Saturday, November 30, 2019

Symbolism and Setting in The Great Gatsby Essay Example

Symbolism and Setting in The Great Gatsby Essay The United States was a land filled with various opportunities in the 1920s. World War I was over and a multitude of people from all over the globe were coming to the United States vying for a new beginning. These people were all enchanted but the idea of The American Dream. The American Dream is the idea that every United States citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative. It does not matter where you came from, all you need is a passion to succeed. This idea played a role in The Great Gatsby through the characters, symbolism, and settings in the story. The American Dream was an important part of the characters in the story. This idea greatly influenced their choices from how they lived to how they behaved. The wealthiest characters were Daisy and Tom Buchanan, and Jay Gatsby. These three believed they could do anything because they were in a class higher than everyone else. They only cared about what was occurring at the moment and never worried about the consequences of their actions. They were very greedy people and only cared about their possessions. This goes with the belief of the American Dream and that you can achieve anything if you put your mind to it. An example of this is how Tom cheats on Daisy with Myrtle Wilson. He does this because he only sees Daisy one of his belongings. I first met Tom Buchanan’s mistress. The fact that he had one was insisted upon wherever he was known. His acquaintances resented the fact that he turned up in popular restaurants with her and, leaving her at a table, sauntered about, chatt ing with whomsoever he knew (Fitzgerald, 27). Despite Tom and Myrtle being a part of two different social classes he continues to see her behind Daisys back. He does not care about his choices at the moment but they will eventually come back to bite him in the butt. Every weekend Gatsby throws outrageous parties to impress Daisy We will write a custom essay sample on Symbolism and Setting in The Great Gatsby specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Symbolism and Setting in The Great Gatsby specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Symbolism and Setting in The Great Gatsby specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Profile of Charlton Heston, Gun Rights Movement Icon

Profile of Charlton Heston, Gun Rights Movement Icon As an actor, Charlton Heston appeared in some of the most notable films of his time. But he may best be remembered as the most visible president in the National Rifle Association’s history, guiding the gun lobbying group through a five-year period that saw gun rights take center stage in Washington, D.C. Along the way, his statements were responsible for igniting a phrase that would become a rallying cry for gun owners: â€Å"You can have my guns when you take them from my cold, dead hands.† Surprisingly, the man who hoisted a rifle above his head at the 2000 NRA Convention in defiance of the perceived anti-gun policies of Democrat presidential nominee Al Gore was once a staunch supporter of gun control legislation. Heston’s Support for Gun Control By the time President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, Charlton Heston had become a household name, starring as Moses in the 1956 film The Ten Commandments and as Judah Ben Hur in 1959’s Ben Hur. Heston campaigned for Kennedy in the 1960 presidential election and became critical of lax gun laws in the aftermath of Kennedy’s assassination. He joined fellow Hollywood stars Kirk Douglas, Gregory Peck, and James Stewart in support of the Gun Control Act of 1968, the most restrictive piece of gun legislation in more than 30 years. Appearing on ABC’s The Joey Bishop Show two weeks after U.S. Sen. Robert Kennedy was assassinated in 1968, Heston read from a prepared statement: â€Å"This bill is no mystery. Let’s be clear about it. Its purpose is simple and direct. It is not to deprive the sportsman of his hunting gun, the marksman of his target rifle, nor would it deny to any responsible citizen his constitutional right to own a firearm. It is to prevent the murder of Americans.† Later that year, actor-producer Tom Laughlin, chairman of the anti-gun group Ten Thousand Americans for Responsible Gun Control lamented in an edition of Film Television Daily that Hollywood stars had fallen from the gun control bandwagon, but listed Heston among a handful of diehard supporters who he said would stand by his side. Heston Changes Teams in the Gun Rights Debate Exactly when Heston changed his views on gun ownership is hard to pin down. In interviews after being elected president of the NRA, he was vague about his support of the 1968 Gun Control Act, saying only that he had made some â€Å"political mistakes.† Heston’s support for Republican politicians can be dated back as far as the 1980 election of Ronald Reagan. The two men shared many broad similarities: Hollywood A-Listers who supported Democrat Party policies early in their careers only to become stalwarts of the conservative movement. Reagan would later appoint Heston to co-chair a task force on arts and humanities. Over the next two decades, Heston became increasingly vocal in his support of conservative policies, in general, and on the Second Amendment, in particular. In 1997, Heston was elected to the NRA’s Board of Directors. One year later, he was elected president of the organization. Heston was vocally opposed to virtually any proposed measure of restricting gun ownership, from a mandatory five-day waiting period on handgun purchases to a limit of one gun purchase a month to mandatory trigger locks and the 1994 ban on assault weapons. â€Å"Teddy Roosevelt hunted in the last century with a semiautomatic rifle,† Heston once said in regards to proposals to ban semiautomatic firearms. â€Å"Most deer guns are semi-automatic. It’s become a demonized phrase. The media distorts that and the public ill understands it.† In 1997, he lambasted the National Press Club for the media’s role in the Assault Weapons Ban, saying reporters need to do their homework on semiautomatic weapons. In a speech to the club, he said: â€Å"For too long, you have swallowed manufactured statistics and fabricated technical support from anti-gun organizations that wouldnt know a semi-auto from a sharp stick. And it shows. You fall for it every time.† ‘From My Cold, Dead Hands’ During the height of the 2000 election season, Heston delivered a rousing speech at the NRA Convention in which he closed by invoking an old Second Amendment battle cry as he raised a vintage 1874 buffalo rifle over his head: â€Å"So, as we set out this year to defeat the divisive forces that would take freedom away, I want to say those fighting words for everyone within the sound of my voice to hear and to heed, and especially for you, (presidential candidate) Mr. (Al) Gore: From my cold, dead hands.’† The â€Å"cold, dead hands† saying did not originate with Heston. It had been around since the 1970s  when it was used as a slogan for literature and bumper stickers by gun rights activists. The slogan didn’t even originate with the NRA; it was first used by the Washington-based Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. But Heston’s usage of those five words in 2000 made them iconic. Gun owners across the nation began using the slogan as a rallying cry, saying, â€Å"You can have my guns when you take them from my cold, dead hands.† Heston is often incorrectly attributed with coining the phrase. When he resigned from the NRA presidency in 2003 due to his declining health, he again raised the rifle over his head and repeated, â€Å"From my cold, dead hands.† The Death of an Icon Heston was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1998, an illness he defeated. But a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s in 2003 would prove too much to overcome. He stepped down from his position as president of the NRA and died five years later, at the age of 84. At his death, he had appeared in more than 100 films. He and his wife, Lydia Clark, had been married 64 years. But Heston’s lasting legacy might be his five-year stint as president of the NRA. With the peak of his Hollywood career well behind him, Heston’s work with the NRA and his fierce pro-gun rights rhetoric earned him legendary status with a whole new generation.

Friday, November 22, 2019

The Mechanics of Air Pressure

The Mechanics of Air Pressure Air pressure, atmospheric pressure, or barometric pressure, is the pressure exerted over a surface by the weight of an air mass (and its molecules) above it. How Heavy Is Air? Air pressure is a difficult concept. How can something invisible have mass and weight? Air has mass because it is made up of a mixture of gases that have mass. Add up the weight of all these gases that compose dry air (oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and others) and you get the weight of dry air. The molecular weight, or molar mass, of dry air is 28.97 grams per mole. While that isnt very much, a typical air mass is made up of an incredibly large number of air molecules. As such, you can begin to see how air can have considerable weight when the masses of all the molecules are added together. High and Low Air Pressure So whats the connection between molecules and air pressure? If the number of air molecules above an area increases, there are more molecules to exert pressure on that area and its total atmospheric pressure increases. This is what we call high pressure. Likewise, if there are less air molecules above an area, the atmospheric pressure decreases. This is known as low pressure. Air pressure isnt uniform across the Earth. It ranges from 980 to 1050 millibars and changes with altitude. The higher the altitude, the lower the air pressure. This is because the number of air molecules decreases at higher altitudes, thus decreasing air density and air pressure. Air pressure is highest at sea level, where air density is greatest. Air Pressure Basics There are 5 basics about air pressure: It increases as air density increases and lowers as air density lowers.It increases as temperatures increase and lowers as temperatures cool.It increases at lower altitudes and decreases at higher altitudes.Air moves from high pressure to low pressure.Air pressure is measured with a weather instrument known as a barometer. (This is why its also sometimes called barometric pressure.) Measuring Air Pressure This is a close up of the needle at the Change indication of an aneroid barometer used to measure air pressure. Gannet77/E/Getty Images A barometer is used to measure atmospheric pressure in units called atmospheres or milibars. The oldest type of barometer is the mercury barometer. This instrument measures mercury as it rises or lowers in the glass tube of the barometer. Since atmospheric pressure is basically the weight of air in the atmosphere above the reservoir, the level of mercury in the barometer will continue to change until the weight of mercury in the glass tube is exactly equal to the weight of air above the reservoir. Once the two have stopped moving and are balanced, the pressure is recorded by reading the value at the mercurys height in the vertical column. If the weight of mercury is less than the atmospheric pressure, the mercury level in the glass tube will rise (high pressure). In areas of high pressure, air is sinking toward the surface of the earth more quickly than it can flow out to surrounding areas. Since the number of air molecules above the surface increases, there are more molecules to exert a force on that surface. With an increased weight of air above the reservoir, the mercury level rises to a higher level. If the weight of mercury is greater than the atmospheric pressure, the mercury level will fall (low pressure). In areas of low pressure, air is rising away from the surface of the Earth more quickly than it can be replaced by air flowing in from surrounding areas. Since the number of air molecules above the area decreases, there are less molecules to exert a force on that surface. With a reduced weight of air above the reservoir, the mercury level drops to a lower level. Other types of barometers include aneroid and digital barometers. Aneroid barometers do not contain mercury or any other liquid, but they have a sealed and air-tight metallic chamber. The chamber expands or contracts in response to pressure changes and a pointer on a dial is used to indicate pressure readings. Modern barometers are digital and are able to measure atmospheric pressure accurately and quickly. These electronic instruments display current atmospheric pressure readings across a display screen. Low and High Pressure Systems Atmospheric pressure is impacted by daytime heating from the sun. This heating does not occur evenly across the Earth as some areas are heated more than others. As air is warmed, it rises and can result in a low pressure system. The pressure at the center of a low pressure system is lower than air in the surrounding area. Winds blow toward the area of low pressure causing air in the atmosphere to rise. Water vapor in the rising air condenses forming clouds and, in many cases, precipitation. Due to the Coriolis Effect, a result of the Earths rotation, winds in a low pressure system circulate counter-clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. Low pressure systems can produce unstable weather and storms such as cyclones, hurricanes, and typhoons. As a general rule of thumb, lows have a pressure of around 1000 millibars (29.54 inches of mercury). As of 2016, the lowest pressure ever recorded on Earth was 870 mb (25.69 inHg) in the eye of Typhoon Tip over the Pacific Ocean on October 12, 1979. In high pressure systems, air at the center of the system is at a higher pressure than air in the surrounding area. Air in this system sinks and blows away from the high pressure. This descending air reduces water vapor and cloud formation resulting in light winds and stable weather. Air flow in a high pressure system is opposite that of a low pressure system. Air circulates clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counter-clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. Article edited by Regina Bailey Sources Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. Atmospheric Pressure. Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, Inc., 5 Mar. 2018, www.britannica.com/science/atmospheric-pressure. National Geographic Society. Barometer. National Geographic Society, 9 Oct. 2012, www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/barometer/. The Highs and Lows of Air Pressure. Winter Weather Safety | UCAR Center for Science Education, scied.ucar.edu/shortcontent/highs-and-lows-air-pressure.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Biochemical conditions and brain activity linked to crime Essay

Biochemical conditions and brain activity linked to crime - Essay Example This will be achieved by borrowing from various secondary sources and using examples appropriately. Crime refers to behaviors that violate taboos or social laws, thus a contextual fact (Bekerian & Levey, 2012). Because of the behavioral aspect of crime, the discussion on biochemical factors on criminology would focus on how biochemical factors influence criminology behaviors. Gaines and Miller document trait theories which postulate that â€Å"certain biological or psychological traits in individuals could incline them towards criminal behavior given a certain set of circumstances† (2012, p. 45). Moreover, behavior is biological and would be represented in the brain, its biochemistry, structure, electrical activity and growth and decline. Biochemical Conditions and Crime In the evaluation of the relationship between biochemical conditions and crime, it would be critical to appreciate the postulate by Siegel (2013) that biochemical conditions, both acquired and genetic influenc e and control antisocial behavior. The trait theory postulates that biochemistry would influence one’s criminal behavior. To put this into perspective, it would be important to appreciate the role that chemical messengers, referred to as hormones, play in influencing crime. Gaines and Miller (2012) give an example of testosterone in males whose elevated levels have been linked to aggression and thus increased criminality. This explains the high crime levels among men below age 28, doubling that of men between ages 31 and 60 due to the high testosterone levels at this age bracket. To further support this argument, it would be observed that boys exposed to steroids prenatally exhibit less aggression during their adolescence because of increased androgen levels. Biological contaminants and damaging chemicals could commence action even before birth if the mother takes diets lacking or having an excess of important nutrients. Siegel (2013) documents magnesium, sodium, potassium, a mino acids, calcium, peptides and monoamines as examples of minerals and chemicals whose presence in a diet results in abnormal sexual activity, mania and depression among other criminal tendencies. In the studies of diet and crime, sugars and carbohydrates have been particularly associated with antisocial behavior. According to Joyce (2013), this is the reason that children’s diets would have sweet drinks replaced with fruit juices, molasses for sugar and table sugar with honey among others. Harmful chemicals could come into play through maternal smoking and alcohol abuse during gestation, with Siegel (2013) noting that this causes prenatal damage and subsequently leads to antisocial behavior in adolescence. Furthermore, such parents exhibit poor parenting practices hence resulting in conduct disorder among their children. Biosocial criminologists also argue out on the requirement for certain minimum levels of specific chemical and minerals to maintain normal brain growth an d functioning. Excess supply or undersupply of such minerals and chemicals as potassium and manganese could cause behavioral problems. This postulate has been supported by Joyce (2013) who observes that excessive amounts of cobalt and lead in the body or glucose deficiency in the bloodstream could adversely affect behavior and thus propagate crime. Brain Activity and Crime Studying brain activity points out at its relationship to crime. Neurophysiology

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Covering the full semester of learning Critical Thinking Term Paper

Covering the full semester of learning Critical Thinking - Term Paper Example Life is understood through the perceptions people hold about how events take place, why they take place, and how much control they had over how they came to pass. Covey (2004) describes an event called a paradigm shift, which means that the way in which life is perceived shifts towards a new idea of how life can work. A paradigm shift happens when the way in which life is perceived is shifted to a new understanding. This initial concept created its own paradigm shift for me as I began to see how life could be approached in different ways from which I had originally believed. Through learning more about what Covey (2004) presented, I began to think that possibilities were broader and more available than what I originally perceived as my own limitations. Knowledge creates new ideas and transforms the way in which something is put into context with beliefs about the world. Learning, then, is the conduit through which knowledge can create meaningful change. One can say that multiple inte lligences define how that learning is achieved and perceived. The understanding that intelligence comes in many forms supports the many levels of perception that exist (Gardner, 1983). Change comes then from how personal intelligences perceive and receive knowledge and utilizes it towards meaningful change. The way in which the individual approaches life can be seen through the centers on which they focus their lives. Covey (2004) describes the center by first stating that it is not necessarily an easy place to identify. The center of one’s life is defined by what is important, which is usually what provides security and guidance. Wisdom and power are not always derived from that center, but should be sought as a part of how one centers their life in order to elevate the nature of how life is lived. The center of one’s life can be a bad place too, which shadows every move they make and keeps them bound by rules they have defined, but may not be from a place of truth. E piphanies and centers can come simultaneously at times. In reading the book Left to tell: Discovering God amidst the Rwandan holocaust, Immaculee Llibagiza (2008) I discovered that Immaculee found faith in the midst of a threat against her life. Her shift occurs as she takes her life from a place of fear to that of a place of faith in which she believed that God would keep her from harm. Her fears were so strong that they had been the center of her life, but in finding that she believed that God would hold her from harm, she shifted the center of her thoughts from fear to faith. How we see the center of our life and how our habits support that center creates effectiveness or ineffectiveness in achieving goals and outcomes. Habits, Covey (2004) writes, are â€Å"the intersection of knowledge, skill, and desire†, which in the case of Llibagiza (2008) were no longer relevant to war time existence. Her daily habits and the knowledge and skill with which she existed were not a par t of the new existence of living in daily fear and hiding. She had to shed all of her old habits and form new ones that matched her environment. Between the concepts of habit that Covey (2004) explains and the disruption that Llibagiza (2008), it is clear that habits often must be changed to promote survival, but

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Explore the ways Essay Example for Free

Explore the ways Essay In this playing I will be exploring how Priestley makes this moment in the play so dramatic and significant. The Inspector has just left the Birling’s all thunderstruck and traumatized, each of them handling it in different ways. As Gerald walks in it has come clear to us that the older generation are set in their ways and do not hesitate to even think about what the Inspector has told them, yet are stuck with their selfish ways. It is evident that Mr and Mrs Birling are embarrassed of Gerald finding out of what the Inspector has unearthed about what they have all done. ‘He put us all through it –‘ then Mr Birling cutting in ‘Sheila! Cutting Sheila off mid-sentence shows how Mr Birling is extremely humiliated and does not want Gerald to know what has just happened. He is too busy in caring about his reputation and getting his knighthood than even consider a word of what the Inspector has just said. ‘ (hastily) now – now we needn’t bother him with all that stuff’ The pauses through the hyphens intimates Birling’s loss of power. Also the change in tone symbolises Mr Birling weakening making this a significant moment in the paly. Using the lexis ‘stuff’ proves to us that Mr Birling thinks very little of the situation and is  quick to try and hide what happened. Priestley uses revelation to make this part in the play more dramatic. Gerald slowly getting to the point and surprising the Birling’s that Inspector Goole wasn’t a real police Inspector; in fact he is ‘A fake! ’ Mr and Mrs Birling attitudes swiftly change from ‘(hastily)’ and ‘(warningly)’ to ‘(triumphantly)’ and ‘(excitedly)’ where as for Sheila and Eric their attitudes do not change for they still have the pejorative and shameful thoughts from the Inspector’s words. This creates conflict between the younger generation (Sheila and Erica) and the older generation (Mr and  Mrs Birling). The younger generation still seeing what they have done as immoral but the older generation thinking their off the hook and that ‘it makes all the difference’. The inspector has obviously left his remark on Sheila and Eric â€Å"(bitterly) I suppose we’re all nice people now,† Through the speech and stage directions it is clear Sheila and Eric feel guilt and responsibility, however this guilt and sense of responsibility is abruptly ignored by their parents ‘if you’ve nothing more sensible than that to say, Sheila, you’d better keep quite’ Mr and Mrs Birling are delighted to  discover that â€Å"that fellow was a fraud† and has not come to think about and claim the responsibility of what has happened. Mrs Birling was shocked by the way the Inspector was speaking to her and the rest of the family ‘the rude way he spoke to Mr Birling and me – it was quite extraordinary’ It is evident that their reaction to the Inspector and his interrogation is left Mrs Birling bewildered, as though she could not possibly expect a police Inspector to have any cause to speak with one of their status. This creating a more dramatic scene because Mrs Birling quite clearly hated the way Inspector Goole spoke to Mrs Birling, and she hated it.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Critical Race Theory and the Rodney King Case Essays -- Recism

Critical Race Theory and the Rodney King Case In reviewing the article, Canadian Critical Race Theory, I found that the author, Carol Aylvard, raises some very interesting as well as disturbing questions on the nature of racism within the realm of police enforcement. In looking through the lens of the Rodney King case, we are provided with a very specific example of how the issue of race was dealt with, or not dealt with within the LAPD and judicial system. To gain a clearer understanding of how race was a major issue in this case but at the same time not confronted on the front lines, Alyvard highlights several aspects of the case. In the 1991 state trial of the four police officers accused of beating Rodney King, the prosecution did not even attempt to introduce evidence of "racial animus" on part of the officers. Even though there was video-audio evidence as well as eyewitness testimony to the contrary, they still did not challenge the defense's assertion that no racial epithets had been used by the police officers. As well, the prosecution neglected to appeal the decision of the State Court to move the trial from a racially diverse area to the predominantly white area of Simi Valley, where it was inevitable that the officers would be judged by an all-white jury. Furthermore, they also did not challenge the defense's portrayal of King's injuries as trivial. While it is needless to say that the list goes on and on, it came as no great surprise that the jury acquitted the four LAPD officers. It was also not surprising that riots followed this acquittal. One month after the beating and one year after the acquittal, two independent commissions, The McCone Commission and The California State Assembly Commission were appoint... ... is possible to implement alternative legal strategies that have their roots in recognition instead of avoidance? In looking at additional information displayed on the Internet, there seems to be an even wider range of issues being developed around the Rodney King Case. How do people of different social classes, gender or race fair in the law enforcement system? A few sites as well as the article alluded the O.J. Simpson case. Did this case confirm the importance of race consciousness and show a move toward a better understanding of the role that race plays in law? At any rate, Aylvard argues that the Rodney King case, " †¦exposed the significance of race in constitutional and criminal law and the dangers of avoiding it to maintain the "myth" of color blindness." (p. 66). References Carol, A. Aylvard. Canadian Critical Race Theory. Halifax: Fernwood, 1999.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Accouting 303 Project

2. As a for-profit entity, my company must record the amount of the donation as an expense at the fair value of the donated asset. In this case, my company must recognized a loss of eight thousand dollars, simply because the fair value of my donated asset is two thousand dollars. Furthermore, I must update my books by debiting â€Å"Contribution Expense† and â€Å"Loss on disposal of x asset† for $2,000 and $8,000 crediting the asset for $10,000. In this case, the fair value of my asset was lower than its book value forcing me to recognize a loss on my contribution. FASB ASC 845-10-30-1  Ã‚  Ã‚  In general, the accounting for nonmonetary transactions should be based on the fair values of the assets (or services) involved, which is the same basis as that used in monetary transactions. Thus, the cost of a nonmonetary asset acquired in exchange for another nonmonetary asset is the fair value of the asset surrendered to obtain it, and a gain or loss shall be recognized on the exchange. The fair value of the asset received shall be used to measure the cost if it is more clearly evident than the fair value of the asset surrendered. Similarly, a nonmonetary asset received in a nonreciprocal transfer shall be recorded at the fair value of the asset received. A transfer of a nonmonetary asset to a stockholder or to another entity in a nonreciprocal transfer shall be recorded at the fair value of the asset transferred and a gain or loss shall be recognized on the disposition of the asset. FASB ASC 845-10-30-2  Ã‚  Ã‚  The fair value of an entity's own stock reacquired may be a more clearly evident measure of the fair value of the asset distributed in a nonreciprocal transfer if the transaction involves distribution of a nonmonetary asset to eliminate a disproportionate part of owners' interests (that is, to acquire stock for the treasury or for retirement). If one of the parties in a nonmonetary transaction could have elected to receive cash instead of the nonmonetary asset, the amount of cash that could have been received may be evidence of the fair value of the nonmonetary assets exchanged. 1. In this case, the facility is a â€Å"Qualifying asset† an asset that takes a substantial period of time to get ready for its intended use. Therefore, borrowing costs that are directly related to the acquisition of this facility can be capitalized as part of the cost of the asset. On the other and, an alternative is the Benchmark treatment, which expenses borrowing costs when incurred. I chose to capitalize the facility, because expenses should follow revenues, in accordance to the matching principle. My facility will not be productive until my long-term research and development projects produce revenues. FASB ASC 730-10-25-2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Elements of costs shall be identified with research and development activities as follows (see Subtopic 350-50 for guidance related to website development): * a. Materials, equipment, and facilities. The costs of materials (whether from the entity's normal inventory or acquired specially for research and development activities) and equipment or facilities that are acquired or constructed for research and development activities and that have alternative future uses (in research and development projects or otherwise) shall be capitalized as tangible assets when acquired or constructed. The cost of such materials consumed in research and development activities and the depreciation of such equipment or facilities used in those activities are research and development costs. However, the costs of materials, equipment, or facilities that are acquired or constructed for a particular research and development project and that have no alternative future uses (in other research and development projects or otherwise) and therefore no separate economic values are research and development costs at the time the costs are incurred. See Topic 360 for guidance related to property, plant, and equipment; the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets Subsections of Subtopic 360-10 for guidance related to impairment and disposal; and paragraphs 360-10-35-2 through 35-6 for guidance related to depreciation. * b. Personnel. Salaries, wages, and other related costs of personnel engaged in research and development activities shall be included in research and development costs. ? * c. Intangible assets purchased from others. The costs of intangible assets that are purchased from others for use in research and development activities and that have alternative future uses (in research and development projects or otherwise) shall be accounted for in accordance with Topic 350. The amortization of those intangible assets used in research and development activities is a research and development cost. However, the costs of intangibles that are purchased from others for a particular research and development project and that have no alternative future uses (in other research and development projects or otherwise) and therefore no separate economic values are research and development costs at the time the costs are incurred. ? * d. Contract services. The costs of services performed by others in connection with the research and development activities of an entity, including research and development conducted by others in behalf of the entity, shall be included in research and development costs. ? * e. Indirect costs. Research and development costs shall include a reasonable allocation of indirect costs. However, general and administrative costs that are not clearly related to research and development activities shall not be included as research and development costs. ?

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Aristotle notes

Virtue ethics are ethics which focus on choosing virtuous courses of conduct rather than in adhering to duties.   Aristotle articulates a virtue ethic in the Nicomachean Ethics.   Aristotle reasons that the end of any actions or choice is a good.(Aristotle, I, ch 1)   He finds that happiness is the ultimate good to which all things are directed.   Of course, different people seek different kinds of happiness, some seeking sensual pleasure, others wealth, others glory.   He finally reasons that â€Å"happiness . . . comes as a result of virtue and some process of learning or training, to be among the most godlike things; for that which is the prize and end of virtue seems to be the best thing in the world, and something godlike and blessed.†Ã‚   (Aristotle, bk. I, ch. 1)  Ã‚   This same statement explains the ingredients of a good life: living according to virtue and contemplating the godlike things.   (Aristotle, bk. I, ch. 9)In considering what is virtue, Aristo tle notes that some activities are ends in themselves.   We eat to satisfy our hunger.   Other activities are means to other ends.   We practice various sports to better our chances in competition.   From this, he divides virtues between intellectual virtues and moral virtues. Intellectual virtues belong to the rational element of the soul.   These virtues consist of understanding, the acquiring of wisdom, an awareness of the beautiful.   Moral virtues reflect the need to address the irrational elements of the human soul.These virtues consist of curbing and directing the appetites and desires, so that they remain under the control of reason.   Appetites in human nature are not inherently bad, but if they get beyond the control of reason, creating either an excess or a deficiency, they are harmful to the soul. Such appetites must be regulated by achieving the â€Å"golden mean,† so that these appetites can offer a positive contribution to the good life. Reflectin g his own outlook, Aristotle found that intellectual virtues can never be excessive, for they inherently enhances the welfare of the soul (Aristotle, bk. I, ch. 9)Aristotle does not give a precise definition of virtue, but develops it more as a negative concept: it is the avoidance of vice or excess.   Virtue is attained by achieving a â€Å"mean,† a middle ground among any possible excesses.   The mean is the point between competing virtues and vices which reflects the best balance of these.   â€Å"Virtue, then, is a state of character concerned with choice, lying in a mean, i.e. the mean relative to us, this being determined by a rational principle, and by that principle by which the man of practical wisdom would determine it.† Aristotle II, ch. 6)However, because conduct must deal with individual cases, a determination of the mean must lie with each individual case.   While a philosophical system can enumerate or describe the competing excesses,, it will be for the individuals in each such case to find the mean.(Aristotle, II, ch. 7)   â€Å"But this is no doubt difficult, and especially in individual cases; for or is not easy to determine both how and with whom and on what provocation and how long one should be angry; for we too sometimes praise those who fall short and call them good-tempered, but sometimes we praise those who get angry and call them manly.   Aristotle, bk II, ch 9)For Aristotle, the final attainment of the happiness is difficult.   â€Å"Happiness is among the things that are prized and perfect. It seems to be so also from the fact that it is a first principle; for it is for the sake of this that we all do all that we do, and the first principle and cause of goods is, we claim, something prized and divine.†Aristotle, I ch. 12.   Further, Aristotle accepts one of the premises of the Greek outlook, that is it best to call no man happy as long as he lives, so that true happiness requires a lifetime.   (Aristotle, bk. I, ch. 12)That Aristotle was a brilliant thinker cannot be disputed.   He also came from a prosperous background, and was widely regarded for his brilliance during his lifetime.   His philosophy in many ways reflected this, as he believed that what he did in being a thinker and teacher aimed at the ideal life.   (Durant 1939, pp. 324-37) By contrast, Epictetus came from a more humble background, and his Stoic philosophy reflects his life.He was a slave for much of his life, and while he does not appear to have been subjected to terrible, he retained in all of his work a sense of limitation, that life was given and could be withdrawn at a moment’s notice and without valid reason.   (Durant 1944, pp. 490-93)

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Patenting Rights and USPTO Applications

Patenting Rights and USPTO Applications When an inventor is granted a patent the following will arrive in mail; your US patent will be issued in the name of the United States under the seal of the Patent and Trademark Office, and will be signed by either the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks or bear his/her name and have the signature of a US Patent Office official. The patent contains a grant to the patentee. A printed copy of the specification and drawing is annexed to the patent and forms a part of it. What Rights Does a Patent Grant? The grant confers the right to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale or selling the invention throughout the United States or importing the invention into the United States and its territories and possessions for which the term of the patent shall be 20 years from the date on which the application for the patent was filed in the United States or (if the application contains a specific reference to an earlier filed patent application) from the date of the earliest such application was filed. However, you have to pay your maintenance fees. Watch the Wording Patent law can be tricky, the key is in the words right to exclude. The patent does not grant the right to make, use, offer for sale or sell or import the invention but only grants the exclusive nature of the right. Any person is ordinarily free to make, use, offer for sale or sell or import anything he/she pleases, and a grant from the US Government is not necessary. The patent only grants the right to exclude others from making, using, offering for sale or selling or importing the invention. Since the patent does not grant the right to make, use, offer for sale, or sell, or import the invention, the patentee’s own right to do so is dependent upon the rights of others and whatever general laws might be applicable. A Patent Does Not Give Unlimited Rights A patentee, merely because he/she has received a patent for an invention, is not thereby authorized to make, use, offer for sale, or sell, or import the invention if doing so would violate any law. An inventor of the new automobile who has obtained a patent thereon would not be entitled to use the patented automobile in violation of the laws of a State requiring a license, nor may a patentee sell an article, the sale of which may be forbidden by law, merely because a patent has been obtained. Neither may a patentee make, use, offer for sale, or sell, or import his/her own invention if doing so would infringe the prior rights of others. A patentee may not violate the Federal antitrust laws, such as by resale price agreements or entering into combination in restraints of trade, or the pure food and drug laws, by virtue of having a patent. Ordinarily, there is nothing which prohibits a patentee from making, using, offering for sale, or selling, or importing his/her own invention, unless he/she thereby infringes another’s patent which is still in force. Correction of Granted Patents The Office may issue without charge a certificate correcting a clerical error it has made in the patent when the printed patent does not correspond to the record in the Office. These are mostly corrections of typographical errors made in printing. Some minor errors of a typographical nature made by the applicant may be corrected by a certificate of correction for which a fee is required. The patentee may disclaim (and try to remove) one or more claims of his/her patent by filing in the Office a disclaimer. When the patent is defective in certain respects, the law provides that the patentee may apply for a reissue patent. This is a patent granted to replace the original and is granted only for the balance of the unexpired term. However, the nature of the changes that can be made by means of the reissue are rather limited; new matter cannot be added. Any person may file a request for reexamination of a patent, along with the required fee, on the basis of prior art consisting of patents or printed publications. At the conclusion of the reexamination proceedings, a certificate setting forth the results of the reexamination proceeding is issued. Patent Expiration After the patent has expired anyone may make, use, offer for sale or sell or import the invention without permission of the patentee, provided that matter covered by other unexpired patents is not used. The terms may be extended for certain pharmaceuticals and for certain circumstances as provided by law.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

How to write facilities management tenders - Emphasis

How to write facilities management tenders How to write facilities management tenders Theres usually one guest at a party with a perennial case of its all me, me, me. This is the type of male or female who will wedge you in a corner, and wax lyrical about their latest business success, holiday or views on Americas political landscape. Its difficult to get a word in edgeways and you feel as though youre being assaulted with unwanted information. Most of us would flinch at the thought of being such a social bore. But in business we often make the same mistake of bombarding potential clients with too much information about how great we are. In fact, we should be focusing on their needs and interests. Theres no doubt that facilities managers are great at dealing with people and offering integrated workplace solutions. But translating these skills into a written proposal in order to sell your services is not an easy task. Unless your bid or tender proposal is carefully structured to be reader-focused rather than company-focused, it can have the same effect as the unwanted party guest. It doesnt matter whether youre responding to a warm or a cold lead, showing understanding is more important than trying to dazzle. Your company facts and testimonials should just confirm that you know what youre talking about. Here are seven tips that will help you write bids and tenders that shine the spotlight back onto your prospects and help to win you new business in the process. Grab a pencil and paper Its important to separate the thinking process from the writing process. So get away from your computer screen and ask yourself what core issues you want to address in your proposal. Better still, bounce ideas off a colleague. Decide which ideas are important, essential, desirable and unessential and aim to only include those that are in the first two categories. Put the reader first Always put the prospect first, by starting with their situation and the problems they need to solve. Use the Four Ps technique, which stands for: position (where they are now), problem (why they cant stay there), possibilities (where they could go) and proposal (where they should go). Resist the temptation to write down everything you think will win the contract. Instead, focus on the possible solutions before backing up your recommendations with information about your capabilities. Remember, it doesnt matter whether you are an in-house department; specialist contractor or a large multi-service company, the reader always comes first. And always highlight the benefits of the services in terms of cost reductions for the client, health and safety or other key measurements. Be inclusive Its likely that a variety of decision-makers will read your proposal. Consider the varying needs of the head of finance compared to a business development executive, for instance. And add in facts and figures that will keep everyone happy. But use appendices for detail, rather than stuffing the body text with too many facts that only one person will be interested in. Youre in it to win it Dont forget that you still need to sell the solutions youre proposing. Use persuasive language that will connect with the reader. For example, its useful to use the terms you, we and us to help the prospect visualise you working together. And use the active voice where possible. Check your facts Simple mistakes can seriously undermine what youre offering. Always check the spelling of product and place names and get a colleague to proofread your work carefully. Its easier for a fresh pair of eyes to spot any mistakes. Typos and other errors can still go unnoticed though, so proof-read extra slowly by stopping a pencil at each word to check that its accurate. Jargon is not the bogeyman Ask yourself how much the prospect knows about facilities management. And remember, its very easy to over-estimate this. Dont be afraid to use jargon though, as long as youre certain that your reader will understand it. Keep it short and sweet Many people think that tenders need to be long in order to show the client that youve made an effort. In fact, the opposite is true. It takes more effort to keep a tender clear and concise. Go through and cut out meaningless phrases and unessential information. And keep your sentences short, with each one no more than 15-20 words. A tender process may be your first foot in the door, with what you write determining whether or not youre invited to a face-to-face meeting. But dont be tempted to use flowery language. Instead, write to express rather than impress and youll keep your prospects interested and wanting to find out more. Want to win more business with your tenders? See our tender writing-courses for individuals and our tender-writing course for groups. Robert Ashton is the Chief Executive of Emphasis.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

History of business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

History of business - Essay Example In the next segment, historical perspectives of marketing, consumerism and entrepreneurship have been discussed. Further by discussing the impact of technology, changing nature of work and the concept of deindustrialization, an attempt has been made to highlight the historical evolution and portrait of the current business scenario. The term is specially referred to huge sized organizations or multinational businesses either in individual or collective sense. Today Microsoft, Google, General Motors, and Wal-Mart are leading organizations that are the leading Big Businesses. The term came on the horizon just after the American Civil War along with the combination movement when the US Congress passed the legislation to allow the individual business entities to form up corporations. From 1895 to 1905, small organizations or firms took benefits from new legislation and consolidated into huge corporation through mergers and acquisitions processes. During the early phase of the Big Business, the US government had a lenient policy toward the business. Along with large public opinion, the government also believed on the laissez-fair theory that demands free economic markets without the government intervention. Therefore free developing market environment created a competition that led to fair prices for consumers. But it was a temporary phase. Within few years, these corporations became dominant on the American industries. They quickly gained control of all the aspects of the market of their respective industry and set new business trends and American life sty les. Such corporations and their owners became exceedingly rich and influential mostly at the cost of numerous poor workers. For example during that era, Andrew Carnegie’s Carnegie Steel, John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Company, J.P. Morgan’s Banking House, and Cornelius Vanderbilt’s New York Central Railroad System were the leading Big Business organizations. The owners of Big Business were