to stay in the business, it also has a few weaknesses. Starbucks must deal with these weaknesses in order to remain as a competitor in the retail market. One of the company’s most prevalent obstacles is the price they charge for a cup of coffee.While most people consider Starbucks coffee as a luxury and would pay whatever price is set, there is an increasing opinion that Starbucks charges too much (Higbee 7). Sometimes it is difficult for a company to penetrate the mass market with the prices above market averages. While this weakness may not come to reality in the short term, it is possible that this company is somewhat maturing since they have grown so rapidly penetrating the U. S. market. Opportunities Opportunities present themselves when it comes to Starbucks business strategy which provided the options to strengthen its retail market.Starbucks would not be able to effectively compete with its competitors if it not with these opportunities. They continued their quest by expanding i ts retail operations and sales. They pursued other opportunities by introducing new products and develop new channels to stay on top. Starbucks is in great position to expand its global business more that they already have. Since they expanded to Europe, Canada, and Japan, they enjoyed much success in these countries and their future plan is to open more Starbucks in Asia, Latin America, and the Far East.Starbucks also created numerous partnerships that will ensure its longevity for a long time. Formed a partnership with Pepsi Company and created a coffee type bottled drink called Frappucino. These Frappucino bottles were currently being sold in shops, grocery stores, and convenient stores. This drink has grown in popularity in the past that it was labeled by the consumers as â€Å"the coffee on the go† (Higbee 6). In addition, Starbucks also partnered with Target that pave the way to opening a coffee shop inside the shopping center. ThreatsOne of the major threats to Starbuc ks is their competition with other coffee chain, such as Coffee Bean and Peet’s Coffee. Other companies, such as McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts, and Burger King already have the infrastructure in place and are instead adding quality coffee to their menu to compete with Starbucks (Higbee 8). But for one thing, many people enjoy buying coffee even though it is pricey because of the environment and experience that allow people to enjoy, relax, and mingle while sipping a cup of coffee. Other threats to Starbucks are the gas station and restaurants industry.Many people are in the habit of buying breakfast and coffee at the local gas stations such as 7 Eleven. This practice is done mostly out of habit, but also for convenience especially for morning paper paired with a cup of coffee before going to work. Many consumers are also attracted by the convenience and the economics of the big mug cup of coffee they can obtain. Other consumer concerns are the trend towards more healthy ways. More and more people are becoming aware of the risk in consumption of caffeine. Too much caffeine can produce restlessness, nausea, headache, tense muscles, sleep disturbances, and irregular heartbeats.Caffeine can also increase the production of stomach acid that causes acid reflux. And finally, the price of coffee is so volatile that it remained as the biggest complaint by its customers. Recommendation Starbucks has created such a strong corporate culture and strong work values that it allows a company to successfully engage in product diversification. However, amongst the first thing that Starbucks needs to have is to define their brand image by lowering the coffee prices. It needs to be conveyed to the market in a precise manner, so that there would be no confusion amid Starbucks customer complaints.This is vital if Starbucks wanted to maintain its domestic market share competing with the likes of McDonald, Dunkin Donut, and Burger King. They must resolve all the consumer concerns s o that they can embark on another project with smooth transition. Conclusion Overall, as long as Starbucks maintains and promotes a strong quality product without deterring from its corporate-level strategy, it will always have number of opportunities ahead. There is a very strong base for this company which will allow it to pursue desired avenues with aggressiveness and confidence. Works CitedSalomon M, Marshall G, Stuart E, Marketing: Real People Real Choice 7th Ed. P. cm. Higbee J, Liaw Z, Ting C, Tjho K, Ton M, The Future of Starbucks, http://www. mcafee. cc/Classes/BEM106/Papers/2008/Starbucks. pdf Smith G, Cost of Coffee Could Squeeze Starbucks, http://wallstcheatsheet. com/stocks/cost-of-coffee-could-squeeze-starbucks. html/ United States Securities and Exchange Commission, FORM 10-Q, http://investing. businessweek. com/research/stocks/financials/drawFiling. asp? docKey=137-000119312512032427-56VATRT3JVABGO7FIGIBD5RTCJ&docFormat=HTM&formType=10-Q#D270627D10Q_HTM_TX270627_3

McDonald’s

McDonalds retail outlet resembles a machine in many ways. McDonald’s has many employees that were hired for a certain job position. Without those employees, there would be a missing part to the â€Å"machine†, therefore the business would not operate properly. The employees represent the parts to the machine that do one thing, over and over again. When you go to McDonalds, you place your order with the cashier, then the order is sent to the cooks, and then there is someone there who bags your food. Without any of those people how would McDonalds operate? If an employee calls out sick and doesn’t show up to work, they get someone to replace them. â€Å"Parts† are replaceable. In terms of Frederick Taylor's principles of scientific management, each task performed at McDonalds has one best method. It is the manager’s responsibility to find that best method. It is also the manager’s responsibility to hire and train the employee that is using that method. It is the employee’s responsibility to perform the task using that method in order for McDonalds to run properly. In terms of Max Weber's hierarchical structure, McDonalds is a major corporation for which it’s owner has the highest authority and responsibility that everyone below him are doing their job functions correctly in order to maintain a successful business. Then you have regional managers, district managers, store managers, assistant managers/ supervisors, and the employees. In terms of Henri Fayol's administrative principles of McDonalds, there is a chain of command from top to bottom. There are store owners, store managers, assistant managers, and the employees. There are organizational goals that must be met, and it is the responsibility of the managers to make sure that it’s employees are performing those tasks and following the rule that are applied to all. I believe McDonalds has been a successful franchise due to a consistent commitment to standards. McDonalds success thrives on adapting to consumer demands. McDonalds franchise restaurants became well known for the inspired and defining vision created by Kroc for his restaurant business. â€Å"Quality, Service, Cleanliness and Value† was the company’s motto, and customers knew that no matter where they travelled, they could rely on those qualities at every McDonalds they visited. Kroc’s brilliant marketing insights produced many winning strategies. He launched â€Å"Hamburger University† in 1961 in Elk Grove, Illinois, to train all franchisees in every aspect of McDonald’s management. Kroc also targeted families as his best market share. This resulted in the debut of the â€Å"Ronald McDonald† clown character on television in 1963. There are many similarities in organization between McDonalds and other successful franchise organizations, such as Burger King, who was founded by James McLamore, and Glen Bell, founder of Taco Bell. These two mean visited McDonalds just after Ray Kroc back in 1954. They all were very impressed with the speedy business operation that served so many people at once. Mechanistic organization of McDonald’s retail outlets is the best method for the franchise with the process of innovation so characteristic of the McDonald’s enterprise because they kept their beliefs and values throughout all these years which has made them very successful to this day.

Disability Awareness Essay Example

Disability Awareness Essay Example Disability Awareness Essay Disability Awareness Essay Introduction As a member of Security Team you may experience the need to communicate with disabled customers or visitors to these premises. It is therefore important that we all understand the correct etiquette to use to ensure that the customer or visitor has a positive memorable visit due to the excellent customer service we provide. Words and phrases guidelines Disability vs. Handicap A disability is a condition caused by such things as an accident or trauma, disease, or genetics that limits a person’s vision, hearing, speech, mobility, or mental function. A handicap is a constraint imposed upon a person, regardless of that person’s ability or disability. These constraints can be physical or attitudinal. For example, stairs and curbs are handicaps imposed on those who use wheelchairs. Points to Note Individuals with disabilities are people! Individuals with disabilities are whole people! They expect to be treated with the same dignity and respect that you do. Just because someone has a disability does not mean he/she is disabled. Disability Etiquette Remember, he/she is a person, NOT a disability. A wheelchair is part of a person’s body space; do not lean on it. Speak directly to the individual, not to the person assisting him or her. Interact with the person at eye level. If need be, sit down. Be aware of the distance between you and the individual, as he or she may have difficulty hearing you. Offering help is never the wrong thing to do, but make sure it is provided in an unobtrusive manner. Follow through on whatever needs to be done. Do not make a premature exit when assisting someone. Never patronise them by patting them on the head or back. Offer to shake their hand, even if it appears as if they have limited use of their arms or have an artificial limb. Simply the gesture will help them feel accepted and create a warmer environment for communication. For those who cannot shake hands, lightly touch the individual on the shoulder or arm to welcome their presence. Look at and speak directly to the person, not through a companion, carer, or interpreter. Treat adults as adults. Don’t apologize if you use an expression such as â€Å"I’ve got to run† or â€Å"See you later† that relates to the person’s disability. These expressions are part of everyday language and it is likely the apology will be more offensive than the expression. Don’t pet or feed service animals or guide dogs as they are working. When giving directions, make sure you consider things such as the weather, locations of ramps/curb-cuts, and other physical obstacles that may hinder travel for individuals with disabilities. Speech Disability Etiquette Never assume†¦. many people mistakenly identify these individuals as being mentally retarded or mentally ill. Make sure to be patient in finding out which communication method works best for them. Be patient and unhurried when talking to the individual; understand that the conversation may not move along rapidly. Make eye contact. Use the same tone of voice and volume that you would normally use unless the person asks differently. Do not try to finish the person’s sentences; rather be patent so the person can complete his or her thoughts. Ask questions that require a short answer or a nod or shake of the head. If you do not understand, ask the person to repeat the statement. Listen to the person’s words, not to the manner in which they are said. Respect that a person with a speech impairment may prefer one-on-one conversation to group discussion. Ask the person how to best communicate instead of guessing. Be 100% attentive when conversing with an individual who has difficulty speaking. If you are in a noisy and/or crowded environment, don’t panic. Just try and move to a quieter location to talk. Let them complete their own sentences. Be patient and do not try to speak for them. Do not pretend to understand; instead, tell them what you do understand and allow them to respond. Do not be corrective, but rather, encouraging. When necessary, it’s OK to ask short questions that require short answers. Wheelchair Etiquette Do not automatically assist the individual without permission. It is ok to offer assistance. However, if the offer is not accepted, respect his/her request! Some who use wheelchairs may also use canes or other assistive devices and may not need his/her wheelchair all the time. Individual who use wheelchairs may require different degrees of assistance. If you will be speaking with an individual in a wheelchair for more than a couple minutes, find a place where you can sit down to give the individual a more comfortable viewing angle. A person’s wheelchair is part of his/her own personal space. Never move, lean on, rock, or touch his/her wheelchair without permission. In addition to being rude, it can be dangerous. Do not assume that having to use a wheelchair is a tragedy. Wheelchairs can be a means of freedom to fully engage in life. Hearing Disability Etiquette Do not shout at a hearing impaired person unless they request you to. Just speak in a normal tone but make sure your lips are visible. Keep conversations clear and find a quiet location to communicate. If you are asked to repeat yourself, answering â€Å"nothing, it’s not important† implies the person is not worth repeating yourself for. It is demeaning; be patient and comply. Show consideration by facing the light source and keeping things (such as cigarettes or your hands) away from you mouth while speaking. Visual Disability Etiquette When meeting someone with a visual disability, identify yourself and others with you (e. g. â€Å"Jane is on my left and Jack is on my right. †). Continue to identify the person with whom you are speaking. Do not assume that a person needs your help, rather ask if they would like help. When providing assistance, offer simple information about the surrounding area in order to help familiarize the person with the location. Follow through on what needs to be done when helping an individual with a visual impairment; do not make a premature exit. When greeting a person, feel free to shake his or her hand after saying, â€Å"How do you do? Let me shake your hand. † When speaking with a person who is visually impaired identify yourself by name. Address people by name during a conversation so they know you are speaking to them. Speak in a normal tone and speed of voice. Answer all questions verbally instead of with nods, gestures, or other body language. Direct your conversation to the person with the vision impairment, not to another person or helper who may be with them. In order to gain the attention of a person with a visual impairment, touch the individual lightly on the arm as you speak. Do not feel awkward giving written information to a person with a visual impairment; he or she can always ask for assistance reading it. Let the person know when you are leaving his or her company. When walking with someone with a visual impairment, offer them your arm for guidance. They will likely keep a half-step behind to anticipate curbs and steps. Always remember that the person is not the condition. Keep all your speech person focused, not disability focused. AcceptableUnacceptable A person with a disabilityCripple DisabilityHandicap; handicapped person A person who has mental or developmental disabilitiesRetarded, Spastic Able-bodied; able to walk, see, etc Healthy; normal- Just because someone has a disability does not mean they are not healthy A wheelchair user; walks with aidConfined/restricted to a wheelchair Mental or emotional disabilityCrazy; insane A person who is deaf/ hearing impairment Deaf and dumb; mute A person with epilepsy An epileptic Avoid terms which carry a negative connotation: Abnormal, Afflicted, Confined, Crippled, Defective, Handicap, Invalid, Lame, Palsied, Retarded, Stricken, Sufferer, Victim, Withered Use empowering, individualized vocabulary; dont clump them with phrases like the blind or the disabled.

Get 10 Interesting Facts About Oxygen

Get 10 Interesting Facts About Oxygen Oxygen is one of the best-known gases on the planet, largely because it is so important for our physical survival. It is a crucial part of Earths atmosphere and hydrosphere, its used for medical purposes, and it has a profound effect on plants, animals, and metals. Facts About Oxygen Oxygen is atomic number 8 with the element symbol O. It was discovered by Carl Wilhelm Scheele in 1773, but he did not publish his work immediately, so credit is often given to Joseph Priestly in 1774.  Here are 10 interesting facts about the element oxygen. Animals and plants require oxygen for respiration. Plant photosynthesis drives the oxygen cycle, maintaining it around 21% in air.  While the gas is essential for life, too much of it can be toxic or lethal. Symptoms of oxygen poisoning include vision loss, coughing, muscle twitching, and seizures.  At normal pressure, oxygen poisoning occurs when the gas exceeds 50%.Oxygen gas is colorless, odorless, and tasteless.  Its usually purified by  fractional distillation of liquefied air, but the element is found in many compounds, such as water, silica, and carbon dioxide.Liquid and solid oxygen is pale blue.  At lower temperatures and higher pressures, oxygen changes its appearance from blue monoclinic crystals to orange, red, black, and even a metallic appearance.Oxygen is a nonmetal.  It has low thermal and electrical conductivity, but high electronegativity and ionization energy. The solid form is brittle rather than malleable or ductile. The atoms readily gain electrons a nd form covalent chemical bonds. Oxygen gas normally is the divalent molecule O2. Ozone, O3, is another form of pure oxygen.  Atomic oxygen, which is also called singlet oxygen does occur in nature, although the ion readily bonds to other elements. Singlet oxygen may be found in the upper atmosphere. A single atom of oxygen usually has an oxidation number of -2.Oxygen supports combustion.  However, it is not truly flammable!  It is considered an oxidizer. Bubbles of pure oxygen dont burn.Oxygen is paramagnetic, which means it is weakly attracted to a magnet but doesnt retain permanent magnetism.Approximately 2/3 of the mass of the human body is oxygen. This makes it the most abundant element, by mass, in the body.  Much of that oxygen is part of water, H2O. Although there are more hydrogen atoms in the body than oxygen atoms, they account for significantly less mass. Oxygen is also the most abundant element in the Earths crust (about 47% by mass) and the third most common element in the Universe. As stars bu rn hydrogen and helium, oxygen becomes more abundant. Excited oxygen is responsible for the bright red, green, and yellow-green colors of the aurora. Its the molecule of primary importance, as far as generating bright and colorful auroras.Oxygen was the atomic weight standard for the other elements until 1961 when it was replaced by carbon 12. Oxygen made a good choice for the standard before much was known about isotopes because although there are 3 natural isotopes of oxygen, most of it is oxygen-16. This is why the atomic weight of oxygen (15.9994) is so close to 16. About 99.76% of oxygen is oxygen-16.

) Henry's speech was a call to action. What did he want his fellow Research Paper

) Henry's speech was a call to action. What did he want his fellow Virginians to do What were his justifications for the prop - Research Paper Example He suggests that slavery and lack of freedom among them can only bring about more violence and oppression to the region. He asks the fellow Virginians to fight energetically for their rights and freedom as they owe one from the British Empire. His justification for this call is that, not fighting and being ignorant to the atrocities of British ministry can only lead them slavery and oppression . Henry also mentions that the life with less liberty can make the Virginians weak in performing their duties and responsibilities to their own nation. It also can be a disloyalty to the God and the majestic heavens. He further argues that fleets of army and navy are not necessary for the British ministry to impart freedom and human rights to the fellow Virginians. Henry addresses the one who oppose him by saying that, the war has already begun. He is commenting that things have gone far than expected and the Virginian fellow men have taken action to launch war against British ministry. Henry i s making clear that the Virginian fellow men can get liberty only if they fight as the situation has gone out of hand Generally speaking, Slavery is the main theme in Henry’s speech and this is illustrated widely by him throughout his speech in an imagery way. His imagery can be seen when he comments that the fellow Virginians are in the forged chains of British ministry. The only factor which influences the fellowmen is the illusionary hope, which they nurture in their mind .They hope ardently that the British ministry would give them liberty in future times, but Henry see this hops as an illusion. Henry asserts that, the Virginian men and women are slaves of British colonists, and if they don’t fight then the state of Virginians can only be deteriorated. Henry also comments that their senses are not shut towards the atrocities of British leaders and war is inevitable. The imagery element is highly experienced when Henry claims that the clamoring of the slaved Virgini ans can be heard till the plains of Boston. This kind of imagery put forward by Henry showcases the oppression and despair in the minds of the subjects of Virginia. The imagery of Henry can be reflected when he argues that the fellowmen has the blessing of God of nature in fighting and they can win as they are in the favor of truth and liberty. The imagery of God has prominent influence on fellow Virginians as this re-imposed the religious thoughts and principles buried in their minds. Henry has intimidated the Virginians by declaring several resolutions to protect the human rights and liberty of the country men. One among them was the tax resolution which aimed the well being of the fellow Virginians. â€Å"Henry’s five resolution, known popularly as the Virginia Resolves, might have remained a local matter had if not for the colonial press†(pg.118,chapter Apparently, the imagery used by Henry like slavery and power of God and nature has well resonated among the Virgi nians because they believe in God and can resemble things regarding their life to the Henry’s speech. The Virginians of the British colony were living a life that resembled slaves and hence the call for action by Henry hit the Virginians hard. Henry knew that Virginians were religious people, thus the mention of imagery like God’s and nature’s power initiated a profound impact on his countrymen. Henry in his speech has taken the

Context of care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Context of care - Essay Example According to the Institute of Medicine (2001, p. 1), quality â€Å"is the degree to which health services for individuals and populations increase the likelihood of desired health outcomes and are consistent with current professional knowledge.† Buttel l et.al (2007, p. 62) further expanded on the definition of quality developed by the Institute of Medicine and arrived at â€Å"quality consists of the degree of desired health outcomes (quality principles), are consistent with current professional knowledge (professional practitioner skill), and meet the expectations of health users (the marketplace).† In this regard, the public has continued to become more and more aware of the role of quality in health care and even though the definition continues to remain the same, the level of quality awareness has significantly changed (Buttel l et.al (2007, p.62-63). Quality in a healthcare setting is therefore vital for the patient’s experience. In the recent past, the health outcomes for children and young people in the UK have been observed to be poor and many people around the world have attributed this to failures of care (Clements, 2013, p5). Fuller (2011, p. 4-6) observed that despite the major improvements achieved in reduction in the number of teenagers and involved in smoking and early pregnancies and prominent areas of special care, the deaths of children and young people of below 14 years in UK is larger than any other European country in both in Western and Northern Europe. Cheung (2012, p. 12) indicated that within the European healthcare setting, there are enormous and unexplained variations in almost all of healthcare aspects related to children and young people. In this case, the UK has been observed to be worse in children and young people care than all the other European nations and leading in aspects of childhood accidents, infant mortality,

Visual Arts and Film Studies. Memento 200, Truffauts 400 Blows, Essay

Visual Arts and Film Studies. Memento 200, Truffauts 400 Blows, Casablanca and The Spirit of the Beehive - Essay Example The story is contrasting, as one part of the story in forward motion while the other one is in backward motion. It is refers to as one memory inside the other memory. The movie is a complicated challenging adventure where we see Leonard striving to avenge the death of his wife. This is complicated by the fact he had lost his memory, hence, was unable to recall the way the events took place from day to day. He attacked and took the life of one of the attackers that led to the death of his wife. He can only remember his wife dying from the attack from the gang. Because of this pain suffered inside, he vows continue until he gets the second man who was involved in the killing of his wife. This movie changes from the black and white flow and continues in the sequential order. The two colors coincide at the end of the story in forward and reverse manner. He describes how it is vital to have written notes that constantly remind him of the killers of his wife, written in a part of his arm, John G, the man who raped and murdered his wife. He continues with his narration and tells when he met Sammy during the time he became an investigator. Sammy has a condition that did not pass as mental disorder but he was rather unable to learn by conditioning. The life of Leonard focuses on trying to unravel the truth; this brings him to meet Mrs. Jankis who he tells that Sammy was in a position to come up with new memories. Leonard discuses with the caller, as to why the police did not buy hi story of the attackers that killed his wife. Fortunately, the person whom Leonard was seeking to turned out to be a police officer, and he gives him more clues towards his quest for his killers. Soon Leonard sets up a meeting with Joe at the lobby, who is an undercover police and prefers to be called teddy. The film then continues with the flow in contrast to the first part. Here we see teddy convincing Leonard that jimmy was the man he was looking for in connection to the killing of his wife. Natalie and Leonard go to the house and agree to stay together. She then tricks him to go and beat a man who had harassed her off her money, but before he could do that, teddy warns him of the plans of Natalie, and he leaves her. The truth is slowly becoming known, and in the morning, Leonard leaves and hide in Dodd’s’ motel, beating him senselessly, before calling teddy who persuade him to elope from the country. Leonard decides to spend the night with Natalie, as a thanks giving for helping him get Dodd. Finally, Leonard puts the clues together, and discovers that teddy was indeed the second killer of his wife. In deep aggression, he shoots teddy right in the head. Conc lusion The story reflects the quest for Leonard to find the truth of the death of her wife. He is surrounded by the main culprit, Teddy who tries to derail him in his findings. Leonard despite of his mental condition finds his way and puts clue together to finally know that teddy was the killer. Truffaut’s 400Â  Blows Question 2 This film demonstrates the steps taken by the 12 year old Antoine who was in bad terms with his parents and teachers, is seen descending into delinquency. Antoine is preparing to go to reform school, since the teachers and his parents, plus the squeezed house and classroom imprison him mentally and physically in his village. He often runs to his favorite spot where he hides fro the rest of the people. This leads him to participate in the game of hooky, which takes him to the streets where he enjoys the freedom of moving about far from the authorities. This continues to worsen as he gets more trouble both at home and school. In addition, the more trou ble he creates at

Prejudice, Stereotypes, and Discrimination Essay Example for Free

Prejudice, Stereotypes, and Discrimination Essay â€Å"We all decry prejudice, yet are all prejudiced. † Herbert Spencer. One of the greatest problem that our world faces is prejudice, we discrimination and stereotype those that we find not to be the same as us or even slightly different. In some form or another we all have experience some form of stereotype or discrimination. It has an effect on the way we think and act. Here we try to understand the reason for prejudice, why we stereotypes and discrimination that has continue to affect out world. What is prejudice? â€Å"Prejudice is the act of judging an individual of a certain group based on perceived notions about that particular group. Prejudice is linked to discrimination but prejudice is an attitude whereas discrimination is the action associated with that attitude. †(Prejudice 2001). Many times we dislike something or someone just because they look or act differently from us. â€Å"A group that you are a part of is called your in-group. Ingroups might include gender, race, or city or state of residence, as well as groups you might intentionally join, like Kiwanis or a bowling league. A group that you do not identify with is called your outgroup. † ( Feenstra, 2013) everyone belongs to a certain group and we all know who is in our group and those that do not fit in our groups. Most time adult do not realize when they somehow out a person from there groups, but some do it intentionally. When we out a person from our group we really do not take the time to get to know or find out who they are, but we tend to pass judgment on them anyways. â€Å"Stereotypes are beliefs about the characteristics of particular groups or members of those groups. †( Feenstra, 2013) people tend to place into categories things and people, gathering them together without learn who or what they are. For example; that everyone that speaks Spanish is Mexican, when in reality there is a total of 21 Spanish country and they do not all speak the same Spanish. When we stereotype people into groups, we form opinion about them without getting to know there person, this sometime causing prejudice and discrimination against them. â€Å"They not only reflect beliefs about the traits that characterize the typical member of a group but also contain information about other qualities, such as social roles, the degree to which members of the group share a quality, and emotional reactions. Stereotypes imply a substantial amount of other information about a person besides what is immediately apparent and generate expectations about individual group members beyond the current situation ). One important time frame in the world would be the holocaust were the Jewish people were separated from other people because they were believed to be lower than the German and the cause of their problem lead them to torture and abuse the Jewish people as well as kill thousands of Jewish men woman and children. The people that suffer the most from prejudice and any form of discrimination are woman and children especially those living in third world country were at time it is the root of wars. I have been lucky not have been affected by any form of prejudice or discrimination. But as a teen in high school there was always that one person that felt like stereotyping a few people to try to hurt them. Only thru education can we combat any form of stereotypes, discrimination and Prejudice. In conclusion stereotypes, discrimination and Prejudice has influence the way people think and act. It has been the cause of suffering to those effected, as well as the cause of war and separation. Prejudice is a form of ignorance; it is a lack of knowledge, a lack of understanding toward others. Thru education and tolerances we can learn to accept other no matter where they.

History of War Coverage Essay -- essays research papers fc

War Coverage Edward R. Murrow, former reporter for CBS once said, â€Å"We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason if we†¦remember that we are not descended from fearful men, not from men who feared to write, to speak, to associate and to defend causes which were, for the moment unpopular.† Times are changing when it comes to the media covering wars. There was once a time in our country when journalists were not afraid to report the realities and atrocities, to a reasonable extent, that occurred during wartime. During the Vietnam conflict America saw what actually was happening in the jungle on the other side of the world and it enabled citizens to form their own opinions about the war. Recent wars, such as the Gulf War and Operation Iraqi Freedom do not allow the citizens of the United States to see and experience what is really happening. We see a sanitized version of the war, we are shown only material that boosts moral a nd support for the troops and our government, but we do not see enough of the war to realize that everything does not go as smooth as it seems. War coverage has changed over the years in many aspects. Freedom of the journalists, the relationship between the press and the military and the technology are the significant aspects of change in war coverage. The Second World War was covered in a way that is very different than what we are used to today. The news was aired mainly by radio because television was still in its early days during the war. The journalists and the military were more allies than enemies, with each of them helping the other. When it came to the overall purpose of the war, the US correspondents (and their Allied counterparts) were no less committed to the defeat of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan than were the commanders who led their troops into battle. As a result, the notion that our armed forces needed somehow to "handle" the press was irrelevant. Press relations--or "media" relations, as the Pentagon would have phrased it--did not yet exist in the way we recognize them from our post-Vietnam experience (Rather). There was a sense of mutual respect between the two organizations in World War II, they both understood what they were out there to accomplish. Although the relationship between t... ...lemmas and government. Works Cited Barhart, Aaron. â€Å"Speeding Up War Coverage.† Television Week. Apr. 2003. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost. U. of Hartford Lib. 1 May 2005 . Hernandez, Debra Gersh. â€Å"The simple days of war coverage.† Editor & Publisher. Jul. 1994. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost. U. of Hartford Lib. 1 May 2005. . â€Å"Newseum: War Stories Technology.† War Reporting & Technology. 1 May 2005. . Rather, Dan. â€Å"Truth on the Battlefield.† Harvard International Review. Spring 2001. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost. U. of Hartford Lib. 1 May 2005. . Rosenberg, Jim. â€Å"Tech from Gulf War to Gulf War.† Editor & Publisher. March 2003. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost. U. of Hartford Lib. 1 May 2005. . Shafer, Jack. â€Å"Embeds and Unilaterals.† 1 May 2003. . 1 May 2005.

Week disscuison

These programs cover the range of management issues from traditional MBA functional areas to the development of strategic visioning skills. Other sources of management development activities include raining vendors, consultants, and professional associations. The principal advantages of externally based programs are as follows: They expose managers to the current thinking and theory in management. They remove organizational constraints in exploring new approaches. They allow interchange of ideas among managers from different organizational backgrounds.They cost less per person than internally developed programs. The benefits of the two types of development actives per the notes from week SIS'S lecture that would affect employee performance within a management training program are as follows: Job rotation Helps employee development by perhaps providing an alternative career path Gives employees diverse skills, and increases their flexibility within the organization Higher productivity , greater creativity, and an energize work force are all possible outcomes.Team Building Improves group effectiveness Improve decision making Improves interaction with others The two effects of employee development from the scenario are increased productivity and employee retention. XX, B. B. A. , HARM â€Å"Managers' Development† Please respond to the following: Identify two to three typical roles and / or characteristics that set managers apart from rank, ND-file staff. Then, develop one or two instructional strategies to address the identified roles / characteristics within comprehensive management training.Predict two trends in management education training, and analyze their potential effects on the overall training and development field. According to text quoted directly from the course material on chapter 11 pages 411-412, the two types of characteristics that set managers apart from rank and file staff are as follows: CONCEPTUAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS conceptual knowled ge and skills are the mental abilities required to analyze and diagnose complex situations and sake correct decisions. They are essential and common to all (or nearly all) management positions.The following requirements are most frequently cited: Planning and Decision Making Being aware Of decision-making alternatives and being skilled in their use Setting priorities Forecasting events Integrating organizational policies, procedures, and objectives Adapting to legal, social, and political environments Organizing Developing appropriate organizational structures Coordinating separate but interrelated activities Scheduling activities to reach time, efficiency, and quality goals Allocating sources to maximize return on investment.Controlling Knowing how to apply various control systems Developing control systems Developing and supporting initiatives Developing policy, procedures, and objectives INTERPERSONAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS Interpersonal knowledge and skills, often called â€Å"hu man† skills, refer to the ability to work with, understand, and motivate others, both individually and in groups. As Midwinter's research indicates, managers spend most Of their time interacting with others. It is primarily the managers interpersonal skills and knowledge of human behavior that determine her success in influencing others and developing information networks.Examples of knowledge and skill elements in this category include the following: Understanding individual differences Motivating subordinates Developing subordinates Building a work team and providing team leadership Managing conflict constructively Adjusting behavior to fit situational demands (behavioral flexibility) Presenting a position in a compelling fashion (persuasion) Listening effectively Showing awareness of social cues Maintaining objectivity in social situations Globalization may enable more leadership programsSome employers have global aspect in its leadership development strategies, but many or ganizations find they must remain competitive or lose out in an increasingly integrated, ruthless global marketplace. Organizations will embrace development and training to enable workforce loyalty. Organizations are taking on the challenge of employee turnover and with this, senior leadership will look for HER groups to form a strategic relationship with high quality better performing employee and embrace training and development as a source to better engagement and retention. Compensating Expatriates† Please respond to the following:Analyze the issues and considerations that impact expatriate compensation to determine the single biggest challenge in setting compensation. Provide specific examples to support your response. From the e-Activity, determine which cultural characteristics should be considered when establishing a compensation program for a U. S. Company planning to locate in the country you researched. Provide specific examples to support your response. Use the Int ernet or the Strayed Library to research a foreign country of your choice (excluding Canada), with a focus on that country cultural characteristics.Be prepared to discuss. According to the course material, expatriates are U. S. Citizens employed in U. S. Companies with work assignments outside the United States. Selection of Expatriates There is inflated cost to employers wishing to hire expatriates that can have an overall effect to their bottom line. It would be essential from a business perspective, especially considering the fact that my organization would be investing thousands of dollars On relocating an expatriate and their family temporarily. Expatriates can be screened mentally for mental competence to adapt in a foreign culture.An expatriates failed assignment in another country can be as high as $250,000. 00 and the failure rate can be high due to inability to the works family to adjust, the worker's motivation Of an international assignment, unrealistic expectation, rese ntment or lack of support from home internationals. Compensation Compensation and other forms of pay would be something that employers HER teams would have to also consider. Compensation does not only mean direct salary for work performed. Of course tax equalization systems so that income can be comparable to what pay would be in the home country.A worker relocating to a country for long term assignment of two years would want to be compensated because they will have to relearn customs, cultures in addition to being away from friends and loved ones. Workers returning to their home country with old positions and status may not be the same as their assignments in other countries. This could cause hardship for the expatriate returning back to the US. From the e-Activity the foreign country that researched was the United Kingdom. The cultural characteristics that should be considered when establishing compensation programs for a U.S many planning to locate to the UK are as follows: Cons umer Prices Consumer prices in goods and services are about 33% higher than in the united States which can cause a significant impact on an organizations bottom dollar. For example, an average basic monthly utility bill for electricity, heating, water and garbage for a two bedroom flat in the UK will be about $248. 39 USED or 148. 38 GAP, verses in the US which it would be an average of $1 61. 88 which is up 53. 52%. This is something that organizations will have to consider. Pay and Benefits Outside the united States† Please respond to the following:Analyze the differences between minimum pay regulations and retirement systems in the U. S. And the other countries discussed in this chapter to determine how these differences affects the ability of U. S. Companies to compete worldwide. Provide specific examples to support your response. Select the minimum pay and retirement practices of one of the countries discussed in Chapter 15. Then, determine the likely result if those prac tices were adopted by the U. S. Provide your rationale. Minimum Wage According to the course material chapter 1 5, page 367, France does have a minimum wage.The minimum wage applies to all salaried workers, including those working in both the public and private businesses of an industrial or commercial nature. The minimum wage applies to workers in commercial and industrial professions, agricultural professions utilizing salaried workers as defined in the Rural Code, liberal professions, home workers, domestic workers, doormen, nursery school assistants, union personnel, personnel in insurance companies and social security companies that are not public bodies, and personnel in associations or organizations governed by private law regardless Of their makeup or objectives.In 2008, the wage was set at EURO 8. 71 per hour ($LSI 2. 25, approximately). Retirement Effective August 21, 2003, the government mandated that employees must work longer before they may receive full government pens ion. The increase from 40 to 41 years will take effect by 2012. Retirees will also be prohibited from receiving their pensions while working on a part-time basis because the pension amount is set at a generous level (I. E. , 85 percent of annual earnings prior to retirement). This differs from the US North America where minimum wage laws apply to all workers employed by and employer.As far as retirement, in order to qualify for social security the age of 65 has to be reached. As disused in chapter 15, page 362, the minimum wage is 49. 50 to 52. 30 pesos depending on the geographical area which is equivalent to $3. 83 to $4. 04 per hour in the US. The likely result of such a mediocre minimum wage being implemented in the IIS during these times would be economic catastrophe, and the rebirth of another great depression. If US workers were paid only $3. 83 an hour, then every minimum wage worker would be considered in a category of extreme poverty. Food stamps, welfare, Medicaid,WICK, d epartment of public housing organizations and other forms of government public assistance would see an astronomical inflation of qualifying applicants who work full time. This will of course cause more Of a deficit in our national debt which could cause a rise in taxes. In addition, there would be a spike in crimes like robbery, larceny, fraud, and embezzlement which will require more government resources as far as law enforcement and medical personnel. Great post! You and share some of the same thoughts in regards to the two types of development activities that would affect employee performance thin a management training program.In fact, think it would be great for employee performance overall. When I think of job rotation, think of a working world of variety and high morale. I think that this method of training should be something that many employers should adopt in order to empower their workforce, and remain competitive in the business market. I agree with you that the effects o f employee development are return on investment and improved employee performance. In addition to improving employee performance it would also benefit the organization in which they worked for. XX, ABA HARM Awesome post! Ere with you when you state a distinction exists between those who have the authors ¶/ to devise, implement and control strategic and operational policies (top and middle managers) and those whose task is simply to ensure that such policies are carried out by the rank-and-file employees of an organization (first level managers/supervisors). I think that every level of management has an importance within the business market. In addition you're rational of trends in education being multimedia is dead on. I think multimedia is the new generation of training and development.. Jennifer, Another great post!I defiantly agree that the biggest challenge for expatriates having to leave their families for an extended amount of time to do an assignment in another country. Jus t to add to what you were mentioned in your post about expatriates leave causing stress and strain to their family members, I think this is especially true for the our US military. Say this because many Of our soldiers are placed into hazardous and dangerous territories and war zones such as many parts of the Middle East. You and I both researched the Europe. I picked the I-J because have always considered living there.On part includes that fact the UK is an Americanizes entry. Although the laws and culture is different, they speak English just like Americans, but with an accent. Overseas assignment in my opinion is unaided for married people of ones with close net families as it causes emotional hardships. Lisa, Great Post! I agree with you that other countries minimum pay regulations and retirement systems it will not affect the ability of U. S. Companies. Think that minimum wage will always be an issue, and it will be considered mediocre forever because it will never reach the le vel of inflation or cost of living.

Film Report on the Movie Signs Essay

I chose to do my film report on the movie signs. This movie featured Mel Gibson as Graham Hess, Joaquin Phoenix as Merrill Hess, Rory Culkin as Morgan Hess, and Abigail Breslin as Bo Hess. This movie takes place in Bucks County Pennsylvania which is about 45 miles from Philadelphia. It is about a Rev. whose wife passes away and he starts to deny his faith until he realizes that sometimes bad things aren’t as bad as this may seem at the current time. The movie starts off with weird things happening, crop circles being first. The crop circles are first noticed Graham Hess calls the local sheriff. They think that it is a prank by the Prichard brothers but they realize that it was too perfect and the stocks were bent over but not broken so it could not have been done by a machine. Then the dog starts barking ferociously at Bo and ends up dead because it falls on a grill fork that Morgan has in his hand. Bo is always asking for water because she says there are monsters keeps sitting glasses of water all over the house. They realize that something is wrong whenever Graham sees an alien looking creature on top of the barn then when they go out and runaround they cannot find anyone. The next day the news comes on and talks about crop circles popping up all over the world and Morgan says â€Å"extraterrestrials† pWhen they go to town and come home they start hearing voices on a baby monitor that Morgan found in the basement. Graham has a talk with his brother when his brother asks do you think this is the end of the world. He answers yes is that the answer you wanted. Graham says: People break down into two groups when they experience something lucky. Group number one sees it as more than luck, more than a coincidence; they see it as a sign, evidence that there is someone up there watching out for them. Group number two sees it as pure luck, happy, chance deep down they feel they are on their own and that fills them with fear†¦ Group number one deep down they feel that whatever is going to happen there will be someone there to help them and that fills them with hope. So what you have to ask yourself is what kind of person are you, the kind of see signs and sees miracles were just believe people get lucky†¦ Is it possible that there are no coincidences? (Gibson) Morgan got a book about Aliens when they went in town. The book depicts a house that looks exactly like his. The book says that the aliens are either coming to harvest resources or to invade and that one of two things will happen if it’s the latter, they will be defeated and return many years later or they will win. According to the book, crop circles are landmarks used for navigation. A cut scene depicts how Graham’s wife died and why he lost his faith. Ray Reddy, the man that fell asleep at the wheel and ultimately killed his wife apologizes and says why at that moment did that happen, why not before or after he passed her? He says he don’t remember the exact moment that it happened. Her last statement to her husband was; tell Merrill to swing away. At this point it makes no sense to anyone. Once they come to realize that an invasion is imminent, they start boarding the house up to keep the aliens out. This is after they decide to stay put and not go to the lake. They eventually head to the basement where they think they are safe until they realize that there is an old coal chute that accesses the basement from the outside. Before they can find where the old coal chute comes in at, an alien reaches from behind and grabs Morgan by the face causing him to have an asthma attack. His inhaler is upstairs where they cannot get to it. His dad keeps him calm and stable. After they think the coast is clear, Graham carries Morgan upstairs and lays him down so he can get his medicine. To their surprise when they come back into the room, Morgan is being carried by an alien. Graham says to Merrill, swing away, swing away. The statement by his wife finally makes sense to him. As Merrill grabs the baseball bat off the wall mount, the alien gives a puff of green gas into Morgan’s face out of something on its wrist. As Merrill smacks it with the bat it falls into a stand and a glass of water spills onto its shoulder and melts the skin off of it. They then realize this is why Bo has been sitting glasses of water all over the house. As Graham picks Morgan up, he says his lungs where closed, the poisonous gas did not enter his lungs. This is when he realizes that there was a reason that his son was born with asthma. The end of the movie shows him getting dressed as a Reverend, so I assume he was returning to Church as a Reverend. The characters in this film are Episcopalians. The father a Reverend and his brother and kids are devout followers. They cherish the value of family and being together. Graham questioned his faith and even quit practicing due to the death of his wife. It made him question if there is a god, why would he do this to him, a reverend. He got so angry at god that he denied him and blamed the death of his wife on him only to eventually realize that god has his reasons for doing the things that he does even if it is not popular with the people that it affects at the current time. Nothing is left to chance. He lost his wife in one sense, but god saved his son after praying, so this brought him back to his faith. The statement about there being two groups of people in the world has a lot of insight in the real world. If you believe in a higher power, then you will, or at least should always have hope. It is a great thing knowing that you always have someone there to talk to, even in the darkest hour, no matter what. I think another major point to the movie is that not everything is god’s fault and that he has reasons behind the things that he does. Sometimes people get lost from their faith, that is a normal occurrence, but hopefully you find your way back one way or another. I think that the movie gets its point of faith across pretty well in this movie, it shows both sides, losing your faith and reconnecting with it. It displays a reason why one might lose their faith.