Persuasive speech smoking ban Essay

Each year cigarettes are responsible for about 443,000 deaths, on average this is smokers dying 13 to 14 years sooner than nonsmokers1. Cigarette smoking is a horrible behavior in our daily lives. Smoking is not just horrible, but it also has many serious effects on your health, which are often deadly. There are over 4000 chemicals in cigarettes, hundreds to which are toxic to your body2. Smoking is a terrible and disgusting habit, because second hand smoke affects the ones around you, it can cause cancer and other health related diseases, and also the cost of cigarettes cause people to spend an outrageous amount of money. Smoking cigarettes isn’t always negative when it comes to the way you live your life and the effects it has on your health. It can ease the signs and symptoms of stress. The ‘pick me up’ you feel after smoking a cigarette only lasts for a short period of time before you need another cigarette because your craving the nicotine3. The good feeling that nicotine gives you, draws you back to want one more cigarette. Smoking is really just hurting you and the people around you. Stress is something that is going to be around your whole life so it is better to find other way to cope without smoking. Second hand smoke affects the people around you. A smoker does effect close coworkers and family members. Most of the smoke from a burning cigarette isn’t sucked down into the lungs of a smoker, but let out into the open air to be inhaled by anyone. Second hand smoke can cause heart disease, lung cancer, and the risk of SIDs which is something that can instantly kill infants. When it comes to babies and children there are many other complications that can affect them. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says 4that each year in the United States secondhand smoke causes an estimated 46,000 premature deaths from heart disease and an estimated 3,400 deaths each year from lung cancer in nonsmokers. Secondhand smoke contains more than 250 chemicals known to be toxic or cancer causing5. Children or babies exposed to this secondhand smoke are inhaling many of the same cancer causing substances as smokers are. Since 1964, 34 separate US Surgeon General’s reports have been written to make the public aware of the health issues linked to tobacco and secondhand smoke. The ongoing research used in these reports still supports the fact that tobacco and second hand smoke are linked to serious health problems that could be prevented6. According to the CDC SIDS is the sudden, unexplained, unexpected death of an infant in the first year of life, it is the leading cause of death in otherwise healthy infants. 7Chemicals in secondhand smoke appear to affect the brain in ways that interfere with its regulation of infants’ breathing. On average, Children are exposed to more secondhand smoke than nonsmoking adults. Cigarettes cause health risks that affect you in a negative way. Cigarettes contain arsenic, formaldehyde, lead, hydrogen cyanide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, ammonia, and 43 known carcinogens. They contain more than 4,000 ingredients which when burned, also produce compound chemicals8. Cigarettes can cause cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung disease, emphysema, bronchitis, chronic airway obstructions, and many other health related diseases. Cigarette smoking may also lead to changes in the smokers’ appearance over longer periods of time like wrinkling skin and yellowing of the teeth. In the United States, smoking is responsible for about one in five deaths annually which is about 443,00 deaths a year9. On average, smokers die 13 to14 years early then nonsmokers. In a specific case involving Shane, a 44 year old man who started smoking when he was 18 and was only 34 when his body became damaged from smoking. He discovered he had throat cancer, and had to get his larynx removed, part of his esophagus and collarbone. Part of his stomach had to be reshaped and stretched to serve as an esophagus. Now he speaks with an electro larynx and has a 1inch stoma in his neck so he can breathe. Even after being smoke free since 2003 his smoking still affects him, he just recently found out that he now has cancer in his chest10. Smoking increases your odds of life ending shorter because of avoidable health diseases that you could have easily prevented from not smoking. The amount of money people spend on cigarettes is a ridiculous amount, which could be spent on something more important. In the long run it hurts people when you invest in cigarettes and not in other things like bank accounts or safe stocks. The cigarette industry spends billions of dollars investing and promoting. According to the CDC cigarette smoking costs more than $193 billion a year, which is $97 billion in lost productivity plus $96 billion in health care expenditures11. Cigarettes aren’t cheap and quitting or never starting can save you money now and can also keep you from spending money on health problems in the future. For example if cigarettes are an average $5. 50 for the cost of a pack of cigarettes and a smoker smokes a pack every day, in a month you would be spending $165 on cigarettes, when you could really save that much every month. If you saved this much every month, in five years you could have $9,900, $19,800 in ten years, and $39,600 in twenty years. Before you start just smoking think of the weekly spending you would be doing on just a pack of cigarettes when you could be doing something more important with your money. Smoking is a horrible choice and risk that affects you and the people around you in a negative way. There are many effects of smoking cigarettes, for example second hand smoke and the affect it has on people who are nonsmokers, they cause health risks that can cause death, and also it causes people to spend unnecessary amounts of money. Cigarettes are temporary thing that makes you feel good for a while, but overall the long term affects are dangerous to your life.

Social Change and Modernization

* Define social change. What are the key features of social change? Provide four examples of social movements, current or past, and describe the key features of each movement. * * Define modernization. What are the key features of modernization? Provide four examples of modernization and describe the key features in each example. Social change can best be described as â€Å"the transformation of culture and social institutions over time and modernization, it has brought change to the way of life. The key features of social change are such things as event that are not planned, that could result in controversy, due to fast pace and even prolonged lasting. The four types of social movements are in no particular order are as followed: the first one would be alternative social movement, second the redemptive social movement, third the reformative social movement, and the fourth is the revolutionary social movement. I believe one of the key features of the alternative social movement is that it’s based and limited to smaller populations and is considered to be the less threatening of all four of them. Now as for the redemptive social movement one key feature is that it has a more extreme radical change which centers and targets individuals with the same belief. I believe MADD better known as mothers against drunk drivers is one good example of redemptive social movement. It bases its’ movement toward the stopping individuals from getting behind the wheel while their drunk or while their intoxicated. Now as for the reformative social movement, which targets everyone yet its ‘feature’s are of limited change. I believe through recycling is a prime example of social change with the reuse of products, the reduction of waste through the form of recycling. The last of the movements revolutionary social movement with the up most radical and a rather extreme change is the last of the movements. One prime example would be the Indian independence movement led by Ghandi which created such said movement. Modernization can best be described as a change that takes place during the occurring way into industrialization, with features that includes personal choice through expansion, resulting and the reduction of smaller ommunities, based on cultural background in way of diversity. One prime example can be said are the American expansion of cities. I n todays time an age more and more people live in cities rather than in smaller towns. Another form of Modernization can be said to be through communication in form of the internet, Cars with sense of more freedom due to different schedule’s and even housing because of the number of people living in the suburbs.

Mobile Phone Use and Distraction while Driving Assignment

Mobile Phone Use and Distraction while Driving - Assignment Example This involves both innocent lives of school children, pedestrians and passengers traveling in crashing vehicles. Others involved are inside buildings upon car crashes when navigating away from the roads for an expected situation. The other category is those who survive from crash injuries. They either receive minor injuries like scratches and intense bruises and sometimes treatable minor body fractures, or the accident leaves them with permanent damage. Physically permanent body injuries could be a damaged spinal cord, amputated legs, paralysis, major brain injury, which could put the victim on a wheelchair all his life, or impair brain function for coordination. All these injuries could translate into costly medical expenses to treat or maintain where impossible to correct, which is another financial burden. Destruction of private and public property that costs the taxpayers’ money to put up or to own are either partially or fully destroyed. Most of the serious car crashes on highways render the vehicles unusable or irreparable. Most of these vehicles result to waste in scrap metals sites in the USA, while minor bends cost more to repair. If properties outside the road are affected too, owners could claim damages for loss of properties. Human-Related Errors that cause Car Accidents Cell phones: Handheld cell phones are recklessly used anywhere without people taking any measures to control themselves. With the advent of new technology smartphones, the majority of the driving youths have this irresponsible use of gadgets. Most cars and trucks accidents, 22 and 71 percent respectively, meet distracted drivers on cell phones chatting, texting, reading messages, or calling (CARRS 1). It is advisable that drivers avoid taking phone calls while driving because it risks causing accidents. If the issue is urgent, they can stop by the roadside and communicate in a rush, rather than trying to handle two tasks at the same time, which is usually disastrous.

Write paper on PREHENSION Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Write on PREHENSION - Research Paper Example movements of the several segments of fingers and hand we can hold, maintain, release, take the hand to objects or handle them and move them in all directions. Although the hand has multiple functions, the essential function is prehension. Such capacity appears from the tweezers lobster to the hand of the monkey, but in humans prehension reached its highest degree of functionality. This is due to a particular provision of thumb, which may object to all other fingers (Kapandji 1980).Human manipulative tasks are carried out by hand movements, that frequently involve forceful movements and prehension. The movement of the thumb causes the hand to be aligned with the forearm, resulting in a slight ulnar deviation of the wrist. The large number of muscles and joints of the hand obviously provides the equipment for numerous and varied patterns of movement. Not so evident, but equally important in determining complexity and dexterity of motion, are the large areas of the cerebral cortex given over to the coordination of motion and sensation in the hand. Thus, in the motor cortex the area devoted to the hands approximately equals the total area devoted to arms, trunk, and legs.  This circumstance ensures great potentiality for coordinated movement and for learning new activities. Similarly, the sensory areas are large, so that they determine such advanced functions as stereognosis, the ability to recognize the shape of an object simply by holding it in the hand. The great tactile sensitivity of the hand is, of course, in large part due to the rich supply of sense organs in the hand surface itself. The threshold for touch in the finger tip, for example, is 2 gm. per sq. mm. as compared to  33  and 26 for the forearm and abdomen respectively. Insertion of flexor and extensor muscle systems into several major segments along the proximal distal axis provides a variety of flexion extension patterns in the digits. With these attachments, fixation of carpal and metacarpal

Strategic Planning and Implementation Case Study

Strategic Planning and Implementation - Case Study Example Today, Gillette is a business unit of global corporation, Proctor and Gambler. Its global expansion was rapid during the first twenty years of Gillette's existence, with offices and plants opened in a multitude of countries around the world. It was, however, the American entry into World War I that propelled even more rapid growth when the army issued Gillette razors and blades to all military personnel. Gillette was essentially a single-line product company until the 1940s when the Toni Company was acquired. A third major line of products was added to the company in the early 1950s by the acquisition of the Papermate company. Its major product was a marketleading refillable ballpoint pen. Today, Gillette is the largest dollar value marketer of writing instruments in the world with Papermate, Waterman, Parker and Flair among its brand franchises (Gillette Company Home Page 2008) In Gillette, corporate strategy, regardless of how elegantly conceived, how comprehensive its scope, or how forward-looking its thrust, does not provide competitive advantage until it is communicated, understood, valued and acted upon by a variety of key corporate stakeholders. The main criteria for stakeholder participation are that employees must understand, accept and internalize corporate strategy if the strategic blueprint is to be transformed into positive strategic results (Clegg et al 2005). Suppliers, strategic partners and customers must have a basic understanding and appreciation of the firm's strategic direction if these stakeholder relationships are to flourish and be productive. Only when the corporate strategy message is communicated in a clear, concise, timely and persuasive manner to key corporate stakeholders does the firm have an opportunity to achieve competitive advantage (Amit & Schoemaker 1993). Key Criteria for Strategy Reviewing In Gillette, the key criteria for strategy reviewing are current performance and new strategic objectives, competition in the industry and market changes (demographic and income) (Clegg et al 2005). Gillette management understands that the strategy must embody a strategic view of the future and a plan designed to achieve strategic goals and objectives. The strategic vision must be responsive to emerging opportunities and sensitive to the internal strengths of the company. As the multinational

Criminal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Criminal - Essay Example des services to unincorporated county area, contractual police services in districts, providing full security to county facilities and national parks. Similarly, county police have to provide some road patrol duties and provide municipal police support. Their training is equipped to ensure they have the best qualities in providing county security. They are rated amongst the low ranked in regard to payments. The second law enforcers are state police. The state police are mandated as a statewide government agency deemed to provide law enforcement in the state. They are regarded to provide the best services in line with investigations and state patrols. They are widely use in the state in different positions, including game wardens, conservation officers, campus police, capitol police and state hospitals (Dempsey &Forst, 2011). Their training is widely complex as it includes serving the state in different capacities. Their remuneration package is better than that of the county police as they have a wider jurisdiction in the country. There have a consideration of moving from one state to another since they have a wider training. The third arm of the law enforcement is the federal police. The federal police are mandated to ensure the country is in solidly secure state. According to the United States Code, the federal police have full federal authority to authorize and enforce the law at various federal levels. The federal police are trained in vast areas of ensuring they have the best training in their course of their duty. There are many points to note from the federal police as they have different training for different working positions (Dempsey & Forst, 2011). For instance, they have the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, federal Bureau of Prisons and The United States Marshals Service. They are considered to be the highly rated police officers in the country as they have a higher job commitment in the

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

Vogue magazine - Research Paper Example Although the possibility of development of a celebrity culture is largely dependent upon the duration and extent to which a given media exerts its influence on a given population; it is yet certain that the effects of such media exposure cannot be escaped with ease and as media continues to exert its influence on a population, the development of celebrity culture becomes a reality. A prominent example of such medium is the Vogue Magazine, which has been influencing the lives of people of the society since 1892, when immediately after its inception, it succeeded in attracting the attention of the aristocrat class of the New York city, which at that time lacked a class of society that value the ritualistic and â€Å"ceremonial side of life†. Taking a closer look at the history of the magazine reveals that the magazine remained under continuous evolution throughout the years post-inception. Keeping in view the fact that a class which admired ritualistic aspects of life was non-existent when Vogue started makes one wonder about the risk that Vogue’s founder took in 1892 (Weiss, 2014). The subsequent years however saw a dramatic rise in the number of Vogue’s readers; this was a clear indication that a class which appreciated such notions of life was evolving with the passage of time. Right from the start, the magazine focused on issues related to the beauty of the female class of the society. In this regard, the magazine attempted to define female beauty and set aesthetic standards which corresponded to establishing social norms regarding the beauty of females. Additionally, the magazine continued to highlight the powerful figures of the world; specially the females, e.g. â€Å"A Rose in the Desert† which was an article about the Syrian first lady. If judged in retrospect, one can clearly understand that the subjects of this

Compare the view of class in Homer, Boccaccio, Austen Essay

Compare the view of class in Homer, Boccaccio, Austen - Essay Example With his kindness, Odysseus wins the total loyalty of his thankful slaves. In Homer’s poem there are moments when Odysseus is described as inconsiderate and stubborn. He loses his caution when he is elated by his triumph over the strong Kyklops Polyphemos. Because of his temporary loss of common sense his puts his men in great danger. Despite his crew unwillingness, Odysseus embarks into the Kyklops’ island. There are other scenes in which Odysseus shows his selfish nature, for example the moment when he sends his crew to the unknown land of Kirke. He does this to avoid a potential danger which puts his life in peril. Although the initial description that Mentor gives is true, to an extend he idolizes Odysseus and portrays him in idealized fashion. In comparison, the protagonist in Dante’s Inferno is Dante himself. The novel is written from first-person perspective, which indicates that the character Dante is narrating the story. In Inferno we have to distinguish between the author Dante and the protagonist Dante. The author creates his character as a fictional one. The novel represents a journey of the protagonist Dante, written as if it was happening to the author Dante. At the beginning the protagonist has pity for the sinners in Hell. He shows how merciful he is. Then he realizes that the sinners deserve to be punished for their wrongdoing. Here the protagonist is described as ruthless. Dante’s character undergoes a noticeable change throughout his journey. His compassion for the sinners reduces as he goes down through Hell. The protagonist is also described as curious and caution at the same time, because he asks Virgil for advice every step on his way. Dante’s character is also adventurous during his journey. He is not afraid of what is happening around him and shows no fear. The protagonist is also wise, because he knows that he can not be hurt, and he can prevent the suffering that the sinners experience. In Emma, Jane

Qantas Essay Example for Free

Qantas Essay Qantas Airways is an Australian based airline and is a subset of the Qantas Group. It is a public-listed company in the ASX (Australian Securities Exchange). The purpose of this research is to provide information of the Qantas Group focusing on its profitability, efficiency and liquidity for the last 3 years. This research paper also examines the financial analysis and provides other relevant information to support in the evaluation of the company. 1 Company Profile 1.1 History Qantas is the world’s second oldest airline. It was founded in the Queensland outback in 1920 and has been in continuous operation since that date. Qantas is Australia’s largest domestic and international airline and is recognised as one of the world’s leading long distance carriers. The name comes from the initial letters of the words in the original registered title – Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Limited. 1.2 Qantas Group Strategy Safety remains Qantas’ first operational priority and they are committed to maintaining the position as the leading Australian domestic carrier and one of the world’s premier sustainable long-haul airlines through the dual airline brands – Qantas and Jetstar. Qantas aim to maintain customer loyalty by delivering exceptional experiences through these dual brands, in conjunction with Qantas Frequent Flyer. The operating strategy is complimented with a prudent approach to capital management as they seek to deliver sustainable, long terms return to the shareholders. The Qantas Group strategic priorities are illustrated below. 4 1.3 Qantas Overview Qantas is Australia’s largest full service airline carrying 28 million passengers in 2011/2013 on 5,050 flights per week in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, North and South America, Africa and Europe. It is a founding member of the oneworld alliance. Qantas is a single integrated airlines providing airline transportation through its two Qantas brands – Qantas and QantasLink Main Markets Qantas’ main markets are domestic and international traffic to and from Australia. Qantas, a wholly-owned group of subsidiaries including QantasLink and Network Aviation, services 57 metropolitan and regional regular passenger transport destinations across Australia and Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea, as well as 19 dedicated fly-in-fly-out charter destinations. 2011/2012 Passenger Distribution Passenger Revenue Australia domestic 78% 51% International 22% 49% Customers Qantas carries business and leisure passengers Product Qantas offers passengers a premium network product on its extensive domestic and international network and through it oneworld membership, accessing 24 bilateral codeshare agreements (excluding Jetstar and Jetstar Asia with whom Qantas also has codeshare agreements), over 870 destination and 550 lounges. Passengers also have the opportunity to earn and redeem frequent flyer points across its global network. Qantas is focused on both business and leisure travellers by offering a one or two class product on domestic routes and a two, three or four class product for international services. 5 1.4 Jetstar Overview Jetstar commences operations in May 2004. It is the Qantas Group’s low fares airline and the largest low cost carrier in the Asia Pacific region. Jetstar comprises of Jetstar Domestic, Jetstar International and holdings in Singapore-based Jetstar Asia, Vietnam-based Jetstar Pacific and Jetstar Japan. In 2011/2012, its operations carried 18.7 million passengers to over  50 destinations in Australia, New Zealand, Asia and the Asia Pacific. Jetstar also recently announced its intention to invest in a new airline, Jetstar Hong Kong, with China Eastern Airlines in 2013. Main Markets Jetstar’s main markets are domestic and international traffic to and from Australia. Pan-Asian expansion has strengthened through Jetstar Asia, Jetstar Pacific and Jetstar Japan. New Zealand operations encompass both trans-Tasman and domestic New Zealand markets. 2011/2012 Passenger Distribution Passenger Revenue Australia domestic 57% 51% International 43% 49% Customers Jetstar focused on providing consistently low fares to predominantly leisure travellers. Product Jetstar offers domestic and international passengers a value based product with the flexibility to select additional operations in relation to seating, entertainment, catering, baggage and premium seating on long haul. Jetstar’s continual focus on leading online technology has enabled more innovative ways to book, check-in and board. 6 1.5 Fleet Qantas Group operates fleets comprises of Boeing 737-800, A330-200, A380-800 Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Bombardier Q400 and Boeing 717. Over the next 10 years, the Qantas Group has committed capital investment worth US$23 billion in more fuel efficient, next generation aircrafts such as A380-800, Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A320 neo. 1.6 Corporate and Social Responsibilities The Qantas Foundation was established as a charitable trust in 2008. It forms part of the Qantas Group’s commitment to operating in a sustainable and socially responsible manner. The Qantas Foundation focus on two key areas: ï‚ § Initiative that provide an immediate experience for those in need (Changing lives) ï‚ § Experiences and opportunities that empower the next generation of Australians to make a difference in community (Empowering change) To deliver this vision, the Qantas Group leverage off the diverse resources of the  Qantas Group – from their employees, diverse network of suppliers and partnerships, and the use of their own airline. Another initiative that the Qantas Group took on is aiming for a world class performance by protecting the environment for the generations. They aim to reduce their carbon footprint through several proven measures such as: ï‚ § Aircraft weight reduction initiatives ï‚ § Efficient ground power units in lieu of jet fuel driven auxiliary power units ï‚ § Using GPS-based navigation technology to improve operational efficiency ï‚ § Investing in a fuel efficient fleet such as Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 ï‚ § Facilitating a sustainable aviation fuel industry in Australia On ground, together with their partners, innovative projects and partnerships were set to achieve this goal. One example is the Clean Up Australia campaign; started since 1996, the Qantas Group have been a key corporate partner for the Clean Up Australia Foundation. Key Successes 1. Maintained a downward trend on electricity, water and waste-to-landfill consumption since 2006, despite operational growth. 2. Reduced environment impact between 2005 and 2011: Reduced electricity consumption by 8% Reduced water consumption by 19% Reduced waste-to-landfill by 21% 3. Maintained a downward trend on jet fuel emission intensity 7 2. Key Strategies The Qantas Group has a broad portfolio and a clearly defined strategy with the following core goals: ï‚ § Build on the Groups domestic businesses through a clear focus on the customer ï‚ § Strengthened Jetstars presence across Asia to capture the full benefits of the regions low-cost leisure travel boom. ï‚ § Continue to expand Qantas Frequent Flyer by adding new partners and increasing ways for members to earn and spend points. Some of the changes seen were introducing a new tablet-based in-flight entertainment system called Q Streaming that received outstanding feedback from passengers. New order for 10 Fokker 100 aircraft were placed to extend Qantas reach into Western Australias mining centres as part of the Groups fly-in-fly-out strategy. Jetstars focus in the domestic market remained on building up  capacity on core leisure routes with modern fleet such as the A320 aircraft, adding almost 16,000 extra seats during the year. Qantas Group also expanded alliance with Am erican airlines, attracting consumers from the America regions. 8 2.1 SWOT Analysis on the Qantas Group STRENGTH Strong partnership with other alliance through its oneworld membership; accessing 24 bilateral codeshare agreements over 870 destination and 550 lounges. Passengers also have the opportunity to earn and redeem frequent flyer points across its global network which attracts consumer to choose the Qantas Airways over other airlines. Operate and fly in to many destinations such as Australia (Domestic), New Zealand, Asia, North and South America, Africa and Europe making Qantas Airways the ideal airline to consumers. WEAKNESS Qantas do not have many direct routes and depend heavily on its other airline partners. For example to get across to destinations such as Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, consumers have to transit at Dubai and change airlines to the Emirates to get to their final destination. This turns away consumers who prefer to fly in direct to the country. OPPORTUNITY Qantas subsidiary Jetstar announced its intention to invest in a new airline; Jetstar Hong Kong, in partnership with China Eastern Airlines this year. This expands the flying business into the Chinese market. THREAT The global fuel price increase affects the airline industry. With higher fuel prices, the airlines operating cost increases. To compensate, airline raise ticket prices to generate more revenue which in turn, turn away consumers and force them to look at other airline that provides competitive or even lower prices. Introduction of more low cost carriers from established airlines such as Scoot, a subsidiary airline of the Singapore Airline. 9 3. Ratios 3.1 Profitability Ratio (%) Profitability ratio is used to measure a company’s ability to generate revenue in relation to sales, assets and equity (i.e. often the sum of monies invested). It also shows how effective the company is being managed to stay profitable. Some commonly used profitability ratios include return on equity, return on investment, return on total assets, gross and net profit margins and return on capital employed. Profitability ratios provide investors guidance in their assessment of the company’s financial health and performance. For example, return on investment indicates whether the company is generating enough profits for its shareholders. Net profit margin declined by 0.52% in 2012 while an increase of 0.53% occurred in 2011 as seen in Table 1. It is slightly lower than the industry averages of 1.737% by 0.377%. The decline in net profit margin may be attributed to rising fuel costs, fall in freight, tours and travel revenue. In 2012, Qantas incurred restructuring costs of AUD376 million compared to nil in 2011, which is in relation to their initiative to reduce costs and improve business in the international segment. The other ratios such as Return on assets (ROA) and return on equity also declined to 2.12% and 3.38% respectively in 2012. Profitability Year/Ratio 2010 2011 2012 Industry averages Return on total assets (ROA) 1.76% 2.28% 2.12% 2.630% Return on equity 2.88% 4.26% 3.38% 5.290% Net profit margin 1.35% 1.88% 1.36% 1.737% 10 3.2 Efficiency Efficiency ratios are used to show how well a company uses its assets and liabilities efficiently to be able to earn significant amount of profits. Examples of efficiency ratios include asset turnover, inventory turnover, receivables turnover and payables turnover. Qantas may be considered as efficient in utilizing its resources to generate revenue, with asset turnover showing an increase to 252 days in 2012 compared to 245 days in 2011. Generally the higher a company’s asset turnover, it means the assets have been used more efficiently. From table 2, the number of days taken for creditors to be paid fell to 45.41 days in 2011, however a modest increase of 1.45 days was experienced in 2012. Compared to industry averages, Qantas took a longer time to pay their creditors. On the other hand, number of days debtors took to pay was shortened by 2.09 days in 2012 while there was an improvement of 1.62 days in 2011. However the receivables turnover is a little higher at 19.83 days co mpared to industry averages of 18.45 days. Inventory turnover shows the frequency a company’s inventory is sold and replaced over a period. A high turnover indicates strong sales while a low turnover may imply poor sales and hence excess inventory. Inventory turnover fell to 9.39 days in 2012 compared to 9.72 days in 2011. However the ratio is higher than industry average of 8.52 days. Table 2 Efficiency Year/days 2010 2011 2012 Industry averages Days payable 50.43 45.41 46.86 43.90 Days receivable 23.54 21.92 19.83 18.45 Days inventory 9.19 9.72 9.39 8.52 Asset turnover 234 245 252 284.70 11 3.3 Liquidity Liquidity ratio measures the company’s ability to pay its short term liabilities when due. It is calculated by dividing cash and other liquid assets by the short term borrowings and current liabilities. This will show the number of times the short term obligations are covered by the cash and liquid assets. The short term obligations are considered fully covered and the company is in good financial health if the value is greater than 1. The higher the liquidity ratio, the higher the capability the company possesses to meet its current liabilities. Examples of liquidity ratio include current ratio and quick ratio. Current ratio for Qantas was 0.90 in 2011 and 0.77 in 2012, near industry average of 0.81. In comparison to Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd whose current ratio is 0.65 in 2011 and 2012 (See table 4), Qantas appears more stable though the values of its current ratio are less than 1 for both years. Quick ratio also known as the acid-test ratio focuses on the most liquid as sets, leaving inventory out which may be hard to turn into cash in a timely manner. In the case of Qantas, the quick ratio was 0.71 in 2012, 0.14 drop from 0.85 in 2011, while industry average is 0.75. As compared to Virgin whose quick ratio was 0.61 in 2012, the company seems to be in a stronger position to meet its short term commitments. Table 3 Liquidity Year/Ratio 2010 2011 2012 Industry averages Current ratio 0.93 0.90 0.77 0.81 Quick ratio 0.88 0.85 0.71 0.75 12 Table 4 Growth Profitability and Financial Ratios for Virgin Australia Holdings Limited Liquidity/Financial Health 2010-06 2011-06 2012-06 Current Ratio 0.76 0.65 0.65 Quick Ratio 0.75 0.62 0.61 Financial Leverage 4.15 4.15 4.3 Debt/Equity 2.3 3.21 3.96 Source: 2013 Morningstar, Inc. 13 3.4 Gearing Ratio Gearing ratio compares owners’ equity or capital to borrowings. Gearing is a measure of financial leverage showing the extent to which a company’s activities or operations are funded by owners’ funds against borrowed funds. A high gearing ratio indicates that a company is using debt to pay for its operations and may risk inability to meet repayments in an economic downturn. The situation could be made worse where rates move upwards suddenly. Lenders are generally concerned about excessively high gearing ratio that may put their loans at risk for non-repayment. Some examples of  gearing ratio are debt equity ratio and net interest cover. For Qantas, the gearing ratio increased to 111.21% in 2012 compared to 98.05% in 2011. This means the company used debt instead of equity to fund its continuing operations. However, this ratio is lower that industry average of 130.547%. Net interest cover ratio refers to the ease a company pays interest expenses on outstanding debt. The lower the ratio, the more the company is burdened by debt expense. The company’s ability to meet interest payments may be doubtful when the ratio is 1.5 or lower. In Qantas case, the net interest cover ratio dropped sharply to 1.54 in 2012 against 3.96 in 2011. This ratio of 1.54 is close to the threshold of 1.5 and is indicative that Qantas may face cash flow problems and inability to meet interest expenses should rates increase suddenly. Table 5 Gearing Year/days 2010 2011 2012 Industry averages Net Interest cover ratio 4.16 3.96 1.54 2.35 Gross Gearing (D/E) 95.600% 98.050% 111.210% 130.547% 14 3.5 Investment ratio A shareholder can analyse the financial information available to determine if the investment in a company is of value and quality. The price/earnings ratio is the best known investment valuation indicators and used widely by investment professionals and investors. Generally the stock with a high price earnings ratio indicates that investors expect higher earnings growth in the future. The price earnings ratio for Qantas was 12.23 in 2012, 15.90 in 2011 and 29.14 in 2010. A sharp decline of 13.24 was recorded in 2011 due to market confidence in this stock prior to 2011. However the industry average is 12.25 which may suggest that investors may be less likely to

CVS stops selling tobacco products Essay Example for Free

CVS stops selling tobacco products Essay Reason, declared Kant, is the source and ultimate basis for morality. Morality wholly rests in pure, innate reason and not in intuition, conscience, law, or utility. The standard of morality, therefore, is inherent in the human mind; it is definable only in terms of the mind; and it is derived from one’s innerself by direct perception (Cavico Mujtaba, 2013). According to Kant, in order to be moral, one has to be rational. â€Å"The right use of reason is directed to moral ends† (Cavico Mujtaba, 2009). A person has to think rationally, he or she does not have think only about self-interest. As a result of that, there is no place for such thing as Ethical Egoism. People should be treated with dignity and respect. Kant presumes that human beings are rational and can utilize reason (Cavico Mujtaba, 2009). Kant called the supreme ethical principles the Categorical Imperative. This principle is necessary element of human reason and foundation upon which rest all moral judgments (Cavico Mujtaba, 2013). Kant’s method has three parts of testing, which are used for identification whether or not an action is moral. No matter in what kind of situation a person can be, a rational individual performs an action because he or she has a moral obligation and duty. Application of Kantian Ethical Analysis The categorical Imperative is not a principle of action itself; instead, it ethically lays down the form a moral maxim must take. Thus, said Kant, reason indicates that a moral action must have a certain form. The ethics â€Å"test† is a formal test (Cavico Mujtaba, 2013). Literally, a person has to indicate whether his/her actions would be successful or would be considered as a self-destruction. In this case, the test will determine that situation with the company such CVS will be most likely successful. One of the main reasons that the company is doing this, is to show the public and competitors that it really cares about the health and well-being of its customers and the nation. By taking out all tobacco products from all CVS stores in the United States, the administration of the company who have main input in the way how the firm works, would really benefit. In general public might be surprised that CVS are going to aim on peoples health. In this kind of situation many th ings will change and increase in the business, things as trust and confidence would be maintained. So, action passes the  first test. The second test states that every person should be treated with dignity, respect and as a valuable and worthwhile entity (Cavico Mujtaba, 2009).This test involves by itself shareholders, employee, employer, consumers, and society as well. In this case some people have different point of view, some of them firmly believe that they have the right to buy any products they like or to do whatever they chose to do. There is an argument, which explains that it might be unethical for the company like CVS to make people uncomfortable for purchasing tobacco products. CVS does not show any respect for smokers. They feel themselves not welcomed. According to Kantian theory CVS should need to make sure that their clients feel comfortable and welcome in the drugstores, no matter what kind of products are sold. CVS has to analyze and think about customers themselves, not only about profits, even though that basically, the idea of having business is for income purpose. To conform with the Kantian views, the company like CVS which is one of the largest drugstore chains in the United States, should pay more attention for its prosperity, rather than a little aspect of the firm to have some profits. Kant assumes that people cannot take advantage of another person. Additionally, it also explains that people cannot act and do anything without full comprehension and permission of the person. An individual needs someones logical, intellectual, complete agreement for this to happen. In this situation, people can think differently. Some of them can support CVS for the idea of removing tobacco products from pharmacy place, because it is ethical and some of them firmly argue with this statement. Even though that the people deeply understand that the products they were purchasing have the risks for their health and very harmful for their organisms. According to this information, the second test will definitely fail. The third test is the agent-receiver test which asks whether a rational person would accept the action or rule regardless of whether he or she was the agent or the receiver of the action (Cavico Mujtaba, 2009). So, the main cost of this change would be a major loss in income. But people can lose their jobs, the managers and executives will feel decrease in salaries. Many employees may be in danger of losing a job. Moreover, the prices of shares of stocks will decrease, then shareholders  could be in danger of losing earnings. These are all the possible ways of banning all packs of cigarettes from CVS stores. Nevertheless, analytics of the company predicts that the benefits that CVS would get of trust and confidence would be worth the danger of losing profit. By stop selling tobacco products and removing all sweets from the drugstores as well, the firm would have to reassess how and in what kind of ways it can have its income. It will be very difficult to survive for the company, especially in the beginning of this change. It has a worse outcome than just minor loss in sales. The company would have a very negative effect from this and many people would not have a benefit as well. In this case, customers and employees would lose. Because of CVS stops selling cigarettes, as we mentioned above, many people will lose their potential jobs, therefore , the third test certainly will not pass. Only if the company will help their employees by giving them recommendation letters and providing with rà ©sumà ©/interview training, the third test might be considered as passed. But as long as, the action of CVS is going to be presented in October of this year. We still do not know whether they will help their employer or not. So, at this moment of time, this action is considered as not passed. Moral Conclusion Pursuant to Kantian Ethical Model An action is morally right if it has a certain form, and morally wrong if it does not have that form. The Form, the Categorical Imperative, is the first, supreme, fundamental principle in ethics. It is the form a moral action must have; it provides the ultimate standard by which one test can test action, rules, beliefs, and standards to determine if they are moral (Cavico Mujtaba, 2013). Based on Kant’s ethics, the action of CVS pharmacy about removing tobacco products from the stores can be considered moral, only if it passes the Categorical Imperative tests. Some type of questions must be considered such as, is this action only benefiting the company or others as well? How would CVS feel if others performed this action? If the firm rationalized its actions, they would be moral. First of all, if everyone takes the same action that took CVS, the world will become healthy. We will not see any more death as a result of tobacco products. CVS has always functioned very well with good ratings in customers service and with high earnings. Even with a ban of tobacco in October, the company is still  one of the leading pharmacies in the country. Nevertheless, this new plan may not make everyone in society happy. Some people, most likely smokers think that this ban is unfair and unethical, but managers and executives thought that it was the right step for the healthy future and for the business. As a result of this decision, the company will gain trust from its consumers, which will result in a more successful firm. In other words, smokers will not be treated equally with other people with respect and dignity, therefore the second test will fail. Overall, if CVS will take care of people who probably will lose their jobs, the third test can be considered as passed. Despite the problems with Kantian ethics, Kant’s very important accomplishment was to underscore, and to appreciate, people as free, rational, moral beings, with individuals rights and self-imp osed duties to respect others (Cavico Mujtaba, 2013). In conclusion, CVS’s incredible decision involves long term perspective and sacrifices. The administration of the company has a solid strategy of how to operate the company and all of the stores. With a great plan on operations, they are able to have a successful business. As long as, it is such a large company, these changes will be beneficial, even with some people against the stores, unless there is another major change to products in the near future.

Gattaca Defying All The Premises Philosophy Essay

Gattaca Defying All The Premises Philosophy Essay Imagine a society where everyone is more intelligent and healthier than you. Imagine a society where your genetic makeup-engineered or natural-determines the job for which you are eligible, whether or not you can be insured, and who associates with you. Gattaca by Andrew Niccol tells the story of Vincent, a young man naturally and traditionally engendered in a world where genetic engineering is the followed pattern to have a child. Few minutes after his birth, Vincents fate is revealed through a DNA analysis. His first genetic test revealed high probabilities of hyperactivity, sight troubles and serious heart diseases, a life expectancy of 30 years and 2 months and quite low intellectual faculties. At that time, the artificial insemination of test tube babies selected according to their genetic potential had become for many people the natural way of making children. But Vincents parents had preferred to let the other nature take its course. Of course they regretted it, and for their next child they went to see a geneticist. A perfect son has been born to them, a son who deserved to be called Anton, like his father. While Vincent was forced by his genetic code and the system to study at home, Anton was taller and better at anything than his elder brother. They used to play at softy. The game consisted of swimming in the sea as far as possible and being the last to make an about-turn. Vincent was always the softy. But besides his weak health, he had a very strong will. His lifelong dream was to join Gattaca, probably the most prestigious company on earth whose activity was to explore galaxies, and go into space. To achieve his aim, he did not stop studying during his whole adolescence, despite his fathers discouragements. The film shows a world where life is highly determined by genetics, and happiness is mostly based on the quality of the genetic profile, a kind of identity card for people. Vincent, who wants to become an astronaut and work for Gattaca, overcome s all the difficulties presented to him defying all the premises of the genetic engineering. However, it is not so clear that only free will is which will lead him to his dream; that significant amount of determination has to do with his success. At a time when we read about cloned sheep and the unraveling of the human genome, the science in Gattaca is theoretically possible. In the futuristic world of Gattaca, society has developed the technology to manipulate human procreation and designed children with impeccable genetic compositions. I suspect most people will order up the make and model they wanted rather than take chances on a throw of the genetic dice. Everyone will live longer and healthier in the Gattaca world. As a result, a new social caste system is created in which the artificially created, genetically superior humans called valids, dominate all major aspects of society. In contrast, the naturally born humans, called invalids, become a mistreated minority. Although all aspects of society are affected by the new genetic technology, the greatest impact is on the job market. As a result, the easiest way to analyze the job market is to compare the occupations of the valids and to the occupations of the invalids. Vali ds are instantly granted powerful, high-paying jobs, regardless of their training or background. For example, when applying for a job at the Gattaca Aerospace Corporation, Vincent, under an alternate identity, is only required to provide a blood test before he is hired and prepped for flight missions into space. Valids also tend to have computer-based jobs so that they make full use of their genetic intelligence. Invalids are only allowed to have demeaning, low-paying jobs. For instance, before assuming an alternate identity, Vincent is only allowed to work at the Gattaca Aerospace Corporation as a cleaner. In addition, invalids are forced to take jobs in which they perform manual labor. I think the Gattaca world is a realistic future even though it might face a lot of social and ethical problems. Firstly we are getting to the technology that is needed for the level of genetic engineering in Gattaca. Human Genome project begun formally in 1990, the U.S. Human Genome Project was a 13-year effort coordinated by the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health. The project originally was planned to last 15 years, but rapid technological advances accelerated the completion date to 2003. The goals were to identify all the approximately 20,000-25,000 genes in human DNA, determine the sequences of the 3 billion chemical base pairs that make up human DNA and store this information in databases. The knowledge about the effects of DNA variations among individuals can lead to revolutionary new ways to diagnose, treat, and someday prevent the thousands of disorders that affect us. However there are many social and ethical problems that human might face on the way to Genetic engineering in Gattaca. Firstly people were taking other peoples DNA without that persons consent in Gattaca, and this could also happen in reality too. Just like what Vincent said in the movie Of course, its illegal to discriminate. But no one takes the law seriously. People were unable to choose their own destiny. You would never be able to hope or dream of anything because your life is already planned out for you. If its not a part of your life plan, then that would be something you dealt with. Invalids were being discriminated against. According to the Nuremberg Code, which is a set of ethical rules a doctor or scientist must follow when experimenting on a human, it states that The voluntary consent of the human subject is absolutely essential (Nuremberg Code, 1949). In Gattaca, when applying for a job, the interviewer often takes saliva or a sample of urine from the interviewee without telling him/her why. Normally, if a person says no, after the interview, the interviewer would simply take DNA from a handshake, the doorknob, or even the seat without the interviewees permission. This is serious violations of the free will and rights of human beings. Secondly, discriminations could be anywhere. In the movie, people can actually choose the traits and gender of the child. This can cause a lot of problem: e.g. in China most people want boys rather than girls because people think boys could do more labor works than girls and boys can pass down their family name. As a result, the male-female ratio of world population could change drastically. The discrimination against in-valid in the movie could happen in reality too. According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, everyone has duties to the community which allow the free and full development of a persons personality. Vincent has the right to express himself, which he is unable to do because he would never be allowed to because of his heart disease. Furthermore, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that in the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due to recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just society (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948). Vincent worked really hard and strived to become an astronaut but was held back because he wasnt perfect enough. This article is saying that a person should be allowed to express oneself as long as it is legal and not disturbing the public order or general order or general welfare of others. Vincent becoming an astronaut wouldnt affect any of these, he cannot even get a chance to try in the Gattacan world. All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection to the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in viol ation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination (Universal Declaration of Human Rights). The invalids were treated inhumanely, as if they were all criminals. Discriminations problems can be one of the biggest concerns of most people if Gattaca world becomes real. Thirdly if everybody uses genetic engineering, people would have a longer life span. Earth may face an energy crisis and cause the extinction of human beings. Another problem might come from different religions, a lot of people believe in natural process too. Furthermore this is not something that could be undone easily, once people start using genetic engineering, they will just rely on it. Fortunately, most of the problems I came out with were considered by experts from the Human Genome Project. One of the main goals of the Human Genome Project is to address the ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) that may arise from the project. (Human Genome Project 2003) The whole project has nine princ iples: 1. Fairness in the use of genetic information; 2. Privacy and confidentiality; 3. Psychological impact and stigmatization; 4. Reproductive issues; 5. Clinical issues; 6. Uncertainties; 7. Conceptual and philosophical implications; 8. Health and environmental issues; 9. Commercialization of products. Those nine principles can ensure everyone that the problems happened in the movie Gattaca will not occur in reality. I think there is a bright future for Human Genome Project as long as the nine principles are followed. I really enjoyed Gattaca. It raises some very good points that question the uses of technology in the not so distant future. The use of genetic research has led to humanity bio-engineering children to be free of defects and disabilities. Furthermore, I feel really pleased for Vincent as he mixes with members of the valid world despite his own in-Valid condition, he manages to gain considerable respect and admiration because of his persistence, even from people unaware of his status as a genetic impostor. Although Vincent is at the lower end of the genetic hierarchy, it is due to his ferocious determination and unquenchable desire that he is able to rise above his colleagues and achieve his dreams. It is these qualities that deem the central protagonist unique in the world of Gattaca. In the end, this movie also made me question where we should draw the line between science and ethics.

Leadership Speech :: essays research papers

Many people believe that leadership is simply being the first, biggest or most powerful. Leadership in organizations has a different and more meaningful definition. A leader is someone who sets direction in an effort or task and influences or motivates people to follow that direction. The power point presentation explains leadership is the influence that particular individuals exert on the goal achievement of others in an organizational context. When some think of leadership the idea of the military is taken into account while others use the term to refer to executive management. These are few examples of different types of leaders there are. There are also different roles of leadership such as senior-level executives and middle managers. Motivated leaders who have charisma and high levels of emotional stability will be honest and have integrity in the manner in which they lead. An effective leader must be respected by the members of his or her group in order to perform effectively. Another aspect of leadership includes leadership traits such as being influential and inspirational. There also different contexts of leadership, e.g, leading oneself, leading other individuals, leading groups, leading organizations. Some traits that are often associated with being an effective leader include a measure of intelligence, high energy, self confidence, dominance, and a need for achievement. An effective, charismatic leader must lead by example. That leader must be able to know what is going on, the job or task that is being accomplished, and be able to lead the group into performing the task at hand successfully. There are many different types of theories on leadership. There is Fiedler’s contingency theory, situational theories of leadership and House’s path-goal theory. These theories are used to make an individual or manager a more effective leader. They can be used as a guide for individuals and help them achieve whatever goal is set out by their organization or group. Fiedler’s Theory is stated in the power point presentation as the association between leadership orientation and group effectiveness is contingent on how favorable the situation is for exerting influence. If there is some catastrophe which will befall a group or set of individuals if a task is not complete, then that group will be more effective as they are motivated to complete that task to avert that particular catastrophe. The Situational Theories of leadership explain how leadership style must be tailored to the demands of the task and the qualities of subordinates.

Black Athletes in Society Essay -- essays research papers fc

Introduction In the collegiate world of sports, basketball has become an increasingly recognized sport among African Americans, predominantly males. The hope of any young basketball player is that one day a scout will come and recruit them into stardom The question that presents itself as a problem to the lucky few who are chosen to go professional, is whether or not an education is more important than a million dollar shoe deal, â€Å"The NCAA's (1998) annual six-year study reported that only 33% of Black male basketball players graduated, (Chronicle of Higher Education, 1999). Individually, basketball reported the lowest graduation rate in all divisions,† (Robinson, 2004:1). Basketball players have become so idolized in the eyes of young Black male basketball athletes, that the value of education appear to be less important in the development of these young men, â€Å"According to Sailes (1997), there is an over-representation of Black males in particular sports and an under-representat ion in other segments of American society. He provides the example of percentages of Black males competing in the NBA (77%), NFL (65%), MLB (15%), and MLS (16%) in comparison to the fact that fewer than 2% of doctors, lawyers, architects, college professors, or business executives are Black males.†, (Robinson, 2004:1). The idea of the attainment of a professional basketball player’s salary in the NBA, without even having to go to school for the time it takes to earn a degree is very appealing to some players. Those with a wealthy, or even upper-middle class upbringing may not view material assets as a priority. In the Black community, we have theorized that money and success play a more important role than education in most households. Although these two seem to go together, one resulting from the other, this does not apply in the sports world. Our research will examine the role that the family value system plays in influencing Black vs. White male athletes to turn prof essional, as opposed to obtaining a college degree before turning professional. The role of the family value system encouraging Black male athletes to graduate from college appears to be less influential than that of White male athletes. The attainment of a professional basketball contract is more important because the value system in African American families appears to be focused more on immediate gratification. So r... ...r   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Education Statistics. No date of posting/revision given. 20 Apr. 2004   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This website provides the information on the graduation rates of all races. It also gives one important factor when studying the Black community’s graduation rates, â€Å"Black may be 12% of population, but only 3% of PHD, 6.7% of Bachelors Degrees,† and therefore encouraging the idea that the Black community does not support education as one of its main priorities. Robinson, Mark D. Ph. D. â€Å"Every Black Kid Should Strive to Be a Professional Athlete†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Black Athlete Sports Network. 10 May 2004   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This article proposes the idea of what would happen if Black people really embraced the sports world and made that their priority instead of education, â€Å"He provides the example of percentages of Black males competing in the NBA (77%), NFL (65%), MLB (15%), and MLS (16%) in comparison to the fact that fewer than 2% of doctors, lawyers, architects, college professors, or business executives are Black males,†. Dr. Robinson brings up the sta†¦..

Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road” Essay

A novel entitled ‘The Road’ sparks the image of a journey, not necessarily one concerning movement, but an experience, where by the time you reach the ‘destination’ you have either witnessed something or come-by certain things which may affect you as a person, changed the way you think or possibly had an effect on your personal ethics. For example, a mental journey, whereby somebody lives through a certain period in their life and comes out the other end with a new perspective and attitude, like in J.D. Salinger’s ‘The Catcher in the Rye’. Another type of journey is an actual physical one ‘from A to B’; at the destination in this type of journey one may feel a sense of achievement and arrive at ‘B’ with scores of anecdotes and stories that can range from little events that make a good joke to events which may actually change you as a person. Writing about journeys like these is a genre of writing in its own right: Travel Writing, an example being John Steinbeck’s ‘Travels with Charley’. The third type of journey that I associate with the phrase ‘The Road’ is the concept of being on an open road, simply going with no particular interest in where you may arrive, simply the journey itself has its importance. This may simply be on a whim or yearning for open road or maybe because of a need to travel, to not stop and just keep going and perhaps to get away from something, an example of this is the film ‘Thelma and Louise’. This is a key image in American Culture, not only featured in many novels and films but important simply because it represents a freedom to be who you want to be. The open road offers new horizons and the prospect to witness new and unexpected things. This idea represents the liberty and freedom found in America The way in which the protagonists travel in ‘The Road’ is not the picture perfect, open road, free spirited adventure, they rarely travel on the actual road, to avoid being seen by others who may want their belongings and food. ‘This was not a safe place. They could be seen from the road’. The iconic concept of the open-ness and the freedom associated with it is no longer present in Cormac McCarthy’s America. The idea of the road being such a dangerous and deadly place and the paranoia of the man is installed firmly in the readers head by the fourth page, when it discusses the shopping trolley the man has in which he carries all his possessions, food, blankets and tarpaulin. On the handlebars of the trolley the man clamped a ‘chrome motorcycle mirror that he used to watch the road behind him’ which shows that whoever is left in his world isn’t to be trusted and it’s a ‘fend for yourself’ environment with none of the trust and neighbourliness that America is famous for. In the post-apocalyptic world portrayed in ‘The Road’ we see an utter breakdown in the sense of community and the ‘love thy neighbour’ ethic for which America is renowned. In the book, the few people the man and child come across are treated with utter caution or are avoided altogether and people who need help are ignored. An example of this would be when they come across the man who has been hit by lightning and they don’t help him. The son cries for his father to help the man, but he bluntly refuses and does nothing. This is an accurate account of how some people may react in today’s world where help may not be given to the man by some people so as not involve themselves, but the good thing to do would, of course, be to seek medical help. Traditional American values would instruct that one do the good thing and aid the lightning struck man. Another good example of the lack of common ethics is when the stranger robs all their belongings and they run after him and not only get it back, but also take everything he has on him, including his clothes. The fact that the man and robber are prepared to leave the other to die of the cold and starvation, represents how McCarthy’s world has changed human nature and the love thy neighbour and ‘do unto others only what you would want done to yourself’ ethics are left disregarded and one cares for no-one but themselves.. ‘I’m starving, man. You’d have done the same. You took everything. Come on man. I’ll die.’ This proves my point that the people left will do anything to survive even if that worsens the chances of another individual. For me, the theme that is present throughout the book and had me contrasting McCarthy’s world to today’s is the relationship between the father and son. The young child is, of course, dependent on his father for food, guidance and moral support like most children are today and this image is strong in America with the concept of a nuclear, wholesome family being very important. In the book, whilst the sense of community may have collapsed, the father-son relationship is very strong; they care for each other, keep each other company and the father brings the child up as best he can, but in Cormac McCarthy’s world nothing is left quite the same. What unsettled me was how freely the child spoke about their possible impending death and themes of a similar nature. The situation in which this child has been reared has left him matured beyond his years, an example showing this being when he asks his dad, ‘You think we are going to die don’t you? We’re not going to die. Okay.’ The child is so unfazed by the topic and it strikes me as odd and proves how even something as simple as the carefree thoughts of a child have been distorted by the world and lifestyle of the people within the America McCarthy depicts. Within the story there are two scenes that are stuck in my mind because of their vividness and brutality. Firstly, when the father and son break into a house and find dismembered, burnt people locked in the basement, a man with his legs ‘gone to the hip’. These people are being held very much like poorly treated animals or cattle, probably to be eaten, because the people are so desperate for food they have resorted to what is one of the most taboo and strictly forbidden act in most societies, cannibalism. Also the setting of their incarceration is chilling and something only thought of in nightmares. Secondly, when the father and son come across the baby gutted and placed on the spit roast in preparation for a meal. America prides itself on the fact that it’s a ‘free country’. This phrase is thrown around a lot but it basically means that people there have a freedom to say and do what they want as long as it doesn’t break the law. The people locked in the cellar certainly aren’t free and them being held captive shows how extreme people may have become out of starvation and desperation to survive disregarding their previously strong believe in freedom and equality. This is also interesting because it wouldn’t be the first time slavery has been an issue in America. After the Thirteenth Amendment to the US Constitution, which was passed in 1865, slavery was made illegal in America and equality reigns. The change was accepted after years of fighting and now America sees itself as a fair nation with racism and the plight of the black man as less of an issue, a good example being that the first black American President is going to be inaugurated January 20th of the coming year. Cormac McCarthy’s book portrays this ethic of us all being of the same level of importance being readily ignored by those in need to feed themselves and survive. In the news we often hear about anti-abortion lobbyists and pro-life rallies, especially in America. In Cormac McCarthy’s book the protagonists see a group of people travelling with impregnated women and then the man and son walk through the abandoned camp of these people and find a gutted baby on the spit-roast. If you put the two together the idea may strike you that women are being impregnated for the sole purpose of the ‘meat’ they’ll produce. In today’s world this would be considered ungodly and unmentionable and not only brings up the topic of cannibalism but also the controversial theme of abortion which is utterly ignored in McCarthy’s world and the fact that it has gone beyond mere cannibalism but the actual production of babies for meat shows the pure desperation of some to survive and the ethical issue which is so very important today, ignored. In the scene the author refers to the baby itself very impersonally, as if it’s a piece of meat and nothing more. The author describes it as a ‘human infant, headless, gutless and blackening on the spit’, very brief and to the point much like one may have described it were it a common farm animal. If it weren’t for the ‘human infant’ part it may well have been anything, the author does little to humanise the creature on the spit-roast. I think this may be simply to shield the reader and avoid the text being too explicit but also to show how this is largely commonplace in McCarthy’s world and that whilst shocking to the more good-willed protagonists, for some it is merely a case of survival. America is often referred to as the land of plenty, with its almost endless resources, especially of food. The poignant scene in which the father finds what could possibly be the last coke can on earth shows just how much has changed in McCarthy’s world and introduces the notion of how we take too much for granted. In the scene with the coke can the author describes ‘drinks machines†¦tilted on the floor, opened with pry bars’. This shows the desperation of mankind for such objects like Coca Cola, which are integral to lifestyles in modern society and inexplicable to those who haven’t witnessed it. People now never think such ubiquitous items will run out. What makes the scene sadder is the fact that this iconic can which nowadays is seen in many pieces of pop-artwork, has hundreds if not thousands of adverts worldwide and is truly a universally recognized brand, isn’t recognized by the child, showing how in McCarthy’s world this idea of a constant, ready supply of everything is simply no longer the case, especially with food. Throughout the book, punctuation is hardly used; with no speech marks and few commas and the father and son aren’t, at any point, referred to by name. I believe that this is to further the image that Cormac McCarthy is portraying; conveying the fact that the breakdown of society and nature is such that things like punctuation and the names of the characters, no longer are of any importance as there are more important things, survival for instance and by dropping things like the names it leaves the reader to focus more upon the father-son relationship and less on the more trivial details. The ‘American Dream’ is the concept of everybody reaching his or her full potential and having the ability to fulfil their hearts desire, in the land of opportunity that America is famous for. People often immigrate to America to start a business or career in either the music industry or maybe acting. In the book rather than going to America in the hope of having it all, money, glamour, the sweet life, people are trying to leave because they have nothing. It shows how different this bleak world his and how everything has turned on its head. The phrase itself, ‘American Dream’ was coined by James Truslow Adams in his book, published in 1931, called ‘The Epic of America’; in the book his definition for it is ‘that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone’ but in McCarthy’s world, for anyone surviving there is nothing left of the original values of America, the living are in some cases, hunted for food, their freedom compromised for fear and ultimately nothing remains as it was.

True Friend or Opportunist?

The most vulnerable time to take advantage of your friend is when he is lost. As a friend, would you take advantage of his weakness and abuse it? In the play, the Tragedy of Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare, a character named Markus Antagonist abuses the power of his friend after his friend's death. Mark Antonym may be a loyal friend; however, he makes his actions questionable. As a loyal friend, Mark Antonym plans to search for revenge with the help from Octavo's Caesar and stepped up to save Rome for Caesar.Antonym steps into the cane right after the moment Caesar gets killed. He sees the conspirators with their swords and bloody hands. Antonym gets this clever thought of pretending to be on the same side as then. Once he's all alone with Career's dead body, he speaks truthfully. On act 3, scene 1, he says, † All pity choked with custom of fell deeds; And Career's spirit, ranging for revenge†¦ † His speech shows how much hatred he has with the men and hints wh at he intends to do about the murder. On the other hand, Antonym just might not be the loyal friend he seems to be to the public.He must've had his own intentions. Mark Antonym stirs up the citizens to kill the assassins, Instead of him, and he Is willing to kill his own nephew. Antonym Is not exactly who he appears to be; when It came to giving up on his nephew, he did not hesitate. In the scene where Antonym, Octavo's, and Lipid's discusses over a list of their enemies of who must be killed, Antonym reveals his heartless side by saying,† He shall not live. Look, with a spot I damn him. † As a demonstrative person as he, this hidden personality Is a surprise. These proofs make him a ruthless opportunist.Mark Antonym may seem one way to the public, but personally some of his actions show another. After the death of Caesar, Antonym quickly revealed his hidden side that showed him as either a friend or rival. From all of the gathered evidence, about Antonym loyalty to Caes ar, Antonym Is considered as an opportunist over a loyal friend because he showed that he was marking his sport on the throne, waiting for his chance to make a move for It. Although Mark Antonym may seem a little selfish, he Is a pretty clever man. He can be seen as a loyal friend or ruthless opportunist.It all depends on your perspective. By Catherine-Cocoon just might not be the loyal friend he seems to be to the public. He must've had his Mark Antonym stirs up the citizens to kill the assassins, instead of him, and he is willing to kill his own nephew. Antonym is not exactly who he appears to be; when it damn him. † As a demonstrative person as he, this hidden personality is a surprise. Antonym's loyalty to Caesar, Antonym is considered as an opportunist over a loyal friend chance to make a move for it.

Janmar Coatings Case Analysis

Janmar Coatings, Inc. | To:| Ronald Burns| Subject:| Janmar Coatings, Inc. Suggestions| Comments:| The problem facing Janmar Coatings, Inc. is deciding where and how to execute corporate marketing efforts in the southwestern United States. Janmar Coatings is currently marketing to 50 counties, their main focus area so far has been the 11 counties in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The main issue Ronald Burns, the president of Janmar Coatings, is having is trying to come up with a solution to market his company in the most cost effective way during 2005.After 2 long meetings with his executive team he still has no clear direction. He has gathered an approach from each of his team members, including: VP of Advertising, VP of Sales, VP of Operations, and VP of Finance, and now has four solutions to consider. The VP of Advertising has proposed to increase corporate advertising with an large emphasis on television. The VP of Sales proposed hiring a new field representative to help generate ne w accounts. The VP of Operations has proposed a 20% price cut on all Janmar product sales.The VP of Finance proposed that nothing be done; that the company continue with their current efforts and keep a 35% contribution margin. After looking at the company’s overall goals and finances, I would agree with the VP of Sales. Based on his suggestion, I believe it would be a smart time to hire a new sales representative for Janmar. The cost attributed to company for hiring a new sales representative would be $60,000 per year. And the amount of sales revenue needed to cover this expense is $170,000.However, if this sales representative position is correctly used, they will be able to make this margin back rapidly. Because by concentrating on only developing new retail accounts in the non-DFW area, the company could generate lots of sales to a brand new buyer market. Janmar has realized that they need to focus more energy on the ‘Do-it-yourselfers’ as they say, or DIY po pulation, and the non-DFW area seems to be where most of these consumers are located. It was mentioned that product prices would need to be lowered 40% in order to attract contractors, but that is not an immediate worry.Janmar needs to focus all their current energies on the DIY consumers and professional painters. Hiring a new sales representative would be the smartest decision right now because they will know every detail of the products and have the ability to market that properly to each of those consumer segments. However, I have also considered the Vice President of Advertising’s suggestion that they should increase advertising expense by $350,000. While initially, increasing advertising expenses sounds like a good thing to do, this decision would almost double the current advertising expenditure.Janmar is spending around 3% of revene on advertising and sales promotions efforts; which comes out to nearly $360,000. And while it may By increasing advertising expenses by $ 350,000, an additional $1,000,000 in sales will need to be recovered to make up for this expenditure. Mr. Burns makes a valid point by saying that 75% of the audience advertised too is not buying paint. With 25% of your audience only looking to buy paint, it would not be worth the risk of not increasing sales by $1,000,000, to implement the extra advertising expense.Also, I considered the Vice President of Operations proposal for a 20% price cut on all Janmar Coatings, Inc products. Price cuts are always something that needs to be entered into with extreme caution. Even the slightest 1-2% drop in price can lead to a huge drop in margin. In Janmar’s situation, if they choose to implement a 20% price cut, they decrease their overall sales dollars by $2. 4 mm. And their variable cost will not be effected by this price cut to their cost of goods sold will be held constant.In the end reducing their gross profit by 50%, which is extremely high. By implementing this price cut too, t hey would be lowering their contribution margin by almost 60%. While initially, a price cut may seem very appealing to the consumers, the overall toll it will take on the contribution margin and sales dollars generated by Janmar, it would not be a smart decision to move forward in making that a reality. Now, the Vice President of Finance suggested pursuing the current approach. His idea is that Janmar Coatings has always, and will continue, to be successful.The contribution is high, just because an increase in costs doesn’t mean there will be an increase in sales, so why do anything different? Although the VP of Finance has valid points, there is obviously something that needs to be done, or else 22 meetings would not have been necessary. Yes there is a great contribution now, but if things stayed the same, other companies may become more popular and generate more sales than we do and push us out. Based on information from 2004, Janmar currently has a 15% market share in the 50-county service area. If Janmar just stays where they are, they could ose market share as well. It is true that with any expenditure, sales have to increase to compensate for those expenditures, but a company cannot merely stay â€Å"neutral† when something absolutely has to be done. There is a way to introduce a plan that will generate sales to compensate for the expenditure. In this case, simply adding a new sales representative seems to be the best, lowest risk, most probable solution in this case. Lastly, to do a more in depth review the Vice President of Sales suggestion to bring on a new field representative to the sales force.The focus for this new representative would be to focus on developing retail account leads and calling on professional painters to gain new business through dealers. In the overall non-Dallas Fort Worth area, the penetration of Janmar is only 16%, so this representative would only concentrate in this area. Over the last 5 years, Janmar has focus ed most all of the actions toward the DFW area, while the non-DFW area has started to grow. The non-DFW area sales have grown 23% over those 5 years. DIY customers represent a higher percentage of sales than professionals in both areas.However, DIY customers represent 90% of sales in non-DFW areas. Because our contribution margin is 35%, with the addition of a new representative costing $60,000, about $171,429 additional in sales would be needed to recover the expense. With the addition of a sales representative, though, this sales rep could be focused on the non-DFW area and create account leads with more professional painters. The company would need a price cut of about 40% to attract contractors, but if the company could also just create awareness among more professionals in the non-DFW area, more sales could be generated there.Let’s not focus on contractors right now, and get the professional sales in the non-DFW area up, and create more accounts with them. Sales in the D FW area and non-DFW area in the last 5 years:Increase Advertising Spending (emphasis on television): Current advertising spending| 3% of sales=. 03*12mm=$360,000| Sales needed to recover advertising expenditure| $350,000/. 35(CM)=$1,000,000| 20% Price Cut on all Janmar products: Current: Sales Gross Profit CM| Sales: $12mmGross Profit: $4. mmCM: 40%| Sales, Gross Profit, and CM changes after 20% price cut| Sales: $9. 6mm ($2. 4mm change)Gross Profit: $2. 4 mm ($2. 4mm/50% change)CM: 25% (60% decrease)| | | | Adding another Sales Representative to the work force: Current Sales Reps| 8 field reps that cast about $480,000 +commission (assuming they receive the $60,000 salary the new rep would receive)| Sales needed to recover new rep expenditure| $60,000/. 35 (CM) = $171,428. 57| Janmar Market Share of architectural paint and allied products| 15% |

Ethical Problems in the Practice of Law: A Book Review Essay

There are a number of laws in any given society. These laws seek to manage the nature of relationships and transactions in the society. The intent is for society to be orderly, stable and based on justice (Black, 1979). In an ideal world where every human being is just and acts for the benefit of all, law might not be applicable anymore, but given the complexities of society, these laws are important in maintaining order and enforcing justice. Laws are written and legislated usually by the duly elected members of the legislature of the government in any nation. These laws are based on the norms, the value system and at times, the dominant ideology in the society (Dworkin, 1986). The major aspects of the relationships and transactions between and among humans are covered by the laws of the land. There are laws that define what is considered as crime in the society and how such crimes will be punished if committed by any member of the given society. There are also laws that govern the contracts and obligations entered into by two or more people. Laws like these prescribe the ideal nature of such contracts and obligations, and also stipulate what are prohibited. In addition to this, there are laws that seek to protect citizens from the negligence of others or any acts committed that may impinge upon the rights of others (Glenn, 2000). The properties of citizens are also protected under the law. Such property laws govern the ownership of people over land and other properties that belong to them. This way, their rights to their properties are protected. On top of these laws, the Constitution is the basic law that guarantees the freedoms, rights, and duties of the citizens of a particular country. The Constitution is also supported by other laws and policies that seek to reinforce and guarantee the freedoms and rights of the citizens. This body of laws collectively seeks to make society orderly (Glenn, 2000). Legislators write and enact laws for the society, the police and other government agencies enforce such laws—those who uphold the law are rewarded, albeit subtly, and the violators are apprehended and punished accordingly. The violators are not punished immediately, however, as they are also entitled to be tried and litigated under the judicial system of the society where they belong to. This is where the judiciary steps in. Through the institution of the dispensation of justice, accused persons may argue about their innocence and the aggrieved parties may bring their cases to the judicial officials against the people who apparently wronged them. In this process, lawyers perform a significant task (Glenn, 2000). Lawyers in the Legal System Lawyers are the professionals who interpret the provisions of the laws of the society and looks at the principles in these laws and present solutions and applications regarding difficulties and interpretations of these laws. In litigations, the services of lawyers are hired by both the accused persons and the aggrieved party. This is because these laypersons do not have a nuanced understanding of the law, its applications, ambiguities and interpretations. As such, they would need the help of lawyers in sorting through their experiences and proving the merits of their case in the courts (Glenn, 2000). Consequently, they would seek redress in cases where their rights are impinged upon. This article reviews Ethical Problems in the Practice of Law, written by Lerman & Schrag (2005). It looks at the major topics covered by the authors as well as the main points they make in the book. It will also evaluate these arguments in light of several literatures written about the same subject matter. In order to review the book more effectively, the role of lawyers in the legal system and the kinds of relationships that they have with their clients should be reviewed first. This will provide a solid background about the law and the nature of the lawyers’ profession prior to the discussion of the major themes and issues discussed by Lerman & Schrag (2005) in their book. The law profession, however, is not limited to this kind of practice. There are various other ways in which lawyers use their knowledge and expertise. Several kinds of responsibilities are performed by lawyers, depending on the country in which they practice. These responsibilities include the following. For one, lawyers present legal arguments in the courts of law. In this regard, the lawyer represents his client in the court proceedings and presentation of arguments. Some countries may allow persons to present arguments in the courts without the help of lawyers. However, this may prove inefficient as individuals may not be aware of how the legal system works. Hence, lawyers make it possible for the proceedings to go as smoothly as possible (Kent, 2002). Lawyers are also engaged in the research, drafting and final writing of papers for the use of courts. Prior to the delivery of oral arguments, lawyers provide a brief of the backgrounds, facts and main points of the case. In short, lawyers are called upon to deliver both their written and oral arguments regarding the cases which they are handling. Before the actual process of litigation and court hearing, however, the lawyer would need to be in consultation with his or her clients about the provisions of the law and other matters that directly affect the case being brought to the courts. Even without litigation or court cases, lawyers still provide necessary legal advice to those who seek their services (Abel & Lewis, 1988). Part of the lawyers’ work is also the protection of intellectual property rights and the management of contracts. In relation to this, contracts are either drafted by a lawyer or the draft passes through them for review and revision in accordance with what the law allows in such cases. The transfer of deeds of real properties is also done by lawyers. The legal documents as well as the necessary processes are facilitated by the lawyer in this regard. Moreover, the wills, trusts of people who expect their demise soon; or those who have already passed away are implemented by lawyers. Lastly, lawyers prosecute or defend people who are suspected of having committed crime (Abel & Lewis, 1988). Before a person could practice law, he should have completed the prescribed course of study, and usually, he should have passed the bar examinations. The purpose of this is to ensure that those who practice law are indeed capable of doing so and that they are accountable to the government and to the society as a whole in the practice of their profession (Abel & Lewis, 1988). Lawyers and the Need for Regulation Requiring lawyers to acquire license prior to practicing law is one strategy in regulating the profession. Only those who pass the required standards would be able to practice law. Once the lawyers have their licenses, however, the necessity for regulation is still evident because of the relationship of the lawyer with its clients. The rights of the clients of lawyers should also be ensured and protected against the malpractice and abuse of lawyers. In some countries, the Department of Justice is the government agency that governs regulates lawyers. In other countries, it is the Supreme Court (Abel & Lewis, 1988). The role of lawyers in the society is important. As such, should they fail or make mistakes, they compromise the reputation of the profession. Because of the sensitivity of the relationship of lawyers with their clients, the need for regulation in the profession cannot be overemphasized. Against the backdrop of the ethical issues besieging the legal profession, the textbook on legal ethics written by Lerman and Schrag (2005) provides practical guidance together with an explanation of the foundational principles and the laws that govern the situations where issues of legal ethics may arise. Another important reason for the regulation of the practice of law is the existence of a myriad of ethical issues that should be confronted by lawyers in their profession. Lerman and Schrag’s (2005) Ethical Problems in the Practice of Law, explores the laws and other related institutions that govern and regulate lawyers and the way that they practice law. In addition to this, the authors dealt with the practical aspects of these laws as they apply to torts, contracts and obligations, the prosecution and defense of suspected criminals, real estate, family law and civil law. The authors formatted their book such that it would be easily accessible and readable. It also contains digests of important related doctrines to the topic that they are exploring. Such highlighting of related doctrines can be found throughout the book. They also presented judicial opinions in their edited versions so that the student will not need to go through every minute detail of the cases. In terms of presentation, the authors used the Socratic method of presenting questions and answers for the purpose of presenting the laws and the major issues governing such issues. Since the law profession is rife with ethical issues, the authors also found it expedient to include rules governing professional conduct. Such set of rules are important for lawyers in helping them practice their profession. This cursory examination of the book will be further expanded in the succeeding sections. A detailed review of the chapters of the book will be made. This review will also look at the language used by the authors, the level of language, the main points of their chapters and the solutions they provided to several problematic areas presented in the text. Background on the Authors The authors of Ethical Problems in the Practice of Law have had experience and authority in the subject that they have written about. They have had extensive classroom experience; they have also researched and practiced the law profession throughout their career and they have been engaged in the policy-making process. This broad range of experience make Lerman and Schrag as veritable authors in the field of legal ethics and their book is a testament to these experiences. Lisa G. Lerman Since 1987, Lisa G. Lerman has served as a law professor at the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America. She has had extensive experience in teaching contracts, exercising lawyers’ professional responsibility and the practicum on public policy. In addition to this, she has written numerous articles on law firms, the practice of law, about lawyers, and law education. Her focus used to be domestic law; however, she has focused on the relationship of lawyers and clients, together with the issue of dishonesty of lawyers occupying her attention. Prof. Lerman has long been considered an expert on ethics on the legal profession. In recognition of her advocacy, she has been named the chair of the ABA National Conference on Professional Responsibility’s Planning Committee. Given these plethora of achievements and experiences, she is an authority on the subject she has co-written with Philip G. Schrag (Catholic University of America Website, 2007). Philip G. Schrag Philip G. Schrag, on the other hand, is a professor of Civil Procedure at Georgetown Law School of the Georgetown University. He is currently the Director of the Center for Applied Legal Studies. He also provides career guidance to lawyers through the Public Interest Law Scholars Program. He has also served as a civil servant by writing legislations, notable among these are New York City’s Consumer Protection Act of 1969 and his involvement with several boards and agencies of the government. He has written twelve books (Georgetown Law Website, 2007). Organization of the Book Ethical Problems in the Practice of Law has been organized thematically. It has ten (10) chapters that explore deeply and comprehensively the end-to-end practice of the legal profession from the provision of legal advice, the conduct of the representation of clients in the courts as well as the legal and ethical obligations of lawyers even after they have represented a client. The Regulation of Lawyers Chapter 1 deals with the regulation of lawyers. They explained the basis of the process of making prospective lawyers go through the bar examinations in order to get their license. They also enumerated and explained the institutions that make the regulations in the legal profession. These institutions are crucial in ensuring that lawyers are practicing their profession in accordance with the law and without impinging upon the rights of their clients. These institutions are: (1) the highest state courts; (2) bar associations; (3) lawyer disciplinary agencies; (4) the American Bar Association; (5) the American Law Institute; (6) Federal and State trial courts; and (7) the Legislatures among others. The authors also took a look at the law governing lawyers. They walked through the special provisions of this law and cited instances in which the provisions of this law could be useful and where there are ambiguities and vagueness. In addition to this, Lerman and Schrag provided cases and examples to illustrate the principles that they discussed. Lawyers and the Confidentiality of Clients Client confidences and the duties of lawyers to protect this confidential information is the subject matter of Chapter 2. The duo started out by defining the bases of confidentiality and the way that clients provide their trust to their lawyers. There are instances, however, in which this duty to protect confidentiality may be exempted and the law and national interest may even compel the lawyer to disclose some important matters confided to him by the client. In any case, however, the lawyer should never disclose confidential information from a client in the interest of personal gain or for the use of another client as this may be construed as a violation of the trust granted to the lawyer by the client. The chapter closes with several tips and suggestions on informing the clients about confidentiality and how such confidentiality may be protected.