Free Essays on Artificial Intelligence

such as â€Å"Wreck a nice beach† and â€Å"recognize speech† are two phrases that are phonetically very similar, even though they have very little meaning in common. The dilemma for computers would not be one for humans with their natural ability to comprehend and conclude the two differences and make the correct assumption of the two. In addition to the argument for understanding language, we have numerous other problems that machines fa... Free Essays on Artificial Intelligence Free Essays on Artificial Intelligence Recently, the media has spent an increasing amount of broadcast time on new technology. The focus of high-tech media has been aimed at the flurry of advances concerning artificial intelligence (AI). What is artificial intelligence and what is the media talking about? Are these technologies beneficial to our society or mere novelties among business and marketing professionals? Medical facilities, police departments, and manufacturing plants have all been changed by AI but how? These questions and many others are the concern of the general public brought about by the lack of education concerning rapidly advancing computer technology. Artificial intelligence is defined as the ability of a machine to think for itself. Scientists and theorists continue to debate if computers will actually be able to think for themselves at one point (Patterson 7). The generally accepted theory is that computers do and will think more in the future. AI has grown rapidly in the last ten years chiefly because of the advances in computer architecture. The term artificial intelligence was actually coined in 1956 by a group of scientists having their first meeting on the topic (Patterson 6). Early attempts at AI were neural networks modeled after the ones in the human brain. Success was minimal at best because of the lack of computer technology needed to calculate such large equations. AI is achieved using a number of different methods. The more popular implementations comprise neural networks, chaos engineering, fuzzy logic, knowledge based systems, and expert systems. Using any one of the aforementioned design structures requires a specialized computer system. For example, Anderson Consulting applies a knowledge based system to commercial loan officers using multimedia (Hedburg 121). Their system requires a fast IBM desktop computer. Other systems may require even more horsepower using exotic computers or workstations. Even more e... Free Essays on Artificial Intelligence Intelligence By: John Cruz Artificial Intelligence once something that people thought could only come out of science fiction novels and movies. But today that could all change because of a robot called Cog. Cog is an artificial intelligence that it’s creators have given a body. He is the future of AI and a new beginning for the field. His creator , Rogney Brooks, a professor of electrical engineering and computer science, thought of creating cog, from inspiration from an artificial intelligence that was depicted in the movie, "2001:A Space Odyssey." In the movie, Hal, the AI, controlled a large space craft. Instead of creating a brain in a box like in the movie, Rodney is putting the mind of a human into the body of a robot. Cog isn’t yet a true humanoid robot. Right now he is little more that a head, neck , shoulders, chest and waist. He is perched on a gray steel pedestal bolted to the floor of the Artificial intelligence lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Still no other machine has come closer to the humanoid robots of science fiction. Cog foreshadows the day in which robots will interact normally with us. Cog’s creators are trying to do just that. Cog is a very far cry from what HAL was thought, because he has some anatomy. HAL was just basically a brain in a box. What they are trying to accomplish with cog, is to equip a brain with a body, that has sensors so that it can learn about its environment on its own, much like a infant does. Creating a humanoid was a big leap for Brooks. His last venture in to the AI world made a big impression on the artificial-Intelligence community. He created small robots the scurried around like insects. It turns out though, that these small creatures have much in common with Cog. They both do no use the usual AI approach that most other Mobil robots use. These other robots, would have to carry a complete map of the world that the machine will encounter. That would work fin... Free Essays on Artificial Intelligence â€Å"Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) is the science and engineering of building intelligent machines.† Within this fascinating field there are three main schools of AI: people trying to model what humans do (sort of psychology based) people trying to make what people do easier and better (tools for humans), and people who are trying to build new tools with â€Å"far out† capabilities. Considering the three schools of artificial intelligence, they all compound to one point; people trying to build machines that would model what humans do. Mimicking human behavior as the main goal seems to be a very attainable one. To copy human behavior you must further analyze what human- beings do with ease. Consider what we do subconsciously without much effort is very difficult to a computer. We carry out numerous; even multiple tasks all at once that can make a machine stumble more than once trying to mimic us. First we have our basic desire of communicating, which comes very easy to us but to a machine to understand language and use it accordingly would be very difficult. The reason for this is that language has numerous problems associated with it. One problem would be simply the syntax of the grammar. There is technology even today on the market that involves speech dictation to make word processing even more accessible and easier for humans. Diligently as the programmers worked on their programming they still encountered one major dilemma associated with their software package. A string of words such as â€Å"Wreck a nice beach† and â€Å"recognize speech† are two phrases that are phonetically very similar, even though they have very little meaning in common. The dilemma for computers would not be one for humans with their natural ability to comprehend and conclude the two differences and make the correct assumption of the two. In addition to the argument for understanding language, we have numerous other problems that machines fa...

The Post-War Economic Boom After WWII

The Post-War Economic Boom After WWII Many Americans feared that the end of World War II and the subsequent drop in military spending might bring back the hard times of the Great Depression. But instead, pent-up consumer demand fueled exceptionally strong economic growth in the post-war period. The automobile industry successfully converted back to producing cars, and new industries such as aviation and electronics grew by leaps and bounds. A housing boom, stimulated in part by easily affordable mortgages for returning members of the military, added to the expansion. The nations gross national product rose from about $200,000 million in 1940 to $300,000 million in 1950 and to more than $500,000 million in 1960. At the same time, the jump in post-war births, known as the baby boom, increased the number of consumers. More and more Americans joined the middle class. The Military Industrial Complex The need to produce war supplies had given rise to a huge military-industrial complex (a term coined by Dwight D. Eisenhower, who served as the U.S. president from 1953 through 1961). It did not disappear with the wars end. As the Iron Curtain descended across Europe and the United States found itself embroiled in a ​Cold War with the Soviet Union, the government maintained substantial fighting capacity and invested in sophisticated weapons such as the hydrogen bomb. Economic aid flowed to war-ravaged European countries under the Marshall Plan, which also helped maintain markets for numerous U.S. goods. And the government itself recognized its central role in economic affairs. The Employment Act of 1946 stated as government policy to promote maximum employment, production, and purchasing power. The United States also recognized during the post-war period the need to restructure international monetary arrangements, spearheading the creation of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank - institutions designed to ensure an open, capitalist international economy. Business, meanwhile, entered a period marked by consolidation. Firms merged to create huge, diversified conglomerates. International Telephone and Telegraph, for instance, bought Sheraton Hotels, Continental Banking, Hartford Fire Insurance, Avis Rent-a-Car, and other companies. Changes in the American Workforce The American workforce also changed significantly. During the 1950s, the number of workers providing services grew until it equaled and then surpassed the number who produced goods. And by 1956, a majority of U.S. workers held white-collar rather than blue-collar jobs. At the same time, labor unions won long-term employment contracts and other benefits for their members. Farmers, on the other hand, faced tough times. Gains in productivity led to agricultural overproduction, as farming became a big business. Small family farms found it increasingly difficult to compete, and more and more farmers left the land. As a result, the number of people employed in the farm sector, which in 1947 stood at 7.9 million, began a continuing decline; by 1998, U.S. farms employed only 3.4 million people. Other Americans moved, too. Growing demand for single-family homes and the widespread ownership of cars led many Americans to migrate from central cities to suburbs. Coupled with technological innovations such as the invention of air conditioning, the migration spurred the development of Sun Belt cities such as Houston, Atlanta, Miami, and Phoenix in the southern and southwestern states. As new, federally-sponsored highways created better access to the suburbs, business patterns began to change as well. Shopping centers multiplied, rising from eight at the end of World War II to 3,840 in 1960. Many industries soon followed, leaving cities for less crowded sites. Source This article is adapted from the book Outline of the U.S. Economy by Conte and Carr and has been adapted with permission from the U.S. Department of State.

Prosperity Without Growth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Prosperity Without Growth - Essay Example This paper illustrates that economists like Tim Jackson have deviated from the notions of economic growth, to incorporate more ideas that lead to sustainable economies. Indeed, the well-being of the individuals and households has taken center stage and the politics have been geared to address these forgotten notions. Indeed, most of the growth that had been the focus of most economies in the past has led to massive boosts in the global economy, but at the cost of the environment and the society. On this grounding, the productions and consumption activities have contributed to more than 60% of the degradation of the eco-systems, raising serious questions on whether this path will lead to sustainable development in the near future. Indeed, only a very small portion of the benefits of the global income is redistributed to the poor, worsening the gap between the rich and the poor. Getting an equitable distribution of resources, therefore, is one of the reasons that the author points to z ero economic growth in prosperity in the world economy. The notion of endless growth has engulfed modern economists, who overlook the social progress related to such kind of growth. Indeed, social stability and development are one of the key pillars of sustainability, which leads to prosperity even in the global economy. In addition, the convening of countless global economic summits to address economic growth and challenges have not prevented the world from going into countless recessions. On this platform, the capitalist movements seem to postulate an endless path of growth, spurred by economic activities of production, looking for new markets and consumption as the main drivers of growth. From this perspective, the postulation of prosperity without growth comes alive, because this continuous cycle may go on indefinitely without improvements in the standards of living of the masses. Indeed, it is imperative to note that any human activity is geared towards the improvement of welfa re, and when such a system fails, it would be preferable to have prosperity even without growth in the world.

Will be provide Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Will be provide - Essay Example red to the flow loop since the level loop is just pegged on the level valve just as where the flow loop also depends on both the flow and level valve. The level sensor’s gain was recorded at 121.28% m. Rationally an increase in the level percent led to an increase in the level as the tank increased. The effects of the derivative, integral and proportional actions on the system were observed with the turning of the flow level trainer. It was established through the turning that the system responded faster with a gain in the system. Involvement of the integral led to a decreased and went from slow reactions to unstable ones. Addition of the derivative caused the higher rate to do an overshoot. Tuning rules are critical part of learning how to manage a system. In this section of the experiment, familiarization with the operation of flow level trainer as well as data V system was acquired. The set point reactions and tuning parameters of the flow as well as level loop were observed. The first tuning parameters of the system are as indicated in table 2.3.1. The reaction to a set point alteration of the flow loop was examined by setting the rate of flow to 2.5 USGPM and level set point to 50 %.There was time allowed for the system to be able to settle so that its water level and flow rates were approximately at the allocated set points. Recording was done for the positions of the level and flow valves. Thus, changes were made for the flow set point from 2.5 USGPM to 3.0 USGPM. The system’s response was examined by recording the new level and flow valve positions in table 2.3.2. There was observation of the response to a set point change of the level loop by setting tank water level to 60% as well as the flow set point at 3.0 USGPM. Once again the system was given time to settle with the recording of valve and flow positions being done. Thus there was a reduction of the set point to 30% from 60% and the new flow ad valve positions were put down in table 2.3.3 The

Role of a footballer Essay Example for Free

Role of a footballer Essay In this essay I am going to explain why Peter Kay/John Smiths adverts are so successful? John smiths bitter was very successful without the adverts the adverts have made it more well known. The adverts started by a famous comedian Jack Dee the adverts went so well they had a cardboard cut out of Jack Dee and it was still a success. In 2002 the comedian Peter Kay took the place of Jack Dee and it became funnier than ever. The adverts start with a serious scenario then half way through Peter Kay would add some humour and the advert would become really funny. The adverts have made John Smiths bitter become very popular in the U.K owning 15% of the market. Them first advert is the swimming advert it starts off as a normal diving event. Two professionals divers dive then John Smiths steps up he runs and bombs he wins the event. The advert is funny because it is suppose to be like an Olympic event and the best dive wins but Peter Kay steps up on the diving board with his Bermuda shorts and unfit compared to the other divers compared to the slim divers. He bombs and soaks the judges with the water. The judges give him the best mark its aimed at the working class man. It appeals to all the ages. The second advert is in an Indian restaurant it starts off as a normal meal Peter Kay is out with his wife and a couple of friends his mobile phone goes off and Peter Kay answers it. Its his daughter Britney having a nightmare about the wardrobe monsters Peter Kay says Its the burglars that break in through the windows that you should be worried about His friends look amazed and he does not realise what he has done wrong this is what makes the advert funny because its original and not normal to say something like that. The third advert is the football one. In this advert is a team at football training they show of their skills by keeping the ball up and then they pass it to john smith he then volleys it and says ave it then the ball goes into someones back garden. The saying ave it has become very popular around the U.K this shows the impact the adverts have on people and makes them remember the advert. The fourth and final advert is the snooker one. It starts off as an average house Peter Kay walks in stops his mum from hoovering up and tells her come on mum its time to go she looks at him and says go where he then says the old peoples home they will look after you now its for the best she says are you mad I am fifty five Peter Kay says I know but I have had a word with them they will take you she says why should I go live in an old peoples home Peter Kay says because I want to put a snooker table in your bedroom and the kids are afraid of your tash This advert makes you laugh because the facial expressions of his mum and the way he says it you feel safe to laugh because she is only fifty five and its just not what someone would say to there mum this is what makes it funny. The tag line of each advert is the same. In the background there is always something happening the first advert at the end the john smiths pint is on the diving board and everything is unfocused apart from the pint this gets your attention to it. The second advert you see the john smiths pint again at the end on top of the wardrobe. The third advert you see the picture of Peter Kays mum then it gets changed with a famous snooker player Dennis Taylor. The final advert you see half time oranges and a pint next to it Peter Kay runs up pushes the oranges to the side and chooses the john smith pint. The ending of every advert is unique to the advert and there will always be the John Smiths pint on every ending. The tag line is always the same on every advert No Nonsense saying he is serious about it and cant see what is wrong. Peter Kay represents an average working class man the rule of three works well in the John Smiths adverts because it twists the advert. For example the diving one there is three divers. Two of which are really good and have athletic body then there is Peter Kay overweight and not very good. The twist is that the unfit one john smith wins the event. They show a replay of John Smiths bomb and show different angles of the bomb this makes the advert more funny because you see it from different views and makes humour last longer. Peter Kay plays a role in each advert in the first advert he plays the role of an unfit athlete in a competition. In the second advert he is playing the role of a working class man having an Indian with some friends. In the third advert Peter Kay plays the role of a footballer at training with the team. The final advert Peter Kay plays the role of Man looking after his mum. In conclusion I think the Peter Kay/John Smiths adverts where so successful because they use a lot of humour, which makes the adverts funny for anyone who is watching them. I think the adverts have had an impact on sales of John Smiths bitter before the adverts John Smiths bitter was still a success but with the adverts I think sales have increased. The adverts are funny to watch and easily remembered and this makes John Smiths more successful. All of the adverts start out as a normal scenario then Peter Kay will twist it and make you laugh this is a good technique because you are unaware of what is going to happen. I think they picked the best comedian for the adverts because he has funny accent and is already well known from Phoenix nights and various stand ups he has done.

Oliver Twist: The Anchor Of Character Development Essay -- essays rese

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Oliver Twist: the Anchor of Character Development   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Charles Dickens novel, Oliver Twist, centers itself around the life of the young, orphan Oliver, but he is not a deeply developed character. He stays the same throughout the entire novel. He has a desire to be protected, he wants to be in a safe and secure environment, and he shows unconditional love and acceptance to the people around him. These are the only character traits that the reader knows of Oliver. He is an archetype of goodness and innocence. His innocence draws many people close to him. Each character is attracted to his innocence for different reasons, some to destroy it and others to build it. Their relationships with Oliver reveal nothing more about his personality. They reveal more about their own personalities. Therefore, Oliver is used not as the protagonist of the story, but as the anchor for the development of the other characters.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As the anchor of character development, Oliver helps reveal the redeeming qualities of Dickens’ Mr. Brownlow. Dickens moves through a series of developments with Mr. Brownlow and it is only when he comes into contact with Oliver that his character is fully developed. He is initially described by Dickens as an â€Å"old gentlemen† with a â€Å"very respectable-looking personage, with a powdered head and gold spectacles† (114). The reader is left to draw their own conclusions about him as he is only described one dimensionally. When Mr. Brownlow gives chase to Oliver after being robbed by Olivers’ associates, it seems as though Mr. Brownlow might have little respect or mercy for the lower class. Instead, the reader finds that Mr. Brownlow is a kind and merciful man. He takes pity on Oliver, telling the policeman not to hurt him and arguing for his release inside the court house. Mr. Brownlow takes Oliver to his house where he is very well cared for by Mrs. Bedwin. When Oliver recovers from his fever, he goes to speak with Mr. Brownlow. During their meeting Mr. Brownlows character is further developed. He reveals a sad past to Oliver saying,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å" I have been deceived, before, in objects whom I have endeavored to   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  &... ...pe from the filth and crime that she was pushed into as a child. Dickens develops Nancys character to show that people in poverty can not always help their situations. They might live a life of crime, but do they have any other choices? Nancys development as a character gives the reader an interesting perspective on the lower class and their situations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Oliver Twist is a novel about the adventures and the life of Oliver yet, his character is not as developed as some of the others. He is not the protagonist, which leads one to ask, what purpose does he serve? Oliver has the most important role in the novel, he links everyone together. He is the anchor, not the hero. He develops the characters. The characters whom he becomes the closest with are the characters that the reader comes to know and love. He might be deemed a symbol rather than a character. A symbol of innocence. Innocence reveals so much about a person because it is so pure. Does the character want to destroy his innocence or does he want to make it grow? The way that each character interacts with Oliver tells the reader about their nature. This is Dickens method for character development.

Structuring Repsol’s Acquisition of YPF

How significant are the expected synergies and restructuring effects? Please prepare an estimate of the value of these.For Repsol and its shareholders, the YPF acquisition deal is seen as an ideal strategic match. The Spanish oil company gets most of its revenues from activities like refining and gasoline stations, and must buy much of its crude oil from others, while YPF owns substantial reserves because its activities are dominated by exploration and production of oil. As a united company, Repsol will have a much better balance of business, quadrupling its reserves, and vaulting into the big leagues of the top 10 international players. But with the reserves of YPF, it will instead benefit from rising prices, and expand its activities to other countries in Latin America.Repsol-YPF seeks to achieve a balance between upstream and downstream operations, position itself as a market leader in Latin America, achieve operating and capital expenditure synergies and consolidate its business scale and financial strength. As part of its integration strategy, Repsol-YPF will begin to dispose of select assets which do not correspond to its core businesses outlined above or to its core geographic areas which include Spain, Latin America and North Africa.Synergies Estimate Cost savings after tax of $350 million by 2000, 1.6% cost savings in 1998, reduction in capital expenditure from $15.6 billion to $13.6 billion, reduced finding costs by 25.0%, as a result of decreased test drilling activity and the implementation of new technology, and lifting costs by 4.6%, as a result of synergies with YPF’s operations and increased levels for gas production, which has lower lifting costs than oil production, divesting non-core assets to yield $2.5 billion in 2002.2) Please assess the price that Cortina proposes to offer to YPF  shareholders. At $44.78 per share, would Repsol underpay, overpay, or just offer a fair price?Attached Excel,The price of $44.78 per share was a fair p rice as there was a strategic fit and synergies between the two companies. YPF was focused on upstream and thus balanced Repsol’s downstream activities.In the attached excel, I performed valuation of YPF by subtracting PV of Repsol from PV of Repsol-YPF combined with synergies at WACC of 10.9% (all debt financing).I got the value as 10.472 billion dollars./ The additional (13 billion- 10.472 billion) is the premium which Repsol is paying for geographic and business diversification.Adj PV Formula used by me: EBIT– Taxes on EBIT =Net Operating Profit After Tax (NOPAT) + Non cash items in EBIT – Working Capital changes – Capital Expenditures and Other Operating Investments =Free Cash FlowsTake Present Value (PV) of FCFs discounted by Return on Assets % (also Return on Unlevered Equity %) + PV of terminal value =Value of Unlevered Assets + Excess cash and other assets =Value of Unlevered Firm (i.e. firm value without financing effects or benefit of interest t ax shield) + Present Value of Debt's Periodic Interest Tax Shield discounted by Cost of Debt Financing % =Value of Levered Firm3) Please assess the current pricing of Repsol shares in the market. Is Repsol undervalued, overvalued, or just fairly valued in the global equity markets at this time? Is now a good time to issue Repsol shares?From Exhibit 11, the current price of Repsol stock is 18-19 $ per share. Actual Value of Repsol share is 7010/900 = $7.78per share from Exhibit 3.Using valuation using DCF, I arrived at $ 22.33 per share for Repsol(attached Excel). Hence it is fairly valued.4) Compare the relative advantages and disadvantages of offering to the shareholders of YPF either (a) cash or (b) shares of Repsol. If you were a shareholder in YPF, which form of consideration would be more attractive (assuming that the amount of consideration would be constant at $44.78 per share)?Advantages of cash financing are Cheaper than equity, tax benefits from tax shields, Decrease in co mbined cost of capital, creating value for shareholders, largest fixed income offer.Disadvantages of cash financing are Sudden increase in Repsol’s leverage, downgrade in debt ratings, increased cost of debt, inability to meet future unforeseen financial requirements, probability of default, sensitive to price changes, signaling to investors, shorter maturity period and uncertainties.Advantages of stock financing are Expand its unused debt capacity, prepared for aggressive growth via acquisitions, maintain coverage ratios and credit ratings.Disadvantages of stock financing are Reduced EPS due to dilution, more business risk, dependence on Repsol’s share price, clash in investors’ interests between shares of developed and developing economies.Cash financing is a better option for shareholders of YPF as they would  receive a fixed price and would not participate in additional gains or losses post acquisition.5) Whether or not you favor a cash-based offer for YPF , please compare the relative advantages and disadvantages of the (a) all-debt-financed cash offer, (b) all-equity financed cash offer, and (c) blended financing of debt, preferred stock, and equity. How significant are variations in default risk in the assessment of the financing alternatives (see case Exhibit 10)?Attached Excel sheet,Considering Country Risk, all debt financing gives the highest valuation of Repsol-YPF and variation due to risk is least in all debt financing offer.Considering minimum Country Risk, all equity financing gives the highest valuation of Repsol-YPF but variation due to risk is highest in all equity financing offer.Blended financing gives minimum variation in valuation of Repsol – YPF . The variations in default risk are significant in assessing the alternatives as that affects WACC and hence valuation.6) What course of action would you recommend that Alfonso Cortina adopt regarding form of payment and financing for the tender offer for YPF? On wh at â€Å"key bets† does your recommendation depend?Cortina should make an all cash payment to acquire YPF at 44.78$ per share to avoid the disadvantages of equity financing and also considering bylaws of YPF.Repsol’s strategic plan is based on three fundamental premises: growth, transformation of portfolio and profitability. The primary objective for Repsol is to guarantee sustainable dividend growth for its shareholders.Repsol will implement a strategy of profitable growth for all of its businesses, based on the optimisation of existing projects, the development of new projects, and the analysis of possible business opportunities in areas of interest to the company. It states that the downstream business which includes chemicals will contribute solid growth and stable cash flow for the company.The Repsol chemical business is believed to hold a ‘sound position in international markets', strengthened by a high integration with the refining and exploration and prod uction business areas, access to competitive technologies and the company's ongoing efforts in cost contention.7) In general, what is the influence of deal financing on other aspects of M&A deal design?A widely used approach to evaluating financing alternatives is the FRICTO framework. The framework can help to identify trade-offs along six dimensions:Flexibility: the ability to meet unforeseen financing requirements as they arise. Flexibility may involve liquidating assets or tapping the capital markets in adverse market environments or both. Flexibility can be measured by bond ratings, coverage ratios, capitalization ratios, liquidity ratios, and the identification of salable assets. Risk: This is the predictable variability in the firm’s operating cash flow. Such variability may be due to both macroeconomic factors (e.g., consumer demand) and industry- or firm-specific factors (e.g., product life cycles, biannual strikes in advance of wage negotiations).To some extent, pas t experience may indicate the future range of variability in earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) and cash flow. High leverage tends to amplify the impact of these predictable business swings—this amplification is what is commonly called leverage. In theory, beta should vary directly with leverage. The firm’s debt rating will provide a second external measure of risk of the firm. Income: This compares financial structures on the basis of value creation. Measures such as DCF value, projected ROE, EPS, resulting price/earnings ratio, and cost of capital indicate the comparative value effects of  alternative financial structures.Finance theory tells us that (all else equal) the value-maximizing capital structure is also that which minimizes the weighted average cost of capital. Thus, the analyst can devote attention to the capital cost resulting from the different financial structures. Finally, economic profit, or EVA, summarizes the joint impact of capital structu re, investment, and operating profit effects. Control: Alternative financial structures may imply changes in control or different control constraints on the firm as indicated by the percentage distribution of share ownership and by the structure of debt covenants. Significant investors will be sensitive to the dilution in their voting position in the firm, implied by different acquisition financing alternatives.Timing: This asks the question of whether the current capital market environment is the right moment to implement any alternative financial structure, and what the implications for future financings will be if the proposed structure is adopted. The current market environment can be assessed by examining the Treasury yield curve, the trend in the movement of interest rates, the existence of any windows in the market for new issues of securities, P/E multiple trends, and so on.Chiefly, one wants to look for evidence of over- or undervaluation of securities in the capital market . Sequencing considerations are implicitly captured in the assumptions underlying alternative DCF value estimates and can be explicitly examined by looking at annual EPS and ROE streams under alternative financing sequences. Other: Since no framework can anticipate all possible effects, the â€Å"O† reminds the analyst to consider potential idiosyncratic influences on the decision. Two such items are investment liquidity of the owners and estate planning considerations. As these examples suggest, such considerations tend to be more influential in smaller and privately held firms. However, a major â€Å"other† consideration for large publicly traded firms is the signaling content of their financial choices.The issuance of equity is typically accompanied by decreases in share prices; issuance of debt is accompanied by increases. One interpretation of this result is that the type of financing signals optimism or pessimism about the future by insiders in the firm.This fram ework can be used to indicate the relative strengths and weaknesses of alternative financing plans. To use a simple example, suppose that your  firm is considering two alternatives for financing an acquisition: a new issue of debt to fund a cash payment or a new issue of equity in exchange for the target’s shares. Looking across each row, the decision maker can determine which alternative dominates on each criterion.The debt structure is favoured on the grounds of income (perhaps reflecting debt tax shields and no share dilution), the absence of voting dilution, and today’s interest rate conditions. The equity structure is favoured on the grounds of flexibility, risk, absence of covenants, today’s equity market conditions, and the long-term financial sequencing benefits.THINK LIKE AN INVESTORThe definition of a good capital structure would be one that maximizes shareholder value. This structure will also minimize the weighted average cost of capital and maximi ze the share price and value of the enterprise.

They Cage the Animals

They Cage the Animals at Night is a heart-dropping autobiography novel. This book is written by Jennings Michael Burch, who is the main character. His father is an often drunk alcoholic and has left a family of six boys to his wife. Jennings is twelve years old, and is always trying to pull the family together and keep his mom from crying. The mothers main goal is to have a close family and has the obstacles of alcohol to do so. She becomes sick almost all the time because of her addiction. One day,randomly his mother became seriously sick and had bad stress related problems. Jennings was forced to go into a shelter home having nowhere to go. He was taken to the â€Å"Home of Angels† where he was treated very crucial. The last words his mother had told him were, â€Å"I'll be right back. † There the children were directed and demanded harshly. Soon a couple took him in their custody. They were even worse than the shelter, he was given small space to live in and a table to sit at all day. He was rarely fed, when he was fed, he was given some sort of gluey, grayish grub that tasted horrible. Eventually the husband reported that Jennings was getting treated too badly and was taken back. After a while his mom had picked him up. Christmas had come and they ate a turkey that was donated to them. No gifts were under the small tree they had gotten for free. He had started school again but had missed most of it since he was always in and out. Kids always called him by cruel names but managed to do good until summer vacation. He was then sent back to a shelter home called, â€Å"Saint Teresa’s. † He was treated badly, constantly getting into meanless fights, and begging to feel extremly lonely. He also got numerous bruises and cuts their. He eventually decided to run away. He did so and got caught and reported to the police. Eventually his mother came back to this shelter and picked him up. This time he lived in a more wealthier neighborhood and went to a new school. Jennings took a bus to school everyday and became very good friends with the bus driver, his name was Sal. He also was an orphan so he understood Jennings very well. Again his mother’s health problems came and to prevent Jennings from falling behind he got adopted by a wealthy family. He had a pleasant time and had lots of fun. He liked it, when he got comfterable his mother came to get him once again.

The isms That Shape An Ethical Debate †Ethics Essay

The isms That Shape An Ethical Debate – Ethics Essay Free Online Research Papers The isms That Shape An Ethical Debate Ethics Essay Absolutism, relativism, and pluralism are all â€Å"ism†s that can contribute to an ethical debate. Absolutism refers to the concept that if some concept or argument can be applied in one case, then it is relevant for every single person in every single case forever. A simple example is lying; is lying ethical just because it can be considered ethical in some cases? Relativism is the idea that nothing can be absolute; each case must be considered in its own time, culture, and situation. There are many different kinds of relativists, as the text described, and relativists can differ even amongst themselves as to how to apply their principle. Pluralism is the notion that because we live in such a diverse world, we must consider many different views on a matter before deciding a case, and we must take into account the equality of each point of view. The role of language is important in ethical reasoning. As we saw in reading the news story about the woman who attempted to kill her terminally ill son, language can have an effect on ethical arguments through bias. Depending on how you state a case, you could be swaying an undecided person to your point of view if you emphasize certain issues and not others. This is especially true in euthanasia cases; by emphasizing the torture the patient is going through, or the supremacy of individual choice, one can present this as a cut-and-dry ethical case to someone who did not have all the facts. The greatest happiness principle is one defined by John Stuart Mill in order to support his theory of utilitarianism. This principle states that we ought to make decisions whose outcomes will produce the greatest amount of pleasure for the greatest number of people. The problem with this principle is that it does not take into account the weakest members of society or the minority in society, which could include up to 49.9 % of the population. Rachels argued that he would rather be a dissatisfied human than a satisfied pig in order to combat utilitarianism. He meant that pleasure is not necessarily the best basis for ethical arguments in determining what is right, because whatever produces the most pleasure or happiness may not be the best choice in a matter. He felt that by basing ethics on pleasure, human beings would bring themselves down to the level of animals and lose their inherent intellectual superiority. Kant’s universalization rule states that whatever is right in one situation ought to pertain to everyone else is that exact situation forever more. If I argue that I slept through a Core midterm because I was up late the night before studying and should be allowed to take it later, then every other person who sleeps too late because they were up late studying also ought to be allowed to take the exam later. This is a little different from absolutism because it takes into account the individual situation and circumstances. Kant’s motive of duty is based on the idea that we ought to act out of a sense of duty rather than out of selfish motivations. Duty is defined as that which we ought to do based not only on our own inclinations but also on what is best for society as we have understood it. He wants us to act ethically out of our own volition, but he also believes that we have an obligation to act morally; hence, the term duty. Aristotle believed that virtue is a mean between two extremes, between excess and deficiency. He thought that we should act not out of rashness, but also not overthink things to the point where we do not act. Virtue is defined by him as the middle ground between the two extremes in a reaction to something, whether emotional or an action. Only by rational thought can we arrive at such a conclusion, according to him. Habits are those automatic actions that Aristotle believed we would develop from both watching others perform them and from intuition. Habits are to be taught by example by virtuous teachers and ought to be ingrained by nature. These habits are the good habits of character; they both define you as a good person and make you a good person. Rawls’s veil of ignorance is what you put on when you are making an ethical judgment. This veil is designed to blind you to what you can gain or lose by a judgment, and to make you ignorant of your place in the argument. By using this veil of ignorance, one can, according to Rawls, make the most ethical decision because one will no longer be motivated by what one can gain or lose; it is also important to note that with a veil of ignorance, one forgets other people’s places in society and what they can gain or lose. Thus, it is the most equal and impartial method of making an ethical judgment. Rawls’s original position theory is based on how people behaved before society imposed its inequities and prejudices on humans. It states that when faced with an ethical dilemma, we ought to remove ourselves from society and put ourselves back in that state of nature in which we were all equal, without social standing or consequence, and without considerations of money and other modern inconveniences. This theory ties in with his veil of ignorance to make decisions based on the most impartial method possible. II. 1. Purpose: To determine whether Claire Conroy should be taken off her feeding tube and allowed to die. 2. Key ethical question: Is it ethical to allow a person who is not in a persistent vegetative state but who is clearly not living a good life to die through passive euthanasia? 3. The facts: Claire is older, and she is not living a healthy, comfortable life as far as we know how life is for people in such states. She is not n a persistent vegetative state, but neither is she able to interact fully with those around her. Her nephew, who is her legal guardian, visits her regularly. He requested that she be taken off the feeding tube and allowed to die. What we don’t know: What are the motives for the nephew’s decision? Does she have money that he wants, or is he truly acting on her best interest? How did he become her legal guardian? Did she appoint him as such? Does she have a living will or some other statement saying her wishes in such a case? 4. Rawls would want more information in this matter, because in his view, the most important piece of information is missing, which is Claire’s wishes because she is the weakest member of this argument. He would want to know whether Claire had ever stated her feelings in the matter, and he would want to know what those feelings were. Barring this knowledge, he would probably argue that she be kept alive in the absence of knowing her wishes. Mill would argue from the utilitarian standpoint that it would be best for all those involved to take out the feeding tube because it would reduce her suffering, her nephew’s suffering, and relieve the stress of medical payments on her nephew. Kant would want more information as well, arguing that we do not know the intentions of the nephew; are his intentions good? Does he really have Claire’s best interests at heart, or are his best interests the deciding factor? And even if the nephew does have good intentions, is it right to let Claire die? Shouldn’t we preserve life at all costs, because that is the ultimate preservation of dignity? Also, what is her quality of life? And how much longer do the doctors believe she will live in such a state? 5. My first response would be to let Claire die with as little pain as possible. I am sure that seeing her in such a state for some time would have a great effect on her nephew, and I would agree with the nephew to let her go. I believe that the relieving of suffering is probably the most important point from which to view this matter. Claire’s life is not one that I can imagine is very fulfilling or happy. Whether she is fully aware or not that her nephew visits her regularly, is this enough to sustain her? While I do not necessarily believe in Hardwig’s Duty to Die, I do believe that in cases like this, it is ethical to make a decision to let someone die, although I agree with Quill’s thoughts that sometimes passive euthanasia is not necessarily the most humane; sometimes active euthanasia is necessary to relieve pain and to let someone die with dignity. Which would cause her the most pain, to live with a feeding tube and in such pain, or to die from star vation? I basically believe that euthanasia is ethically acceptable. 6. This sounds a lot like Debbie’s case from the text to me. Her personal choice was not necessarily known, since â€Å"Let’s get this over with† is debatable in its meaning. And while she was also in an obviously painful state, as Claire is now in terms of both physical pain from the incontinence and the fact that she is constantly curled up in the fetal position and mental anguish from the dementia, it is not clear whether she wanted to go naturally or immediately. Also, the doctor’s attitude towards Debbie is unclear, just as Claire’s nephew’s attitude towards her is unclear. We do not know for sure whether that doctor just wanted to go back to sleep, or whether the nephew just wants to go back to a normal life. Furthermore, this sounds like a case where Hardwig would argue that Claire has a duty to die; she is causing her nephew money and emotional pain. But does she really have that duty to die? I do not believe so. Her nephew mu st do what is best for her; thus I agree with Rawls’s position on this issue. What do the doctors think? Have they given her a prognosis? How much longer can she survive in such a state? Do they have an idea of what pain she is in? After knowing this, perhaps a decision could be arrived at more easily. I cannot imagine that the nurses are very happy with her situation; they are the ones that see her every day in this state, and that must be very hard emotionally to deal with. It seems that most of these points of view point to letting her go. 7. The most reasonable answer to Claire’s dilemma would be to take her off the feeding tube. It is more humane to let her die than to keep her alive in such an undignified and uncomfortable life. Although I believe it would be preferable to do what Debbie’s doctor did and provide Claire with enough medication to ease the pain and to effectively kill her than to make her suffer more through starvation, this is not necessarily allowed today. Keeping her alive would only prolong her suffering, something that I believe all parties involved would want to avoid. 8. If taken off the tube, Claire will die. She may take a few days to do so, as Teri Schiavo did, but at least that will end her pain and confusion and suffering. Her nephew will be able to move on with his life, and while depending on his beliefs he may have a pang of conscience when he thinks of his aunt, at least he can know that he shortened her pain. The nurses and doctors can know that they did not kill her, and that they were only following Claire’s legal guardian’s orders; thus they cannot be held responsible for their actions (logically speaking; of course, some may). And that opens up another room in a nursing home that may have a waiting list for people who need that care. In all, it seems that the most suffering is Claire’s, and that through passive euthanasia, that suffering can be shortened enough to warrant removing the feeding tube. Research Papers on The "ism"s That Shape An Ethical Debate - Ethics EssayArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)Capital Punishment19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraMind TravelComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenGenetic EngineeringResearch Process Part OneThe Fifth Horseman

5 Illegal Interview Questions and How to Deal with Them

5 Illegal Interview Questions and How to Deal with Them When it comes to job interviews, honesty (okay, maybe enhanced honesty in some cases) is the way to go. But what if the interviewer is asking you questions they have no right to ask? Out of ignorance or slyness, an interviewer might try to get information out of you that the company is not allowed to factor into their hiring decisions. However, you’re not obligated to answer them- and in fact you shouldn’t. Your battle plan should be to figure out why they’re asking (whether it has direct consequences for the job itself), and to decide whether you should answer. In most cases, the answer is â€Å"no,† but there are ways to redirect the conversation and/or call attention to the inappropriateness of the question without alienating the interviewer. After all, it may just be someone talking off the cuff without realizing it’s actually illegal to talk about certain personal issues. Some of the hardest interview questions you’ll encounter might be illegal.Here are some examples of illegal interview question areas, and how to get around them.1. Religion/Race/Sexual OrientationDo you volunteer with your church? That’s an interesting last name, what’s your background? These questions all sound pretty harmless†¦just making small talk, right? Yet each one gives away information known as â€Å"protected class.† Employers are prohibited by federal and state law from hiring (or not hiring) based on categories like race or ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation. Talking about topics like your church (or lack thereof), your spouse, or your family’s ethnic background can give information that could tip the interviewer against you if there’s a bias involved. Even if it happens in a pre-interview chat, before you get down to the brass tacks of the job itself, you’ve given information that the interviewer had no real right to ask.The way to handle this is to redirect the question. If you r efuse to answer, even though you’re in the right, it could set you up as â€Å"combative† or disagreeable in the eyes of the interviewer. It’s okay to be vague and try to channel the conversation elsewhere. On church activity: I do volunteer at my local soup kitchen- I like to give back to the community when I can. On family background: Gotta love the American melting pot, right? 2. AgeYou have a pretty long and distinguished resume, do you see yourself retiring soon? Age (particularly 40 and up) is another protected class. If an interviewer tries to get information about how old you are, he or she might be trying to suss out whether you’re likely to be a long-time employee at the company†¦or whether this job is a pit stop on your way to the golf course.You should never feel obligated to give your age. Instead, take the chance to re-emphasize your commitment to the job for which you’re interviewing: On the contrary, I’m looking forward to talking about a long and productive relationship with this company, and bringing the fruits of that experience to my work for a long time to come.3. Family StatusIf you’re pregnant, have children, or may want children some day†¦doesn’t matter. An interviewer is not allowed to use your family status as part of the hiring decision. Even if you’re eight months pregnant in your interview suit, he or she can’t ask when you’re due, or about your childcare plan afterward.In a case like this, the best tactic is to try to push it back on the asker. Without being overly antagonistic, it’s okay to ask, Can you help me understand why that matters? I just want to make sure I better understand what this job entails.4. Whether You’ve Been ArrestedConvictions are fair game for interviewers and job applications, but arrests (without convictions) are not. Even that’s starting to change in some places: New York is looking at phasing out e mployers’ ability to ask about particular kinds of convictions. For now, however, convictions are askable, but arrests are not.If you’re asked, have a simple response ready to go (taking too long can trigger the kind of reaction you’re trying to avoid): I have never been convicted of anything, no. And if you do have a conviction, it’s essential to remember not to lie about that, because a background check would likely uncover that information.5. Your Military ServiceI see from your resume that you’re in the National Guard. Does that take up much of your time? Employers are not allowed to use active military service as criteria in hiring. Basically, the interviewer can’t factor in your military service at all. If you choose to answer this one, emphasize that you’ve never had a problem balancing your service with your career.6. Disability StatusIf you don’t mind my asking, how did you get in that wheelchair? Will you be on crutch es long-term? I see you have glasses- is that a pretty strong prescription? The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is pretty clear- employers are not allowed to discriminate against employees that may need physical accommodations. Instead, they are allowed to ask if you would need any specific accommodations to do the job.If it seems like the interviewer is fishing for information about a disability, deflect it. Are you asking whether I would need special accommodations? Or, I’m not sure I see how this relates to my ability to analyze sales reports- can you clarify and help me understand?The most important thing to remember is that if you feel uncomfortable, you don’t have to answer- but you also don’t have to disqualify yourself by putting up a defensive wall or walking out of the interview. It’s fine to call attention to the reasons behind asking (in as non-confrontational a way as you can manage), then try to segue back to the interview and job desc ription as quickly as possible.If you have concerns about any of the areas outlined here, definitely check with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and know your rights as an applicant.

Sociology Research - Hacking subculture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Sociology Research - Hacking subculture - Essay Example In order to clarify the issue about hackers, it is but necessary to trace the history of these group.. Hackers are members of a sub-culture from the group of Information Technology professionals. According to the website Cyber punk project, Hackers are technical people like programmers and designers who â€Å"enjoy exploring details of programmable systems and an expert at a particular program, sometimes going to the length of being obsessive about programming† ( Cyber punk Project ). Thus, hackers are highly- skilled people who have their own culture, considerably a group with their own language and rituals. Hackers have different motives which can often lead them to committing malicious acts. In a study made by Taylor among young hackers, he identified some reasons behind hacking : feelings of addiction, urge of curiosity, boredom with educational system, enjoyment of feeling of power ,peer recognition, and political acts ( Jordan and Taylor 46) In 1994, Levy categorized the hackers into generations, the first of which are computer aficionados in the 50’s and 60’s mostly from MIT. The second generation are the ones who popularized computing through the development of PCs, and the third generation are responsible for the advent of computer games ( Taylor 15 ). Nowadays, hackers are considered belonging in the fourth generation (Taylor 17). Unfortunately, the fourth generation hackers have been perceived also as crackers. Crackers are hackers who commit cyber crime by maliciously spreading virus or illegally accessing other people’s PC or system. Nevertheless, there is a group of hackers known as â€Å"white hackers â€Å" who can be considered as a pure form of hacker. According to an article in the website koiskea, their ( white hackers ) main goal is to â€Å"help improve computer systems and technologies â€Å"(koiskea.net ). Ross also argued that ethical hacking done by these white hackers provide a lot of benefits such as