Management Efficiency Ratios: Burger King vs. McDonalds

This paper seeks to compare Burger King (BK) with its competitor McDonald (MCD) in the restaurant industry, using their financial statements as basis in terms of profitability and management efficiency ratios for the latest fiscal year. This will also discuss the concept of operating cost, evaluate the annual and year-end results of the two companies, and interpret BK as takeover target compared with its competitors. Burger King’s profitability is obviously lower than MCD.Based on net profit margin for year 2008, BK had 7. 3% as compared with MCD’s 18. 3% for the same year. The same behavior may be observed in terms of pre-tax margin, where BK had 11% as against that of MCD at 26. 2 % for the same year. It is only in terms of gross margins that BK has exceeded that of MCD but the net margin and pre-tax margin are better ways to measure profitability as expenses need to be deducted further.For purposes of comparing the net profit margin and pre-tax margin of the two comp anies against the industry average, BK is worse but MCD is definitely better. The Return of Asset (ROA) of BK is 7. 1% for the 2008 and is lower than that of MCD, which reflected ROA of 14. 9% for the same year. The results of these ratios further confirmed earlier observation in net profit margin. The same better profitability is further observed in terms of Return of Equity (ROE) where BK showed 22. 2% for 2008, which is still lower than MCD’s 30.1% for 2008. While ROA measures how efficient management a company is in terms of assets employed in business, ROE measures how much management is compensating resources invested by stockholders, the results would still reinforce earlier finding that BK, is less profitable and less efficient than MCD. The less profitability and efficiency of BK as against MCD is also further proven in terms of the former’s lower receivable turnover of 18. 67 for 2008 as against 23. 7 for MCD and 46. 8 for industry average.Inventory turnover for BK is not possible because of its absence of inventory for 2008 while that of MCD, the figure is over 100 times for 2008, which is even higher than industry average. Even if no comparison could be made in terms of inventory turnover, there is sufficient evidence to show better profitability and efficiency for MCD as against BK. To discuss the concept of operating cost for operating a business, the same must be minimized in order to maximize profits since costs or expenses must be deducted from revenues in order to derive profit.The lower the cost, the higher would be the profit assuming revenues are the same. To evaluate the annual and year-end results of the two companies and interpret BK as takeover target compared with its competitors, there is need to look at profitability and management efficiency of the two companies. As found out, BK was less profitable and less efficient than MCD. However, a company wishing to take over another company does not necessarily follow that it can also take over a better competitor of the target for many reasons.What must be controlling on the part of the company making the takeover is the expected profit of the takeover, both over the short and the longer-term, and which should be higher than the cost of capital or operating cost in order to justify the takeover. It can be concluded that BK may be less profitable and less efficient than its competitor MCD may, but if the profitability of BK could improve the profitability and efficiency of both the acquired and the acquired company combined together after the takeover, there is still justification to continue the takeover of BK.References:MSN (2009a) Financial Ratios of Burger King, {www document} URL http://moneycentral. msn. com/investor/invsub/results/compare. asp? Symbol=US%3aBKC, Accessed April 17, 2009.MSN (2009b) Financial Ratios of McDonalds, {www document} URL http://moneycentral. msn. com/investor/invsub/results/compare. asp? Symbol=MCD, Accessed April 17, 200 9.

Civil War: The Second Revolution Essay

The Civil War is one of the most integral events in American history. It was responsible in shaping the United States to its present political and social structure. It is definitely a war, but can it be considered as the country’s second revolution? Indeed, it is. This essay aims to discuss how and why the Civil War is the second revolution, and whether the Reconstruction was a failure or success of that revolution. A political revolution is distinguished by the significant changes that occur within the societal structure (Andrain 187). To differentiate it from rebellion or coup d’etat, there are three things to consider in a revolution: the goals of the revolution, the means to achieve their goals, and the results or consequences of the revolution (Andrain 187). Most revolutionaries have a similar objective: to alter or modify the present system of society and politics (Andrain 187). A revolution often seeks to replace the old order with a new one that would cater to the interests of the revolutionaries. The Civil War initially arose from the differences between the North and South (Perry 507). The North was the region known for trade and manufacturing, while the South was known for agriculture. Both regions also differed in their stand on tariffs. The North favored tariffs because these gave them an advantage over foreign competition. On the other hand, the South resisted tariffs, as it caused an increase in the prices of the commodities it imported. Unlike the North which can manufacture all their needs, the agricultural South was dependent on imports (Perry 507). However, the primary reason why the Civil War occurred was slavery (Perry 507). The South considered slavery as a necessity. Being an agricultural region, it needed manpower for the plantation and harvest of crops, especially corn (Gallagher 1). That manpower was provided by the slaves. On the other hand, the North called for slavery to be abolished in the entire country (Perry 507). The South was most threatened upon the 1860 victory of Abraham Lincoln in the presidential elections (Perry 507). Abraham Lincoln was the candidate of the Republican Party, which was dedicated to the abolition of the slavery (Perry 507). When Lincoln won, the South knew that their interests would be in danger under his administration. Thus, they sought a new order upon which their interests would be protected. A revolution starts with the effort of the revolutionaries to attain government control (Andrain 187). In this case, the Southerners were the revolutionaries, and secession was the means in which the goals of the revolution can be met. The Southern states seceded from the Union governed by Lincoln and formed their own government, the Confederate States of America (Perry 507). The South also installed Jefferson Davis as head of the Confederacy (Perry 507). Lincoln did not want to wage war against the Confederacy; however, he wanted to preserve the Union as well (Perry 507). The Confederacy, on the other hand, wanted to be independent from the Union (Gallagher 5). The revolutionaries fired at Fort Sumter to force the Union to fight, and upon Lincoln’s call for the defense of the Union, the revolution was in full swing (Perry 507). The Civil War was a second revolution because it sought to make changes within American society. The goal of the Southern revolutionaries was to gain independence from the Union to prevent slavery from being abolished. The means in which they started a revolution was through secession. However, the effects of the revolution can be assessed through the discussion of the Reconstruction. The Reconstruction is the period in U. S. history that succeeds the Civil War (Benedict 108). It is the period in which the nation was in the process of rebuilding after the damages caused by the war (Kolchin 1). Because it occurred after the war, it became an appropriate measure as to whether or not the second revolution was successful. The Reconstruction was actually a reflection of the failure of the second revolution. To begin with, the Confederacy failed to gain their independence. In fact, the Reconstruction was the time in which those states which seceded would be readmitted in the Union (Benedict 108). The very states that wanted to be independent from the Union found themselves in a struggle to be readmitted again. Thus, the second revolution was a failure. The revolution occurred because of the conflict over slavery. However, the revolutionaries also did not succeed in preserving it. Even before the war ended, there was already the Emancipation Proclamation, which sought to free the slaves in the Confederate states (Perry 508). By the time the Reconstruction was underway, the abolition of slavery became final with the ratification of the 13th Amendment (Kolchin 1). The amendment proceeded from the Emancipation Proclamation, but its scope was wider as it abolished slavery in the entire United States (Kolchin 1). The Reconstruction period proved to be difficult for the Southern states. There were two kinds of reconstruction: the presidential and the congressional. Lincoln hoped to establish governments in the former Confederate states that were governed by the Union (Benedict 108). The appointed governors would be called to establish a new state government when ten percent of those who voted in the presidential election in 1860 would pledge loyalty to the Union (Benedict 108). Unfortunately, Lincoln was assassinated and Andrew Johnson took over the Reconstruction (Benedict 109). This is called the presidential reconstruction. Johnson employed an easier approach for the Southern states to be readmitted into the Union, but the Republicans disagreed. As the forerunners of the congressional reconstruction, the Republicans wanted to give the former Confederate states a difficult time into readmission because they almost caused the demise of the Union. In addition, the plan of Johnson did not take into consideration the rights of the African-Americans, which the Republicans strongly prompted (Benedict 109). As a result, the revolutionaries were caught between the struggle to be readmitted into the Union and the difficulties of dealing with a Congress dominated by Republicans. In addition, the former revolutionaries were exposed to a radical reconstruction (Benedict 109). They became victims of the dominance of the Republicans in the South, which eventually led to the increase in taxes and the prevalence of corruption in state governments. The Southerners soon despised the system of racial equality that was furthered during the Reconstruction, and had to resort to means to intimidate the African-Americans. This meant using force through organizations like the Ku Klux Klan (Benedict 109). The Civil War can be considered as a second revolution because it sought to change the old order of society and politics. The Southern revolutionaries wanted to retain slavery, so they seceded from the Union in hopes of achieving this goal. They wanted to be an independent state wherein slavery is allowed to continue. Nonetheless, they failed in their attempt to gain independence; they also failed to preserve the institution of slavery. The Reconstruction was a reflection of this, as the former revolutionaries sought to be readmitted to the Union they seceded from. Moreover, the road to readmission was tedious and filled with conflict, as the former revolutionary states had to struggle with the plans of reconstruction of both the president and Congress. Hence, the second revolution which is the American Civil War is a failure, and the Reconstruction reflected this defeat. Works Cited Andrain, Charles F. â€Å"Revolution. † Lexicon Universal Encyclopedia. 21 vols. New York: Lexicon Publications, Inc., 1992. Benedict, Michael Les. â€Å"Reconstruction. † Lexicon Universal Encyclopedia. 21 vols. New York: Lexicon Publications, Inc. , 1992. Gallagher, Gary. â€Å"American Civil War. † Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia. 2007. 25 April 2008 . Kolchin, Peter. â€Å"Reconstruction (U. S. history). † Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia. 2007. 25 April 2008 . Perry, Marvin. A History of the World. Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin, 1989.

Fruits and Seed Dispersal

Fruits and Seed Dispersal Nicole Saylor Meiko M. Thompson BIO 115 11/25/12 In this essay I will be answering questions about fruit and as to the reason why things are the way they are†¦ First up is some fruits are sweet and some are not is because, â€Å"Actually, the taste of a fruit depends on the compounds  present in it. Normally a fruit contains the  materials  like cellulose, proteins, starch, vitamins, certain acids,  fructose  or sugar. All these  materials  are found in mixed form inside the fruit and they have different proportions in different fruits.Fruits of  sweet taste have more  fructose  in them  whereas  the  fruits of  sour taste have more acids in them. † (Gemini Geek) so this means that the more or less acid a fruit has then more sweeter or more sour it will taste, and that all means something with no taste really to is to say to have no acid , or sugars that would give it a particular taste. The next in line is that the ri pening of a fruit and the seed dispersal go hand in hand in such a way that when a fruit ripens it is a signal from production mode of a seed to the dispersal of a mature seed that is ready to become another plant to create the dame cycle over again.To help explain this for example, â€Å"n dry fruits (cereals, nuts, dandelions) ripening consists of desiccation and is considered maturation. Ripening in fleshy fruits is designed to make the fruit appealing to animals that eat the fruit as a means for seed dispersal. Ripening involves the softening, increased juiciness and sweetness, and color changes of the fruit. Fleshy fruits are either climacteric or non-climacteric. Climacteric fruits produce a reparative burst with a concomitant burst in ethylene synthesis, as the fruits ripen. These include fruits with high degrees of flesh softening, like tomato, banana, avocado, peach etc. (Lecture 17)So we see that in this process of ripening and seed dispersal are that it is the plants way of making sure that the seeds that it produced to carry on and make more fruit plants or trees happens by making the fruit itself more appealing to animals which will at and then later disperse the seeds. The next question to address is how do we play a role in all of this and how do we effect it basically. Well we humans affect this natural process when we take over the land and granted that plants were here long before we were and before animals were.So plants have been able to grow without our aid if fertilizing the soil and etc†¦ For example, â€Å"Unlike colonist plants, the deep forests of our planet are largely independent from us. They don’t need us to prepare the ground or disperse their seeds. Plants, after all, colonized dry land well before animals did, and were doing quite well, on their own, before we arrived. Some kinds of trees need little help from animals of any sort. Because they don’t need our help, these trees have little to gain by feeding us. This is why we often find that there is relatively little food to be had in mature forests.You can’t eat wood. †(Kyle Chamberlain) So see plants were reproducing before animals and us but granted when animals came along it did make the seed dispersal process a lot easier. As far as I can see that a seed does not use sugar or starch for its metabolism unless it developing then yes. Because when a seed is developing it needs these to grow into a mature seed that can be dispersed, but since this seed has become mature and is dispersed then it start growing and producing its own sugars and starches from the light and dark process of photosynthesis.References The Gemini Geek (2012). Why Are Some Fruits Sweet While Others Are Sour? [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www. thegeminigeek. com/why-are-some-fruits-sweet-while-others-are-sour/ Iowa State University (2012). Lecture 17 [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://www. public. iastate. edu/~bot. 512/lectures/seed&frui t. htm Chamberlin, K. (2012). Disturbance Ecology – The Human Habitat Project [Web log post]. Retrieved from https://sites. google. com/site/humanhabitatproject/home/disturbance-ecology

Life Span Consideration Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Life Span Consideration - Case Study Example The other topic is the pharmacokinetics which is all about the dosage of her drugs based on her body weight, age and body surface area. Lastly, the other topic that will be covered will be on the measures to be taken to reduce the intake of drugs, the reduction of her health problem and lastly on ending her purchase of over the counter drugs without prescription from her primary physician which is really important based on her age which is sensitive. R. M has a history of deep vein thrombosis which makes her take Warfarin every evening which is a high dosage. She however also has a history of hypothyroidism and is constantly taking thyroid replacement hormones. The hormone treatment drugs however do not mix well with Warfarin and require a patient taking the therapy to reduce the dosage or even completely stop taking Warfarin to minimize the side effects to the patient. R. M therefore should stop purchasing her drugs without consultation with her primary physician who will advise her on which drugs to take for her deep thrombosis problem what will not affect her hypothyroidism treatment (Lilley, Collins, Harrington & Snyder, 2014). Some of the negative effects of the thyroid hormone treatment are increases heart rate and pulse as well as chest pains which are symptoms of hypertension and which she is trying to reduce with the hypertension medication. If the drug therapy for hypothyroidism treatment will increase her hypertension problem, she should seek alternative therapy rather than increase the risk of heart attack that can cause immediate death to the patient (Kahn & Olshaker, 2014). The alternative therapy will also assist with the earlier mentioned problem of deep thrombosis. In order to reduce the above discussed health risks caused by her medication intake, R. M should seek alternative therapy techniques for her different health problems other than fully relying on

Working with Communites Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Working with Communites - Essay Example Partnerships involve sectors, agencies, technical advisers, and practitioners, working to achieve agreed upon goals. Those partnerships that bring in expertise from outside the community are external or vertical partnerships. There are three stages: St. Johns held a one day workshop. The workshop brought approximately sixty community members together. They included local residents, retired professionals and representatives from various non-government and government agencies associated with health education, social welfare, recreation and youth serves. I dont think you ever arrived. How good a listener can you be? How patient can you be? How compassionate? Its like asking a golfer, how good a golfer can you be? How good can a musician be? Would anyone striving for excellence say, "Im finally at the end of my learning. Im as good at this as I can possibly be." No, they achieve higher levels of excellence by continually striving to improve. Still, I recognize that in certain situations a leader can achieve a level of efficiency and cohesiveness with their organization; but these instances should be only goals, not end points. This principle also holds true for managers. If you want effective leadership skills and personal strengths, you never stop improving. One reason is that there are infinite people skills and infinite types of personal strengths. No one can be strong in all of them. Mastery is a continuous lifelong journey. The journey begins when youre in charge of your first group. You realize that getting the best work from people isnt easy. You make mistakes. But it’s necessary to recognize that mistakes are one of the best ways to learn. Learn from each experience, learn from your feedback, and learn from the coaching you get from more experienced managers and mentors. The learning happens when you actually try something different. Self-awareness is a major factor. Listen to feedback. Take an honest look at yourself, and youll know what you should

Bureacracy and Democracy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Bureacracy and Democracy - Essay Example The goal is to establish a decision that is either rational or efficient in attaining the desirable goal. The goal revolves around ensuring the organization survives and the self –interests of an individual. This Theory is neo classical in nature .It connects politics and microeconomics by looking at the complaints of individuals like public servants, and citizens as similar to what self interested producers and consumers do. This theory can be traced back to the times of Adam Smith .He reasoned that when people act on self interest they may end up engaging in acts that ultimately benefit the whole society .Taking an example of a business man seeking to enrich himself. He have to make good Quality goods that are cheaper than competitors so as to increase sales and maximize revenue. In turn the society benefits from cheaper goods of better quality. From this we see that common benefit and social order are obtainable from market mechanism as opposed to the government being stron g and centralized .The elements of the market being unregulated to some degree, participants having self interest and the producers being competitive constitute the aspects of this theory. For rational choice, the drive is self interest .It influences our actions and also decisions. From this we can develop the notion of how market for goods that are public operate .People will purchase services and also goods that they prefer. Producers in this scenario are competitive, having self interests tied to responding to the demands of the consumer .We need to examine how this theory relates to authority. It goes against the public administration theory stating the people (authority eg government) are responsible for public service provision and how they should work towards it .This role becomes a function of the market forces of demand and supply and how the interact in the market. Rational choice impacts public administration in two ways. a) It has an impact on organizational behavior an d serves to explain Bureaucratical behaviors as put forth by Max Weber (Weber & Andreski, 2009). b) How public services are delivered. It encourages reforms in the public sector c) It pushes rationality in choice as the new way as opposed to Max Weber s theories on decision making (He encouraged bureaucracy) It is worth noting that rational decision making is also viewed as a normative approach to decision making 2) The simple decision making Theory This is the second theory on decision making. It explains on how decisions are actually made. It is also referred to as the descriptive approach to decision making. .To understand this we look at examples of institutions and how they are managed, Policy makers and administrators of public institutions fail to utilize scientifically obtained knowledge .Their reason at times science demands the problems to be put into fragments .This fragmentation makes it difficult to obtain quick insight into the problem .Knowledge for rational decision is not perfect as argued by scientists. Another key aspect of decisions made under this theory is that their very nature call for the authority to reach a decision .The public willingly takes the consequences resulting from them .In cases like this it becomes paramount for citizens to understand that their interests are at heart Question 2 According to Kirlin, there are seven major questions that by addressing them we get an insight into public

Compare and Contrast on the United States and Turkey on Religion, Essay

Compare and Contrast on the United States and Turkey on Religion, Politics, Social Behavior and Economic Development - Essay Example In light of this, the American adult population can be grouped into more than then twelve, earlier stated, religious traditions. In turn, this can be divided into hundreds of religious groups with distinct followings and values from the same American population. Studies show that over 70% of the American population is affiliated with one form or another of the Christian religion, while 5% are affiliated with other major and minor world religions, and the remainder is not affiliated with any religious group whosoever (The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, 2008). With this in mind, the largest Christian population belongs to protestant groups with roughly a slight population of over 50%. However, this only applies to the adult domain, thus leaving out children and a significant population of the American youth. In addition, despite having a majority, Protestantism is not homogenous religious practice among American as it is divided into three distinct groups. These include evangelical protestants, mainline protestants and historically black protestants with roughly 26%, 18% and 7% respectively, of the population following (The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, 2008). In addition, the protestant religious organization comprises of divers e denominational affiliations, such as Baptists, Methodists and Pentecostal that work in an integrated manner with the three main divisions of Protestantism. Other than this, the non-protestant population of the Christians falls under Catholicism accounting for roughly 24%. This is while; there exist Mormon groups and Jehovah’s Witnesses, as well as Orthodox churches. Other religious groups in the USA include Jews, Buddhist and Muslims, as well as other world religions such as Hinduism and Zoroastrians. The rest of the population remains unreligious, which is unlike the religious organization of the Republic of Turkey. Unlike the united states of America where one can practice whatever religion they find appealing, the Republic of Turkey is widely dominated by the Islamic religion that cover the largest population in the country. In this regard, religiously, one’s religion has been a requirement to be stated on one’s identity card. This was until the year 2006 w hen the provision was scraped to rid the country of religious discrimination despite making it optional for it to be stated, according to the cardholder’s wish. In addition, Turkey’s religious organization differs from the America organization in that it is widely Islamic and follows both religion and the voice of reason to govern it. Demographically, 90% of the Muslim population, with most of them being Sunni is just like the rest of the world (Oktem, 2002). This might be the only religious similarity the USA and Turkey have, as most of the Muslims in the US, are also Sunni Muslims. Other Islamic groups in the country include Kars and those of the Shia sect, as well as Alevis. The only difference between the groups is the values and religious rituals to which they subscribe. Other religious groups include Jews and Christians, who are then divided into different groups, which are, unlike the American ones. This is because most of them are orthodox, only that they are c ategorized according to the country of origin, such as

Visual Rhetoric Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Visual Rhetoric Analysis - Essay Example Today Hermà ¨s fashion house is an element of the upmarket, it means that it produces luxury goods and doesn’t connect itself with a mass market. Hermà ¨s clothes and leather goods are important elements in every celebrity’s wardrobe - silk Hermà ¨s scarves were worn by princesses and duchesses and leather bags became so popular among world’s beau monde, that some of the models were named after famous personalities (like Birkin bag after actress Jane Birkin or Kelly bag after Grace Kelly) and became iconic to every fashionista. This ad was made for Fall 2008 campaign for Hermà ¨s and it shows an Indian girl between two elephants, standing on the ground, covered with flowers. Girl wears white shirt and jacket, her pants and boots are also made in white tints. Outfit is chosen smartly because a model has dark skin and her whole look with such contrast appears to be quite good. Elephants pictured here are also wearing their â€Å"outfits† – their eyes are circled with ethnic symbols and their paws are coloured in orange and pink. In fact, the whole image is very harmonic in color combination – white element in the centre with two dark parts by the sides, that finally is matched with orange and pink on the ground. â€Å"Orange Hermà ¨s et Rose Indien† – that is the name of this advertisement, but a closer look to this phrase has to be made. Basically, Hermà ¨s chose India and elements of Indian culture in their ad, and it can be explained by the genuine beauty of authentic Indian cultural dominants – beautiful women, pleasant color matches, silent grace of elephants in the context of pure nature. But what was the aim of this ad? What audience does Hermà ¨s address to? Apparently, not to the people who inhabit India in its most parts. As was pointed out earlier, Hermà ¨s is a luxury brand, worn by celebrities, so, we can make an assumption that this ad is appealing to the feelings of rich people about beauty of

Change & Innovation in Car Manufacturing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Change & Innovation in Car Manufacturing - Essay Example also necessary materials and intangible assets) founded on specially developed original technology, which is able to make the product satisfying the needs. This research paper discusses the innovation in the car manufacturing industry. This phenomenon has been often studied from theoretical and practical perspective, but there is a need to study positive effects and the challenges of innovation. The approaches existing in literature represent the recommendations on the solution of certain sides of this problem, which need further development, deepening and systematization. Therefore, the issue under consideration is very relevant. The processes of updating are connected to the market relations. The main innovations are realized in the market economy by the enterprise structures as a mean of resolving commercial tasks and as the most important factor of ensuring stability of their functioning, economic growth and competitiveness. Innovations are therefore focused on the market, on the specific consumer or requirement. Innovations are very complex, many-sided problem which is connected with the production and sale. Management plays a very important role in increasing innovative policy efficiency. The general scientific concept "innovation" is defined as a target change in system functioning. In a broad sense it can be high-quality and (or) quantitative changes in various spheres and elements of the system. The general scientific concept "innovation" is defined as target change in functioning of the system, and in a broad sense it can be high-quality and (or) quantitative changes in various spheres and system elements. Innovative process represents the set of procedures and means, with the help of which a discovery, idea turn in social, educational innovation. Thus, the activity which provides transformation of ideas into innovation and also forms a control system of this process is an innovative activity. Here a novelty is understood as a result of an innovation,

Sex Offenders has to be related to criminal justice Essay

Sex Offenders has to be related to criminal justice - Essay Example An attempt will be made to establish the extent to which criminal justice can be leveled against sexual offenders. A conclusion summarizing the main points discussed in the essay will be given at the end of the essay. In order to get a clear understanding about the topic, it is imperative to begin by defining the term sexual offence. A sex offence can be loosely defined as abuse of another person which mainly involves deriving sexual pleasure from that person without consent. For instance, research has shown that rape within marriage, which has not always been recognized as a crime, is a growing area of concern in American criminal justice, and many laws have been enacted during the past few decades to deter it. â€Å"Similarly even though UCR/NIBRS Program statistics officially report only the rape or attempted rape of females, some states statutes criminalize the rape. In 2007, for example, sixth-grade Wilmington, Delaware, science teacher Rachel L. Holt, a 34-year-old divorcee, w as sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree rape. She had initially been charged with 28 counts of first-degree rape---which prosecutors said was based on the number of times she had had sex with a 13 year-old male student whom she had supplied with alcohol and let drive her car,† ( Frank Schmalleger, p. 49). ... ibes certain norms of conduct that bind all members of the state upon which it has a jurisdiction to punish a person who transgresses against these norms. As far as criminal law is concerned, the state is there to act against the defendant and criminal justice is seen as an effective tool of dealing with particular acts by the members of the society that are considered to be in violation of the prescribed norms. For partners to engage in sexual activities, there must be common understanding between them and they should first reach an agreement so that no one will feel betrayed or abused. It can be noted that there are many different forms of sexual offences and these range from rape, fondling, juvenile prostitution and sexual exploitation through child pornography. Basically, rape and child sexual abuse are more rampant forms of sexual offenses during the contemporary period. A closer look at the trends of sexual offences reveals that rape cases are on the rise in different states an d these often take different forms but all the same, this will constitute a criminal offence. A crime involving sexual abuse without consent is in violation of the societal norms and values which are protected under the public law. Criminal justice has to be effected in such scenarios. Cases involving rape within marriages have significantly gained prominence during the contemporary period especially in the US as noted above. This type of offence used to be treated lightly but some of the sexual aggression displayed to another partner can be classified as a criminal offense. Indeed, married people form the union out of love and common understanding but in some cases, when it comes to the subject of conjugal rights, there may be no common understanding between the married partners. If a

Accounting Standards Boards Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Accounting Standards Boards - Essay Example This convergence was done in order to improve the two main US accounting principles i.e. IFRA and GAAP. China and Japan also worked in this coverage of two boards. In accordance with the 2010 reports, the Securities and Exchange Commission’s have issued a statement of global accounting standard and convergence in order to direct the SEC staff. This was done to make a work plan which should be used to incorporate IFRA standards in US financial reporting system (Colson, Robert H, 2003, p.22). A brief history on the relationship of these two boards is described below: Interest of international accounting began in 1950s due to the integration of World War II and due to the increase of capital flaws in the systems. An international congress of accountant was hosted by American Institute of Certified Public Accountants in 1962. It discussed the steps for the development of accounting, auditing and other reporting standards. The first textbook of international accounting was publishe d in 1967 which was written by a member of FASB. IASB and FASB relationship was informal one. But in 1988 FASB became a member of IASC which meant that FASB was able to participate in the meetings of IASC. In 1993 FASB and its counter party conducted a joint venture project. This resulted in the improvement of in the relationship and standards of these two boards. In 2000 use of international accounting standards increased rapidly due to which IASB and FASB decided to collaborate and explore US international standards. IASB and FASB finally decided to collaborate and work together in order to improve the US accounting standards. This partnership has been mentioned in â€Å"The Norwalk Agreement.† A memorandum of understanding was issued by both of the boards in 2006. It described the targeted performance they hope to achieve by 2008. In this MOA they shared their common objective with high quality accounting standards. Both the boards completed the first joint project and iss ued a converged accounting standard on business combination in 2007. FASB and IASB updated its memorandum of understanding in 2008 in order to establish convergence goals of 2011. FASB reported the status of their project in order to converge and improve UC GAAP accounting standards in 2010. First quarter congress report was issued by both the boards which reported modification of their joint work plan. A progress report was issued by both the boards in 2011. It reported the progress of the convergence work program. In this report it gave priority to the three main areas i.e. leasing, financial instrument and revenue recognition. 1.2 IASB equivalents of the FASB original pronouncements FASB and IASB mainly establish standards in relation to finance and accounting which helps nongovernmental organizations to prepare financial statements. FASB major pronouncement is to develop the principles of general accounting, while IASB focuses on international financial reporting analysis. This indicates that IASB is not equivalent of the pronouncements of the other board. There exists difference in the practices of both the boards. FASB uses a rule based approach, which differs from the principles of IASB; it focuses on techniques, processes and organization. In spite of these differences in the original pronouncement, both the boards have agreed to converge for the best interest of financial economy. This means that the main reason of the convergence was to set universal standards of accounting. In order to reduce these differences meetings were conducted by auditors to ensure the success of both the boar

Education Role in the United States Essay Example for Free

Education Role in the United States Essay Through out the history of our nation, education has played an important role in the United States. Republican and Democrats can both agree that education is absolute necessary in out country. Recently, the federal government has take control over the states duties. The education system was first set out for the states responsibility but the federal government has taken over.so, with educaiton being the one of the polices in the agenda, george bush passes the No Child Left Behind act. This law was put into affect to make sure that all students are finding sucess in school. while, this act has a intantion the act   had fail and has actually caused harm than good.

Postural Sway and Self-Motion Perception Theory

Postural Sway and Self-Motion Perception Theory Tharushi Kaluarachchi People are often faced with a sensation of motion when gazing at moving clouds or when a train on an adjacent track moves at a railway station (Dichgans Brandt, 1978). Multiple senses contribute to this common visual illusion of self-motion. Optic flow stimuli induces a conflict between visual input, signalling movement of the body and vestibular input from inertial motion cues (A1). Visual-vestibular interactions also play an important role in maintaining postural stability (A4). Thus it is proposed that there is a common underlying mechanism between postural sway during quiet-stance and vection (A5). Recent research has shown that quiet-stance postural sway can be used to predict subsequent vection strength (A5). While many different types of global optic flow can generate self-motion (A2), this relationship has only been demonstrated for radial flow (Apthorp, Nagle, Palmisano, 2014). Therefore, does quiet-stance postural sway predict differences between multiple vection types, or is it simply a global measure distinguishing vection from non-vection? Concepts The experience of vection describes compelling visual illusions of perceived self-motion that are induced by presenting large patterns of optic flow to physically stationary observers (Palmisano, Allison, Schira, Barry, 2015). Optic flow fields provide visual signals for effective navigation through the three-dimensional environment. It describes a pattern of visual motion on the retina used to rapidly estimate the direction of movement (Duffy Wurtz, 1993). This direction is dependent on the nature of this field, differing with radial, lamellar, rotary and spiral patterns of flow (Britten, 2008). A radial pattern refers to expanding and contracting optic flow (Apthorp et al., 2014). A lamellar pattern refers to optic flow with horizontally parallel flow (Stoffregen, 1985). A rotary pattern of optic flow describes a rotating pattern also parallel to the medial-lateral axis. A spiral pattern of optic flow combines radial and rotary patterns, with the rotary component superimposed in radially expanding flow (Nakamura, 2011). The postural system concerns the position and orientation of body segments to organise balance and movement (Massion, 1994). Postural sway refers to readjustments in posture which can occur with medial-lateral (ML), side-to-side, or anterior-posterior (AP), back-and-forth sway (Ruhe, Fejer, Walker, 2011). Quiet-stance postural sway refers to both eyes open and eyes closed postural sway while standing which occurs prior to the onset of vection (Apthorp et al., 2014). Assumptions A1 (vection). Self-motion perception is a multisensory experience induced by conflicts between optic flow stimuli indicating movement and vestibular input which detects no variation in body position or velocity (Lestienne, Soechting, Berthoz, 1977). A2 (optic flow). Radially expanding and contracting optic flow stimulates forwards and backwards linear vection, respectively (Apthorp et al., 2014). For lamellar optic flow, it generates an illusion of self-translation parallel to the direction of flow (Stoffregen, 1985). A rotary pattern induces roll vection parallel to the plane of the presented flow (Tanahashi, Ujike, Kozawa, Ukai, 2007). Spiral optic flow induces a combination of roll and linear vection (Nakamura, 2011). A3 (optic flow and vection). The magnitude of vection varies with the nature of the optic flow, depending on the area, velocity, depth and spatial frequency of the pattern (Palmisano, Apthorp, Seno, Stapley, 2014). In general, more compelling vection will be induced by optic flow displays that generate significant sensory conflict (Palmisano et al., 2015). A4 (vision and posture). Maintenance of upright posture also depends on visual-vestibular cues (Del Percio et al., 2007). The extent of reliance on visual input in particular, indicates variations in posture, with a greater dependence resulting in more postural readjustments (Apthorp et al., 2014). A5 (postural sway and vection). Quiet-stance postural sway and vection are underpinned by the same basic mechanisms. This supports the use of quiet-stance postural sway measures to predict subsequent vection strength. (Palmisano et al., 2014). A6 (postural sway and vection). During upright stance, ML sway involves the control of hip and trunk muscles, whereas AP sway is regulated by ankle muscles. As these are controlled separately by the postural control system, independent variations in ML and AP are predictive of sway differences between vection types (Tucker, Kavanagh, Morrison, Barrett, 2010). Hypotheses Considering that vection magnitude varies with vection type (A3), it is hypothesised that global differences in the magnitude of future vection will be predicted by changes in quiet-stance. In addition, it is proposed that vection magnitude will be stronger for individuals who rely more on their vision for postural stability. Using local differences in sway axes, it is proposed that changes in AP sway will predict radial flow as it stimulates forwards-and-backwards self-motion (A2). For lamellar flow, which induces self-translation and roll vection generated from rotary flow (A2), it is hypothesised that ML changes will be more predictive. In addition, the combination of roll and linear vection from spiral flow may be predicted by sway in both ML and AP axes. Operationalisation Vection magnitude can be operationalised through a subjective verbal vection rating. Subjects verbally rate the strength of their vection experience on a 100 point scale, with ‘0’ indicating no perceived self-motion and ‘100’ indicating complete self-motion (Apthorp et al., 2014). Though self-report measures can be susceptible to subject cognitions, subjective ratings of vection are reasonably reliably as vection is a subjective experience (Palmisano et al., 2015). The multisensory visual-vestibular interaction for posture can be operationalised through postural sway measures. Quiet-stance postural sway, has been shown to predict subsequent vection, which makes it a viable measure of vection (Palmisano et al., 2014). Postural sway can be operationalised through the changes to the location of the centre of foot pressure (CoP) in the AP and ML direction (Ruhe et al., 2011). Larger sway amplitudes are indicative of greater postural instability. Though CoP is an indirect sway measure as it measures motor system activity, it is a practical method of measuring postural sway in standing (Ruhe et al., 2011). References Apthorp, D., Nagle, F., Palmisano, S. (2014). Chaos in balance: non-linear measures of postural control predict individual variations in visual illusions of motion. PloS one, 9(12). Britten, K. H. (2008). Mechanisms of self-motion perception. Annu. Rev. Neurosci., 31, 389-410. Del Percio, C., Brancucci, A., Bergami, F., Marzano, N., Fiore, A., Di Ciolo, E., . . . Eusebi, F. (2007). Cortical alpha rhythms are correlated with body sway during quiet open-eyes standing in athletes: a high-resolution EEG study. Neuroimage, 36(3), 822-829. Dichgans, J., Brandt, T. (1978). Visual-Vestibular Interaction: Effects on Self-Motion Perception and Postural Control. In R. Held, H. Leibowitz H.-L. Teuber (Eds.), Perception (Vol. 8, pp. 755-804): Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Duffy, C. J., Wurtz, R. H. (1993). An illusory transformation of optic flow fields. Vision Research, 33(11), 1481-1490. Lestienne, F., Soechting, J., Berthoz, A. (1977). Postural readjustments induced by linear motion of visual scenes. Exp Brain Res, 28(3-4), 363-384. Massion, J. (1994). Postural control system. Curr Opin Neurobiol, 4(6), 877-887. Nakamura, S. (2011). Effects of viewpoint jitters on roll vection. i-Perception, 2(4), 254-262. Palmisano, S., Allison, R., Schira, M., Barry, R. J. (2015). Future Challenges for Vection Research: Definitions, Functional Significance, Measures and Neural Bases. Frontiers in Psychology, 6. Palmisano, S., Apthorp, D., Seno, T., Stapley, P. (2014). Spontaneous postural sway predicts the strength of smooth vection. Exp Brain Res, 232(4), 1185-1191. Ruhe, A., Fejer, R., Walker, B. (2011). Center of pressure excursion as a measure of balance performance in patients with non-specific low back pain compared to healthy controls: a systematic review of the literature. European Spine Journal, 20(3), 358-368. Stoffregen, T. A. (1985). Flow Structure Versus Retinal Location in the Optical Control of Stance. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 11(5), 554-565. Tanahashi, S., Ujike, H., Kozawa, R., Ukai, K. (2007). Effects of visually simulated roll motion on vection and postural stabilization. Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation, 4(1), 39-39. Tucker, M. G., Kavanagh, J. J., Morrison, S., Barrett, R. S. (2010). Differences in rapid initiation and termination of voluntary postural sway associated with ageing and falls-risk. J Mot Behav, 42(5), 277-287.

Play Preferences of Developing Children

Play Preferences of Developing Children This cross-sectional survey research investigated play preferences of children with and without developmental delays who were between 3 and 7 years old. Parents completed questionnaires regarding their childs play activity and context preferences. Valid results were obtained for 166 children, 83 of whom had developmental delays. Preference ratings were compared by gender, age, and delay status. Play preference did not differ by gender. Rough-and-tumble play and computer/video game play increased with age, whereas object exploration decreased. Children with developmental delays had higher preferences for rough-and-tumble play and object exploration and lower preferences for drawing and coloring, construction, and doll and action figurine play than typically developing children. This comparison of childrens play preferences across ages, gender, and developmental status enhances our understanding of how these variables influence childrens play. ABSTRACT This cross-sectional survey research investigated play preferences of children with and without developmental delays who were between 3 and 7 years old. Parents completed questionnaires regarding their childs play activity and context preferences. Valid results were obtained for 166 children, 83 of whom had developmental delays. Preference ratings were compared by gender, age, and delay status. Play preference did not differ by gender. Rough-and-tumble play and computer/video game play increased with age, whereas object exploration decreased. Children with developmental delays had higher preferences for rough-and-tumble play and object exploration and lower preferences for drawing and coloring, construction, and doll and action figurine play than typically developing children. This comparison of childrens play preferences across ages, gender, and developmental status enhances our understanding of how these variables influence childrens play. Play is a primary childhood occupation and as such deserves the utmost attention from the occupational therapy profession. In the past, many authors have written about play as a means to measure other skills (Bundy, 1993) or as a reflection of child development (Sparling, Walker, Singdahlsen, 1984). Play has been observed, categorized, labeled, and studied by researchers in many fields (Cole la Voie, 1985; Fein, 1981; Gesell, 1940; Parten, 1932; Saunders, Sayer, Goodale, 1999). Previous research has clearly demonstrated that children progress through stages and exhibit differing play preferences over time (Cole la Voie, 1985; Fein, 1981; Lowe, 1975). Recently, occupational therapy scholars have stressed the importance of examining play as an occupation rather than analyzing its component parts (Bundy, 1993; Couch, Deitz, Kanny, 1998, Knox, 1997; Parham Primeau, 1997). Influences on Play Preferences Many variables (e.g., gender, culture, environment, and age) influence a childs play occupations. This descriptive study explores young childrens play preferences and investigates how play choices vary according to the childs age, gender, and typical development versus developmental delay status. Gender Research has repeatedly demonstrated gender differences in the play of typical children (Caldera, Huston, OBrien, 1989; Connor Serbin, 1977; Meyer-Bahlburg, Sandberg, Dolezal, Yager, 1994; Saracho, 1990). In early studies of preferences related to gender, researchers found that girls preferred dolls and house toys and boys preferred blocks and transportation toys (Fein, 1981). Recent research continues to find gender-related differences in many aspects of play beginning at early ages. For example, as early as 1 year of age, children make different toy choices based on their gender (Servin, Bohlin, Berlin, 1999). At 18 months of age, boys preferred to play with trucks and trailers, whereas girls preferred doll-related activities (Lyytinen, Laakso, Poikkeus, Rita, 1999). Gender differences are found in many aspects of play. Boys are more likely to choose physical and block play over dramatic and manipulative play, and girls are the reverse (Saracho, 1990). Although boys are more likely to enjoy vigorous or active play, girls are generally rated as more playful (Saunders et al., 1999) and more likely to enjoy both dyadic interaction (Benenson, 1993) and smaller play groups than boys. Within dramatic or fantasy play, the type of fantasy play performed differs by gender. For example, girls use more verbal pretending and choose different play themes (Wall, Pickert, Gibson, 1989) and demonstrate less aggressive content (von Klitzing, Kelsay, Emde, Robinson, Schmitz, 2000). Girls fantasy themes tend to be complex and abstract. In contrast, boys play is more physically vigorous and they tend to choose simpler fantasy themes, such as playing superheroes (Pellegrini Bjorklund, 2004). Boys and girls also differ in play with computers and video games. Boys generally play video games more frequently and for longer time periods (Kafai, 1998), and they tend to play games in which competition is important. Girls like games with in-depth social interactions and character development; they appear to enjoy participating in a story more than participating in a competitive game (Salonius-Pasternak, 2005). Age A childs age is related to both play skills and play preferences for the type and context of play. Developmental changes in play skill have been found in a variety of studies of childrens play. For example, pretend play first emerges between 1 and 2 years of age and increases in prevalence and frequency throughout the preschool and kindergarten years (Fein, 1981). Play preferences have been shown to begin early in life. Infant toy preferences are noted by mothers as early as 3 months of age, and by 1 year of age almost 90% of infants have a favorite object (Furby Wilke, 1982). Children have also demonstrated changes over time in their preference for specific forms of play, such as physical play. In one study of physical play, the authors found that preference for each of three types of physical play peaks at a different age (Pellegrini Smith, 1998). Rhythmic stereotypes dominate during infancy, exercise play peaks during the preschool years, and rough-and-tumble play is most common during middle childhood. Age also interacts with gender to affect the choices. For example, the preferences of young children for gender-segregated groups begin to change in pre-adolescence (Brown, 1990), as do the gender-specific preferences for indoor and outdoor play (Pellegrini, 1992). Age may be less of a factor in play development in children with disabilities (Sigafoos, Roberts-Pennell, Graves, 1999). Developmental Delay or Disability Multiple studies have demonstrated that children with physical disabilities play differently than children who are developing typically. Children with physical disabilities spend more time in passive activities (Brown Gordon, 1987) and may demonstrate less active involvement with objects (Gowen, Johnson-Martin, Goldman, Hussey, 1992). Children with physical disabilities spend more time with adults than with their peers and participate more in passive activities, such as television watching, than in active and varied play experiences (Howard, 1996). In addition, children with physical disabilities, cerebral palsy in particular, may be less playful than their typically developing peers (Okimoto, Bundy, Hanzlik, 2000). Based on previous research, it is unclear whether children with disabilities have different play preferences or merely have an inability to access various forms of play. One study demonstrated that children with mild motor disabilities held preferences similar to children without disabilities (Clifford Bundy, 1989). In a study investigating object play preferences in children with an autistic spectrum disorder, Desha, Ziviani, and Rodger (2003) found that the children (41 to 86 months old) engaged predominantly in functional play and preferred toys with salient sensorimotor properties (toys that produced sound or movement with minimal effort). Other research has suggested that children with autism prefer toys and play situations that are structured and predictable (Ferrara Hill, 1980). Contextual Variables Contextual factors may affect play occupations. Researchers have demonstrated that children have fairly stable preferences for play partners, including the gender of play partners (Hay, Payne, Chadwick, 2004; Martin Fabes, 2001), play settings, and play objects (Knox, 1997). Other studies suggest that the physical environment impacts childrens development of play occupations. For example, outdoor play provides children with opportunities for sensory exploration (e.g., in dirt, water, sand, and mud), learning about space, and vigorous physical activity. Indoor play offers opportunities for quiet play, reading, drawing, construction, and computer games (Clements, 2004). Research Questions The literature on childrens play preferences suggests that children have clear preferences that are influenced by gender, age, and developmental status. Examining the current play choices and preferences of children is important to further understand the development of play occupations and what variables influence a childs play choices. This study investigated the play preferences of children with and without developmental delays who were between 3 and 7 years old. The specific research questions that guided our survey research were the following: 1. Do boys and girls differ in their play activity preferences? 2. Do childrens play activity preferences differ by age in early childhood years? 3. Do play activity preferences differ between children with developmental delays who receive therapy services and children with typical development? Methods Sample Convenience sampling was used to recruit parents of children with typical development or with developmental delays (who received occupational, speech, or physical therapy services) who were between 3 and 8 years old to complete a survey describing play preferences. A total of 330 surveys were provided to parents of typically developing children and children with developmental delays in the Northeast and the Midwest regions in the United States. In the Midwest, participants were obtained through a large childcare center and two preschools. All participants in the Northeast were obtained through two large private practice clinics. To obtain a sample of typically developing children in the Northeast, parents of children receiving therapy services in the clinics were asked to complete a survey for a sibling without developmental problems. Instrument The survey was based on Takatas instrument (Takata, 1969) that measures play preferences and the categories were modified to reflect modern play activities. The survey required parents to respond to a list of play activity preferences for one of their children. Studies have demonstrated that mothers can accurately rank play activities (Tamis-LeMonda, Damast, Bornstein, 1994) and parent report has been used previously in research of childrens play preferences (Finegan, Niccols, Zacher, Hood, 1991). The survey listed play activities and contexts and asked parents to rate their childs preference for each activity and context. Parents were also asked to provide information about age, disability status, and gender. The parents were asked about play preferences within a 3-month period because other researchers have suggested that play preferences remain relatively stable within this period of time (Finegan et al., 1991). Parents were not asked questions regarding their nationality, race, ethnicity, social class, or socioeconomic status because these factors have not been demonstrated to be related to play preferences (Meyer-Bahlburg et al., 1994). To pilot test the survey, two peer reviewers commented on the items and then six parents completed the survey and were asked to comment on its format and clarity and the amount of time it took to complete. Minimal revisions were made to improve clarity. The final survey listed 37 play activities in 11 categories of play and 11 contextual variables. The survey used a 4-point Likert scale for scoring, with each play activity rated from highly preferred (4) to not preferred (1), and respondents could also select not applicable. Individual activities were listed under broader categories (e.g., gross motor play, creative play, and pretend play). The second part of the survey asked for the childs preferences for specific play environments, including social context (e.g., friends or family) and physical contexts (e.g., inside or outside). A third section asked for descriptive information about the child (e.g., gender, birth date, diagnosis, if any, and services received). Data Analysis Demographic data and preference ratings were summarized using descriptive statistics. Children were combined into age groups by year by rounding to the nearest year. Although specific diagnoses were identified for the children, the children were grouped into those with and without developmental delays for purposes of analysis. To reduce the data, the individual activities were combined into play categories (e.g., gross motor, rough-and-tumble play, and pretend play). The 33 activities were collapsed into 9 play categories and the 11 contextual variables were collapsed into 4 play contexts. The figure identifies how the items were combined into categories. When computing mean scores, the responses not applicable and not preferred were combined as a score of 1 because both responses indicated that the child did not engage in that play activity. Using each play category and play context, a three-way analysis of variance with gender, age, and disability status as the independent variables was computed. Scheffe post-hoc analyses were used to compare individual age groups. Effect sizes (Cohens d) were calculated for gender and developmental status comparisons. Although a Likert scale produces ordinal data, parametric statistical procedures were selected over non-parametric statistical procedures based on research demonstrating that these statistics result in the same conclusions as non-parametric tests (Glass, Peckham, Sanders, 1972), they are preferable in most cases, and they do not increase the likelihood of a Type I or Type II error (Nanna Sawilowsky, 1998; Rasmussen Dunlap, 1991). Use of parametric statistics allowed us to examine t he interactions among the variables. Results Sample A total of 175 surveys were returned. Only five surveys for 8 year olds were returned; therefore these were omitted from the analysis. Of the 170 remaining, 166 were sufficiently complete to use in the analysis. Demographic data for the sample are presented in Table 1. Gender The three-way analysis of variance identified no significant differences in play activity preferences between boys and girls (effect size ranged from .01 to .26). Table 2 lists the mean scores, analysis of variance results, and effects sizes for the primary play categories. Play preferences were remarkably similar for boys and girls, with equivalent preference for gross motor play, rough-and-tumble play, video and computer games, drawing and coloring, dolls, and pretend play. The interaction for gender and age was significant for doll play preference. Three- to four-year-old boys preferred play with dolls and action figurines more than 3- to 4-year-old girls. In contrast, 5- to 6-year-old boys preferred play with dolls and action figurines less than 5- to 6-year-old girls. Play contexts were also compared by gender. Boys (m = 2.03) and girls (m = 1.95) were equally neutral about playing alone (F [1,156] = .074; p = .786). Both boys (m = 2.63) and girls (m = 2.60) equally preferred to play with friends (F [1, 156] = .031; p = .860) and equally preferred indoor (mean range: 2.73 to 2.80) and outdoor (mean range: 2.75 to 2.86) play. Age Groups Play preferences were compared by age groups. Table 3 shows which play categories were significantly different for age groups between 3 and 7 years old. In this early childhood age span, changes in play preferences were few. Preference for rough-and-tumble play changed significantly from 3 to 7 years old. Rough-and-tumble play was preferred most at 5 years old and was only somewhat preferred at 7 years old. Preference for video and computer games increased significantly in this age range. Video and computer game play was scored between not preferred and neutral at 3 years old and was somewhat preferred by 7 years old. Preference for drawing and coloring and construction increased from 3 to 7 years old, but these differences were not significant. Preference for pretend play differed significantly across the age groups, with low preference scores at the youngest and oldest ages and higher preference scores at 4 and 5 years old. Doll and action figurine play was also highest at 4 years old; however, changes in doll play preference were not significant across age groups. When play contexts were compared across the age groups, children showed no differences in preference for playing alone (range: 1.88 to 2.23; F [4,156] = 1.3; p = .272) or with friends (range: 2.27 to 2.93; F [4,156] = 1.95; p = .105) or for playing indoors (range: 2.35 to 2.86; F [4,153] = .793: p = .531) or outdoors (range: 2.50 to 2.91; F [4,152] = 1.23; p = .300). The least preferred play context across all ages was alone. Children With and Without Developmental Delays Play preferences of children with developmental delays were compared to those of children with typical development. Mean scores, analysis of variance results, and effect sizes are presented in Table 4. Children in the delayed and non-delayed groups equally preferred gross motor play, but rough-and-tumble play was preferred more by children with developmental delays, demonstrating a moderate effect (d = .52). In the quiet play categories, typically developing children preferred drawing and coloring more than children with developmental delays. For drawing and coloring, there was also an interaction with gender: preferences of boys with developmental delays (m = 2.57) were lower than those of boys with typical development (m = 3.42), but girls were equivalent in the two groups (developmental delays m = 3.13; typical development m = 3.19). In children with developmental delays, preference for doll and action figurine play was significantly less and preference for object exploration was slightly greater than for children without developmental delays. Although pretend play did not differ in these groups, the interaction of age and developmental delay status for pretend play preference was significant. In younger children (3 and 4 years old), those who were typically developing preferred pretend play; this preference reversed by 7 years old when preferences of children with developmental delays were significantly higher than typically developing children for pretend play. Play preferences for these two groups of children are rank ordered in Table 5. The five most preferred play forms for children with typical development were gross motor, drawing and coloring, reading and watching television, construction, and rough-and-tumble play. The five most preferred play forms for children with developmental delays were rough-and-tumble play, gross motor, reading and watching television, drawing and coloring, and construction. Preferred play contexts also differed for the two groups. Although both groups were neutral about playing alone, children with developmental delays showed a lower preference for playing with friends (m = 2.29) than children with typical development (m = 2.93) (F [1,156] = 13.11; p Discussion Gender Comparisons A surprising finding was that boys and girls held the same or similar play preferences. For example, we found no differences between boys and girls in doll and action figurine play or pretend play. In contrast, most of the research literature has concluded that boys and girls prefer different types of play. In older studies (Fagot, 1974, 1978; McDowell, 1937), girls and boys preferred different toys (i.e., girls preferred dolls and house toys, whereas boys preferred blocks and transportation toys). During the preschool and early childhood years, boys are more likely to adopt fantasy and aggressive play (e.g., monsters or fighting) and girls are more likely to play house (Fein, 1981). One possible reason for our finding that boys and girls were similar in play preferences is that we broadly defined doll play to include play with action figurines (e.g., Batman, Spiderman, and robots), which are considered boy toys. With dolls defined this broadly, boys and girls did not differ. In the research literature, pretend play is not the only play category where boys and girls differ. In two studies of children between 4 and 12 years old, boys preferred rough-and-tumble play and girls preferred quiet play (Finegan et al., 1991; Saracho, 1990). Saracho (1990) found that boys are more likely to prefer physical and block play over dramatic and manipulative play, and girls were the reverse. In a review of electronic play, Salonius-Pasternak (2005) reported that boys spend more time in video and computer game play than girls. Our study found no differences between boys and girls in preference for gross motor, rough-and-tumble play, or video game activities. Gym sets, trikes and bikes, and playgrounds were preferred play activities for both genders. When genders are compared, preferences of boys and girls were remarkably similar. Boys were slightly, but not significantly, higher than girls in rough-and-tumble play (d = .26), and other areas that differed in previous studies (e.g., preference for video and computer games and drawing and coloring) were equivalent. The equivocal results between our study and those that preceded it may be explained by their different methodologies (e.g., our survey used parent report and listed both boy and girl examples of the play categories). Gender differences may not exist when broad play categories are measured. Age Comparisons When the ages of the children were compared, three categories showed significant differences across age groups. Rough-and-tumble play increased from 3 to 5 years old, and then decreased from 5 to 7 years old. As preference for rough-and-tumble play decreased, preference for video and computer games increased. Other researchers (Salonius-Pasternak, 2005) have documented the increase in computer game play, which begins at 7 years old and peaks in adolescence. As documented in the literature, pretend play increases during the preschool years (3 to 5 years old) and decreases after 6 years old (Fein, 1981), when rule-governed games begin to dominate play (Parham Primeau, 1997). Other categories showed expected trends, but differences among the age groups were not significant. Gross motor play (defined as bike, trike, tag, and gym set activities) did not decrease across the age groups and was consistently a highly preferred activity. Drawing and coloring, construction, watching television, and reading activities remained somewhat preferred throughout the age range. The development of play skills has been well documented by researchers (Rosenblatt, 1977; Takata, 1969); however, most research has focused on the first 2 to 3 years of life, which is when play skills change dramatically. Our study captured ages during which play preference is stable for certain forms of play and evolving for others. Takata (1969) conceptualized 4 to 7 years old as one play epoch. Dramatic role playing, social role playing, and realistic construction characterize this epoch. Play preferences appear to change substantially after 7 years old, which is when children prefer games with rules and social play in the context of organized games. Our findings regarding the effect of age on play preferences, which were significant but not dramatic, may reflect that our age range was essentially one play epoch (Takata, 1969). Differences Between Children With and Without Developmental Delays In our sample, children with developmental delays were primarily children with sensory integration dysfunction, autism, pervasive developmental disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or general developmental delays. Children with these diagnoses often have motor planning difficulty, sensory processing problems, and social and communication limitations without frank motor, manipulation, and mobility impairments. The play preferences of children with developmental delays were consistent with the performance limitations associated with these development disorders. Children with developmental delays preferred rough-and-tumble play significantly more than children with typical development. This preference may reflect the sensory needs of children with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, pervasive developmental disorder, or sensory integration disorder. Rough-and-tumble play, such as wrestling and rough housing, provides children with deep tissue pressure and joint compression, which is the proprioceptive input that helps their systems organize and calm (Baranek, 2002; Blanche Schaaf, 2001). In addition, rough-and-tumble play does not demand fine motor skills or precision performance; it is play in which almost every child can participate and succeed. The other play category in our study preferred significantly more by children with developmental delays was object exploration. Object exploration reflects basic sensory motor play that predominates in children 1 to 3 years old and decreases during the preschool years as more skillful and symbolic play emerges. The higher preference by children with developmental delays probably reflects preference for simpler, lower demand play activities. In other play forms, typically developing children showed higher preference; they preferred drawing and coloring and dolls and action figurines more than children with developmental delays. These play forms require fine motor and manipulative skills, and they require higher levels of cognitive ability, imagination, pretend, and understanding of symbols. In addition, the interaction of pretend play, age, and developmental delay was significant. At younger ages, pretend play was preferred more by children with typical development; this reversed at older ages, when pretend play was preferred more by children with developmental delays. Therefore, the children with developmental delays developed an interest in pretend play at older ages, which is when interest by children with typical development was diminishing. This finding contrasts with that of Sigafoos et al. (1999), who found that children with disabilities did not exhibit play forms beyond sensorimotor and functional play. Our contrasting findings may be explained because the children in our sample were less severely involved. Both groups were neutral (mean range: 1.81 to 2.45) for doll and action figurine play and pretend play. This neutral preference may reflect that the time spent in pretend play is minimal when compared to other play forms. Fein (1981) suggested that preschool children spend between 10% and 17% of their time in pretend play, which reflects only a small portion of boys and girls total play time. Sigafoos et al. (1999) observed that children with developmental delays spent 10% of their time in pretend play. When the types of play are rank ordered by preference, pretend play and doll and action figurine play have the lowest preference scores. Numerous studies have documented differences in play when children with disabilities were compared to children without disabilities. Research demonstrates differences in play skills (Mogford, 1977), object and social play (Sigafoos et al., 1999), and playfulness (Clifford Bundy, 1989; Okimoto et al., 2000). Sigafoos et al. (1999) followed preschool children with developmental disabilities for 3 years and documented that they primarily engaged in exploratory (28%) and functional play (57%) and that these percentages did not change over time. Baranek, Reinhartsen, and Wannamaker (2001) described the play of children with autism as lacking in imitation and imagination, containing fewer play repertoires, exhibiting decreased play organization, and exhibiting limited social play. Their play tends to lack flexibility and creativity (Craig Baron-Cohen, 1999). Functional play seems to dominate in children with autism with minimal evidence of pretend or symbolic play (Libby, Powell, Messer, Jordan, 1998). Differences in children with sensory integration dysfunction have been identified by Parham and Mailloux (2005) and may be more subtle than the differences seen in autism (Desha et al., 2003). The play of children with sensory integration dysfunction is often limited in play scenarios because they avoid certain play experiences that cause sensory feedback discomfort and they have restricted action repertoires due to perceptual difficulties and dyspraxia (Knox, 2005; Parham Mailloux, 2005). Using a sample of preschool age children (4 to 6 years) with sensory integration dysfunction, Clifford and Bundy (1989) did not find significant differences in play materials preferences but did find differences in how the children used toys. Our sample with developmental delays, which included autism, sensory integration dysfunction, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, showed trends similar to the literature in that the children preferred simple play forms (i.e., object exploration and rough-and-tumble play) to more complex and skilled play forms (i.e., drawing and coloring and pretend play). When all play preference categories are ranked, the order of preference differed between groups, but the top five preferences were the same. The primary difference between the groups was in rough-and-tumble play (ranked first for children with developmental delays and fifth for children with typical development). Object exploration was the least preferred for children with typical development and dolls were least preferred for children with developmental delays. Consistent with the literature that describes problems in social play in children with developmental delays, children with typical development had significantly higher preferences for playing with friends (d = .57) than children with developmental delays. Playing alone was significantly more preferred in children with developmental delays. Response to these items may reflect the childs preference or may relate to actual play opportunities and experiences. Delays in communication and social interaction may create barriers for children with developmental delays to play with peers (Baranek et al., 2001; Tanta, 2004). Clinical Implications The findings of our study confirm the importance of physical play because, almost universally, the study participants enjoyed, and often preferred, physical play. At the same time, the participants balanced their preference for physical play with more sedentary play forms, such as reading, watching television, drawing and coloring, and construction. The range of preferences may indicate the need for relaxation as one aspect of play (Parham Primeau, 1997). Children seem to have broad and varied play preferences because 6 of the 11 play forms were rated as somewhat to highly preferred. Individual play preferences appear to be best defined by the player and cannot be assumed based on age, gender, or disability status. Of concern is the preference of children with developmental delays t

Joan of Arc Essay -- Essays Papers

Joan of Arc In the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City the painting â€Å"Joan of Arc† by Jules Bastien-Lepage hangs in the B. Gerald Cantor Sculpture Gallery. This Piece is rather large and was done with oil paint on canvas, its dimensions being approximately eight feet tall with a width of ten feet. When walking toward Bastien-Lapage’s painting, it’s size and realism grabs one’s attention, and then holds it while this scene of Joan of Arc seems to take place right before one’s eyes. The corridor where the painting is displayed is part of the museums permanent collection. The gallery is composed of many sculptures with paintings placed between them; almost all of the work is French and done sometime in the 1800’s. This long and wide corridor has Ionic styled pillars at each end, and all together the subtle architecture goes nicely with all the different art work displayed. Bastien-Lepage’s painting is placed third from the end of this corridor and fits there nicely, although one might expect it to see it somewhere else for the amount of attention it receives. To the right of the painting is the wall sign that states the artist’s life span, which was 1848 to 1884, along with the following brief history: â€Å"After the Province of Lorraine was lost to Germany following the Franco-Prussian War in 1871, the French saw in Joan of Arc a new and powerful symbol. In 1875 Bastien-Lepage, a native of Lorraine, began to make studies for a picture of her. In the present Painting, exhibited in the salon of 1880, Joan is shown receiving her revelation in her parents’ garden. Behind her are Saint Michael, Margaret, and Catherine.† Joan appears to be the focus of the painting as she stands in the foreground and to the right. Her image is almost life size, and, along with an enormous amount of detail that has been used, she appears very lifelike. Joan stands with her head and shoulder leaning slightly against a tree and her eyes looking upward. Her left arm is stretched out away from her body and holding the end branch of a young flexible tree, while her right arm is at her side with her hand cupped against her dress. The smoothness in the contours of her skin and the ways the textures are represented on her clothing, with the folding and shadowing, are all done well. The use of the different shades of color for the skin tones, clothing, and their... ...ts position in the museum seems to have been well thought out. Unfortunately, this painting loses some of its grandeur when one gets up close. The only real detail work that is put into this piece that looks great up close is ironically the one element that can not be seen from a distance, which is a group of men at the bottom bathing in the waters. While this piece can be positioned on this wall so that it receives its first attention from afar, a piece like Bastien-Lepage’s would not be completely at home in this location. When passing by Joan in her present location, at about a distance of 6 feet as the flow of the room so works, the feeling of being right there with her is exemplified. Then as one moves away to the wall opposite the painting at a distance of about fifteen feet, the furthest distance that the room allows, the beauty of the whole painting is taken in with nothing being lost. After taking in every detail up close and then stepping back to let the painting consume the viewer on a whole, Jules Bastien-Lepage’s painting of Joan of Arc shows the artist’s fine tuned skills in capturing the essence of realism while also conveying a deep humanistic compassion.

Compare and contrast the music of the Medieval, Rennaissance, and Baroq

Music throughout the ages has changed dramatically. Starting in the Medieval period, from 400-1475, music was in the form of what is called the Gregorian chant. Instruments were very rarely used at this time. Since songs during this period were either troubadour or trouvere these chants had no real harmony. One example of this type of medieval composition is â€Å"Viderunt Omnes† by Leoninus. Like most Gregorian chants the texture of this piece is monophonic and polyphonic. â€Å"Viderunt Omnes† is a typical Gregorian chant in that it uses diatonic, not chromatic notes of the scale. Musical compositions during the Medieval period was made mostly by members of the church for the church. It was and is a very slow and steady movement that was meant to create a feeling of peace for worship purposes. As time passed and music continued to evolve what is known as the Renaissance period emerged from 1475-1600. Music during this period was still written with worship as its intentions. Where the Medieval period had no harmony the Renaissance period introduced the use of a constant chord to form the building block of the different pieces. A good example of this period of music is â€Å"Ave Maria† by Josquin written in 1485. The many different voices the repeat the same words create a process called imitation. This particular chant is capella, meaning that it is performed by voices alone and has no musical accompaniment and with all the voices entering at different times but in harmony counterpoint i...

Analysis of Twain’s on the Decay of the Art of Lying

Critical Analysis On the Decay of the Art of Lying by Mark Twain â€Å"Lying is universal – we all do it. † In the essay, the author believes that all men lie because we must lie. There are many instances wherein men were prompted to lie at some point of their lives for the benefit of others. According to him, it’s better to give a good lie than a destructive truth. Lying for other’s advantage was given precedence than telling the truth at all times no matter how it hurts. Unfortunately, lying is easily covered with different alibis and given little thought of how destructive it might become on the long run. Twain considers lying as a noble art. It is the fourth grace and an eternal virtue. â€Å"Judicious lying is what the world needs,† he said. He’d sometimes think that it’s better not to lie if the lie will be destructive to others. For him, a habitual truth-teller [someone who speaks truthfully at all times] doesn’t exist and had never existed. The author gives us a simple look on how lying had become the fad of his generation. Even in the tiniest of things, people tend to lie. It goes to show that many are pretentious and still is today. However, the author overlooks one thing. True – a lie for the good of another might be reasonable – but lying will always be lying. Truth hurts indeed but a lie hurts even more when unveiled. As far as God is concerned, liars go to hell. A small lie can lead people to the lake of fire. Of course, God forgives sins. He forgives lying, too, so long as the person will repent from it. Avoiding lies might be hard to do with all the deception and temptation going on around but it’s not impossible. Fearing to tell the truth means that you’re afraid of what will happen to you. In order to protect one’s self from being punished or from hurting others, lying becomes the scapegoat. Eventually, it develops into a habit and you become a ‘master’ at it. For Twain, he is still a newbie in this game. He would like for this art to be cultivated in the forms of charitable and unselfish lying. Again, lying is always and has always been a manifestation of selfishness. Lastly, uttering lies won’t disappear in the years ahead but it’s elevation as a virtue might need some thinking. It is an agonizing fact that some think the same way as Twain does. The difference is that he (Twain) was able to voice out his opinions in a very artistic way through his writing while other people don’t care that much. This essay is an eye opener for all the people in this world about the art of lying. This form of art encompasses race, gender and culture. Different punishments await the liar but that never abolished it altogether. As long as people continue to let lies surround them, this art won’t be decaying soon. â€Å"For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak. † Psalm 59:12 KJV

Production Strategy in China

Mattel outsources its production to China through its Vendor Operations Asia (VOA), based at Hong Kong. VOA outsources to suppliers who are based at Hong Kong having their production setups in mainland China. These suppliers have the wherewithal to cut through the complex regulations and bureaucracy in China.Mattel outsources only its non core products and short life cycle products to China, which can respond very fast to product changes and modifications due to its strengths in material processing and expertise in toy manufacturing.In House Production vs. Outsourcing:In house production offers significant control over quality, product safety, because of the direct control over the supply chain by the company. It protects the IP rights of the company by not giving the manufacturing expertise and designs to any supplier. On the other hand, in house production can cost significantly more than outsourcing. Also, the company has to acquire a wide management knowledge base, to excel in su pply chain management and manufacturing practices.Outsourcing significantly reduces production cost because of lower labor costs, lower inputs and material processing costs, and an existing infrastructure in manufacturing. So Mattel has better operational efficiency and reduced capital requirements. On the downside, quality is difficult to monitor, especially where there are secondary and tertiary suppliers who supply to the main vendor. A manufacturing plant needs to operate in an efficient manner. The support that is necessary for this is the supply chain, the costs of running a factory, including labor costs, and regulatory aspects of the country. The supply chain available in the country must be able to supply to this industry. Labor costs must be low and the local Government must be supportive of the venture.Offshoring and Outsourcing:When Mattel closes it American and European plants to set up its own manufacturing facilities in China, it is Offshoring. Offshoring happens when the company wants to manufacture by itself, but at a lower cost.When a Mattel factory in UK contracts out a portion of manufacturing to Poland or Mattel contracts an outside entity to completely manufacture a toy, it is outsourcing. Offshoring is a factory or operations shifting to some other country. Outsourcing is contracting an outside entity to do certain operations.Environmental Factors affecting Offshoring and Outsourcing in China:C hina has lax IP rules. Hence a supplier could end up manufacturing a look alike of Mattel toys and get away with it. China is very sensitive about labor issues and rights. Mattel’s suppliers and the VOA sit in Hong Kong and production happens in mainland China. Hence, it is very difficult to maintain and monitor quality. Rising costs in China are making suppliers evade safety standards.Amazon:Value Creation to Customers:Amazon creates value through its exceptional supply chain practices. These practices enable Amazon to offer a wide variety of products, at the lowest cost, with the best offers, at the fastest delivery time, with free shipping. These are achieved by   excellence in supply chain management, by establishing DC’s to cater to large demand groups and thus be able to serve customers quicker and better, generating higher sales.Amazon’s Strategy Evolution:Amazon started as a pure virtual e-marketing company, which will not stock its products but will o perate with strategic alliances and only shipping and sorting operations are done.To effectively serve its customers and to create value, the company has moved to becoming an e-marketing company which stocks, sorts and ships material with a very complex and sophisticated own supply chain and allied operations. It allows customers to sell their own products and partners with other sites that are looking for a channel. It has moved from an e-marketing company to a global internet channel brand.Amazon’s US and European Strategy:The US is a large market with no differences in terms of culture. So Amazon is dealing with customers who have the same language and lifestyles. In Europe, the company can not replicate its US strategies in totem. There are three different large markets in Europe: UK, Germany & France.Each has a different language, lifestyles and requirements. While in the US, the DC’s can effectively stock the same items and supply them to the target geographies. But in Europe, with three different portals supplying different products, the strategy is different. Also, Europe has different regulations to be complied with in terms of pricing. So Amazon relies on postal agencies, for their efficiency and low costs to provide free shipping and thus show a saving for the customer.Amazon started taking checks and postal orders to increase market penetration. In Europe, there were book wholesalers, so Amazon had to enter into direct partnerships with hundreds of publishers, unlike the US. Vendors do not operate on EDN, so time taken for fulfillment of orders is more and also uncertainty of shipped quantity.

Hobbes’ Political Philosophy Essay

Hobbes argues that the state of nature is a state of perpetual war of all against all and consequently, the life of man in the state of nature â€Å"solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short† (xiii, 9). In this paper I will explain Hobbes’ arguments that support his claim to the state of nature. I will also assess these arguments and state that they are not valid and, therefore, not sound. I will then talk about the most controversial premise, relative scarcity of goods, and how Hobbes would respond to the objections of this premise. I will then talk about his response to this objection being unsuccessful. Finally, I will assess whether it will be possible to leave the state of nature given the factors Hobbes describes that create the state of nature. I will show that Hobbes’ argument on how men will leave the state of nature is a valid and sound argument. According to Hobbes this war of â€Å"all against all† comes from three key points. First, Hobbes states that there is a rough equality among men. Hobbes means by equality of men, that one man is not strong or intelligent enough that he can overpower two men. Secondly, because of this equality between men, if there is competition for the same goods, men will begin to distrust each other. Lastly, Hobbes states that because of this mistrust there is a cascade effect. The anticipation of one man being attacked causes them to attack the other because they consider it a better option to attack, rather than wait and be attacked. According to Hobbes this leads to a war of all against all. This is an invalid argument and therefore unsound. I will show that this argument is invalid by showing that because of the equality of men there is a fear among men. The premise dealing with the equality of men makes this argument invalid because if all men were considered equal, then men would be in constant fear of one another. This is due to the lack of ability to overpower each other. They would be unwilling to attack each other because there is no assurance that they would win because of this. The most controversial premise is the one dealing with the competition between goods. The scarcity of goods does not necessarily have to lead to a competition amongst the goods. An example of this is the Native Americans. They could be considered to have lived in the state of nature, but they did not live in a state of a war of all against all as described by Hobbes. Some tribes had goods that other tribes did not have and vice versa. The tribes realized this and traded their own goods with each other. Hobbes might respond to this objection by saying that this is an invalid argument because it is relying on the premise that everyone is going to keep to their covenants in the state of nature. If people behave rationally and act on their own self-interest it would make sense that people would break their covenants after the other party has completed their side. They would break them because they would have more to gain This response would not be adequate because Hobbes also states in Leviathan, that if one side completes their part of the covenant then the other side should keep their part, even in the state of nature. If one were to not keep their covenant, then they may not be trusted to keep covenants by another group because of their previous breaking of covenants. Hobbes’ description of the state of nature as a state of a constant war of all against all is that it is not a literal state of every man against every man but more like a war of several small groups of family and friends against other groups of the same. The key factors that generate the state of war are equality of men, scarcity of goods, competition for goods, mistrust because of competition, mistrust generates anticipation of an attack, and therefore they arm and attack. Hobbes’ argument assumes that people behave rationally and act on their best self interest. If they act in their best self-interest in the state of nature it will cause them both to arm and attack each other rather than to disarm and have peace. They will do this because it is in their best self-interest. If one of them were to disarm and the other were to arm then the one who arms would have victory over the other who disarmed, who will have defeat. Rationally they would both arm and attack each other causing a war of all against all. In order to escape the state of nature men must first realized that it would be better if they compact together under a sovereign. They must then decided on a common sovereign and allow that sovereign to rule over all, despite whom each individual chose. I will show that Hobbes’ argument that gets men out of the state of nature is valid and sound. I will show this by taking the premise that men act on their own self-interest, and explain how it will lead to an escape of the state of nature. If men have the option, either to remain independent or compact together with someone else under a sovereign, and if men think rationally, then it would be in their best self-interest to live under the common interest and the protection of the sovereign. It is in their best self-interest because if they remained independent then they would be at a disadvantage because the others would have the backing of everyone who has compacted with the sovereign. Additionally, if there is a dispute between who is to be sovereign, even if it is not the one that they would prefer, if they behave rationally, they would decide to compact under the rule of that sovereign. It is in their self-interest to live under a sovereign even if they did not want them as sovereign, instead of reverting back to the state of nature. Assuming Hobbes is correct in stating that the state of nature is a war of all against all, it is shown that even with the mistrust between people, it will still be rational to compact under a sovereign to escape the state of nature.

Restrictions on Gun Ownership

Running Head: RESTRICTIONS ON GUN OWNERSHIP Are there any Legitimate Restrictions on Gun Ownership? Steve PHI103: Informal Logic The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution gives the citizens of America the right of the people to bear arms. This was adopted with the rest of the Bill of Rights. However, with this being said there are people that take this right to heart, and they feel they should be able to have any gun they want. There are guns that are specifically designed for military, some local or state law enforcement and are illegal for the average person to own. There are a lot of Federal and state laws that have to be met prior to anyone purchasing and therefore, owning a gun. There are safety laws that have been put in place to keep guns out of the hands of convicted felons, children, and the mentally handicapped as well as other irresponsible people that may have the ability to injure or kill another human being. There are also certain criteria a person will have to meet before the purchase of a gun will go through. A gun owner knows what it takes to kill and those individuals know there should be different forms of gun control measures to help prevent accidents from occurring. As the saying goes â€Å"Guns don’t kill people, people do. † The prevention of accidents is just one reason for supporting gun control. Another reason to support gun control is to prevent the people already mentioned from having the ability to get a gun that can be used to injure or intimidate people. Better enforcement of the many gun laws we have in place currently should be the priority of the state and local law enforcement agencies. Commandeering someone’s gun or extremely over-the-top gun laws are not the answers to fixing the gun problems we are faced with today. Strictly enforcing current laws, we have in place now is the answer. The U. S. Supreme Court in a 5-4 vote on Thursday June 26, 2008 declared for the first time that Second Amendment to the U. S. Constitution guaranteed the rights of individual Americans to bear and keep arms. They stated that the ownership of a gun is a right of the individual, not intertwined with military service, and that it can be regulated in some ways, (2008, June 26) Furthermore, this ruling came out of Washington D. C; case that had a security guard sued the district for prohibiting him from keeping his handgun at his home. In D. C. , it is a crime to carry an unregistered firearm, and registration of a handgun is prohibited. The rules for handguns are so strict that they regulate handguns out of existence. These rules are put in place to try and curb violence with handguns in the nation’s capital. This ruling furthermore struck down this ban on constitutional grounds, stating it flew in the face of our constitutional right to bear arms, (2008, June 26) The case in D. C. also It was also stated that the two sides in this case viewed the Founding Fathers intentions of the Amendment rights very different. For the most part the majority of the Supreme Court Justices said that this amendment protected the individual’s right to own a gun without connection with the service in a militia and to use this for a lawful purpose such as self-defense in the home. â€Å"Like most rights, the Second Amendment right is not unlimited. It is not a right to keep and carry any weapons whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose,† Justice Antonin Scalia wrote for the majority. But it did allow for individuals to have guns for lawful purposes, such as hunting and defending themselves, he said. The majority clearly saw the individual right to own a gun, (2008, June 26) This ruling left in place many restrictions at both the federal and state levels, like the bans that were placed on felon’s right to have a gun, and the bans on sawed-off shotguns and assault weapons. Justice John Paul Stevens stated that this ruling would leave it up to future courts to really define the details of the right to bear arms. He also stated that this should be the business of state legislatures, and that the court should stay out of this. Lastly, he stated that the law-abiding citizen will be able to keep a gun at home, but that it doesn’t address how the different states legislatures will want to regulate gun ownership. In another statement by Justice Stephen Breyer he stated that in his view â€Å"there simply is no untouchable constitutional right guaranteed by the Second Amendment to keep loaded handguns in the house in crime-ridden urban areas, (2008, June 26) This was a topic for debate between the 2008 democratic and republican presidential office runners. Senator McCain stated â€Å"Today's ruling makes clear that other municipalities like Chicago that have banned handguns have infringed on the constitutional rights of Americans,† he said. He also took a thinly veiled shot at the presumptive Democratic nominee, Sen. Barack Obama by saying â€Å"Unlike the elitist view that believes Americans cling to guns out of bitterness, today's ruling recognizes that gun ownership is a fundamental right — sacred, just as the right to free speech and assembly. Presidential nominee Barack Obama responded to this ruling by stating that â€Å"Today's ruling, the first clear statement on this issue in 127 years, will provide much-needed guidance to local jurisdictions across the country,† he said, adding that â€Å"what works in Chicago may not work in Cheyenne,† but the decision reinforced that â€Å"if we act responsibly, we can both protect the constitutional right to bear arms and keep our communities and our children safe, (2008, June 26) It would only be fair to state that the crime rate has plummeted since the Supreme court made its decision on the Second Amendment. The table below shows just the Chicago data and as you can see there is a decline, (2011, Oct 4). When this was first looked at the thought was that if there were more guns out there that this would cause crime to increase, but this has been proven to be false. This stat bears the question of where there fewer crimes because the citizens are now gun owners, and the criminals are aware of this. Do you think it is because the criminals fear the laws? I do not think it is because they fear the laws. I truly believe that these criminals are thinking in the back of their mind that if they try to commit a crime against someone who could be armed, and they will retaliate by shooting them in self-defense. This may really make a criminal rethink this act before he/she commits the crime. Furthermore, I think the fact that the victim might be so scared and could shoot without thinking and possibly killing the perpetrator truly has the perpetrator thinking of this unknown factor, and that makes them more cautious about committing the crime in the first place. The following is a chart for the crime rates from 2009-2010, (2010, Dec. 20). As you can see that not only did the rates change in Chicago but the one below is for the United States as a whole. It was said that the â€Å"The Supreme Court breathed new life into the amendment when it struck down strict handgun bans in Washington and Chicago and spoke of the â€Å"inherent right of self-defense. † But to the dismay of gun rights advocates, judges in recent months have read those decisions narrowly and rejected claims from those who said they had a constitutional right to carry a loaded gun on their person or in their car. Instead, these judges from California to Maryland have said the â€Å"core right† to a gun is limited to the home. Now, the National Rifle Assn. is asking the high court to take up the issue this fall and â€Å"correct the widespread misapprehension that the 2nd Amendment's scope does not extend beyond the home. † Stephen Halbrook, an NRA lawyer, said â€Å"some judges have buried their heads in the sand and have refused to go one step further† than saying there is a right to have a gun at home. The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence hailed the trend and called the high court's rulings a â€Å"hollow victory† for gun enthusiasts. The gun lobby has tried to expand [the 2nd Amendment] into a broad right to carry any type of gun anywhere. And they have been almost unanimously rejected by the courts,† said Jonathan Lowy, director of legal action. He conceded, however, that â€Å"this battle is far from over. † The uncertainty began with the Supr eme Court itself. In 2008, Justice Antonin Scalia said the history of the 2nd Amendment shows it â€Å"guarantees the individual right to possess and carry weapons in case of confrontation. But other parts of his 5-4 opinion stressed there is no right to â€Å"carry any weapon in any manner,† and that bans on â€Å"carrying concealed weapons were lawful† in the 19th century† (Savage, D, 2011) The following stats provided by the FBI provide ammunition on the Supreme Court’s decision on the second Amendment. It stated that â€Å"Despite a grinding recession, reported crime in the United States continues to fall, the FBI said Monday. Violent crime was down 6 percent in 2010 — the fourth consecutive yearly decline, according to the FBI's Uniform Crime Report. Property crime dropped for the eighth year in a row, down 2. 7 percent in 2010. In Pennsylvania, violent crime fell 3 percent and property crime ticked down 0. 5 percent. New Jersey and Delaware reported small drops in violent crime, but increases in property crime,† (Moran, R. 2011). These stats show that right to bear arms did not have a negative effect on the recession. As I read all the articles and stories while doing my research for this paper, I find that the restrictions imposed on gun ownership appear to infringe on our Second Amendment rights provided to us by the U. S. Constitution. I also feel that there should definitely be some sort of control on guns, but we should not do this at the expense of what the Founding Fathers wrote in the U. S. Constitution. As what has been previously covered in this paper the mentally ill, convicted felons, or people that have been convicted of violent crimes should be the only ones that are exempt from owning a gun, and I truly feel that this is for the safety of our citizens here in the United States. Furthermore, I think that states should not impose such restrictions and deny all of that states people the right to own a gun. This is not only a direct violation of that persons Second Amendment rights but also a violation of a person’s right to due process under the 14th amendment. Lastly, I truly believe that the extreme laws or gun confiscations are illegal under the US Constitution and these do not work to stop crimes. Reference Anonymous,  . The FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Latest Stats Show a Continuing Decline in Crime Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report, January-June, 2010 (2010,  December , 20). Retrieved from http://www. bing. com/images/search? q=FBI+Crime+Rate+Reporting;view=detail;id=F22BCC735FB3184B04D1C2B36F350ED63CBD086F;first=0;FORM=IDFRIR Anonymous,  . SUPREME COURT ENDORSES NEW VIEW OF SECOND AMENDMENT Protection. (2008,  September). Criminal Justice Newsletter,3. Retrieved from http://proquest. umi. com/pqdweb? index=6;did=1646334181;SrchMode=1;sid=7;Fmt=2;VInst=PROD;VType=PQD;RQT=309;VName=PQD;TS=1322524094;clientId=74379 Lott, J. 2011, Oct 4) Chicago’s Violent Crime Rates Plummet After SCOTUS Removes Handgun Ban. Andrew Breitbart Presents BIG GOVERNMENT. Retrieved from http://biggovernment. com/jlott/2011/10/04/chicagos-violent-crime-rates-plummet-after-scotus-removes-handgun-ban/ Moran, R   (2011, September20). Crime rates continue to fall, FBI reports. McClatchy – Tribune Business News. Retrieved from http://proquest. umi. com/pqdweb? index=0;did=2460748471;SrchMode=1;sid=2;Fmt=3;VInst=PROD;VType=PQD;RQT=309;VName=PQD;TS=1324404944;clientId =74379