Racial Profiling free essay sample

Debate the pros and cons of all options and decide what you would do. One thing to consider is whether someone who holds negative attitudes against a group of people is likely to translate them into his or her behavior. Racial profiling refers to the practice of substituting skin color for evidence as grounds for suspicion. Too often in the society today we use this tool as a method of finding our criminals out there. But is this tool an effective one? Although there are two sides to the coin, the cons of racial profiling in my opinion out number that of the pros. I stand strongly opposing discrimination against others because of their race. Racial profiling may result in authority interrogating the wrong person, results in embarrassment and humiliation on the victim’s side and also does it lowers people’s self-esteem. Is because of my skin colour I am always stopped at the airport to be searched a thousand times? Racial profiling allows the authorities at always to interrogate the wrong people at given times. We will write a custom essay sample on Racial Profiling or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Too often we see cases where an individual being searched because of their skin colour or culture. The excuse to such behavior is that people are suspects and they are doing it to increase public safety. But don’t you take into consideration the rights of civilian? A perfect or most common example of this could be that of stopping citizens who appear to be out of place, such as an African American in a predominantly white neighborhood or a white in a predominantly African American neighborhood. That is just vivid interrogation and people African American just cannot live their lives in peace. Hey you black guy pull over! How embarrassing. Out of all the drivers on the road why it is the Hispanic man or woman’s vehicle the police chooses to inspect? Apparently it is a target whenever they get out there in the streets. Not because one person from a particular race has done something unlawful means that the entire race is corrupted and will get involved. This is just merely stereotyping and it should be put to an end. Yes, you are looking out for the best for your country and its people, but fair is fair and that is what the justice system is all about. Embarrassing and humiliating an individual by constantly stopping and asking questions is just not right. It is neither moral nor ethical. Racial profiling results in one’s self-esteem to be rather low. They would be scared to part take in activities as they will be stared down and or just will not even get the opportunity to get involved. I know the feeling of this. I am a student and a regular traveller as well, I am from Jamaica. Whenever I am asked the question where I am from and Jamaica is mentioned, it is like all positive expression changes because of where I am from. Yes, Jamaicans have a reputation of war and all the negativity but not everyone is the same so why handle each person in such manner? Racial profiling is like a terrible disease which affects the minds of the victims. I have been a victim of racial profiling and I know the feelings. The authoritative figures need to do something and reflect on the feelings of others. Moral rules suggest that no one should be treated less than the other. We are all human beings despite the race we are. There is no way I will accept the beliefs of another person’s culture. If I should be a resident or just visiting a particular country who shares a different cultural belief as I do or race, we both have to respect each other and do what we ought to and not trying to fight the other. You cannot force someone to accept what they do not believe. Likewise, I do not expect you to accept my belief, rather just respect it. My partner is not racist, moreover he is African American. Although he might disagree with the criminal activities in which this race may get them involved in he still stands firm with his race. There is no way the attitudes of African Americans affect his behavior nor does it allow him to feel like doing whatever activities because he is of that race. Although he is not a follower of the unlawful acts, at times he still bares the consequence where at mot times especially driving he is stopped for random searching. Everyone has his or burden to take with them, why lay it on all? In conclusion, racial profiling is said to design to increase the safety of the public. Nonetheless, there are consequence’s using this tool. Racial profiling or racial discrimination affects individuals in society as it results in a form of interrogation, allows one to feel embarrassed of their race as they are constantly the targets of corruption, also racial profiling lowers the self-esteem of a person not wanting them to stand upward or intake in activities, whether for the future benefits or recreational. Racial Profiling free essay sample A discussion on racial profiling and discrimination by US policemen. (more) Racial Profiling free essay sample A report on he unit by the state attorney general found that blacks were stopped at a rate 10 times that of whites, and that 35 percent of those stops lacked reasonable suspicion to detain or had reports Insufficiently filled out to make a determination. Thousands attended Dialogs funeral. Demonstrations were held almost daily, along with the arrests of over 1,200 people in planned civil disobedience. In a trial that was moved out of the community where Dialog lived and to Albany in upstate New York, the four officers who killed Dialog were acquitted of all charges (The Dial online). Racial Profiling Is any police or private security practice In which a person Is treated as a suspect because of his or her race, ethnicity, nationality or religion. This occurs when police investigate, stop, frisk, search or use force against a person based on such characteristics instead of evidence of a persons criminal behavior. We will write a custom essay sample on Racial Profiling or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It often involves the stopping and searching of people of color for traffic violations, known as DB or driving while black or brown. (Meek 17). After 9/1 1, racial profiling has become widely accepted as an appropriate form of rime prevention.People were sought after based solely on the fact that they were of Arab descent. But racial profiling did not start with September 1 lath racial profiling has been around for ages. Tracy McClain, a professor at Boston university School of Law, says that racial profiling can trace its historical roots [back] to a time in early American society when court officials in cities like Philadelphia permitted constables and ordinary citizens the right to take up all black persons seen gadding abroad without their masters permission. (Meek 164). The term profiling first became associated with law enforcements interference in drug trafficking during the late sass. In 1985, the Drug Enforcement Administration instituted Operation Pipeline, an Intelligence-based assessment of the method by which drug networks transported bulk drugs to drug markets, and began training local and state police in applying a drug courier profile as part of highway drug interdiction techniques.Under Operation Pipeline, police were trained to apply a profile that Included evidence of concealment In the vehicle, Indications of east, point-to-point driving, as well as the age and race characteristi cs of the probable drivers. In some cases, the profiling technique was distorted, so that officers began targeting black and Hispanic male drivers by stopping them for technical traffic violations as a pretext for determining whether or not drivers were carrying drugs (Wittier 133).A 1998 Department of Justice Investigation of these practices raised awareness of this issue and defined racial profiling as the practice of singling out members of racial or ethnic groups for relatively minor traffic or petty criminal integrand (History 1). In 1999, the American Civil Liberties Union launched a nationwide campaign against racial profiling, entitled Arrest the Racism: Racial Profiling in America. This campaign included research, phone hotness to report incidents, online complaint forms, advertising campaigns that included radio, television, print and billboards, advocacy for legislation, and a communications program synchronized with litigation efforts across the country. This campaign has inspired a movement against racial profiling by local, state and national organizations. Community organizations have en involved in advocating for legislation, increasing visibility of their racial profiling concerns, and encouraging police departments to begin data collection.More than 20 states have passed legislation prohibiting racial profiling and/or mandating data collection on stops and searches, hundreds of individual jurisdictions have voluntarily begun to collect data, and several Jurisdictions are collecting data on racial profiling as a result of federal or state court settlements or consent decrees. In February 2001 , during an address to a Joint session of Congress, President George W. Bush said of racial profiling, It is wrong and we will end it in America. (History 1) California, alone, has enacted legislation which mandates sensitivity training, but there is currently no legislation mandating data collection. In 1999, Governor Gray Davis vetoed legislation that would have required law enforcement agencies to collect data to show whether people of color are stopped by police at disproportionate rates. Bills that would have prohibited racial profiling and required data collection either died on inactive file or had important content removed before being passed.A large number of individual Jurisdictions are collecting data either voluntarily, through court settlements, or through federal consent decrees. S. B. 205, which amended the California Penal Code section 13519. 4, entitled Racial and Cultural Diversity Training, defines racial profiling as the practice of detaining a suspect based on a broad set of criteria which casts suspicion on an entire class of people without any individualized suspicion of the particular person being stopped. This legislation outlines the inappropriateness of racial profiling, and mandates cultural awareness training for civil servants. The federal code which is used to address racial profiling and other questionable procedures is Title 42, U. S. C. , Section 14141, which makes it unlawful for state or local law enforcement agencies to allow officers to engage in a pattern or practice of conduct that deprives persons of rights protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States. This law is commonly referred to as the Police Misconduct Statute. This law gives the Department of Justice the right to reprimand and/or sanction law enforcement agencies that use policies or practices which support a pattern of conducts by officers. The action taken by the department is directed against the agency as a whole, not against individual officers. Although efforts have been made to ban the use of racial profiling as a law enforcement tool, no Jurisdiction in the U. S. Has addressed the problem in a way that is both effective and all-inclusive. Currently, twenty-nine states have passed laws continue to be extremely lacking.Further, some states are even passing legislation that supports racial profiling, such as Arizona new SUB 1070, which aims to curb the problem of illegal entry into the U. S. While immigration issues continue to be a problem in the U. S. , this law basically allows law enforcement officials to stop any citizen randomly to verify their legal residence in the country. Police practices that are viewed as racially motivated will ultimately lead to more frequent and severe interactions with law enforcement, and eventually leads to a distrust of the police.This is an unhealthy position, as law enforcement practices arent effective when you are fearful of those whose Job is to protect and serve the citizens (Blamer 4). There is not much research available that addresses the question f why racial differences exist in citizens relations with the police. Part of the explanation can be found in the group-position thesis, which is discussed in the research by Bob Hutching 64), and states: the group-position thesis focuses on inter-group competition over material rewards, status, and power.Racial attitudes which reflect individual-level feelings and beliefs also mirror a collective sense of group cohesion, unlike other racial groups. These perceptions include (1) perceived threats: dominant group members fears that their group is at risk of losing privileges r resources to competing racial groups, and (2) perceived advantages: minority group members beliefs that their group interests will be enhanced by challenging the prevailing racial order.The group-position thesis has been used to explain inter- group racial attitudes. The thesis further outlines the entitlement of dominant groups to resources, and the attraction to institutions that serve their interests; an example of this would be the attraction of the White race to the crimina l Justice system. The police are often seen as allies by the dominant ethnic group, especially n deeply divided societies where the police can be used as an instrument for suppressing subordinate groups (Boob ; Hutching 70).This relationship between the police and dominant groups is less obvious in more democratic societies, but the authors state that even in these societies, the superior group builds strong relations with the police. In the United States, white peoples support for the police has traditionally been strong and, at the same time, whites tend to see racial minorities as inclined to criminal or violent behavior. In the 2000 General Social Survey, for example, half of whites viewed blacks as Touch 1021) For whites who follow these views, there is a tendency to condone police suspicion and disparate treatment of minorities as rational discrimination (Wittier 153). These attitudes may be more strongly held by some whites than by others, but the group-position thesis predicts that these views are fairly common throughout the white population (Boob Hutching 72). Racial profiling has been occurring throughout our nation, and even the world, for as far back as any of us can remember. Racial profiling stems from racism, and fear of people who are different, ethnically and culturally, than the person making the judgments.Sadly, it spreads even further than that, and clouds the Judgment of the people who are in positions of authority, even when they come from the same ethnic background. Racism, classicism, sexism and all the other -isms combine to create trends such as these, which affect more than Just the person being Judged; it affects deal with the problem of -isms, the only way to change the dominant perception is to change the way people are programmed throughout life and their experiences. Until that day, no legislation or rule is going to change the way people feel about the minority, or perceived lower class, group.

Connecting with the Community essays

Connecting with the Community essays Stolen Summer: Connecting with the Community The movie, Stolen Summer is a film that highlights the idea of connecting with the community. A little boy allows his family and another family to connect with each other and the surrounding community. The movie is about a large Catholic family with several sons and daughters who live in one home, and survive off the basic things. They do not get extras, and even the father hates to admit that he cannot even send his oldest son to college. The parents send their children to a private Catholic school, where they are taught by nuns and learn to live without sin. One boy, Pete, gets himself into a lot of mischief at school, and is constantly misbehaving in class. The nuns constantly reprimand him and tell him that he will go to hell if he keeps his behavior on a constant level. Pete decides that he must go on a quest to redeem himself in the eyes of God, and he chooses to convert Jews to Christianity. At first, Pete tries to make a lemonade stand in front of a synagogue. He tries to sell it for free and lend people Christian advice at the same time. Although he had bad luck with this, he was still very persistent. While he is marketing his Christian lemonade, Pete meets Ra bbi Jacobson. Although a lot of the Jews in the community find the lemonade stand offensive, Rabbi Jacobson feels that this will be an enlightening experience for Pete OMalley. Petes father is a firefighter. One day while at the Christian lemonade stand, Pete is joined by one of his older brothers. They hear sirens and see Rabbi Jacobson abruptly run to his car and speed away in the direction of the sirens. It turns out that Rabbi Jacobsons home was caught on fire with his son, Danny, and the synagogues secretary as Dannys babysitter inside the house. Luckily, Petes father, Mr. OMalley, hurries inside and rescues the son before the home collapse. Unfortunately, t...

Business Sustainabilit Society and Planet

Business sustainability can be defined as managing triple bottom line, which is a process used by the organisation in order to manage and handle the social, environmental and financial risks, opportunities and obligations. All of these mentioned impacts can be referred to as planet, people and profit (Boons et al., 2013). Being a student in the class, I have learned the sustainability related themes in proper manner. The lecturer of our class has mentioned the potential issues, and challenges, which may influence the business within a particular industry. Even he has mentioned the appropriate approaches to the sustainable business. The approach solely relies on the accounting based perspectives, which fail to capture the exact time element, which is inherent in the business sustainability. From this course, I have come to know only those businesses, which are closely interlinked with the healthy economic, environmental and social system are successful in today’s competitive bu siness world. Schoenherr (2012) has referred that the sustainable businesses contribute to the healthy ecosystems, economic values and strong communities. The entire discussion session has been changed my ideas and concepts on the subject of sustainability. It is an interesting fact that my class members also possess completely different view on this particular topic. I have clearly understood the triple bottom line, which is an accounting framework with three important aspects of business and an organisation. These factors are social, financial and environmental factors. I was unaware of this triple bottom line framework for evaluating its performance in the broader perspective for creating a suitable business value. The ecological footprint can be considered as a resource accounting tool. The lecturer provides lecture on the global footprint and asks our ways to reduce it. I have considered myself as a concerning person of the waste management, recycling used products before evalu ating my ecological footprint. However, I was ashamed after know the result of my ecological footprint as I came to know that there will be shortage of resources in order to maintain my usual lifestyle. I will take some effective measure to reduce the issues that are revealed after reviewing my ecological footprint. I will change my food habits and will become vegetarian for supporting the green environment. This step will reduce the practice of over fishing in rivers, lake and oceans. Our concepts and ideas of business have been shaped by our education, relationships, thoughts and culture. The lecturer has focussed on the five forms of capital, which an organisation will employ for delivering heir services and products, human and social, financial and manufactured and natural. As the entire business world moves towards the maintenance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and create a sustainable business organisation, therefore, the management should enhance their existing stocks of capital assets (Vom Brocke et al., 2012). The lecturer has mentioned that it is very hard to maintain a perfect balance in between the sustainable practices and successful outcome of the business operations. This tutorial class clearly illustrates the impish link of starting and ending scopes of CSR. The lecturer has provided relevant notes and lectures on the related theories, approaches of CSR. There are huge differences in the maintenance of sustainable business practices within the large corporations and small companies. The phase model of Dunphy suggests a perfect model of the corporate evolution and an accelerated sustainability management (Benn et al., 2014). Dunphy’s six phases of the business approaches to sustainability involve the rejection, non-responsiveness, efficiency, compliance, strategic sustainability and the sustaining corporation. We have learned how the companies can employ this specific model for accelerating the sustainable business practices within the industry. This model can be clearly understood as a survival model and it can help an organisation to improve its basic level of profit by minimum 50%. Telstra is considered as the largest media and telecommunication company in Australia, which follow sustainable business practices in efficient manner (Telstra.com.au. 2016). The commitment of this particular company focuses on the employee involvement, environmental leadership and interconnection of the stakeholders. Telstra is c ommitted of being accountable and transparent for continuing its business operation in the telecommunication industry of Australia. The organisational policies and practices of Telstra never stop strive for improving their traditional business practices and always maintain fair, sustainable, ethical and environmentally sound business in potential manner. Osborne et al., (2014) have depicted that ethical, sustainable and socially responsible business practices are important for modern business. After completion of this particular class, I am confident enough to choose excellent process of business operation with a proper maintenance of CSR and sustainability. This class will help me in future in potential manner for understanding the necessity of maintaining the sustainable business. It will also help me to take effective decisions regarding my future business activities. Three weeks discusses completely different matters in order to provide a detailed overview on the sustainable business practices of organisations. No single education system is suitable to design our knowledge and concepts of the sustainable business practices. However, this particular tutorial has transformed my concepts and I have realised the actual importance of sustainability in the business practices. The theories we have learned in this tutorial should be employed after determining the range of the regional business of an organisation. I have understood that alone the business community cannot creat e sustainability. Benn, S., Dunphy, D., & Griffiths, A. (2014).  Organizational change for corporate sustainability. Routledge. Boons, F., Montalvo, C., Quist, J., & Wagner, M. (2013). Sustainable innovation, business models and economic performance: an overview.  Journal of Cleaner Production,  45, 1-8. Osborne, S. P., Radnor, Z., Vidal, I., & Kinder, T. (2014). A sustainable business model for public service organizations?.  Public Management Review,  16(2), 165-172. Schoenherr, T. (2012). The role of environmental management in sustainable business development: a multi-country investigation.  International Journal of Production Economics,  140(1), 116-128. Telstra.com.au. (2016). Retrieved 5 December 2016, from https://www.telstra.com.au Vom Brocke, J., Seidel, S., & Recker, J. (Eds.). (2012).  Green business process management: towards the sustainable enterprise. Springer Science & Business Media. End your doubt 'should I pay someone to do my dissertation by availing dissertation writing services from

Research Proposal on the topic Effects of substance abuse on prisoners Assignment

Research Proposal on the topic Effects of substance abuse on prisoners in Austin, Texas - Assignment Example The qualitative data shall be coded, enumerated and listed. Averages, percentages and chi square testing shall be used to analyze quantitative data. Photographs and matrix maps shall be used in the presentation of qualitative data. The quantitative data shall be presented in tables and graphs. Introduction Substance abuse among the prisoners in Texas has been on the rise in the recent past. The detrimental impacts that substance abuse has on prisoners cannot be underestimated since they present challenges to the victims and other stakeholders such as the society and correctional institutions. The high rate of consumption of drugs by inmates in prisons, impact negatively on their health, and in the extreme cases leads to death. Substance abuse in Austin prisons is not a new trend, and it requires maximum attention, as the effects on the inmates are severe. Prisons are places meant to rehabilitate and reform the inmates, rather than to destroy them, in one way or the other. Therefore, the high incidences of substance abuse in correctional facilities have led to questions raised about the effectiveness of criminal justice systems in Austin, Texas. The high numbers of prisoners in Texas and the increasing cases of substance is a major cause of concern. Hence, there is a need for close attention to avert negative effects. Purpose Statement The study focuses on impacts of substance abuse to prisoners and the society. A major focus was on establishing reasons behind the high incidences of substance abuse in the correctional facilities. Through the study, negative impacts of substance abuse on prisoners and the community as well as other stakeholders would be determined. The effectiveness of mechanisms put in place to treat substance abuse and rehabilitate victims is examined. This would help in identification of loopholes, which result in negative outcomes. Literature Review Literature Review The number of inmates in the US prisons has continued to increase with about 2 million people imprisoned (Neubauer, 2012). The issue of incarceration in the United States is faced with a number of challenges due to the high numbers of Blacks, Latin Americans, and Native Americans. According to Stuntz, (2011), this has been met with many questions concerning the effectiveness of the criminal justice system in the US. Texas has the highest prison population. This being the case, Austin its capital City is of major concern. According to Jennifer et al. (2012), there are many problems faced by inmates in most prisons in Austin, ranging from social to psychological problems. Some of these problems arise because of under-provision of programs and policies by the criminal justice system. Substance abuse in prisons is widely spread among many inmates (Texas Statistical Report, 2012). Despite the negative impacts that it brings, some inmates continue to abuse drugs for personal or other reasons. This has been associated with under-provision of treatment for drug abu sers in prisons, which make them, engage in this activity that deteriorates their health ,as well as their social lives. It has been noted that approximately 85% of prisoners in the US meet the criteria for diagnosis in drug abuse (Frakt, 2012). This is because this population has a problem of substance abuse. Texas has a wide range of correctional facilities, and this are meant to change the individual’s behavior as well as attitudes towards actions that may have led him or her to engage in criminal

Legalization of Marijuana Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Legalization of Marijuana - Research Paper Example Teenagers are naturally inquisitive, one of the justifications given for this age group experimenting with drugs. They also are inclined to become bored easily and experience recurrent emotional highs and lows, all probable factors in teenage marijuana use. Drug use increases the chance that teenagers will contract a social disease, become pregnant, perform inadequately in school and attempt suicide as this paper will examine. State and Support Three Claims Adolescents are in a more vulnerable life circumstance than are adults because teens are still developing in every facet of their lives. Regrettably, it is this same group that has the most access to marijuana as schools have become prolific illegal drug stores. Statistics collected by the National Institute on Drug Abuse demonstrate that schoolchildren have easy access to drugs and alcohol. â€Å"The average age of first alcohol use is 12 and the average age of first drug use is 13. Almost two-thirds of all American young people try illicit drugs before they finish high school† (Anderson, 1996) The relationship between illegal drug use among teens and an increased occurrence of sexual activity is a broadly accepted reality by both researchers and the general public. Many studies have time and again demonstrated an association between unsafe sexual behavior and illegal drug use by teenagers. Drug users are more prone to take risks than do teens that don’t use drugs. This may be an obvious assertion but a tendency to take unnecessary chances with their health combined with a lowering of inhibitions while on drugs and the inherent need of all teens to feel accepted by their peer group leads to increased sexual activity. This problematic circumstance also enhances the chance of teens having multiple sexual partners, having sex at an earlier age and decreases the odds that they will utilize contraception than those that do not use marijuana. â€Å"Teens 15 and older who use drugs are five times mo re likely to have sex than are those teens who do not use drugs and teens who have used marijuana are four times more likely to have been pregnant or to have gotten someone pregnant than teens who have never smoked pot† (The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, 1997). Teenagers are more emotionally unstable younger children and adults which explains the higher suicide rate among that age group. A study involving teenagers found that of those who attempted suicide, illegal drug abuse was the most often shared aspect of their lives. Of the teens that committed suicide, 70 per cent were regular users of illegal drugs and/or alcohol. However, this study and current research reveal that drug use alone may not instigate suicide just that drug use and teen suicide is statically related. Teens who experience emotional troubles to a higher degree than their classmates have an even greater likelihood of considering suicide and to use illegal drugs. Additionally drugs could magnify a pre-existing emotional condition and â€Å"may impair the judgment of teens considering suicide, making suicide attempts more likely† (Shaffer et al, 1996). Discussing Arguments: Dialogue The majority and probably all countries of the world face the steady trafficking of illegal drugs across their borders. Countries are increasingly realizing that the illegal importation of drugs, a criminal act, generally involves people of foreign origin, is ultimately more harmful to society than is

Generally Accepted Accounting Principles Essay Example for Free

Generally Accepted Accounting Principles Essay A. What is the difference between a contribution income statement and a traditional income statement? Contribution income statement is an income statement that classifies cost by behavior (fixed cost and variable cost). Traditional income statement is sometimes called the functional income statement. It is an income statement prepared in the multiple-step or single –step income statement format which conforms to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and can be used for external financial reporting. The main difference between the two is that the contribution income statement list variable costs first, followed by fixed costs. Keeping in mind that GAAP and does not permit businesses to use the contribution income statement for financial accounting – it is used only for internal decision making purposes. B. What is the difference between absorption costing and variable costing? Absorption costing is a costing method where product cost includes all the costs to acquire products and get them ready to sell regardless of whether the costs are variable or fixed. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles requires business to use absorption costing for financial accounting. Variable costing is a method of costing where only the costs to acquire products or to get them ready to sell that vary with output are treated as product costs. In other words, only variable product costs are treated as product costs. For manufactures, the difference between absorption costing and variable costing is significant. For example, when Caterpillar uses absorption costing to determine the cost of manufacturing, its product cost includes the direct material, direct labor, variable manufacturing overhead, and fixed manufacturing overhead cost incurred to make the bulldozer. These costs are added to inventory and they are not expensed as cost of goods sold until the bulldozer is sol. However, when Caterpillar uses variable costing, product cost, includes only direct material, direct labor, and variable manufacturing overhead costs. Under variable costing all of Caterpillar’s fixed manufacturing overhead cost is treated as period cost. When Caterpillar uses variable costs are added to inventory (direct material, direct labor, and variable manufacturing overhead). Under variable costing, Caterpillar expenses fixed manufacturing overhead as it is incurred just like it does other period cost such as selling and administrative expense. F. What is the contribution margin ratio and how does it differ from the contribution margin? Contribution margin is the amount remaining after all variable costs have been deducted from sales revenue. It is an important piece of information for managers, because it tells them how much of their company’s original sales dollars remain after deducting variable cost. Contribution margin ratio is the contribution margin expressed as a percentage of sales. Contribution margin ratio can be calculate by dividing the total contribution margin by total sales or by dividing the per unit contribution margin by per unit selling prices.

Popularity, Physical Appearance, and the American Dream in Death of a S

For many, the â€Å"American Dream† is the hope for a future filled with success and fortune.   Although many may share the idea of the American Dream, each person has a different perception of what is necessary to achieve this goal.   Willy Loman, the lead character of Miller’s play, Death of a Salesman, believes that popularity and physical appearance are the keys that unlock the door to the â€Å"American Dream†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   We are first introduced to the importance of popularity and physical appearance when Willy is speaking to his wife, Linda, about their son Biff.   â€Å"Biff Loman is lost,† says Willy.   â€Å"In the greatest country in the world, a young man with such personal attractiveness gets lost.†Ã‚   In this quote, not only is Willy confused about how Biff’s good looks can’t help him get a job, b... ..., Ben, and the elderly man he encountered in his youth.  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Willy Loman truly believes that physical appearance and popularity are the keys to success - hard work is not necessary.   Because of Willy’s naive ideas, he is unable to reach his goal of achieving the American Dream. Work Cited Miller, Arthur. Death of a Salesman. Literature. Ed. Sylvan Bates New York: Longman, 1997.

All That Is Sarcasm

When dunces appear at every turn, or even when a friend is being unintelligent, one can be easily agitated with such annoyances. Although violence may seem like a good idea at the time, sarcasm is a better approach and it's easier on the knuckles. Sarcasm is less simple, however, so here are some quick tips to make those witty retorts we all love so much. When it comes to sarcasm, all remarks should be lighthearted–after all no one likes a jerk. Pick a phrase that isn't too degrading, but one that gets the point across so the person knows they're not being intelligent. For example, if a friend says, â€Å"Wow, the sky is really blue today,† an appropriate response could be, but is not limited to, â€Å"No way! I thought it was purple. † Also, the use of sarcasm in somber environments is strictly off limits. In a funeral setting, for instance, sarcasm is forbidden no matter what the remark is. Remember that sarcasm is more about being funny and less about twisting a knife. To add to the lighthearted nature, the proper tone must be taken for sarcasm to gain its intended effect. Using emphasis on different words will make sarcasm easily detectable. To exemplify, in the response ‘no way! I thought is was purple,' overemphasize ‘no way'. In doing so, the tone makes it blatantly obvious that sarcasm is present. However, do not emphasize too many words, or the phrase will sound choppy and will not flow with the conversation. Remember also not to put too much mirth in the tone or it may be hard to keep a straight face. After dropping a sarcastic remark, it's best to let the person realize rather than giving it away with hysterical laughter, so they don't feel completely incoherent. Although lightheartedness and tone make sarcasm effective, timing is also a crucial part. Being able to think on your feet is a must especially if the topic changes rapidly. In essence, when a person says something deserving of a sarcastic remark, quickly say the remark before the conversation changes subject. In the ‘purple sky' example, if the friend has already gone on to talk about their favorite football team, then the remark would become obsolete. Even though it may seem like using sarcastic remarks at the right time is an easy task, it does take some effort. Make sure that the thought is completed at the right time, and if it is not, don't feel compelled to say it. Now go, exchange tactful words with friends and let the witty banter ensue. There is no situation awkward enough, no force powerful enough, and no river wide enough to stop the complexities of sarcasm. With timing, tact, and tone, an apprentice will soon become a master of all that is sarcasm.

Step Out on Nothing

Josiah McCutcheon Term Paper 11/8/12 Step Out on Nothing After reading Byron Pitts Step Out on Nothing, I felt incredibly inspired by his will to overcome the challenges he faced throughout his life. I felt the book was more personal to me because I could relate to many of the stories and challenges described in the book. This book has changed a lot of my views and caused me to be more appreciative of the people in my life who have helped me overcome my own personal obstacles. Growing up Byron dealt with many difficulties that molded his character and helped him become a stronger person.His parents constantly fought but his mother always reassured him that everything would be all right and within God’s hands. He didn’t get much attention from his parents because they were always busy trying to support the family. His mother always expected him to do the best that he could and more and it’s the love he had for his mother that gave him the courage to do his best an d maintain his mother’s expectations. I can relate to this because I grew up with my mother and father always fighting but I knew they loved each other regardless of their arguments.My parents having five children didn’t help the situation because they were obligated to support the family by working all the time while simultaneously doing their best to be good role models. This is a lot of stress and responsibility for anyone and the stress caused by these burdens created more arguments that seemed to surface quite frequently. Much like Bryon’s mother Clarice, my parents expected us to be very respectful towards others and do the best that we could. My father, a man that reminds me of Clarice would always tell us everyday before school to be respectful and learn something.I don’t remember one day were my father didn’t remind us. Much like his family, we were a very religious family that had much faith in God. Growing up in a home where I was encour aged to learn and be respectful of others built character and helped shape me into the person I am today. Byron’s parents divorced forcing his mother to be the main supporter in his life because his father was absent through most of his life. I feel that this made him a stronger person because he didn’t have the father figure around to help support the family and this reinforced the need for education in Byron’s mind.His father’s absence and his mothers struggle to support the family independently made it clear that he needed to obtain a good education so he wasn’t put in similar circumstances as an adult. I can relate to this because I had my father growing up until I was sixteen until he passed from a heart attack. Of course, I had my father growing up giving me much advice on how to be a better man, but then losing him with my mom trying to support five kids was hard for her. I truly think that God has a plan for everyone and that everything hap pens for a reason.After that happened it made me a much stronger person and helped me deal with many things that many people couldn’t. Watching my mom struggling made me realize how much more my education meant and the need for an education to live a more comfortable life. It also showed me how important family is to have in your life. My family will always be there just like Bryon always had his family to turn to. Growing up Byron never learned how to read, because he was always trying to hide it from others. His mother never noticed it either because she was always so busy trying to support the family.Byron dealt with not only racism, but also people making fun of him because he couldn’t read. I honestly think that growing up with this issue positively contributed to the person he became. I can relate to this because my parents were always so busy with work and then when they got home it was time for them to relax. I also think they relied on the school a little bit too much to expect them to teach me how to read. Living in a rural area Roane County, West Virginia, education wasn’t the best.My father realized that we could receive a better education in a county that had more resources to provide children with a better education. Consequently, he moved us when I was ten years old to Morgantown, West Virginia. Once again reminds me of when Byron’s mother had him go to Curley for a better education. Morgantown was a much more populated school and I was made fun of causing me to hate school even more until a teacher much like Ms. Ulle, helped me with my reading and writing as much as she could. Her named was Ms.Bell and I remember the time she realized that I couldn’t read very well when a kid in her class made fun of me to the point where I was very upset. She asked me to stay after class and told me that she saw much greatness in me and wanted to help. It reminded me of when Dr. Paul Lucus told him,† Mr. Pitts, you†™re wasting my time and the government’s money. You are not Ohio, Wesleyan University material. I think you should leave. † Later on Ms. Ulle see’s Byron crying and says, †Young man are you ok? Yes ma’am, I’m fi†¦fi†¦fi†¦fine. You don’t look fine, please tell me what’s wrong she insisted. Byron proceeds to tell the story of Dr. Lucas and Ms. Ulle and encourages Byron to stay in school and offers to help him succeed. After reading what Byron went through I felt reassured that I could also some day achieve great things like Byron. It also gave me a deeper appreciation for the people that saw the potential in each of us. One of my favorite parts about this book was when Bryon talks about his experience in Afghanistan. His experience in Afghanistan was definitely life changing for him to see and go through many different obstacles.I feel that him seeing and going through various life-threatening situations made him a ppreciate everything in his life much more. I’ve always thought about going into the army to get the experience and also think it would be interesting to see different parts of the world and being able to learn about new cultures first hand. I feel an experience such as military service would expand my appreciation for life and give me valuable experience that would positively influence my character much like Byron’s experience as a journalist overseas.In this book it shows how much Byron Pitts wouldn’t give up on what he love to do and that was being a journalist. â€Å"Step out on nothing†, he had a long journey going through many different obstacles along the way. I feel that Byron wouldn’t have been able to do any of this without the support and love from his much appreciated love ones. The book has inspired me to not only to be the best that I can be but also, to never give up on trying at the things you want in life even if it means getting t urned down numerous of times.

The Great Gatsby Essays - The Great Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan

The Great Gatsby Essays - The Great Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan The Great Gatsby Life, like The great Gatsby Imagine that you live in the nineteen twenties, and that you are a very wealthy man that lives by himself in a manchine, on a lake and who throws parties every weekend. This is just the beginning of how to explain the way Jay Gatsby lived his life. This novel, by F. Scott, Fitzgerald is one that is very deep in thought. Fitzgerald releases little clues along the way of the novel that will be crusual to understand the ending. For instance, he makes the blue coupe a very important clue, as well as the Dr. T. J. Eckleburg eyes on the billboard that Mr. Wilson (the gas station attendant ) refers to as the eyes of god. There are also other little things that relate to the reason of gatsbys death. The main characters of this novel each have their part to do with the ending, Nick Caraway is probably the main character of this novel, as he comes down from New Jersey to new York to visit his cousin Daisy, who is married to Tom Buchannan. These are some of the incidents that are included in the novel as you will read further I will relate some issues of the novel, as well as other critics have included their views on The Great Gatsby. F. Scott, Fitsgerald was an American short story writer and novelist famous for his depictions of the Jazz Age(the 1920s), his most brilliant novel work being The Great Gatsby(1925). He was born in St. Paul, Minnesota on sept. 24, 1896 and died in Hollywood, California on December 21, 1940. His private life, with his wife, Zelda, in both America and France, became almost as celebrated as his novels. Fitsgerald was the only son of an aristocrat father, who was the author of the star spangle banner. Fitzgerald spent most of time with his wife, latter in their relationship they moved to france where he began to write his most brilliant novel, The Great Gatsby. All of his divided nature is in this novel, the native midwestener afir with the possibilities of every Americans dream in OLSON 2 its hero, Jay Gatsby, and the compassionate princeton gentlemen in its narrator, Nick Carraway. The Great Gatsby is the most profoundly American novel of its time (Houghton). Fitzgerald had an intensely romantic imagination, what he once called a heightened sensitivity to the promises of life, and he rushed into experience determined to realize those promises. Latter on in Fitzgeralds life, he started to drink very heavily and became very unhappy. In 1930 his wife had a mental breakdown and in 1932 another, from which she never recovered. With its failure and his despair over Zelda, Fitzgerald was close to becoming an incurable alcoholic. He surpassed becoming an alcoholic though, and moved out west to become a Hollywood screenwriter were he met his new wife Sheilah Graham, but he never forgot about Zelda and his daughter Scotti. (Johnson, 384). The Great Gatsby is an excellent review on how fitzgerald preceived his life to be, in the same sense that he also was very wealthy. Gatsby, in this novel is the mistiries wealthy man that lives in the big house across the lake from Tom and Daisy Buchanann. There would always be some type of party going on at his house, but for some reason he never attended to them, he would always watch from his window. Nick Caraway is Daisys cousin who comes to visit, Nick needs a place to stay, so he finds an ad for a guest cottage that Mr. Jay Gatsby owns. After Nick has moved in Jay and Nick become pretty close friends. Jordan has always wondered who The Great Gatsby was, so she uses Nick to find out more about him. As the story goes on, there are some odd things that Fitsgerald relates to the story as important things. These important things make you really think about what it means to the story. The Automobile in The Great Gatsby is a very big topic for the conclution of the story. What we have in The Great Gatsby is a creative manipulation of the automobile as symbol and image to accomplish a variety of ends (OMeara, 74). OMeara goes on to say that when Fitzgerald accentuates mechanism and minimizes aesthetics, he depersonalizes vehicles and underscores the OLSON 3 behavior of their drivers. The existing criticism on automobiles in The Great Gatsby usually centers on one or

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Politics and organizational change - the lived experience - Assignment Example A change agent is any person who is interested in changing organizational roles, structures and processes in an organization. Such people often experience conflict and resistance from different people who are motivated by either organizational concern or their self-interests (Buchanan and Badham, 1999, p.614). People who are resisting change often block change agents, and they mostly employ political tactics to trigger a parallel response. Any champion of change experiences resistance to their new ideas. People have different opinions, morals, beliefs and understandings and therefore implementing change will always trigger political involvement (Buchanan and Badham, 1999, p.614). However, successful agents of change should view it positively since it triggers them to being more creative. Managers who ignore political activity are termed as failures, and this places agents of change into complex situations since they have to consider what they want to implement and at the same time li sten to the political point of view (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, 2005, p.49). Due to the pressures from the surrounding environment, every change agent has to be involved in political activities either willing or unwillingly. To attain the expected success in organizational change, the change agent has to be involved in politics to gain power (Buchanan and Badham, 1999, p.614). The writer says that an agent of change must defend the voice of his followers, and this is inseparable from political activities. They must employ the rule of overt to convert in order to implement the expected changes. Politics are involved in organizational and human issues and failure to give attention to such issues have made some agents of change fail. Organizational change and politics are intertwined by many factors and are hence inseparable. A change agent has to involve politics in their actions in ways such as organizing meetings with the relevant political

How Has Diasporic Media Culture Transformed Hegemonic British Cultures Research Paper

How Has Diasporic Media Culture Transformed Hegemonic British Cultures - Research Paper Example "Paul Gilroy's prolific writings on race, diaspora, and national identity can be traced to an intense critical engagement with "the canon" of British cultural studies." (Durham and Kellner 2006. p. 340). He wanted to have the development of the cultural studies on an ethnohistorical perspective and felt the importance of cultural perspectives in presenting "for the images of their racialised others as objects of knowledge, power, and cultural criticism" (Gilroy 1993. p. 5) Thus, Gilroy makes it clear that "Analysis of the political dimensions to the expressive culture of black communities in Britain must reckon with their position within international networks. It should begin where fragmented diaspora histories of racial subjectivity combine in unforeseen ways with the edifice of British society and create a complex relationship with has evolved through various stages linked in different ways to the pattern of capitalist development itself" (Gilroy 1991. p.157). The contribution of the media in the development of diasporic cultures in the UK cannot, at any stage, be neglected. The boundless dialogue between communities and cultures has been crucial in the development of community relation of the British with the ethnic diasporic communities and the meanings of uniqueness and ethnic individuality. "Diasporic media cultures develop as meditation becomes increasingly central to social and cultural life. Everyday culture has become media culture" (Silverstone 2005). The British culture is very much connected with the diasporic cultures and the contribution of the diasporic media is notable in this regard.