Article Review Mind How You Go Towards Leadership Essay

Article Review: â€Å"Mind how you go towards leadership† Citation / Source This article review is based on the article titled â€Å"Mind how you go towards leadership†. The article is a book review that is authored by Brian Beal, written in 2015, in the publication Development and Learning in Organizations, Volume 29, No. 3. The citation is provided in the references section located at the end of this paper. The main points of discussion in this review pertains to the concentration on the research supported in the article, the author’s purpose for writing the article, the conclusions gathered, and how it is relatable to the course’s subject matter on the importance of leadership. Major Thesis The main point expressed throughout the Beal’s (2015) article was the importance of possessing mindfulness in leadership roles or positions. The topic was broken down into two sections that identify factors that support mindfulness: â€Å"leaders should seek out divergent views and maintain sensitivity to organizational operations; and leaders should take the time to be present and aware in their daily work† (Beal 2015). At an American Library Association (ALA) conference that was held, there were talks with regards to the need for a program aimed to help in the transition of new college directors entering the positions. The discussion further led to the creation of the College Library Director’s Mentor (CLDM) Program (Beal, 2015, p. 30). In 2012, an examination of the program led to the findingShow MoreRelatedThe Trickle Down Effect Of Good And Bad1431 Words   |  6 PagesLeaders walk around this earth attempting to make an impact, but they always question if they are really doing an effective job in the back of their mind. With the article published through Harvard Business Review, â€Å"The Trickle-Down Effect of Good (and Bad) Leadership,† by Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman discussed the results of an experiment testing if leadership behaviors were contagious, just like emotions. Their purpose was to spread the word that a leader’s impact is greater than one might perceiveRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Wooden On Leadership 1513 Words   |  7 PagesExecutive Summary The topic of leadership continues to attract several theoretical arguments as the practice of leadership varies depending on a variety of factors (Loveridge, 2014). However, the contributions made by John Wooden in transforming leadership are impeccable, with his many years as a basketball coach earning him admiration and success in equal measure. 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You can be taught by someone techniques and ways to problem solve and how to think strategically but leadership is more than that. Being yourself flaws and all helps make you human and shows your ability that you are not perfect and makes mistakes just like everyone else. These techniques will make you gain those necessary followers who do not look for someone that is perfect but look for someone thatRead MoreEssay On Construction Management1057 Words   |  5 Pageswill be described in this paper are scholarly journals, trade journals and popular magazines, these will also be accompanied with examples of a research topics. Students can use these researching strategies for the following: essays, lab reports, r eviews, and annotations. Knowledge of these resources will ensure success in the program. Sustainability is becoming an ongoing trend in construction. 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This essay will consist of an analysis of the New Zealand Police and the errors that they have faced over the past few years. To do this analysis I will be using two articles to analyse the errors, the first being written by Kotter Schlesinger which is about choosing successful strategies for changes within an organisation (Kotter Schlesinger, 2008) and the second written by Kotter titled – Leading Change; why transformationalRead MoreThe Authors Conclude With A Few Rehashing Comments Related1658 Words   |  7 PagesThe authors conclude with a few rehashing comments related to understanding how spirituality can play an important role in sport psychology research and practice. They close with a statement declaring the potential for further research is vast and the need to further document the importance of spirituality in the lives of athletes and the work of sport psychology consultants. My reflection Mixing religion and spirituality is a touchy issue in or outside of sport psychology and is a major ethicalRead MoreBenefits And Challenges Of Individual Personality Traits Essay1239 Words   |  5 Pagesknowledge gained in this course using three of the possible ten questions offered for review. The questions chosen are: 1. What are the benefits and challenges of understanding individual personality traits of members in a project team? 8. How could you keep track of various lessons learned associated with communications in order to apply these to a variety of projects and situations? How could you ensure that you don t make the same error twice? 10. Many times in projects, even though the team membersRead MoreThe Role of a Leader1709 Words   |  7 Pages When it comes to leadership everyone has their own idea or theory of what is required of a leader, how they should be perceived, and what skills it takes to be a leader. 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Congenital Heart Disease ( Chd ) - 912 Words

Congenital Heart disease (CHD) Congenital heart disease is also known as â€Å"Congenital heart defect† or congenital cardiovascular malformations. The word â€Å"congenital† means existing at birth. Congenital heart defects change the normal flow of blood to the heart. CHD is the most common type of birth defect, this disease affects 8 out of every 1,000 newborns. More than 35,000 babies each year in the United States are born with a congenital heart defect. If you have a congenital heart defect it means your heart has a problem with its structure when you were born. Defects may involve the inferior walls of the heart, the valves inside the heart, the arteries and veins that carry the blood to the heart or the body. You may also be born with a small hole in your heart or it could be more severe. In these cases there may be very serious conditions, but many of which can be treated with surgery. Congenital heart disease include many different types of defects. Some of these defects are simple, such as a hole in the septum. Others, are more complex and severe that include combinations of simple defects, problems with the location of blood vessels leading to and from the heart and other serious problems with the development of the heart. The different types of defects ranging from simple to complex are holes in the heart (septal defects or atrial septal defects-ASD), Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA-abnormal blood flow occurs between the aorta and pulmonary artery), Narrowed valvesShow MoreRelatedCongenital Heart Diseases ( Chds ) Essay2176 Words   |  9 PagesIntroduction Congenital heart diseases (CHDs) are the most prevalent of all birth defects and the leading cause of death in the first year of life, (1) with an annual prevalence ranging from six to twelve affected infants per 1,000 live births. (2) Several chronic maternal medical conditions, including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, connective tissue disorders, and congenital heart disease confer an increased risk of CHD in the offspring. (3) Congenital cyanotic heart disease (CCHD) is a cardiacRead MoreCongenital Heart Disease ( Chd )3504 Words   |  15 PagesCongenital heart disease (CHD) is one of the most common birth defects found in children, with an incidence of approximately nine in every 1000 live births worldwide (van der Linde et al., 2011). 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Spirit Bound Chapter Eleven Free Essays

string(22) " glared at the Moroi\." WELL. HOW PERFECT. It took us a while to decide our next course of action. We will write a custom essay sample on Spirit Bound Chapter Eleven or any similar topic only for you Order Now We tossed around a few feeble ideas to track Robert and Victor, all of which we eventually shot down. Robert’s phone was a cell, and while the CIA could trace those kinds of things, we certainly couldn’t. Even if Robert’s address was listed in the phone book, I knew Victor wouldn’t have let them go back there. And while Adrian and Lissa could spot a spirit user’s aura, we could hardly go wandering aimlessly in a city and expect to find something. No, we were out of luck with those two. There was nothing to be done now but head back to Court and face whatever punishment awaited us. We–I–had screwed up. With sunset approaching–and seeing as we no longer had a known criminal to get us in trouble–my group glumly decided to head to the Witching Hour to make our travel plans. Lissa and I had the potential to be recognized over there, but runaway girls weren’t quite in the same category as fugitive traitors. We decided to roll the dice (no pun intended) and hang around guardians rather than risk more Strigoi attacks before we could get out of Vegas. The Witching Hour was no different from any of the other casinos we’d been to–unless you knew what to look for. Humans there were too interested in the allure of the games and glitz to notice that a lot of the other patrons were uniformly tall, slim, and pale. As for the dhampirs? Humans couldn’t tell that we weren’t human. It was only the uncanny sense Moroi and dhampirs had that let us know who was who. Sprinkled throughout the cheering, chattering, and–at times–wailing crowd were guardians. As in demand as guardians were, only a handful could be allocated full-time to a place like this. Fortunately, their numbers were reinforced by the wealthy and powerful who’d come to play. Excited Moroi whooped over slot machines or roulette while silent, watchful guardians hovered behind them, keeping an eye on everything. No Strigoi would come here. â€Å"What now?† asked Lissa, almost yelling over the noise. It was the first time any of us had spoken since deciding to go here. We’d come to a halt near some blackjack tables, right in the thick of everything. I sighed. My mood was so dark, I didn’t even need any spirit side effects. I lost Victor, I lost Victor. My own mental accusations were on an endless loop. â€Å"We find their business center and book tickets out of here,† I said. â€Å"Depending on how long until we can catch a flight, we might have to get a room again.† Adrian’s eyes were scanning the action around us, lingering longest on one of the many bars. â€Å"Wouldn’t kill us to spend a little time here.† I snapped. â€Å"Really? After everything that’s happened, that’s all you can think about?† His enraptured gaze turned back to me and became a frown. â€Å"There are cameras here. People who may recognize you. Getting hard proof that you were in this casino and not Alaska is a good thing.† â€Å"True,† I admitted. I think Adrian’s typical blase air was masking discomfort. Aside from learning why I’d really come to Las Vegas, he’d also run into Strigoi–Dimitri among them. That was never an easy experience for any Moroi. â€Å"Though we’ve got no alibi for when we were actually in Alaska.† â€Å"So long as Victor doesn’t get himself spotted around here, no one’s going to make the connection.† Adrian’s voice became bitter. â€Å"Which really shows how stupid they all are.† â€Å"We helped put Victor away,† said Lissa. â€Å"No one would think we’d be crazy enough to let him out.† Eddie, staying silent, gave me a pointed look. â€Å"Then it’s settled,† said Adrian. â€Å"Somebody go book us tickets. I’m going to get a drink and try my hand at some games. The universe owes me some good luck.† â€Å"I’ll get the tickets,† said Lissa, scanning a sign that pointed out the directions for the pool, restrooms–and business center. â€Å"I’ll go with you,† said Eddie. Whereas before his expression had been accusatory, he now seemed to be avoiding my eyes altogether. â€Å"Fine,† I said, crossing my arms. â€Å"Let me know when you’re done, and we’ll find you.† That was to Lissa, meaning she’d tell me through the bond. Convinced he was free, Adrian headed straight for the bar, me trailing after him. â€Å"A Tom Collins,† he told the Moroi bartender. It was like Adrian had a mental cocktail dictionary in his head and just checked them off one by one. I almost never saw him drink the same thing twice. â€Å"You want it spiked?† the bartender asked. He wore a crisp white shirt and black bow tie and hardly appeared older than me. Adrian made a face. â€Å"No.† The bartender shrugged and turned around to make the drink. â€Å"Spiked† was Moroi code for putting a shot of blood into the drink. There were a couple of doors behind the bar, ones that probably led to feeders. Glancing down the bar, I could see happy, laughing Moroi with red-tinged drinks. Some liked the thought of having blood with their alcohol. Most–like Adrian, apparently–wouldn’t take blood unless it was â€Å"straight from the source.† It supposedly didn’t taste the same. While we waited, an older Moroi standing next to Adrian glanced over at me and nodded with approval. â€Å"You got yourself a good one,† he told Adrian. â€Å"Young, but that’s the best way.† The guy, who was either drinking red wine or pure blood, jerked his head toward the others standing at the bar. â€Å"Most of these are used and washed-up.† I followed his shrug, even through there was no need. Interspersed among the humans and Moroi were several dhampir women, dressed very glamorously in silk and velvet dresses that left little to the imagination. Most were older than me. Those who weren’t had a weary look in their eyes, despite their flirtatious laughter. Blood whores. I glared at the Moroi. You read "Spirit Bound Chapter Eleven" in category "Essay examples" â€Å"Don’t you dare talk about them like that, or I’ll smash that wineglass in your face.† The guy’s eyes widened, and he looked at Adrian. â€Å"Feisty.† â€Å"You have no idea,† said Adrian. The bartender returned with the Tom Collins. â€Å"She’s had kind of a bad day.† The asshole Moroi guy didn’t look back at me. He apparently didn’t take my threat nearly as seriously as he should have. â€Å"Everyone’s having kind of a bad day. You hear the news?† Adrian looked relaxed and amused as he sipped his drink, but standing so close to him, I felt him stiffen a little. â€Å"What news?† â€Å"Victor Dashkov. You know, that guy who kidnapped the Dragomir girl and was plotting against the queen? He escaped.† Adrian’s eyebrows rose. â€Å"Escaped? That’s crazy. I heard he was at some maximum-security place.† â€Å"He was. No one really knows what happened. There were supposedly humans involved†¦ and then the story gets weird.† â€Å"How weird?† I asked. Adrian slipped an arm around me, which I suspected was a silent message to let him do the talking. Whether that was because he believed that was â€Å"proper† blood whore behavior or because he was worried I’d punch the guy, I couldn’t say. â€Å"One of the guards was in on it–though he claims he was being controlled. He also conveniently says it’s all a haze and he can’t remember much. I heard it from some royals who are helping with the investigation.† Adrian laughed, taking down a big gulp of his drink. â€Å"That is convenient. Sounds like an inside job to me. Victor’d have a lot of money. Easy enough to bribe a guard. That’s what I think happened.† There was a pleasant smoothness to Adrian’s voice, and as a slightly dopey smile came over the other guy’s face, I realized Adrian had pulled a little compulsion. â€Å"I bet you’re right.† â€Å"You should tell your royal friends,† added Adrian. â€Å"An inside job.† The guy nodded eagerly. â€Å"I will.† Adrian held his gaze a few moments more and then finally glanced down to the Tom Collins. The glaze-eyed look faded from the man, but I knew Adrian’s order to spread the â€Å"inside job† story would stick. Adrian gulped down the rest of the drink and set the empty glass on the bar. He was about to speak again when something across the room caught his attention. The Moroi man noticed too, and I followed both of their gazes to see what had them both so starstruck. I groaned. Women, of course. At first I thought they were dhampirs since my kind seemed to be making up most of the eye candy here. A double take revealed a surprise: The women were Moroi. Moroi showgirls, to be precise. There were several of them, clad in similar short, low-cut sequined dresses. Only, each one wore a different jewel-toned color: copper, peacock blue†¦ Feathers and rhinestones glittered in their hair, and they smiled and laughed as they passed through the gaping crowd, beautiful and sexy in a way different from my race. Which wasn’t a surprise. I tended to notice Moroi men ogling dhampir girls more often, simply because I was a dhampir. But naturally, Moroi men were attracted to and infatuated with their own women. It was how their race survived, and though Moroi men might want to fool around with dhampirs, they almost always ended up with their own kind in the end. The showgirls were tall and graceful, and their fresh, brilliant appearances made me think they must be on their way to a performance. I could just imagine what a glittering display of dancing they must make. I could appreciate that, but Adrian clearly appreciated it more, judging from his wide-eyed look. I elbowed him. â€Å"Hey!† The last of the showgirls disappeared through the casino crowd, off toward a sign that said THEATER, just as I’d suspected. Adrian looked back at me, turning on a rogue smile. â€Å"Nothing wrong with looking.† He patted my shoulder. The Moroi standing next to him nodded in agreement. â€Å"I think I might take in a show today.† He swirled his drink around. â€Å"All this Dashkov business and that mess with the Dragomirs†¦ makes me sad for poor Eric. He was a good guy.† I put on a dubious look. â€Å"You knew Lissa’s fath–Eric Dragomir?† â€Å"Sure.† The Moroi gestured for a refill. â€Å"I’ve been a manager here for years. He was here all the time. Believe me, he had an appreciation for those girls.† â€Å"You’re lying,† I said coolly. â€Å"He adored his wife.† I’d seen Lissa’s parents together. Even at a young age, I’d been able to see how crazy in love they were. â€Å"I’m not saying he did anything. Like your boyfriend said, nothing wrong with looking. But a lot of people knew the Dragomir prince liked to party it up wherever he went–especially if there was female company.† The Moroi sighed and lifted his glass. â€Å"Damn shame what happened to him. Here’s hoping they catch that Dashkov bastard and leave Eric’s little girl alone.† I didn’t like this guy’s insinuations about Lissa’s dad and was grateful she wasn’t around. What made me uneasy was that we’d recently found out Lissa’s brother Andre had also been kind of a party boy who fooled around and broke hearts. Did that kind of thing run in the family? What Andre had done wasn’t right, but there was a big difference between a teenage boy’s exploits and those of a married man. I didn’t like to admit it, but even the most in-love guys still checked out other women without cheating. Adrian was proof. Still, I didn’t think Lissa would like the idea of her dad flirting around with other women. The truth about Andre had been hard enough, and I didn’t want anything to shatter the angelic memories of her parents. I shot Adrian a look that said listening to this guy any longer really would come down to a fistfight. I didn’t want to be standing here if Lissa came searching for us. Adrian, always more astute than he appeared, smiled down at me. â€Å"Well, my sweet, shall we try our luck? Something tells me you’re going to beat the odds–like always.† I cut him a look. â€Å"Cute.† Adrian winked at me and stood up. â€Å"Nice talking to you,† he told the Moroi. â€Å"You too,† the man said. The thrall of compulsion was wearing off. â€Å"You should dress her better, you know.† â€Å"I’m not interested in putting clothes on her,† Adrian called as he steered me away. â€Å"Watch it,† I warned through gritted teeth, â€Å"or you might be the one with a wineglass in your face.† â€Å"I’m playing a part, little dhampir. One that’s going to make sure you stay out of trouble.† We stopped near the casino’s poker room, and Adrian gave me a head-to-toe assessment. â€Å"That guy was right about the clothes, though.† I gritted my teeth. â€Å"I can’t believe he said those things about Lissa’s dad.† â€Å"Gossip and rumors never go away–you of all people should know that. Doesn’t matter if you’re dead. Besides, that conversation was actually to our–by which I mean your–advantage. Somebody else is probably considering the inside-job theory already. If that guy can help get it around even more, it’ll ensure no one even thinks the world’s most dangerous guardian could have been involved.† â€Å"I suppose.† Forcibly, I pushed my temper down. I had always been trigger-happy, and I knew for sure now that the bits of darkness I’d gleaned from Lissa in the last twenty-four hours were making things worse, as I’d feared. I changed the subject, steering to safer ground. â€Å"You’re being pretty nice now, considering how mad you were earlier.† â€Å"I’m not all that happy, but I’ve done some thinking,† Adrian said. â€Å"Oh? Care to enlighten me? â€Å"Not here. We’ll talk later. We’ve got more important things to worry about.† â€Å"Like covering up a crime and getting out of this city without being attacked by Strigoi?† â€Å"No. Like me winning money.† â€Å"Are you crazy?† Asking Adrian that was never a good idea. â€Å"We just escaped a bunch of bloodthirsty monsters, and all you can think about is gambling?† â€Å"The fact that we’re alive means we should live,† he argued. â€Å"Especially if we’ve got the time, anyway.† â€Å"You don’t need any more money.† â€Å"I will if my dad turns me out. Besides, it’s really about enjoying the game.† By â€Å"enjoying the game,† I soon realized that Adrian meant â€Å"cheating.† If you considered using spirit cheating. Because there was so much mental power tied into spirit, its users were very good at reading people. Victor had been right. Adrian joked and kept ordering drinks, but I could tell he was paying close attention to the others. And even though he was careful not to say anything explicitly, his expressions spoke for him–confident, uncertain, annoyed. Without words, he was still able to project compulsion and bluff the other players. â€Å"Be right back,† I told him, feeling Lissa’s call. He waved me off, unconcerned. I wasn’t worried about his safety either, seeing as there were a few guardians in the room. What concerned me was the possibility some casino official would notice his compulsion and throw us all out. Spirit users wielded it the most strongly, but all vampires had it to a certain extent. Using it was considered immoral, so it was banned among Moroi. A casino would definitely have reason to be on the lookout for it. The business center turned out to be near the poker room, and I found Lissa and Eddie quickly. â€Å"What’s the report?† I asked as we walked back. â€Å"We’ve got a flight in the morning,† said Lissa. She hesitated. â€Å"We could have gone out tonight, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She didn’t need to finish. After what we’d faced today, no one wanted to risk even the slightest chance of running into a Strigoi. Going to the airport would only require a taxi ride, but even still, that would mean we’d have to risk walking out into the darkness. I shook my head and led them toward the poker room. â€Å"You did the right thing. We’ve got time to kill now†¦. Do you want to get a room and get some sleep?† â€Å"No.† She shivered, and I felt fear in her. â€Å"I don’t want to leave this crowd. And I’m kind of afraid of what I’d dream†¦.† Adrian might be able to act like he didn’t care about the Strigoi, but those faces were still haunting Lissa–especially Dimitri’s. â€Å"Well,† I said, hoping to make her feel better, â€Å"staying up will help get us back on the Court’s schedule. You can also watch Adrian get thrown out by casino security.† As I’d hoped, watching Adrian cheat with spirit did indeed distract Lissa–so much so that she grew interested in trying it herself. Great. I urged her to safer games and recapped how Adrian had planted the idea of an inside job in the Moroi guy’s head. I left out the part about Lissa’s father. The night miraculously passed without incident–either of the Strigoi or security type–and a couple of people even recognized Lissa, which would help our alibi. Eddie didn’t speak to me the entire night. We left the Witching Hour in the morning. None of us were happy about losing Victor or the attack, but the casino had soothed us all a little–at least until we got to the airport. At the casino, we’d been flooded with Moroi news, insulated from the human world. But while waiting for our plane, we couldn’t help but watch the TVs that seemed to be everywhere. The headline story that night was all about a mass killing over at the Luxor, one that had left no clues for the police. Most of the casino guards involved had died from broken necks, and no other bodies were found. My guess was that Dimitri had tossed his cronies outside, where the sun would turn them to ash. Meanwhile, Dimitri himself had slipped away, leaving no other witnesses behind. Even the cameras had recorded nothing, which didn’t surprise me. If I could disable surveillance at a prison, Dimitri could certainly manage it at a human hotel. Whatever mood-improvement we’d achieved instantly disappeared, and we didn’t talk much. I stayed out of Lissa’s mind because I didn’t need her depressed feelings amplifying my own. We’d arranged a direct flight to Philadelphia and would then catch a commuter flight back to the airport near Court. What we’d face once there†¦ well, that was probably the least of our concerns. I wasn’t worried about Strigoi boarding our plane in the daytime, and without any prisoners to watch, I allowed myself to fall into much-needed sleep. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d gotten any on this trip. I slept heavily, but my dreams were haunted by the fact that I’d let one of the Moroi’s most dangerous criminals escape and allowed a Strigoi to walk free and gotten a bunch of humans killed. I held none of my friends responsible. This disaster was all on me. How to cite Spirit Bound Chapter Eleven, Essay examples

Biometric data

Question: What isBiometric data? Explain. Answer: Biometric data is the present trending discussed topic in the past and present also. Previous discussion includes many research papers, proposals for strong biometric information (data) on passports. Many countries like Germany have already implemented this technology in Video Stores for authentication, fingerprint sensor integrated in laptops and even banks started using this biometric devices as well. Even though having wide range of trail uses and proposals, in many countries, this biometric data systems are not widely used for authentication purpose. In this report, we have discussed why biometric authentication is not a standard technique till now. We also analyzed that these biometric devices will make system safety and much more secure. Even though these devices cost high, it is also worth spending much more amount of money on these systems. Our results leads to a conclusion that in most of the cases, the trade-offs which need not to be consider users biometric data for authen tication as compared to other alternative methods like password authentication. Introduction: Security is the most important aspect in the software industry. Many scientists have been proposed different methods like login/password, Personal Identification Number (PIN) etc. But if we look into the present security problems, these methods cannot prevent those problems. In order to overcome the problems, a new security system has been implemented i.e. Biometric data for authentication. Now a days, this technology is used in many places, like banks, market stores, companies, institutions, etc. Even we find finger print sensors in laptops (integrated with it) and also for computers connected as external device. Systems using biometric data introduces a new concept authentication paradigm i.e. based on something like fingerprint, face ,iris etc. or you can do such as handwriting, voice etc. What is Biometric: It is study of automated method for genuinely recognizing things based on one or more intrinsic behavioral or physical traits. It is also described as study of Biometrics that discover ways to compare and make difference between things (individuals) using personal things (that we do) and physical characteristics (things we are). The general physical features used are eyes (IRIS and retina), facial features, hand geometry and fingerprints. The common examples for personal traits are handwriting and voice that are used to distinguish between persons. As these characteristics and traits are unique and universal for all individuals, these are commonly used in this system. Biometric authentication Before going into the detailed explanation about biometric authentication, Let us discuss the general view of access control model that is useful to understand how to keep the authenticaiton system secure. If we look at the following diagram, fig 2, it gives an overview about the model. Fig 2. Overview of access control model. The guard in the middle will give grant for the access to the system. For the decision, the guard uses the data to identify the authorization information and requesting source to find out if the given source is equal to the identified source. If it is equal, then the user was allowed to get access to the requested resource. If necessary, The decision taken by the guard is given to log in, so that it can be able to backtrack decisions. In this report, we talk about the authentication process of the systems that is marked with the darker colored parts in the diagram. In this case, The source is biometric information provided by the person along with combination with other identification information. This information is sent to the guard. The guard use algorithms and it will perform a comparison with the stored information. If it matches, the user was allowed to get access. If not, no grant for the access. Biometric identification is the process of presenting the unknown person biometric data to the system. Then the system use the algorithms for processing the data and compares the data with the stored database until one matches. By this, the system will be able to identify the unknown personality (one to many). So there are many process to run, it takes a little time than that of biometric verification. Biometric verification is the process of providing biometric data to the system and it claims whether the particul ar identity belongs to this data or not (one to one). In most of the authentication processes, biometric verification is used[2]. Working of Biometric system: Coming to the working of biometric system, A biometric system consists of a testing and an enrolment phase. The sample biometric data sets are produced and saved in enrollment phase, that are used for comparison in the authentication process. Each authorized user has to go with this step. In this phase, examples like fingerprints are as in digital information and saved in a database as PIN. If we come to the testing phase, when the person requested for the access of the system, the saved sample in the enrollment phase is used by the guard for decision whether to give grant access to the system or not. The important process for a biometric system is enrollment phase. This can be explained with an example. Suppose if the given sample data taken from a user for authentication, is not good enough, then there will be a high chance of refusing the access to that person[3]. Performance and security considerations: In this section, we will look at the performance and security considerations. We know that as the technology gets improved, the old systems gets replaced by the new systems.[3] It is difficult to measure the performance of a biometric authentication. The main factor that tells about the system is accuracy that indicate whether the performance is good or bad. There are also other factors that need to be considered like speed, cost, storage and ease of use are also considered as well.[5] Sometimes, biometric devices are not perfect and produces errors. If we look at an example, sometimes there are chances of authorized person is rejected by the system and also will get access for a non- authorized person. The probability of the rates of these errors are named as False acceptance and False rejection. In short they are called as FA and FR. For most of the systems, it is possible to tradeoff these types of errors against each other. This is done by increasing the threshold that is used for decision to make a match for these two biometric data. The FA and FR are dependent on each other. For a perfect system, there will be no errors and these rates (FA and FR) are almost zero. For a very secure system, the probability of FA rate is increased to almost zero that results in a high FR rate. The time needed for the authentication process depends on the accuracy and thereby with the security of the system. If the system needs high security, i.e. high rate of FA, then the system could use more characteristic points that need to be compared for an authentication process. So for a more security system, the authentication time will be more as compared with the one with lower security. Therefore authentication systems having a FR and FA rates that affects the time of the authentication process. The below list presents some factors that should be considered in decision process: Amount of support for the running system. Distinctiveness and uniqueness of the biometric trait or characteristic. Intrusiveness of the system Variation of the biometric trait or characteristic Cooperation of the customer Vulnerability to fraud the system Now lets discuss the results of several optical, thermal and capacitive fingerprint scanners, one face recognition and iris scanner system. There are 3 scenarios about how to fool the biometric system.[4] For regular sensing technology, the artificial created data can be used to trick the system. The 2nd scenario is about the artificially created data which is time gained by sniffer programs. The 3rd scenario is if about the directly attack of the database. All fingerprint scanners are able to trick by using artificial gained data. The following methods are used in tricking the fingerprint recognition system: Reactivate the finger fat traces left on the sensors surface by breathing on it. The latent fingerprint is dusted with normal graphite powder, and Adhesive film is slightly pressed on the sensors surface to gain access to the system.[3] Placing a bag filled with warm water on the fingerprint sensor so as Reactivate latent fingerprints. Artificial silicon fingerprints can be produced which can be used for the optical and thermal scanners to access the system successfully. Advantages: The useful advantage of the biometric data is, it cant get lost, duplicated, stolen, forgotten like keys. And also they cant be shared, observed, forgotten, guessed or forgotten like PINs, secret codes. People need not to change the authentication data for every 3 months. This type of authentication systems can increase the security much more as compared to the other systems. The system hardware cant be cheated, If the accuracy of the system is very high. Disadvantages: Acceptability is one of the advantage of the these authentication systems. people are afraid about the light used in the IRIS scanner as it can be harmful for the eyes. These biometric authentication technologies are of high cost. Another disadvantage of biometric systems is varying reliability. Conclusion : If we look at the above results and discussion, it seems to exist more advantages as compared to the disadvantages for biometric authentication systems. The biometric authentication is an interesting and presently the trending topic that has a lot of research going on and to be done on this area. It is also advised to use biometric authentication with other different authentication technologies. This use of multi factor authentication is more secure and research has to be made to improve the techniques and increase the applications of this technology. References: Birgit Kaschte(2005), Biometric authentication systems today and in the future, University of Auckland. Renu Bhatia(2013), Biometrics and Face Recognition Techniques, IJARCSSE, Volume 3, Issue 5, May. Vaclav Matyas, Zdenek Riha, Biometric Authentication Security And Usability. J. Phillips, A. Martin, C.L. Wilson, and M. Przybocki. An introduction to evaluating biometric systems. Computer, 33:56632, February 2000. Anil K. Jain, Lin Hong, Sharath Pankanti, and Ruud Bolle, An identity- authentication system using à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ngerprints. In Proceedings of the IEEE, volume 85 of 9, September 2007.

Humanistic Image of Managing Diabetes

The problem of a growing number of people suffering from different types of diabetes is becoming one of the burning issues in the modern world. That is why it is important to approach this problem from its both ends and pay attention to preventive measures, as well as finding more efficient means of treatment.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Humanistic Image of Managing Diabetes specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One of the advances in the modern medicine is the implementation of holistic medicine that aims to investigate the broader context of treating the medical conditions, rather than focus purely on the biological component. Thus, this paper’s objective is to analyze the interdisciplinary nature of the application of holistic medical treatment, to study traditional and modern methods of implementation of the mind-body medicine to diabetes, and investigate the techniques based on the humanistic image, of how to be effective at self-management with diagnosed diabetes. The interdisciplinary nature of the modern holistic medicine Among modern medical scientists, the research of diabetes is one of the topics to be most focused on, it includes thousands of researchers in different fields of medicine from all over the world, who in recent years managed to make many advancements of how to ease, at least to a certain merit, life of people diagnosed with diabetes (Peyrot et al. 174). Another significant advancement made in the last couple of decades concerning people who have medical conditions is the implementation of the holistic medicine techniques. Those approaches aim to find and apply the different ways of treatment involving not only biological side of the human organism but also being attentive to the psychological, spiritual, mental, social and emotional health of the patients (Teixeira 278). It stands in the direct correlation with the general humanistic image of a human being i n medicine, and it is especially important for people who are to manage their conditions, such as diabetes, since it focuses on the psychological and social aspects of overcoming difficulties caused by a disease. Given the complexity of the factors that affect the psychological state of an individual, the implementation of the humanistic image for managing diabetes is only possible within the interdisciplinary approach that would involve other than just biological aspects, including social and economic nuances (Asche, LaFleur and Conner 75).Advertising Looking for article on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The objective of the formatting humanistic image for those who are diagnosed with diabetes is to employ various scientific branches, concerned with studying a human body, mind, practices, spiritual and socio-economic life, to ensure the effective functioning of those individuals on all the levels, rather th an just treating the symptoms. The psychological and social comfort not only provides the ground for the more self-awareness but also ensures that those individuals are not left out of the workplaces, social life so that they have their guaranteed rights and commitments. In this, way it is a system beneficial for all the society since it involves the inclusion of all its members. Approaches used by the mind-body medicine to treating diabetes There are a few main approaches within the biological anthropology attempting to explain the nature of humans as biological organisms, particularly the interaction between the spiritual and biological aspects, the interconnection between mind and body. Those approaches can roughly be divided into two groups, one of which is inclining towards reductionism and simplification while the other is viewing the complexities of mind-body relations as the unique human feature (McKinnon and Silverman 181). Even though, the reductive oversimplification is n ot now widely spread in the approaches to anthropological studies; however, it is important not to reduce the medical conditions to purely biological level. Such conditions as diabetes of any type require certain lifestyle and diet, as well as, of course, medication, and to which degree people diagnosed with it can be engaged in these aspects successfully depends on economic, social, psychological and other factors of their living. Contemporary diabetes treatment is related primarily with the dietary and lifestyle self-management. In this context, it is clear that the complex humanistic approach is directed to the wider range of issue concerned with diabetes. Since, at this stage, diabetes cannot be cured, it appears to create not only physical but also social and psychological discomfort for people diagnosed with it. The lifestyle awareness will allow them to feel more humane and more included in the social life. With the implementation of self-management, it is possible to change the not only the attitude of those have diabetes but also the general public’s attitude towards it. Humanistic approaches to diabetes management The framework of the diabetes management includes such major components as medication intended to control and to lower the glucose levels in blood, levels of lipids and blood pressure, dietary restriction on the products containing sugars, appropriate exercising activities and following the basics of the healthy lifestyle (Nathan et al. 2644).Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Humanistic Image of Managing Diabetes specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Depending on the type of diabetes, age, and other biological factors, the patients are usually prescribed the medicine to lower the blood sugar levels. Other medications are used to lower the liver’s glucose production. Also, in many cases, especially with the type II diabetes and especially for the elder categori es of patients, there is a range of cardiovascular diseases associated with diabetes, which is why a lot of the patients’ strength are going into overcoming those potential threats. In terms of humanistic image, it emphasizes the vulnerability of the diabetics not only to the health threats but also to the discomfort associated with the restrictions in the new lifestyle. Quite often the diseases and pains that go alongside diabetes and the vulnerabilities stand in the way of normal life of the patients more that the condition itself. Based on the humanistic image approach to self-management in this case, seeks to introduce not only the physical side of the new lifestyle but also the spiritual and psychological relief that the holistic medicine can provide. The sudden introduction of string ban on foods and the obligation to exercise for those who is not used to the healthy living is just another social stress that goes along with the disease, whereas, mindfulness meditation i s spiritual practice that also shows results in decreasing the painful diabetic neuropathy (Teixeira 280). Apart from meditation, it employs many other practices, including different types of yoga, visualization, some practices date back to ancient civilizations, some are borrowed from psychoanalysis but, most importantly they are all based on biological feedback that unifies mind and body, which is the principle of whole-person care (Chriswell and Serlin 662). Conclusion Diabetes is now a problem that arises concerns all over the world, and since, at this stage, diabetes cannot be cured, it appears to create not only physical but also social and psychological discomfort for people diagnosed with it. Holistic medicine due to its positive effect on the spiritual and psychological attitude of the patients with diabetes improves their success in managing their new lifestyle and makes the change to it less stressful, as well as medically proven helps in many cases to relieve the pains t hat go alongside the disease. Holistic medicine contributes to the humanistic image since it does not reduce the patients with diabetes to purely biological aspects, and employs the advancements from all the branches of science associated with humanistic studies to help the people diagnosed with diabetes live a fuller life in harmony between spirit and body.Advertising Looking for article on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Works Cited Asche, Carl, Joanne LaFleur, and Christopher Conner. â€Å"A review of diabetes treatment adherence and the association with clinical and economic outcomes.† Clinical Therapeutics 33.1 (2011): 74-109. Chriswell, Eleanor, and Ilene A. Serlin. â€Å"Humanistic Psychology, Mind—Body Medicine, and Whole-Person Health Care.† The Handbook of Humanistic Psychology. Ed. Kirk J. Shneider, J. Fraser Pierson, and James F.T. Bugental. Los Angeles, CA: Sage, 2015. 653-66. Print. McKinnon, Susan, and Sydel Silverman. Complexities. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 2005. Print. Nathan DM, Cleary PA, Backlund JY, Genuth SM, Lachin JM, Orchard TJ, Raskin P, Zinman B. â€Å"Intensive diabetes treatment and cardiovascular disease in patients with type 1 diabetes.† The New England Journal of Medicine 353.25 (2005): 2643–53. Peyrot, Mark, et al. â€Å"Diabetes Attitudes Wishes and Needs 2 (DAWN2): a multinational, multi-stakeholder study of psychos ocial issues in diabetes and person-centred diabetes care.† Diabetes research and clinical practice 99.2 (2013): 174-184. Teixeira, Elizabeth. â€Å"The effect of mindfulness meditation on painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy in adults older than 50 years.† Holistic nursing practice 24.5 (2010): 277-283. This article on Humanistic Image of Managing Diabetes was written and submitted by user Pedro Green to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Martial Arts Essay

Martial Arts Essay Free Online Research Papers Martial artists excel in body dynamics beyond an â€Å"ordinary† person for several reasons. Karate-ka (karate students) study hand to hand combat in the same essence as a college student studies any degree major. Through years of study, a history student may be considered â€Å"advanced† in their knowledge of history; and an â€Å"ordinary† person could not begin to compare the world’s timeline with the history student. In karate, there is the same principle with a different field of expertise. Karate-ka becomes one with their mind, body, and spirit allowing them to use any part of their body as a â€Å"useful† weapon. This happens through endless hours of training and practicing hand to hand combat techniques. Throughout years of teaching passed down from the old master’s of karate, students have learned the dynamic body science of karate-do. M. Nakayama (1977) states: â€Å"If karate is practiced solely as a fighting technique, this cause for regret. The fundamental techniques have been developed and perfected through long years of study and practice, but to make effective use of these techniques, the spiritual aspect of this art of self-defense must be recognized and must play the predominate role† (p. 9). Because karate-ka inherits these teachings, they are no longer ordinary, but extraordinary. An â€Å"ordinary† person will not comprehend the importance of â€Å"correct form† while action occurs throughout a technique. M. Nakayama (1977) states â€Å"Prerequisites of correct form are good balance, a high degree of stability and the order of movements of each part of the body, since movements are made in quick succession in short period of time† (p. 48). Punching Basic principles of executing a technique, for example, block, strike or kick, are the order of action from start to finish. This is a vital part of generating the maximum amount of power the individual can generate. Understanding the source of power for the different techniques is essential, for example, the hips. An ordinary person would not think that hips would physically start the action. Rather, they may think the shoulders or upper body presents the first actions. An ordinary person, John Longendyke, Jr (2007, July 6th) explains that â€Å"his† body action for a punch would rotate backward first within the shoulders, then drive forward with his upper body into the target. Nakayama (1978) states that there is explosive hidden power in techniques; for punching, the upper body works in conjunction with the hips, not separate. Although, the first physical action starts with the action of the hips, following quickly by the upper body without â€Å"backward† or â€Å" loading† action. Edmond Otis and Randall G. Hassell (2002) state â€Å"A hand that is tightly clenched is called a fist. A hand that remains forever tightly clenched is called deformed. A balance between hard and soft determines usefulness† (p. 27). The proper production of a fist is a common error within most people. The first action of an â€Å"ordinary† person is to close their fist, tighten their entire body, and then pull back to swing for the fence. Karate-ka practice relaxation throughout the entire technique, until the moment of impact; creating smooth and fast fluidity of the body action. Otis and Hassell (2002) also state â€Å"Always move from the center of your body, where your major strength lies† (p. 34). Once again, this key fact comes into the â€Å"simple† act of executing a technique. As most people lean their head forward into the punch, karate-ka keeps their head over the hips; this allows the body to stay connected from the ground up. Hard and Soft Blocking Techniques Edmond Otis and Randall G. Hassell (2002) states â€Å"hard blocks are the blocks you use in these situations; you are caught by surprise, you can’t move to get out of the way and the attack is very strong and well-timed.† Hard blocks are precise and sharp. This type of block creates a direct impact to the limb that is striking to move the limb out of the way. Edmond Otis and Randall G. Hassell (2002) later state â€Å"soft blocks are smooth and flowing, often deflecting an opponent’s attack without them knowing it has missed, until it is too late† (p. 132). Generally, soft blocks are used in a more advanced skill level; performing soft blocks takes comfortability and confidence. Nick Debouno (2007, July 25th), states â€Å"I am not sure what I would do if someone tried to punch me, hopefully, move out of the way. I do not know the difference between a hard and soft block, and what they could do for me in a fight.† See graph below for the conducted experiment. The experiment was conducted for the following reasons. First, to see if an â€Å"ordinary person†, Nick Debouno, could block a punch thrown by surprise. Second, to see if a hard or soft block was performed. Third, to see if Nick was hit by the second attack. And fourth, to see if his block allowed him to counter strike the initial attack. Successful blocks made by surprise attack Hard or Soft block Hit by second attack Counter attack made Attack #1 No None Yes None Attack #2 Yes Hard Yes None Attack #3 Yes Hard No None Attack #4 No None Yes None Attack #5 No None Yes Yes (irritation) Attack #6 Yes Soft No Yes Attack #7 No None Yes None Attack #8 No None Yes None Attack #9 No None Yes None Attack #10 No None Yes None Hard and Soft blocks contribute to ones safety. As show in Attack #2 and #3, the two successful â€Å"Hard blocks† lead Nick to protect himself against the initial attack. Attack #2, Nick was hit by the second and following attack. Attack #3, Nick was able to protect himself against the primary and secondary attack. Attack #6 was a successful â€Å"soft block†. These actions lead Nick to counter correctly, not just out of irritation. The graph below is the same experiment held with Sam Jones (2007, July 24th), a three-year practitioner of Shotokan Karate. Successful blocks made by surprise attack Hard or Soft block Hit by second attack Counter attack made Attack #1 Yes Hard No Yes Attack #2 Yes Soft No Yes Attack #3 No None Yes Yes Attack #4 Yes Soft No Yes Attack #5 Yes Hard No Yes Attack #6 No None Yes No Attack #7 Yes Soft No Yes Attack #8 Yes Soft No Yes Attack #9 Yes Hard Yes None Attack #10 Yes Hard No Yes As this graph displays, every â€Å"soft block† was followed by a successful counter-attack. This allowed Sam Jones not to be struck by the second attack. Attack #3 and #6 were the only two attacks that penetrated 100% successfully. As a note: Neither participant was harmed during this experiment. Snapping and Locking Techniques Each area of the human body is made of a different structure; hard and soft, large and small. Snapping and locking techniques are designed to penetrate different areas of the human body. For example, snapping techniques were designed for smaller and hard surfaces; locking techniques were designed for larger, soft surfaces. Edmond Otis and Randall G. Hassell (2002) comment on snapping techniques, â€Å"As a general rule snap strikes are sharper and faster. This means that the moment of contact is very short and doesn’t leave a lot of time for the momentum of the technique, or the force, to transfer to the target.† As a reflection or counterpart to snapping techniques, locking techniques are used to strike ribs and solar plexus. Otis and Hassell later say: â€Å"Locking or sticking strikes, on the other hand, is heavier. They take a little more time to apply because you need to commit more of your body weight to the technique. It simply takes more time for all the energy in these techniques to leave your body and go into something (or someone) else.† This is evident that the ordinary person would not know the difference between these two types of techniques, or which areas would require a snapping or locking technique. Nick Debouno (2007, July 25th) says, when asked if he would strike different depending on the area of the body he was hitting: â€Å"I don’t see a difference, I would hit my attacker the same, whether it is to the body or face, punching is punching and kicking is kicking. I understand the head is harder than the body; that is why the head is more sensitive to impact, because of the direct contact to the bones and nerves. I feel that driving my punch or kick through the target would create more damage to a harder surface than a softer surface.† Timing and Distance Edmond Otis (2002) says â€Å"Karate is always about timing and distance. It is always about our relationship to our opponent. My view is that ultimately karate is about striving to be at our best, our most focused, our most balanced, our most dynamic precisely at the moment our opponent is at their weakest.† Proper timing and distance relate to the impact delivered to our opponent. If timing is too early for an attack, our opponent will have the time he or she needs to evade or block. If timing is too late for an attack, well it is too late. If our distance is too short, we do not reach our opponent with the technique. If our distance is too close our technique will be shortened and not fully dynamic. Timing and distance coincide with each other, working as one action; we can not have one without the other. Timing is the relationship between our opponent’s movement and the moment we will strike. Our objective is to strike when the attacker is at their weakest. Striking an opponent happens at three different levels of timing. One, after the attack, occurs; meaning the attacker will attempt a strike, the defendant will then time his or her dcounter-attack after the attacking actions are complete. Two, during the attack; meaning the defendant will counter attacker during the attacker’s action. Three; before the attack; meaning the defendant will strike the moment the attacker moves slightly, thus preventing an initial attack. Distance is the spatial relationship between two bodies. The range of any individual depends on how close or far they are from the other body. Proper distance varies per individual and pending on what type of technique is being used. This will allow proper room and distance to complete â€Å"said† technique. Nick Debouno (2007, July 25th), an â€Å"ordinary person† explained that if he was engaged in a â€Å"self-defense† situation, â€Å"I would much more comfortable being far away from the attacker; if I needed to punch him, I would move in close and swing.† Later Nick Debouno explains, â€Å"while I am punching, I would not wait for my attacker to move into me, I would move towards them; my elbow would be bent enough to drive through the face of my attacker!† This is an example of improper timing and distance; once again, martial artists will strike when their opponents are at their weakest. This means, strike while our opponents have either comp leted their action, during their action or just before their action. Conclusion Through experiments and interviews with â€Å"ordinary† people, it is found that they do not have the knowledge or physical skill set to excel in body dynamics. Punching, blocking, timing, and distance was found to be incorrect. Karate experts such as Nakayama, Otis, and Hassell have pointed the key elements and the essentials of these specific areas. This has been found by their expertise and countless hours of training, proving that martial artists excel in body dynamics in the context of self-defense. Subsequently, an ordinary person would be hurt or would hurt themselves if ever engaged in combat. Theoretically, an ordinary human being would injure themselves as a result of not having proper technique during their own attack, by not blocking properly or by not having the proper reaction, timing, and distance. In contrast, martial artist understands the basics of punching, blocking and proper reaction, timing, and distance. Martial artist use their own body as a weapon wit hout self-injury. Research Papers on Martial Arts EssayContrasting Berthe Morisot and Jan van EyckSociology is a ScienceDeontological Teleological TheoriesDistance Learning Survival GuideLife After Death Personal EssayChildhood Obesity EssayThe Gnostic JesusAlbatross and Rimm of the Ancient MarinerMRSA Staph BacteriaImpact of Breast Cancer

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Research Proposal

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) - Research Proposal Example This society is a privately funded 501 (c) (3) non- profit corporation and could boast of more than a million supporters around the country. The noble visions of the ASPCA have spread its tentacles far and wide all around the world and have over the past years been battling with the government and other organizations to pass more humane laws where animals are concerned. Their main aim is to strive hard towards the day when each and every animal would live in peace, without any pain or fear. ASPCA’s Activities - Rescuing animals from dangerous situations and saving their lives is the prime activity of the ASPCA. Most of these animals are pets who have accidentally got into problems such as poisoning, caught in a fire, fallen into well or pit, or climbed so high and are unable to get down. They also rescue poor animals who are brutally abused and neglected. The Mission of the ASPCA as put down by Henry Bergh in 1866 was â€Å"to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States.† The Society has a rich history of challenges as well as victories from the time of its inception. Some of these challenges are providing not only protection but care to the working horses in the city and also transforming the many dog pounds into adoption facilities that are professionally undertaken and run. Another of its victories was the founding of an animal hospital which is still in existence even today. Specially trained staff is on call duty round the clock at the ASPCA Animal Poison and Control center. Highly trained staff and veterinarians dedicate themselves to providing good quality medical care. The ASPCA Animal Behavior Center render free training and advice by animal experts and pet loss support services. The organization also renders services throughout New York City for all the low- income

Critical Assessment and Comparison of the Competitiveness and Dissertation

Critical Assessment and Comparison of the Competitiveness and Profitability of the UK Food Retail Sector - Dissertation Example The analysis of the two sectors has revealed that there are mixed trends with respect to the performance of selected companies in this study. However, within the retail sector of UK, Morrison’s and Sainsbury are better performers as compared to Tesco. On the other hand, BG and Shell have superseded BP as per the financial analysis. The SWOT analysis of the retail companies and analysis through Porter’s Five Forces Model has revealed that there are significant opportunities for the companies to expand their businesses; whereas at the same time, the competition in the market is also at peak. Similarly, for oil and gas companies, the analysis showed that there are no significant threats for the companies, but for BP the oil spill incident is still showing it’s after effects. Introduction Two of the most successful and competitive industry sectors in the UK are the UK food retail industry (specifically supermarkets) and the UK Oil and Gas industry. Both industries ar e major contributors to the UK economy. The grocery market alone in 2011 was worth ?156.8 billion and in 2011-2012 the UK oil and gas industry paid production tax of ?11.2 billion, almost a quarter of the exchequers corporation tax (IGN, 2012; Oil & Gas UK, 2012). In times of austerity and economic recession such as the UK is currently experiencing, it is insightful to assess the financial health of each of these organizations using ratio analysis in order to understand how they are achieving their level of success. According to Jones (2006) ratios are an extremely effective means of achieving this because if suitable ratios are selected and applied it can reveal interesting facts about how the company is managed and run, and where there may be areas of potential risk and weakness such as excessive borrowing. Rationale The rationale for this study is to understand how different ratios are employed in different industries and to evaluate the challenges that can be encountered if the same ratio is used in different industries. There is an inherent risk in taking the output of financial ratio analysis at face value without fully appreciating the context of the output. Therefore, by examining two highly successful industries it is hoped to identify areas of best practice using financial ratios as guides. The industries selected for research arethe UK food retail sector and UK oil and gas. These two industries have been chosen for particular reasons. Firstly, the UK food retail sector is one of the most competitive market places in the UK,characterized by high output volumes, fast turnover and tight profit margins. It is an industry where any mistakes are quickly reflected in the financial data and stakeholders are unforgiving (Palmer, 2004; Retail Week, 2012). It is this level of competition and volatility which makes the industry an interesting study because food is essential to every household and so the performance of food retail giants such as Tesco, Sainsbury ’s and Morrison’s can be regarded as a sensible barometer of the current economic situation in the UK. Furthermore, the success of Tesco at the international level undoubtedly points to the value being created in this industry in the UK. This alone makes it an interesting area to conduct research in.The second industry, UK oil and gas plays a major part in the UK economy in terms of exports, technology, and

Ferdinand Davids Trombone Concerto Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ferdinand Davids Trombone Concerto - Essay Example After a brief hop at the sixteenth note, the triplet should drive through directly to the arrival note. The motivic rhythm reappears in measures 46, 48, 102-106, and beyond the first movement. Once the initial motif is past, the entire statement (measures 42-65) is also important to emphasize for the audience. The poetic pairing found in measures 44-47, and then again in measures 48-51, is one of the key elements that must be inflected, and then followed up effectively in the dramatic resolution found in measures 52-55. This is a good microcosm of the dramatic builds to be found in the work, and the half notes in measure 52 are one excellent place to build dramatic value. Vibrato is one way to accomplish this, but a solid drive through the air column is also crucial here. The grand opening then takes place between measures 60 and 83. The first four measures of this should be played with a significant amount of verve and vigor to lend a sense of heroic drama. Measures 64-67 remind the listener of your opening passage, and so a definite sense of sweep and flow is important at this point. In measure 68, a definite development begins, and so dropping slightly in dynamics before entering the measure will give more energy to the later crescendo build; one of the most effective ways to snatch the attention of the audience is to drop the dynamic before beginning a slow build. This crescendo should reach its boiling point in measures 72 and 73, with the flourish in G-flat major. These two measures can be performed with some license as to the rhythm, because of the dramatic power. As this first section of the opening ends, in measures 76-82, it is important to pay special attention to the dotted eighth notes. Accents and marcato may well be called for here, as long as the tongue stays out of the tone's way. The diminuendos here can definitely be musical and technical assets. What one might term a cantilena then comes, from measures 83-102. Grove's Dictionary of Music defines cantilena as a "flowing melodious phrase of vocal character." It comes from the Italian, meaning "little song." This is a point in the piece that permits the performer really to let loose with the lyrical side of the trombone. The piano dynamic here should be taken to its metaphorical extremes. Piano here does not necessarily just mean quieter, but conveying a sensual sort of softness to the listener. How would a fur coat feel How would a warm blanket feel These are the sorts of ideas that the trombone should convey to the audience at this point. This should be combined with the dolce mood. The meaning here, of course, is "sweet," but that is a word that has numerous connotations. For the purposes of this performance, the sweetness that comes in romantic attachments would be a good mood to consider while playing this section, or the sweetness that comes from a conversation with a yo ung child. The phrase marks should not be read as dividing these first four measures into separate phrases, but four ideas within the same phrase. The phrase marks should bring lucidity and charm to the longer musical idea of the four measures, rather than dividing the idea into artificial chunks. The "d" in 4th comes in handy here in measures 94, 95, and 99. In measure 94 it can help smooth out the slur,

Examining Benefits of Free International Trade

Examining Benefits of Free International Trade Naveen Prabhu Kamalasekaran 2 (a) Explain why free international trade can be good for countries’ economies and examine the attempts to reduce trade barriers in the past decade To start with, let us find what international trade is all about then we will figure out how this could be good for economies and what are the attempts that were made in the last decade to bring down those trade barriers. Free trade is purchase of goods or services between two countries without any restrictions like tariff, duties or quotas. There are two theories related to free trade and the first of that kind was by Adam smith who postulated that trade between two nations happens on ‘absolute advantage’ . Law of absolute advantage states that when one nation is more efficient than the other trading nation in producing commodity one but less efficient in producing commodity two, then both nation should specialize on the product that gives them absolute advantage and export that to their trading partner (Salvatore 2004). However, it doesn’t highlight on the opportunity cost that it incurs in taking absolute advantage. Later, ‘Comparative advantage on opportunity cost theory’ was proposed by Gottfried Haberler which states that a country has comparative advantage over the other in production of goods if it can produce at lower opportunity cost (Sloman 2007). The law can be better explained with the below table. Hours to make one unit Opportunity Cost EU Cars 30 6 TVs TVs 5 1/6 car UK Cars 60 10 TVs TVs 6 1/10 car Source: Begg and Ward (2009) The above tabe clearly shows that the UK has comparative advantage over EU in TV as it has got 1/10 th of car as oppurtunity cost compared to 1/6th in EU . Similarly, EU has advantage over UK in Cars and its oppurtunity cost is 6 TVs comparted to 10 TVs in UK. As EU is ready to trade above 6 TVs and UK ready to buy anything less than 10 TV then there should be an equlibrium for international prices for car (Begg and Ward 2009). Graph 1 Source: Begg and Ward (2009) International trade is propelled by comparative advantage but what is the source behind that? Differences in climate, geography and natural resources, difference in factor endowment and difference in technology are the few sources behind that (Krugman and Wells 2005). The key advantages of free trade are explained below Decrease in cost: Specializing in an industry helps to gain the economies of scale which results in comparative cost benefit. For example, Boeing is able to produce aircrafts more effectively and cheaply because it could sell large portion of it to other countries. The importing countries get benefited as they could get the product cheaply than it was produced domestically. Increase in competition: As a result of trade, imported goods enter the market which triggers competition against domestic players and it increases efficiency and innovation of home products. Consumers on the other hand get benefited by the variety of products available to them. Trade as engine of growth: When the exports have high income elasticity of demand, it provides economic stimulus to exporting country. For example, most developed countries experienced huge growth and trade has been the engine for this. India which has achieved which experienced growth from 38% in 1995 to 52% in 2005 (Department of State n.d). Trade raises income: Reduction in trade barriers results in increase in incomes, both personal and national. Recently economists estimated that cutting trade barriers in agriculture, services and manufacturing by 1/3rd would boost world economy by $613 billion (WTO n.d, a) . Non-economic advantage: Trade helps to resolve disputes and promotes peace. Trade war of 1930 which resulted in high trade barriers to protect domestic economy leads to Great depression and played a role in World War 2 (WTO n.d, b). In order to embrace the benefits of free international trade, world countries decided to drop their trade barriers like custom duties, quotas, subsidies on local products, etc.,. The advent of free trade materialized post Second World War and in the year 1947, 23 countries together formed General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) which was later replaced by WTO (World Trade Organization) on 1955 with 159 members till date. Following WTO numerous trade blocs were formed based on regional groupings and they are NAFTA, APEC, EU and G20.Following paragraphs will detail about the bilateral, regional and multilateral trade attempts made to reduce the trade barriers. Multilateral trade agreements are made between many countries at a same time. Example of that is DDA (Doha Development Agenda). It is the latest round of trade negation with the WTO members. It was officially launched in November, 2011 with an objective of achieving major reforms on global trades by reduction in trade barriers and revised trade rules (WTO, n.d c). The talks were primarily centered on opening of agricultural markets as trade barriers for agricultural products are higher than other products. Developing countries apply high tariffs to protect their local farmers. After numerous rounds of talk, DDA collapsed on July 2008 as developed countries failed to agree the developing countries access to each other market (BBC 2011). Bilateral trade enables exchange of goods and services between two countries and enables preference of tariff and quota free trading. An example for that is, in November 2007, Japan signs bilateral trade agreement with ASEAN (The Association of South East) which was totaled more than 160 billion a year. It was said, trade barriers will be removed within 10 years for six richest members of ASEAN and up to 18 years for four poorest countries. This pact excludes export of agricultural products like beef, rice and other dairy products to Japan due to powerful farm lobby (Burton 2011). World’s largest free trade agreement which is yet to materialize between US and EU, started 12 years back. Issue here is the farm trade, as EU imposes high sanitary barriers to American beef exporters and banned hormone-fuelled beef and pork. In response, US banned EU beef on the ground of mad cow disease scare a decade ago. Many businesses on both the sides of Atlantic are looking forward for the success of this pact to reduce the tariff and to smooth the regulatory regimes (Chaffin and Politi 2013). 2 (b). What negative effects might free international trade have upon countries’ economies, and why countries adopt protectionist policies? Countries exhibit protectionist measures though there are advantages in the international free trade. The arguments behind restriction of trade are as follow – to protect infant industries, to reduce dependency on goods with little potential, to protect industry of national interest, to prevent dumping of imported goods, international cartels, to eliminate monopolize of foreign products, to avoid global fluctuations , to prevent harmful imports , to safeguard environment (Sloman 2007 , Begg and Ward 2009). As part of trade protection, countries raise barriers by imposing tariff, quotas, subsidies and embargoes to name a few .The brief descriptions of all the above mentioned arguments against international trade are explained in the following paragraphs with suitable examples. Infant-industry argument: If a country feels for any particular product it produces has potential competitive advantage but it’s still at the initial stage of development, it tries to protect that by trade barriers. Protection from foreign competition will help these companies to grow and to become efficient (Salvatore 2004). An example to support this argument would be, Ghana which has immense natural wealth but suffers from poverty and unemployment due to influence of international policies and lack of protection for its infant industries. It was highlighted that lot of developed countries earlier had higher tariff’s to protect their infant industries which made them grow stronger (Spy Ghana 2013). Reduce dependency of material with less dynamic potential: Developing countries generally export raw materials and food stuff which are primaries and experience inelastic price changes. It leads to slow growth and it doesn’t drive growth as promised by international trading. Outcome of this would be they are handicapped from exploiting the advantage of manufacturing the product out of those raw materials and exporting it which has higher price elastic demand (Sloman 2007). European countries try to deprive Nigeria to develop value addition sector of Cocoa by imposing high import taxes on products of cocoa whereas raw cocoa are encouraged at zero import duties (This Day Live 2013). Protecting industries of national interests: A country might support one particular industry as it feels that to be very important for its economy and it doesn’t want to be dependent on any other country for the same at the later stages. Government patronages those industries by providing incentives and make them efficient (Begg and Ward 2009). Example: Japan patronages its agriculture industries from trading though it was pressurized by America to drop off the tariff on its agricultural products as part of Trans-Pacific-Partnership (TPP) agreement which Japan about to sign. Currently Japan imposes 800% tariff on imported rice and the agriculture industry receives the state patronage of 1.1 % of GDP (Harner 2011). Dumping of Goods: Dumping is the export of commodities at very low cost compared to its cost domestically. It results in driving out the foreign producers out of business abroad and establishes monopoly power. There are two types of dumping and they are ‘Predatory dumping’ in which prices are lowered in abroad for a temporary period until it drives out the competitors and achieves monopoly. The other type is called ‘Sporadic dumping’ in which sale is occasional to unload the unforeseen or temporary surplus. Normally countries counter-attack this practice by imposing antidumping duties to offset the price difference (Salvatore 2004). Recently, Vietnam imposed antidumping duty of 14.38 % on one of the Malaysian cold-rolled stainless steel coils exporter following the POSCO VST’s claim of reducing their domestic business (FMT 2014). International Cartels: They are the group of suppliers of a product who are located in different countries and agreed to restrict output and export of commodities in order to increase their total profits. Practicing these cartels is illegal domestically in most of the countries (Salvatore 2004). Recently 21 Japanese auto suppliers caught in a price-fixing and bid-rigging scandal as they conspired to fix prices of instrument panel clusters sold to US from April 2008 to February 2010. These companies involved in this scandal were charged with ransom of $4.56 million to consumers and executives of those firms were sentenced to prison ranging from 14 to 19 months (Shepardson 2014). Monopoly of imported goods: Tough competition by imported goods drives domestic players out of the market and gives monopoly. This results in increase in prices resulted due to misallocation of resources. Governments try to protect country from such occurrences by adoption of strategic trade policy by which it provides comparative advantage through trade protection, subsidies and government-industry programs in the high technology fields or industries that are crucial for future success. Classical example for the strategic trade policy would be, Japan’s semi-conductor breakthrough in mid-1980‘s which was earlier dominated by US in the 1970’s. Japan’s ministry of trade and industry targeted this industry, financed in research and development and fostered government-company cooperation to protect it from foreign completion (Salvatore 2004). In-line with the above arguments on protectionism, tariff, quotas and subsidies are methods for government to collect revenues, protect jobs in the domestic market and to increase production. Of the three methods, tariff is the most important type of trade restriction. It’s generally expressed as fixed percentage of value of the traded commodities and called as ad valorem tariff. Find below graph that details the impact of tariff on imported goods and producer, consumer surpluses. Graph 2: Source: Economicsonline n.d Table2 Without any trading, price and quantity of a product were P and Q. If country opens up its market, the global price of the product will be at P1 which is lower than the equilibrium and the output increases from Q to Q2. This increases the consumer surplus and decreases the domestic supplier surplus. Government imposition of tariff lifts the world supply curve to shift upwards at a new price of P2. The import falls between Q3 to Q4 and domestic supply increases from Q1 to Q4. This condition results in fall of consumer surplus and increase in domestic supplier surplus and makes consumers to pay higher price which benefits both the supplier and the government by increased producer surplus and tariff revenue respectively. (Economicsonline n.d) Quotas: It’s the non-tariff based barrier which restricts the imports quantitatively. It’s mainly used to protect agriculture and to stimulate import substitution of manufactured products. An example for quota is , China allows 894,000 tons of cotton imports with a duty of 1% and currently it has increased its sliding scale tariff from 14,000 yuan to 15,000 yuan per ton to clear its fiber stockpiled in domestic reserves (Economic Times 2013). Subsidies: It is the benefit given by the government to particular industry in the form of cash or tax reduction to make production cheaper for the domestic industry. To fund subsidy for an industry, government spreads taxation across the tax payers. Graph 3: Source: Begg and Ward 2009 Table 3 Introduction of subsidy pushes the supply curve to the right from UKS1 to UKs2. The price to the consumers remains the same but the import falls from QD to QD1 where the domestic supply increase from QS to QS1. (Begg and Ward 2009) Thus, negative effects of free trade have been discussed with a highlight of different trade barriers that countries impose to save domestic industries from import. References BBC (2011).World trade talks end in collapse. [online] Available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7531099.stm [Accessed: 7/1/14]. Begg, D. Ward, D. (2009).Economics for business. 3rd edition. London: McGraw-Hill. Burton, J. (2011). Japan agrees bilateral trade pact with ASEAN.Financial Times.22 November 2006. [Online] via Proquest Available at http://search.proquest.com/docview/250051960?accountid=17193 [Accessed 6/1/14] Chaffin, J. Politi, J. (2013). Cuts both ways. Financial Times. 18 April 2013 [online] via Proquest Available at http://search.proquest.com/docview/1328470674?accountid=17193 [Accessed: 13/1/2014]. Department of State (n.d).International trade as an engine of growth for development. [online] Available at http://2001-2009.state.gov/e/eeb/rls/othr/2008/106389.htm [Accessed: 7/1/14]. Economicsonline (2014).Trade protectionism. [online] Available at http://www.economicsonline.co.uk/Global_economics/Trade_protectionism.html [Accessed: 7/1/14]. FMT: Free Malaysia Today (2014). Viets impose anti-dumping steel tariff. 7 January 2014 [online] Available at http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/business/2014/01/07/viets-impose-anti-dumping-steel-tariff/ [7/1/2014]. Harner, S. (2011).WTO critique of Japanese agriculture. Forbes. 17 February 2011 [online] Available at http://www.forbes.com/sites/stephenharner/2011/02/17/wto-criticique-of-japanese-agriculture/ [Accessed: 6/1/14] Salvatore, D. (2004).International economics. 8th Edition. Crawfordsville: John Wiley Sons, Inc. Shepardson, D. (2014). Japanese auto supplier agrees to settle price-fixing civil suit. Detroit News. 7 January 2014 [online] Available at: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140107/AUTO01/301070060/Japanese-auto-supplier-agrees-settle-price-fixing-civil-suit?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|p [Accessed: 7/1/14] Sloman, J., and Hinde, K. (2007). Economics for Business. 4th Edition. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited. Spy Ghana (2013).What ghana needs now is an economic revolution. 19 December 2013 [online] . Available at http://www.spyghana.com/what-ghana-needs-now-is-an-economic-revolution/ [Accessed: 7/1/2014]. The Economic Times (2013).China cotton import costs to rise under adjusted tariffs. 16 December 2013. [online] Available at http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/business/china-cotton-import-costs-to-rise-under-adjusted-tariffs/articleshow/27469107.cms [Accessed: 13/1/14]. This Day Live (2013). The Case for Cocoa Value Addition in Nigeria. 3 September 2013 [online]. Available at http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/the-case-for-cocoa-value-addition-in-nigeria/157985/ [Accessed: 6/1/14]. WTO (n. d.a).Trade raises Incomes. [online] Available at http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/10ben_e/10b06_e.htm [Accessed: 13/1/14]. WTO (n. d.b).The system helps to keep the peace. [online] Available at http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/10ben_e/10b01_e.htm [Accessed: 13/1/14]. WTO (n. d. c). The Doha Round. [online] Available at http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dda_e/dda_e.htm [Accessed: 7/1/14]

The Necessity of Gun Control :: Exemplification Essays

As a result of the many school shootings that have taken place in the last few years, there has been a push for stricter gun control laws. Many people don't feel safe in today's society. The government has been listening to the people and has already passed some laws. There are some people who are opposed to stricter gun control laws. Many gun enthusiasts don't believe that gun control laws will resolve the problem. They claim that only law abiding citizens would obey the laws - and they aren't the ones creating the problem. This group presents some good arguments for eliminating current gun control laws. One of the main arguments that anti gun control groups make is that they have a constitutional right to own guns. The second amendment to the constitution states that all American citizens have the right to bear arms. There are many people who think that guns should be banned all together. According to the constitution, this can't be done. All people have the right to own a gun if they want to. If the people are given this right by the constitution, then this right can't be denied. The government hasn't gone so far as to ban guns completely yet, but they have started to pass some laws aimed at controlling guns. One thing that they have done is to require a waiting period and a background check before people can buy a handgun. Gun dealers use a computerized instant check system to perform background checks. Many people argue that this system doesn't really work. According to Pema Levy of Newsweek, the system does block some people from getting guns, but it isn't 100% effective. The system is only as good as the information entered into it, and many local courts are lax about reporting convictions (Levy). Even if a potential criminal is stopped from buying a gun, they could still get one if they wanted to. According to Joe Lienhard, these regulations only apply to gun dealers. If someone couldn't buy a gun because they failed the background check, they could still get one from a private owner or a gun show. These laws simply don't do what they are inte nded to do. Criminals can still get guns if they want. All these laws do is make it harder for law-abiding citizens to get guns.

Medicinal Marijuana use in the United States Essay

Although many individuals find medical marijuana illegal, and unnecessary, it is a natural herb used to help symptoms caused by chronic illnesses. Over three million Americans use medical marijuana. Medical marijuana is the most widely used drug used to treat chronic illnesses in seventeen states. The use of medical marijuana has been a controversial issue here in the United States. Although, there are healthcare professionals that do believe that the use of medical marijuana can be very beneficial for patients. Just as there are benefits associated with the use of medical marijuana there are also negative effects. Many American are still unfamiliar with Medical Marijuana, so what is medical marijuana? Medical marijuana also known as â€Å"cannabis sativa†(Harold E Dowieko 2009) is a naturally growing plant that produces tetra-hydrocannabinol and cannabidiol.(Harold E Dowieko 2009) These chemicals are both thought to have possible effects on lessening the bad side effects from chronic diseases. Medical marijuana has been used for health reasons for centuries. Marijuana was a legal herb in the United States until 1937 when the United States passed a law making it illegal to sell. (Kring, Davinson, Naele & Johnson 2007) Marijuana was then made legal for medicinal use in 1995. The state of California was the first state in the United States to make marijuana legal for medical purposes. Medicinal marijuana is now legal in seventeen states. These states include; â€Å"Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Washington D.C., Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington state.† (â€Å"Thc.me History†, n.d.) In all of these state a patient can obtain a medical marijuana license, also referred to as a â€Å"green card,† from a licensed physician. Patients must have documentation stating what chronic illnesses they have that may require the need for medicinal marijuana. The physician will then decide if the use of marijuana will be beneficial. Medical marijuana has been proven to benefit patients who have multiple illnesses. The most common uses for medical marijuana are; pain relief, loss of appetite, depression, and diseases such as AIDS and cancer. TCH has been proven to block pain receptors in the brain. The blockage of these pain receptors allows patients dealing with chronic pain to have some relief. Medicinal marijuana also stimulates appetite, and relieves symptoms associated with depression, AIDS and cancer. This enables patients to not have to rely on the use of prescription pain pills such opiods. Meidcal marijuana is also less addictive, and has less physical side effects than other prescription pain relievers. Just as there are positive benefits associated with medical marijuana there are some health risks. First, marijuana is not regulated by the FDA. The FDA is the food and drug administration. They regulate medication and ensure the safety and risk associated with drugs. Without the FDA regulating medical marijuana there is no way for patients to know if they are getting correct information pertaining to the exact marijuana they are smoking, and if there may be additives or chemicals on the marijuana. This can be risky for patients, because marijuana comes in much different strength. The FDA has also found that dosing of medical marijuana is hard due to the effects taking around thirty minutes for patients to feel. The main health risk that medical marijuana has is psychological effects. According to Kring, Davinson, Naele, and Johnson â€Å" rapid shifts of emotion, to dull attention, to fragment thoughts, impair of memory, and sense that time is moving more slowly.† (Chapter 10) Kring, Davinson, Naele, and Johnson also stated â€Å"extremely heavy dosing has been found to induce hallucinations and other effects similar to those of LSD.† (Chapter 10)Another risk associated with medicinal cannabis is the harmful effect done to lungs. There have been many studies done that look at the respiratory risk associated with regular marijuana use. In one study done with the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey it concluded that the risk of respiratory illness does rise. Marijuana damages lungs just as smoke cigarettes. The last major health risk associated with medical marijuana is a lowered immune system. This can be very dangerous for patients that are dealing with cancer and AIDS. Since these patients already have very low immune systems because of their disease. Doctors prescribing medicinal marijuana must ensure that the benefits of marijuana use out ways the risks. Although a controversial issue in the United States medical marijuana does have many potential health benefits for patients with chronic illnesses. Statistics now show that eight out of ten Americans support the use of medicinal marijuana. This is because previously I have stated through studies done; the benefits of medical marijuana outweigh the risks associated with medical marijuana use. With already seventeen states in the United States allowing the legalization of medical marijuana. It is fair to say medical marijuana can be very helpful for patients who need it. Currently there are more states in the process of trying to legalize medical marijuana. Some say eventually marijuana as a whole will be a legal substance in the United States. In years to come as Americans we will see how medical marijuana plays a role in the pharmaceutical and medical fields. References Moore, B., Auguston, E., & Moser, r. (2012, October). Respiratory Effects of Marijuana and Tobacco Use in a U.S. Sample Bostwick, M. (2012, February Day). Blurred Boundaries: The Therapeutics and Politics of Medical Marijuana. , p. . dowieko, h. E. (2009). Concepts of medical dependency (7th ed.). : cengage learning. Kring, A. M., Davinson, G. G., Naele, J. M., &Johnson. S. L. (2007). Abnormal Psychology [University of Phoenix Custom Edition eBook]. : John Wiley and Sons INC.. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, website. THC.me History. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.thc.me