Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 Essay Example for Free

Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 Essay Descriptions of the main aspects of the regulatory environment which will protect the public from fraud within corporations are going to be provided in this paper. A special attention to the Sarbanes – Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX) requirement; along with an evaluation of whether Sarbanes-Oxley Act will be effective in avoiding future frauds based on their implemented rules and regulations. The main aspects of the regulatory environment are based on the different laws and regulations the different governmental institutions such as federal, state, and local developed to create control over business practices. The regulatory environment creates a positive business financial operational environment as well as efficiency in management, integration of capital flow and domestic savings. For instance, the Securities Act of 1933 which provides regulations and laws to those offering corporate stocks to the public (University of Phoenix, 2014). Another regulatory environment is the Securities Act of 1934. The Securities Act of 1934 regulates and uses laws for trading stocks on markets that are consider as secondary markets like the New York Stock Exchange. The Securities Act of 1933 also provides the requirements for financial reporting and auditing for corporations (University of Phoenix, 2014). When looking at the history of the business environment regulatory compliance has been part of the process of conducting business. In addition, in most industries the different organizations are going to find different rules and regulations that are presented by the government, requiring companies to follow them. In the event, these are not followed the business will be confronted with penalties for not following the regulations that are clearly defined by the government. As time progresses, many regulations were created to help and prevent fraud against the public. Some of these regulations include the requirement of state filing, and laws to create fair lending to the public. An example of this is the Securities and Exchange Commission also known as the SEC. The SEC is a major aspect of the regulatory environment. â€Å"The mission of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is to protect investors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation † (SEC, 2013, para. 1). In today’s environment, many are utilizing the market as a way to secure their future. The way to secure the future is by purchasing and paying for a home, pay for children college tuition, as well as any  other expenses. As investors, it is important that the SEC does protect these individuals. According to the SEC (2013) â€Å"the common interest of all Americans in a growing economy that produces jobs, improves our standard of living, and protects the value of our savings means that all of the SECs actions must be taken with an eye toward promoting the capital formation that is necessary to sustain economic growth† (para. 4). The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (2013) states â€Å"the laws and rules that govern the securities industry in the United States derive from a simple and straightforward concept: all investors, whether large institutions or private individuals, should have access to certain basic facts about an investment prior to buying it, and so long as they hold it† (para. 6). To ensure this rule is followed by ever organization the SEC requires public companies to make the appropriate financial state available to the general public. Making this statement public, future investors as well as current investors can clearly see and determine whether or not the investor wants to purchase, sell or hold an investment. The SEC (2013) also states â€Å"the result of this information flow is a far more active, efficient, and transparent capital market that facilitates the capital formation so important to our nations economy† (para. 7). The SEC is proactively working with other major markets that participate in environmental securities to certify that this guideline is being followed. One of the SEC functions is to supervise the participants in the area of securities world. The securities would include the areas of securities exchanges, securities brokers and dealers, mutual funds as well as investment advisors. Another function the SEC provides is the promotion of disclosure of market related information and to maintain appropriate dealings. In addition, as a yearly procedure the SEC submits civil enforcement actions to those individuals and companies violating any of the securities laws. The infractions can include accounting fraud, trading misconduct, and providing deceptive as well as false information in regards the company’s procedures or securities. In doing this yearly event and disclosing market related data, it allows the SEC to protect companies and individuals against fraud. The SEC is an organization that works closely with other institutions to ensure rules and regulations are implemented and followed by the public. Some of the institutions that work with the SEC include Congress, self-regulatory organizations such as stock  exchange, federal departments, the state securities regulators, and different private sector. The Securities and Exchange Commission is one of the main regulatory environments that assist to protect the public from fraud that a corporation can commit. Another regulatory environment that collaborates with the enforcement of the rules and regulations is the Sarbanes – Oxley Act (SOX). The Sarbanes – Oxley is a regulatory act â€Å"passed by Congress in 2002 in response to a series of massive corporate frauds (i.e., Enron, WorldCom)† (University of Phoenix, 2014, p. 3). When Congress passed the Sarbanes-Oley Act, it was â€Å"to provide greater protections to investors, creditors, and other stakeholders† (University of Phoenix, 2014, p. 3). SOX will provide greater protection by â€Å"reducing unethical corporate behavior† (University of Phoenix, 2014, p. 3). The SOX play a major function with the SEC because not only this also helps protect the public from fraud a corporation can commit, but because this can provide solutions to issues, the SE C is confronted with based on fraudulent accounting practices. A scandal and major concerns on how American Corporations are governed was the Enron and WorldCom scandal of a series of massive corporation frauds. As a result, the Public Company Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act of 2002 were developed. The act was established to improve transparency, and to create new standards for accounting firms, for management at senior level, for executives, and for board members of public companies. According to Corporate Secretary (2014) a condition this act present is that companies are required â€Å"to have robust internal control systems that can be built into their compliance processes to promote integrity and accuracy within their business operations (para. 2). With the passing of the Public Company Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act, Congress intent was to help reduce unethical behavior and to eliminate future corporation scandals. As a result of the creation of the Public Company Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act the penalties for fraudulent financial activities are more severe (Corporate Secretary, 2014). The Sarbanes – Oxley Act has played an important role in the regulatory environment which will protect the public from fraud within corporations. Even when this act has played an important role it is clear the implementation of the act by legislation is not going to solve the problem of fraud. However; with the implementation of The Sarbanes – Oxley  Act, of The Securities and Exchange Commission, The Securities Act of 1933, and The Securities Act of 1934 it has assisted with minimizing fraud as well as to create transparency when companies are following rules and regulations presented by the gover nment. References Corporate Secretary. (2014). Ten events that have changed corporate governance. Retrieved from http://www.corporatesecretary.com/articles/regulation-and-legal/12277/ten-events-have-changes-corporate-governance/ University of Phoenix. (2014). Week 1 Study Guide: Introduction to Financial Reporting. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, ACC561 Accounting website. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. (2013). The Investors Advocate: How the SEC Protects Investors, Maintains Market Integrity, and Facilitates Capital Formation. Retrieved from http://www.sec.gov/about/whatwedo.shtml U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. (2013). Codification of Staff Accounting Bulletins. Retrieved from http://www.sec.gov/interps/account/sabcodet1.htm

Hate Crimes Should NOT be Punished Differently than Other Crimes Essay

Hate Crimes Should NOT be Punished Differently than Other Crimes Hate crimes should not be punished differently than other crimes. The actual crime should be punished, not the reasoning behind it. The idea of punishing crimes differently based on victims might make some people or groups feel that others are more protected or valued than they are. The concept of punishing crimes differently because of motive is senseless, unnecessary, and an injustice. Again, the actual crime should be punished not the reasoning behind it. Murder is murder, robbery is robbery, rape is rape, regardless of motive. For example, Person A and Person B both assault innocent people. But while beating the life out of his victim, Person B calls him a "Nigger." His crime is considered a hate crime. Consequently, his crime will receive harsher punishment. Despite why the crime took place, the point is that a crime took place. No matter why the victim is chosen, he or she was still harmed, the family is still going to grieve, and someone must be punished. Whether a person is killed for money or drugs or out of hate or prejudice, the fact still remains that he or she has been killed. With hate crime laws, the hate is being looked at, more so than the crime itself. Even though hate is a terrible thing to have in your heart, all Americans have the right to hate whatever or who ever they want. Besides, if officials start punishing hate or unholy thoughts, they mi ght as well make a new category of crime— thought crime. If this line of thinking were acted upon, then half of America would be behind bars. As stated above, the idea of punishing crimes differently based on the victim might make some people or groups feel as if others are more prot... ...ce about committing a crime. But lawmakers failed to see that this is the point of any law. Look at how much crime this country has. That is part of the reason why many states reinstated the death penalty—because people were supposed to think twice about committing crimes. Obviously, these laws are not doing their job. The government reported 97 executions this year alone, up from 68 in 1998 and 74 executions in 1997 (Johnson 1). Officials should rethink their strategies. If laws already exist for a certain crime, regardless of whether or not it is a hate crime, then those laws should be used. Laws should not be changed to fit individual situations. In conclusion, hate crimes should be punished no differently than other crimes. The effects are the same. The crime is basically the same. The family experiences the same trauma and the punishment should be the same.

Apple Company swot analysis Essay

This is an analysis of the Apple Company which is one of the leading Phone companies in the world. This analysis looks into the strength, weaknesses, opportunities and the threats of the company. The major strength of Apple Company is its creative and high ranking leaders who facilitate quality leadership and creativity in the Apple Company. The products of Apple are of high quality and unique compared to rival products from Microsoft or Google; this enhances customer loyalty. Apple has an opportunity of entering new markets such as TV, which will still perform as good as the existing products because Apple consumers may purchase an additional product from the company as a result of the company loyally. However, the company’s major weakness is the pricing effect it has on the market. Consumers perceive the apple products to be expensive even when the price is actually similar to that offered by other companies. The main threat of Apple is the upcoming android system from Google which has managed to tap into the youth market which apple had dominated longer and the closed system of offering their system. Strength of Apple Company It may be believed that it is the individuals who determine the strength of a company and not he products that are produced by the company. One may think that the demise of Steve Jobs may make Apple weak; this is not the case as Apple still has got its strength rooted in the uniqueness of the products they produce. With a leader such as Tim Cook, who is ranked among the top among the CEOs in the USA, with a staff approval of 98%. According to CNN Money, (2012) the inventory of Apple Inc has been drastically cut to days with channel supplies that are ultra sufficient and leads the fair wage movement in Asia- China. India Times, (2012) reports that not only Tim is the creative personnel in apple Inc, there is still Johnny Ive who steers creativity behind apple INC. This is the major strength which Apple has that  poses a competitive hand ahead of their rivals. The product’s ecosystem is strength of Apple Company. Apple icloud, OS and iOS make up an evolution of apples’ product ecosystem. According to Thomas (2010) each new product is enhanced by the ecosystem making the ownership of the products of the company to be worth more than the total sum of their parts. The system goes past the internet thought which makes it evolutionary. It is a unique system in that it is closed, maintains a store of its own including the software and hardware applications. This has enabled the company to have total control over the users’ experience hence they have been able to maximize profits as a result of elimination of third party costs. The system offers its users an environment which is free from viruses, it would be therefore said that the products of apple are the major competitive tool against their rivals. According to David (2011) with each considered as a bench mark product, iPad, iPod, iPhone, iTunes store are among the best selling Apple products in the market of their category. Diversity is greatly enhanced in Apple Company due to the depth of their assets which includes their liquidity position, their branded stores and professional and consumer applications which are leading. Weaknesses The main weakness of Apple Inc is their ideology; the internet has been made a powerful tool by the systems that are open which is the most used tool by Microsoft and Google. According to Colby (2011) this has created a specialized competing strategy in open products. If an individual is not already been attached to the Apple products, they can easily find what hey are looking for by any other brand. Another weakness of Apple Company is the pricing of their products. Consumers have a perception that Apple products are high priced even though some products may have moderate pricing. Electronics consumers do not have prior knowledge in the comparisons made concerning Apple products value and the value of a poorly made product brand from another company which would be cheap. Opportunities There are high chances that the creative minds in Apple Company may penetrate the TV market with a brand name of iPanel. According to Johnson (2011) there is the usual kept secret which would be made public to anticipate  product offering. As a result of the announcement the TV market has undergone major innovations in order to stay ahead of the anticipated Apple TV launch. Market analysts predict that even though the new TV may not perform really high as the iPad and iPhone, the buyers of the two may as well pick the Apple TV along with their iPad and iPhone purchases. Another major opportunity which Apple has is that the already existing products of Apple such as iPod create a gateway for purchase of other Apple products. With every single new product, there is an expansion in the ecosystem of products and as a result a new created gateway increases the consumer choice of using another Apple product. Threats Even though there is a major Apple lead in consumer computing products, there are tensions between Google and Apple Inc. the balance between open systems and Apple’s closed product would easily shift back to Google. This is so as there was a time when Google controlled almost all the PC product market back in the late 90s. Such a threat could be expected from the way open OS functions just very well. Windows 8 by Microsoft was highly anticipated and used by consumers and Google would easily advance its android operating system to support the desk top. Android is the greatest competitor of Apple’s product ecosystem since android has tapped the market of the youth; a market that has been dominated by Apple for more than fifteen years. Another threat would be a form of virus which would harm the Apple’s computing products from a perspective of public relations. In conclusion, Apple Company competes in the battle of ideologies. The competition is essentially between apple and other companies such as Google and Microsoft. However, apple has managed to be ahead of other companies in the consumer computing product market. The competition between Apple and other companies is quite sensitive because a mistake in the strategies of Apple would imply huge losses as the other companies are likely to top the market. The apple company has a management that is scientifically controlled to enable it maintain the lead with highest profit margin. Apple continues to grow as a result of the quality leadership which facilitates the purchase of new apple products by the consumers. References CNN Money, (2012). The analysis Weight In. retrieved, October 15, 2013, from: http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2012/11/14/apple-shares-fallen-wall-street-analysts/ Booker, L. (2012). A little less Sam Sung in Apple Sourcing, Journal OF Strategic Management, 12, 34-37 Colby, N. (2011). Strategic Management Review- Apple Inc, Business Analysis, 4, 26-28 David, R. (2011). Strategic management: concepts and cases. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice-Hall. India Times (2012). Apple Once Again Crowned World’s Most Innovative Company, Retrieved, October 15, 2013 from; http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/enterprise-it/strategy/Apple-once-again-crowned-worlds-most-innovative-company/html†¦ Johnson, G. (2012). Apple on the Forbes Most Innovative Companies, Retrieved, October 15, 2013 from: http://www.forbes.com/companies/apple/.. Thomas, M. (2010). Managing brand performance: aligning positioning, execution and experience. Journal of Brand Management, 16, 65-68

College sports gambling Essay

With all of the controversy of gambling in college sports, why is the issue still an issue? The answer is money. There were actions taken towards this by Congress, but the problem is that it was never completely abolished. Congress had made the mistake of creating a way around it. It is now commonly referred to as â€Å"the Las Vegas loophole. † They outlawed the betting nationwide with the exception of one state, one state that is the capital of gambling, Nevada. This has caused few changes, with the exception of the ever-growing revenue that it generates. Another reason the legality still remains is one not frequently mentioned, but the question of the ban being constitutional. But no matter what the law, is there realistically ever going to be silence or content? To trace the tracks to the start of mending this problem, we need to go back to 1992. This is the year that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act took precedence. This law restricts gambling on amateur sports in 46 states and essentially leaves Nevada as the only state that can take bets on those games. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz) and Rep. Lindsay Graham (R-S. C. ) are striving to get two separate bills passed, both of which are targeted at prohibiting gambling on amateur sports. The bills were introduced a year ago, and at the time, were heavily favored. The bills would legally put a stop to betting on NCAA games, the oh-so-notorious March Madness (the NCAA Tournament), and wagering on all college sports for that matter. Las Vegas casino lobbyist have turned offensive. Who wouldn’t, if there were possibilities of losing a $700 million cash cow, with approximately $70 million on March Madness? The money that is generated from sports betting both legal and not, is much too vast to be eradicated. Nevada is the tree trunk for which sports gambling is derived. The casinos are complete with giant electronic boards that offer information on daily events ranging from odds to player injuries. This is the basis of most sports wagering. Nevada generates $2. 3 billion a year on legal sports betting , where as, betting on college sports revenue in Nevada accounts for $650 million of the amount. This is far from the issue though. If betting on college sports in Nevada is made illegal, I find the impact to be very small considering that illegal sports gambling has been estimated at $80 billion to $380 billion a year. At the least, 40 times the legal revenue generated seems very minute. In addition, studies have shown that for every dollar bet on sports in Vegas, $100 is bet with bookies and on the Internet. Rep. Jim Gibbons (R-Nev. ), says that there is nothing backing up that legal gambling in Nevada is â€Å"in any way responsible for the illegal sports wagering that plagues our nation’s college campuses. † Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.), said that no problems would be solved by eliminating legal bets any more than â€Å"suggesting that outlawing aspirin would stop the sale of illegal drugs. † A poll done by Gallop from March 18-20 (between the first two weekends of this year’s NCAA tournament) found that Americans were divided on issue. The poll stated that 49% believe that college sports gambling should be illegal and 47% believe that it should not. Strikingly, college basketball fans are stuck on 48% on both stand-points. The possibility of abolishing gambling on college sports is not very likely nor does it hold much hope of bettering the problem. If the betting was banned, there’s no possibility of it just disappearing. The figures and dollar amounts of illegal gambling are much too high now, and it is still legal. What happens when Congress puts this law into effect and everyone ignores it? It surely does not say much about our society and its morals. Howard Shaffer, director of the Division on Addictions at Harvard Medical School, said â€Å"If we pass legislation that we cannot enforce, it will undermine authority in general and young people don’t need any more laws that nobody respects. † Shaffer added, â€Å"If it’s unenforceable, they will come to see other legislation as unenforceable and then we’ll have problems where we don’t necessarily have them today. People of all kinds are in agreeance that the impact of this law would hardly be worth the effort. John Shelk, vice president of the American Gaming Association, also stated â€Å"It’s not like Congress is going to pass a law that bans legal gambling, and students across the country will say, ? Oh my God, I can’t gamble anymore because it’s illegal. ‘† Sen. McCain, co-author of last year’s Senate bill, had countered his opinion to ESPN.com by saying, â€Å"I don’t think we have to choose between enforcing existing laws on illegal gambling and closing the loophole on legal gambling. † McCain added, â€Å"we can do both. † McCain and others claim that eliminating legalized gambling in Nevada would be â€Å"an essential first step† on stopping the college sports gambling. Critics disagree. They believe that the attempt to chip away at illegal sports gambling â€Å"isn’t a logical first step,† at all. The fact of the college sports gambling, is that there is too much publicity, popularity, and money surrounding this particular gambling sport. In the beginning there was a problem with popularity. From 1951-1974, there was a 10% excise tax levied by the Federal Government on the amount of sports wagers. The tax made the business unprofitable since the profit margin was generally 5% or less before the tax. In 1974, Congress was persuaded by the Nevada congressional delegation. From this persuasion, Congress ended up cutting the tax from 10% to 2%. From there, the boom took off. It took a little time but the pay off was great. Wagers on professional and college sports were totaling $1. 3 billion by 1988. After the new wave had taken off, professional sports teams and the NCAA became concerned. One outspoken supporter was Bill Bradley, a former basketball star and Democratic Senator from New Jersey. Bradley expressed, â€Å"state-sponsored sports betting could change forever the relationship between the players and the game, and the game and the fans. Sports would become the gamblers’ game and not the fans’ game, and athletes would become roulette chips,† he pleaded in 1992. Bradley and others apparently made quite an impact because Congress enacted the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which was noted earlier as the â€Å"Nevada loop hole. † Again, the conflict elevated from there on out. Realistically though, as much as the NCAA wants this legalization stopped, there is an issue that’s never discussed, but could legally keep the association from doing anything. It is another loophole that Nevada has found, and is a little more concrete. It is the 10th amendment, which delegates powers to the states not to the federal government. This means that if the bill becomes a law, the state of Nevada will definitely have grounds to contest it. The popularity of college sports gambling has continued to grow over the years. When the NCAA tournament begins to roll around each year, Nevada gets hard at work. March Madness, is virtually a madness. It’s a craze that is so very wide-spread, it would literally be impossible to get rid of it. Brackets and spreads are created, and almost anybody with vision can say that they have seen the NCAA tournament bracket. It is so popular now that some media devote entire sections of newspapers to the event. It’s inevitable that readers are able to find the bracket listed, and usually bold and in full color. You can even find the bracket displayed at bars, restaurants, and even work places. More popular is the office pool that seems to have grown so much that women and even non-sports fans find them selves anteing in at a shot on the pool. If this legislation is to pass, how are things like the office pools going to be regulated? Can any one realistically imagine the day that cops and or Federal agents busting bars and business environments for illegal gambling all over the country? The idea of the regulation is ridiculous. In addition to the casual gambling in offices and such, what about the vast expansion of gambling and sources of it on the Internet? The Internet is full of sites devoted to college sports and gambling of it. As far as the NCAA goes, it has what most would consider a hypocritical view on the situation. The NCAA claims to be firmly against the legal betting, but when it comes to the Tournament and other advertised events, one might think differently about the beliefs. In congressional testimony the NCAA says it â€Å"opposes all forms of illegal sports wagering. † Well, if anyone has heard of a little network called CBS, they might be able to recall a small tournament, in correlation with the network, called the NCAA Tournament. These two were in conjunction for this years tournament, but somehow the NCAA had no problem with CBS repeatedly pointing viewers to CBS. Sportsline. com, all throughout the broadcast. Additionally, CBS. Sportsline. com owns Las Vegas Sports Consultants. Some authorities estimate that over 80% of Las Vegas sports books subscribe to â€Å"the line,† set by this firm. During the tournament, this web site offered a free â€Å"Bracket Pool Manager,† in addition to odds, points, spreads, over/unders, and so on. You can’t gamble through the site, but what other purpose does a Bracket Pool Manager and other such emminities serve besides gambling. When you link all of these things together, it just doesn’t make any sense. There has to be an approval by the NCAA for all of this to have taken place, therefore, it is indeed to some extent, condoning this action that it claims to be so against. So what do you think that the NCAA can do or say? Would it be feasible for them to say â€Å"no, you can’t say that or broadcast our tournament anymore†? NO! CBS accounts for 90%†¦ yes, 90% of the NCAA operating revenue. I seriously doubt that the NCAA is so consumed with its beliefs, that it will just discard the whole money issue that goes along with it. The National Association of Basketball Coaches, Official Athletic Site believes that the NCAA has many problems that it needs to address and correct before jumping the gun to Congress. Marc Isenberg’s article on the site stated that, â€Å"The NCAA cannot even begin to educate athletes and other students-or even congress-until it does the following: 1. ) demand that CBS cut its ties with CBS. Sportsline.com and Las Vegas Sports Consultants, which are a major part of the infrastructure of gambling on college sports 2. ) prohibit corporate partners from using bracket promotions or contests connected to the outcome of games 3. ) refuse to credential media outlets who publish lines and accept ads from tout services 4. ) fund a gambling education program on college campuses that addresses the problem of gambling, not just shaving. Can the NCAA tear itself away from its ? Show me the money’ outlook to conduct such a campaign? † The answer is â€Å"No. † The truth remains, that nobody especially not the NCAA wants to go back to the unpopular, no money-making ways of the past. There is an undeniable problem with betting in college sports, mainly when it comes to students. This is the NCAA’s major concern, but namely, point shaving. In general, point shaving is done by players that intentionally miss shots to change the outcome of the game. The NCAA has a very justifiable reason for the abolishment in terms of this actual concern. Over the past view years, there have been many cases in which athletes got involved in the negative aspects of gambling. This would often times result in owing bookies so much that they would get sucked into the point shaving problem. One student made his mark when he got involved with his roommate, who was also a popular bookie that was being investigated by officials. The student was Teddy Dupay, a basketball player for the University of Florida Gators. Dupay had shared winnings with his friend Kresten Lagerman, 23, after giving him inside information about whether the Gators could cover point spreads. Florida had also endured a 2000-2001 season filled with injuries. There were also many instances of injured players returning much sooner than expected. Following this discovery, Dupay was dismissed from the team. Another student, a running back at the Northwestern University had become the school’s rushing leader. He had become involved in gambling so in-depth that he fumbled the football at the goal line to ensure his $400 wager on the point spread of his own game. These are the instances that are worthy of the abolishing desire. Still, the fact remains that these examples and 99% of sports gambling is done illegally or under the table. The truth of the matter is that, this is another back-and-forth issue (like abortion) that will never have silence nor contentment. There are serious problems with players and the ethics of the game, but no matter what, a ban on sports gambling will never solve one-single problem. The fact remains that 99% of all sports gambling is done illegally. Since it is currently legal, is there any truth to solving the problem by abolishing it? College sports gambling is truly not the real issue. There are too many other factors at play. When it comes to the players getting involved, I believe that they are able to make their own decisions. If they have difficulty doing that, there must be somewhat of a different issue- Ethics. Apparently, the NCAA should concentrate more on its players than Nevada. With the problem of these players, it doesn’t leave much meaning to the idea â€Å"may the best man win. † Bibliography Barlett, Donald L. and James B. Steele, â€Å"Throwing the Game,† Time, (September 25, 2000) Gillespie, Mark, â€Å"Americans Split on Whether Gambling on College Sports Should Be Banned,† The Gallup Organization, (April 1, 2002) Isenberg, Marc, â€Å"Gambling on College Sports: The NCAA’s Solution is Part of the Problem,† National Association of Basketball Coaches, Official Athletic Cite, (April 25, 2002) Jansen, Bart, â€Å"Big name coaches support ban on amateur sports gambling,† The Detroit News, (April 25, 2002) Pells, Eddie, â€Å"Complaint: Dupay received money for sharing info,† Slam! Basketball, (September 14, 2001) Rovell, Darren, â€Å"Congree could trump Vegas on college book,† ESPN, (March 15, 2002) Sauve, Valerie, â€Å"Issues Committee holds discussion on illegal sports wagering in NCAA,† The Daily Beacon, (March 5, 2002).

Enlightment of Education in Pygmalion and Educating Rita Essays

Enlightment of Education in Pygmalion and Educating Rita Essays Enlightment of Education in Pygmalion and Educating Rita Essay Enlightment of Education in Pygmalion and Educating Rita Essay great art has to be educational. | |Pygmalion gave Shaw a platform for many of his concerns. He was passionately interested| | |in the English language and the varieties of ways in which people spoke (and misspoke) | | |it. Shaw longed to simplify and reform English; he once pointed out that the rules of | | |spelling in English are so inconsistent and confusing that the word fish could | | |conceivably be spelled â€Å"ghoti† if the speller used the sound of gh in enough, the sound| | |of o in women, and the sound of ti in the suffix –tion.The text of Pygmalion reflects | | |some of his efforts at simplifying English usage – principally his omission of | | |apostrophes in contractions such as Ive and dont. Pygmalion also allowed Shaw to | | |present ideas about other topics that concerned him - such matters as social equality, | | |male and female roles, and the relationship between what people seem to be and what | | |they really are. Like his other successfu l plays, Pygmalion wins us over with its charm| | |and then startles us out of our preconceptions with its keen intelligence. | | | | |   | | |Conclusion | | |   | | |In this work I tried to make a scientific analysis of Bernard Shaw’s life, literary | | |activity and his contribution to the treasure of world literature and one of his famous| | |works Pygmalion. Shaw was a prolific writer. He was a playwright, a novelist, a critic | | |and a publicist. He made success in the field of realistic drama.He criticized | | |bourgeois moral, robbery, appropriation of the fruits of other common people’s labour, | | |showed injustice of the society. | | |In Pygmalion Shaw masterfully connected two themes equally exciting for him: the | | |problem of social inequality and the problem of the classical English language. Act by | | |act, word by word we understand that the set of behaviour, that is the form and the | | |speech maintenance, manner of judgment and thoughts, habit ual acts and typical | | |reactions of people are adapted for the conditions of their environment.The subjective| | |being and the objective world correspond each other and mutually penetrate into each | | |other. | | |Pygmalion is one of Shaw’s chef-doeuvre and reveals the mastership of the playwright. | | |It was written when the author reached the peak of his creative activity. In this work | | |Shaw touched upon social and economic problems of the British people in the beginning | | |of the industrial 20th  century.Shaw wants to say in this work that education and | | |proper upbringing of people may lead the world to harmony in spiritual and material | | |lives of human beings. That is why one of the main heroes of the work Higgins, the | | |professor of phonetics, says, â€Å"The great secret is not having bad manners or good | | |manners or any other particular sort of manners, but having the same manner for all | | |human souls: in short, behaving as if you were in Heaven, where there are no | | |third-class carriages, and one soul is as good as another. | Plot Summary for Educating Rita  (1983)  More at  IMDbPro  Ã‚ » ad feedback A young wife decides to complete her education and take her exams. She meets a professor who teaches her to value her own insights while still being able to beat the exams. The change in her status causes friction between her and her husband. Written byJohn Vogel Bored with teaching undergraduates English literature, Frank Bryant morosely reflects through a whisky glass on his failed marriage and his attempt at becoming a poet. His world is turned upside down by the arrival of Rita, a hairdresser who has decided to find herself by taking an Open University course.Excited by her freewheeling and acute observations, and lets be honest by Rita herself, Frank also feels a deep sadness as he watches her warm impulsive reactions being replaced by the sort of cold analytical approach he so much loathes in other s tudents and colleagues. Written by  Jeremy Perkins {J-26} Rita crashes into Dr. Frank Bryants life wanting an education, although she has no idea what it is that shes asking. Her brash sincerity earns the respect of the doctor who has previously resigned himself to a life of empty lectures and booze. Ritas character is a breath of fresh air for Bryant and he begins to care about someone, or something for that matter, for the first time since his wife left him. As each begins to wake up to life in their own way, the story comes to a close as an inspiring tale of self discovery and of the power choice that comes through education. Written by  Kristoff

How to write like an industry expert - Emphasis

How to write like an industry expert How to write like an industry expert Developing your writing skills is key if you want to become a recognised industry expert, says Rob Ashton. If you take a poll to find the worlds top music executive, the chances are that most people will say Simon Cowell. There may be other executives with more talent and panache. You can even argue that his fellow judges are more musically adept. But Cowell has positioned himself as the expert. The public are divided revering and reviling him in equal measure. But what he says goes. No-one can deny his status and authority in the music industry. As a sales professional, you could do well to take a leaf out of Cowells book. The market for office supply equipment is crowded, with many brands jostling for space. Your prospects need a shortcut to enable them to decide who to buy from and what to buy. There often isnt time for them to kick-back with a cup of tea and analyse the messages youre communicating through your sales and marketing material. But you can stand out by positioning yourself as an expert. Prospective customers will start to see you as a trusted advisor before theyve even engaged your services. And they will be more likely to buy from you as a result. Expert status can lead to other opportunities, such as giving speeches or hosting workshops, which again make selling easier. Its a virtuous circle. Yet, we Brits can be a self-deprecating bunch. We often prefer to operate our businesses and careers with as little fanfare as possible. The thought of public speaking can send shivers down our spines. But through writing, even the most unassuming character can shine. And writing reports, articles, white papers and blogs can help you to become the preferred provider in the industry. Whats more, good writing doesnt just have to be an innate skill: its something you can learn. These seven steps will help you write your way to expert status. One Consistently show how your company differentiates itself in the marketplace. Dont be afraid to recommend doing things differently. Two Be curious about your clients. What really makes them tick? Get to know your clients inside out by asking lots of questions, rather than making assumptions about what they need and want. Three Then write from their perspective, not yours. Think beyond the products or services you offer and focus on how your business has an impact on the lives of your clients. Whether youre writing a brochure, pamphlet or article, you need to focus on your clients needs. Begin by asking yourself: What is the document about? Who will read it? How much do they already know about the subject? What do they absolutely need to know? How important is the subject to them? How interested are they in the subject? (Note that readers arent always interested in whats important to them. So you often need to make them interested.) To become a trusted advisor, your writing needs to be clear and punchy. You can achieve this with careful planning. Brainstorm everything you want to include in your document using the headings Who?, What?, Where?, When?, and Why?. Then only include what you think is essential for your readers to know. Your document will be much clearer as a result. Four Comment on relevant industry stories by writing letters to magazines. Use the SCRAP formula: Situation Begin by explaining the situation (or where the industry is). Complication Introduce the idea that theres a problem (why the industry cant stay as it is). Resolution State your answer to the problem. The reader will think of you as an expert because you can offer a practical, considered solution. Action Suggest what action the reader can or should take. Offer a viewpoint that is new and intriguing. Politeness Finally, end with a polite but thought-provoking sign-off. Five Suggest article ideas to trade newspapers and magazines. The articles that will best position you as an expert are how to features. You could reveal the secrets behind photocopier maintenance, or how to eke the most out of ink cartridges, for instance. Send a synopsis of the article to the magazine first. Write a snappy headline and standfirst (the two lines under the headline). Then write an attention-grabbing opening paragraph and a few bullet points about what your article will include. The magazine editor can then give you further guidelines to ensure your article is a hit with the readers. Six Blogs have a worldwide audience of millions. So its well worth setting up a blog and using it to connect with your clients. Pay careful attention to every post you make. Only write things you dont mind being broadcast on the 10 Oclock News. Dont ever gripe about clients or competitors. Seven In your writing, include examples of how you and your company make a real difference to people. Make your writing personal. Its more powerful to write that one in five people found that their ink lasted longer than to use the term 20 per cent. Speak directly to the reader by using words such as you, we, us and our. And use the active voice as much as possible. For instance, weve helped over 1000 customers with their printing needs is far more effective than Over 1000 customers have been helped with their printing needs. Positioning yourself as an expert is a skill that will serve you throughout your whole career. Even if you decide you want to sell condos in the Caribbean in the future, the skills youll learn are transferable. You may not achieve the wealth and fame of someone like Simon Cowell. But you can forge your way as a leader in your industry. And with a little thought, care and attention, your expert status will pay dividends.

Policy analysis Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Policy analysis - Case Study Example Essentially, the reduction in the surgery unit from 30 infections per 1000 patients to 20 infections per 1000 patients is indicative of a 1 percent drop; albeit, this one percent represents a 33% overall reduction in the infection rate as the initial infection rate was 3% and the indicate result was only 2%. Simiarly, the reduction rate in the medical unit was equally as stark; going from 10 patients per 1000 patients all the way down to 5 patients per 1000 patients. This is representative of a 0.5% reduction as the initial rate of infectino was 1% and it went down to 0.05%. This represents an even starker reduction of infection rate of 50%; as compared to the 33% reduction that was indicated above in the surgery unit that has been previously discussed. State A started with a smoking reduction rate of 20% higher than that of State B. Yet, as the states diverged, an even starker level of difference is noted. For instance, State A illustrates increased rates of smoking cessation over time; likely as a direct result of the program that it initiated. On the other hand, State B illustrates no such trends; in fact marking a higher rate of smokers year after year; beginning in 2000 and continuing up until 2010. The initial divergence of 20% at the beginning of the data period (in the year 2000) was compounded over time; up until the point at which State B represented a 68% greater chance of an individual starting smoking and becoming hooked as compared to State A that had succesfully implemented the stop smoking program at the beginning of the