Hsm Law Profile Paper

It is important for all health care recipients and health care providers to read information regarding HIPAA that way everyone will be informed of what rights are privacy they are entitled to and the workers are aware of what information needs to remain confidential. People can receive handouts regarding information about HIPAA, as well as the Internet. There are hundreds of online websites that people can go to in order to receive more information on how HIPAA works and what is required to ensure everyone follows the laws that go along with HIPAA.Breaking the law can have some major consequences so it is important to understand HIPAA and what privacy laws are enforced to protect a patient’s information. The information that is provided informs health care workers and organizations what rights a patient has and the consequences of breaking the rules, whether intentional or accidental. HIPAA affects the day-to-day operations within human service organizations. The reason it aff ects the human service organizations is because HIPAA has to be followed on a day-to-day basis.Every day an employee goes into work, they are to honor HIPAA and their clients by not reveling any personal patient information and to keep all information confidential. Once becoming employed, a person is informed of HIPAA and what the rules and regulations are according to HIPAA standards. HIPAA regulations state that they are to protect privacy so every worker knows not to reveal anything personal, even to family or friends. When a client comes to them in need, they must be there for the client and they client needs to know that they can trust the workers.If a person goes to a mental health clinic, they will want to know their personal issues will be kept in that room and it will go no further. An employee needs to go into work with a positive attitude of how they should helps those in need of their services, instead of invading their privacy and confidentiality; whether they intention ally do it for specific reasons or if they are just asking a fellow employee for help where others are able to hear the information as well. While many people supported HIPAA, there were some people and organizations that did not support HIPAA.In the beginning, the health care industry was against HIPAA and did not approve of the rules set by HIPAA. â€Å"Health care providers, health care organizations, and, to some extent, health plans thought of the proposed HIPAA rules as just another federal mandate that would cost the industry billions of dollars to implement and monitor† (Bowers, n. d. ). The health care industry is still having issues with HIPAA rules and regulations but more organizations are coming to terms with HIPAA and focusing on the positive aspects that HIPAA provides instead of focusing on negative issues.Even though it can be hard for some organizations to understand HIPAA, they are researching it and coming to terms on how to handle HIPAA in order to better serve their patients. There will be ramifications to clients and the organization if the law is not followed. If an employee allowed personal and private information to be released to other people regarding a client, then the client could feel betrayed and hurt. The client could, in turn, sue the company where the employee worked for personal damages in regards to their privacy being invaded. Both the client and employee would suffer from the law being broken.It is important to always follow the rules because the consequences could be severe. The client could be humiliated if the worker breaks the rules and releases private information and not trust the organization anymore. The organization could begin to get a bad reputation and there could be fewer people that go to the organization for help. The organization could suffer and be put out of business, all because of an employee who broke the law. The rightful thing to do to the employee would be for the employee to receive a stron g warning or, depending on how severe the law was broken, a leave of absence or termination from the job.I think that HIPAA has wonderful privacy laws that need to be used in human service organizations. In the technological world, it can be difficult for personal information to remain private, so it is great that HIPAA was established. HIPAA serves a great purpose, being that it protects a patient’s privacy. There are great resources that everyone could use to find out more information about HIPAA and what laws it provides, including the Internet. It is important that health care recipients and health care workers learn the rules and regulations of HIPAA because the laws will be enforced on a day-to-day basis and must be followed at all times.Even though some organizations were against HIPAA, it is important to enforce the rules of HIPAA for the best interest of the patient and their privacy rights. It is important to enforce strict punishment for those who break the rules o f HIPAA because it could cause humiliation if the patient’s private information was released to other people who did not need to know about it. I think it is great that HIPAA was established because there needs to be strict privacy rules for patients because too often, there is confidential information released to people who do not need to know the information.Reference Page Bowers, D, (N. D. ). The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act: is it really all that bad? Retrieved from http://www. baylorhealth. edu/proceedings/14_4/14_4_bowers. pdf Highmark, Inc. , (2010). What is HIPPA? Retrieved from https://www. highmark. com/hmk2/about/hipaa/hipaaMain. shtml#whatishipaa Highmark, Inc. , (2010). Whom does HIIPPA affect? Retrieved from https://www. highmark. com/hmk2/about/hipaa/hipaaMain. shtml#whatishipaa

Love Kills Slowly

Amanda Miragliuolo Prof. T Woodard 1101/11:00-11:50 11-15-10 Research paper Love kills slowly Love is certainly a life learning experience. Whether if it’s good or bad, you still learn what to do in that situation if it arises again. Usually people tend to think with their hearts and not their minds when it comes to love, I call it the love spell. When people fall in love their lives tend to get so much easier because they have someone to depend on and someone to talk to. However, there are unhealthy relationships as well that can make someone’s life miserable and only bring them down.Some of the most popular reasons why relationships fail are because of jealousy. If you cant trust your partner then there is no relationship. Another reason is due to lack of communication, which is much needed in a healthy loving relationship. Trust is one of the main reason why love fails. If you truly love somebody then you will put them first, no matter what and never doubt them. Bein g in love takes a lot of work and time, but in the end its worth every second. Jealousy is a big downfall in relationships. It can easily change how you feel about a person.Being jealous is basically assuming the worst about your partner and the situations that they are in. Sometimes jealousy is caused by your own actions. If you are unfaithful to your partner you are most likely going to question and be suspicious about your partners every move. Then of course that will lead to fighting and lying. These are things that you do not want to experience in a relationship, they will only stress you out and get you upset. I recently went through a life changing relationship and I came to find out that love really does open your eyes and make you a wiser person.My relationship with Patrick was a roller coaster, it will most definitely be an experience that I will never forget. Even though it was a very unhealthy relationship I am glad that It happened because it made me into the person I a m today. Jealousy was a big factor in our relationship. Patrick would question every single thing that I did and he would usually not let me do anything without him. To me, that’s not what love is. As time went on jealousy took over him and I finally opened my eyes and realized why. He was cheating on me with my best friend.The jealousy that he had on me was because of his own actions with being unfaithful to me. Because he was doing this he thought it would be just as easy for me to do it too. This situation really got to me because I not only lost my boyfriend but I lost my best friend as well. Relationships shouldn’t be like this. It should be plain and simple, if you love somebody then be with them, and only them. Or just don’t be with them at all. Cheating is very common in relationships and that is when the trust disappears. Emotions coming from jealousy, usually escalate into trust issues.Trust is the most important thing in a relationship, If you donâ₠¬â„¢t have that then the relationship will fail. You cant say that you truly love somebody if you don’t trust them. A lot of hearts are broken because of lies and cheating. Healthy relationships have total and complete trust with one another and never doubt each others honesty. Unfortunately for me, its going to take a miracle for me to trust another guy with my heart again. However, the situation with Patrick only made me a stronger person. Experiencing the crying, screaming, and the violent heart pounding situations really changed me.Now I know when to get out of my possible future relationships when and if that person hits something if they are mad, or if I actually get scared of them like I felt with Patrick. I knew I needed to leave him when furniture went flying across the room, but I was thinking with my heart and not my head. The irony in this is that my best friend Gina knew all about this and held me while I cried on her shoulder and she is the one who he cheated on me with. Trust isn’t just in love relationships, its in friendships as well.As much as I miss being with my best friend everyday, I have learned and accepted that our friendship will never be the way it used to be. Love grows where trust is laid and it dies when it is betrayed. Communicating with your loved one should be nothing but a pleasure for you. Not in some cases. There are people in this world that are in relationships just for one reason, for sex. To me that’s called taking advantage of someone and not cherishing what sex is really supposed to mean between two people. Lack of communicating can also end a relationship quite fast as well.If you barely ever see or talk to your partner then what is the point in being with them? People should enjoy their relationships and they should love spending time with their partner. A relationship takes two people to work and the effort has to come equally from both sides. People need to appreciate who their with because the ir partner is with them to love and care them. Romantic relationships can be wonderful with the right person. A relationship with the wrong individual however can lead to years of heartache, emotional damage, and even physical damage.An unhealthy relationship can damage the way we feel about love and romance for the future. They can turn what is supposed to be a loving, supporting, and understanding relationship into a hating, unfaithful, and lying one. We all know to avoid people that appear insane or abusive and not select them as a dating partner. However, some individuals are better at hiding their personality and behavior abnormalities, like Patrick. Falling in love is going to take you on a wild roller coaster. With good or bad experiences, you will soon learn how to protect your heart.Usually people tend to think with their hearts and not their minds when it comes to love, I call it the love spell. Unhealthy relationships can make someone’s life miserable and only brin g them down. Some of the most popular reasons why relationships fail are because of jealousy. Another reason is due to lack of communication, which is much needed in a healthy loving relationship. Trust is one of the main reasons why love fails. If you truly love somebody then you will never doubt them. Being in love is the greatest feeling in the world, you just have to be careful who you give your heart to.

Process Design Matrix and Summary Essay

Mattress Express is in the service of delivering mattresses is available to the customers. The company strategy for deliveries is to be able to deliver mattresses in both a reasonable on timely manner and to the consumer’s home. The delivery cost is $49.99 and includes delivery, set up, and removal of the customer’s old mattress set. Mattress Express has a centralized warehouse that is strategically located in order to best service the surrounding community. The warehouse feeds five stores and houses the inventory for each of the locations. The warehouse also has a showroom attached which makes it easily one of the largest Mattress Express locations Mattress express offers a five day delivery schedule. The deliveries are handled by the warehouse manager. All deliveries are separated into time frames which are then designated into particular areas and group to gather for the most efficient routing. Mattress Express inventory levels are kept to a minimum as the company operates on cash only. Inventory levels fluctuate up and down as cash flow increases via the trends in business. All inventory is stored at the centralized warehouse and deliveries are operated from this location as well. PRODUCT Tempur-pedic is a product that is a standalone within the mattress industry. The company strategy is to build the most highly recommended bed in America. They also wish to sell direct to the consumer as well as through a series of retail partners. Another important aspect of their strategy is to excel as a marketing firm. Tempur-pedic has a total of three factories. The factories are located in Lexington Kentucky, Duffield Virginia, and a European facility in Denmark. Each factory produces Tempur-pedic products and  distributes to regional distribution centers. Tempur-pedic is of the utmost superior quality and craftsmanship. To ensure the quality level of the products one out of every four mattresses is tested. In addition to testing mattresses frequently the product integrity margins are also how to extremely precise standards. This ensures that all to review the customers are experiencing the highest level of quality possible.

Pharmacology assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Pharmacology - Assignment Example Healthy participants will be assigned to group A and B. subjects in group A were given 50mg of JP234 from day 3 to day 10 and warfarin 1.5 mg from day 7 to day 14. Participants in group 2 will receive 1.5 mgs of warfarin from day 3 to 10 and then 50mgs once a day from day 7 to 14. Both drugs will be administered for the first fourteen days while the remaining six days will be utilized as washout period. Plasma levels of the drugs will be assessed in both groups. Monitoring the plasma concentration is essential in drug interaction studies. The subjects will be closely monitored for heart activity, clotting factor level and heart rate through utilization of an electrocardiogram. The drug is believed to be well tolerated during clinical trials and has less contraindication association with it (Simon, 2007). The result of the finding will be utilized in identifying the action of the new drug on the metabolism of warfarin. Through blood sample study and the hearts activity measure, the ef fectiveness and the action of JP234 on warfarin will be measured. The study aims at finding out the effect of JP234 on the action of warfarin. Any changes on the participants will be recorded. Tolerability and the safety of the drug will be assessed too. JP234 is well tolerated during clinical trials and there is no contradiction associated with it. The drug when administered is effective in doses of 50, 75 or 100mg once daily. The drug is metabolized in the liver and has a half life of about 24 hours. In vitro studies indicate that the drug can induce CYP2C9. Patients with chronic atrial fibrillation should be anticoagulated to hinder thromboembolism from taking place (Goodman, 2005). Patient taking JP234 are recommended to take warfarin that is partly metabolized by CYP2C9. JP234 is an antiarrhythmic drug and is usually excreted in the liver just the same as warfarin. The new drug is considered an inducer of CYP2C9 which takes

The Importance of a Global Approach to Regulating Corporate Governance Essay

The Importance of a Global Approach to Regulating Corporate Governance - Essay Example Corporate Governance Corporate governance can be considered to be a recently coined term and has a significant impact on the business operations carried on by the companies (Solomon, 2011). Corporate governance is used in various ways and one particular definition is not sufficient to completely define corporate governance. Generally, a wide variety of issues that are related to the various ways through which business activities carried on by the business organisations can be directed or controlled is described through the term corporate governance (Turner, 2009, p. 5). If we look at it in a broad sense, corporate governance can be viewed as a system of codifying the conduct of business activities that are followed by different organisations. The wider issues that are related to improving the shareholders’ performance are also included in the corporate governance mechanisms followed by the companies. Certain issues that are associated with the company’s stakeholders lik e the accountability of the business firms towards fulfilling particular interests of the stakeholders are also addressed through corporate governance. Stakeholders constitute of anyone who has a relation with the company including the shareholders, customers, suppliers, employees, community, etc (Turner, 2009, p. 5). There are many theories which have evolved to address the growing development of corporate governance issues all around the world. According to Mallin (2007), some of those corporate governance theories include, the agency theory, transaction cost economics, the stakeholder theory, the stewardship theory, class hegemony, and managerial hegemony. The agency relationship is identified through the agency theory wherein one of the parties... The discussion and analysis in the paper followed in MNCs and the approach towards global corporate governance system suggest that although theoretically it can be beneficial for the companies but practically it is a challenging task. No consensus has been made as yet regarding the best system of corporate law that is suitable for all the organisations worldwide and whether the convergence of the corporate governance mechanisms followed in organisations worldwide would increase their performance. To be more specific it is still unknown as to whether a new hybrid model of corporate governance mechanism would emerge or not. The report makes a conclusion that the business environment worldwide is changing at fast rate and the corporate governance systems are required to adapt to such changes. It is quite inevitable that certain changes in the governance mechanism would occur but the big question lies behind the fact as to whether the corporate governance in a particular country would be able to successfully adapt to such changes or not. It is unlikely that some drastic change would occur to facilitate the global approach towards regulating corporate governance because the companies as well the investors are found to be reluctant to change a system that has been working well for them till now. With the increasing influence of globalisation, and with the organisational structure of MNCs becoming more and more complex, it is certain that some changes would occur in the corporate governance system.

Public Relation is the New Propaganda Outline Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Public Relation is the New Propaganda - Outline Example Public relations refer to the processes, principles, and procedures guiding communication between companies, organizations, individuals with the media and the public. In most cases, public relations focus on the creation and maintenance of a positive image as well as a strong relationship with the target audience (Moloney 2006). Democracy   Democracy refers to a system of governance focusing on vesting the power in the people with the ability to rule directly or under the influence of the elected representatives (Schumpeter 2013). Political Economy of Information  For critical reasons, sociologists, political scientists and communication practitioners have the tendency of evaluating phenomena from the economists’ perspective. The condition makes them develop the aspect of becoming political economists, thus the concept of the political economy of information (Stilwell 2011). Theoretical Perspectives and Models  Various models have focused on illustrations of PR and propa ganda issues in the modern context. This section explores a critical review the most effective and prominent theoretical perceptions with the objective of understanding the research goals and scope effectively.  There are four critical theories in relation to understanding the concept of the public sphere: representative liberal, participatory liberal, discursive, and constructionist theories. Constructionist theory focuses on popular inclusion, empowerment, recognition, narrative creativity, and the eventual avoidance.

The Performance of the U.S. Economy Today Essay

The Performance of the U.S. Economy Today - Essay Example The main reason for the slow economic growth of the economy is lack of responsibility and initiatives taken by the government in reducing the expenditure. While considering the GDP rate of the country it is experienced that the overall economy should be rated as B grade. The rate of GDP decreased during the first quarter, it decreased to 0.2 and then it recovered in the second and the third quarter. The decrease in the oil prices facilitated the people to spend more which mainly accounts for two third of the gross domestic product. The government took initiatives in raising the GDP of the economy by reducing the total government spending which includes local, state and federal expenditure. The spending decreased from 39% to 35%.The decline in government spending led to the increase in GDP. The main reason behind grading the economy as B is that the economy is not performing effectively and efficiently, the corporations and the owners of the company or the businessman have become greedy, cautious and myopic. The investors instead of holding the cash for future they are engaged in hoarding the cash and utilizing the cash for short term profitability (Collins, 2015). The export and import function of the economy did not prosper. After the recovery of the financial crisis it is observed that the changes in case of both export and import are comparatively less. This resulted in the increase of trade deficit. The FED justified and explained that the labor and the market condition of the economy are improving as compared to the previous years. Although the number of investors increased during the period of recession but the amount of investment by the investors are decreasing with the due course of time. Therefore the level of investment failed to contribute towards the growth of the economy. The consumer spending is mainly measured in

Livia 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Livia 2 - Essay Example Janaina Tschà ¤pe was born in Brazil where she lived for most of her life. She got her education in New York and Germany and currently resides in the United States. Paintings in watercolor and oil, photographic and video, and watercolor drawings constitute the survey Janaina Tschà ¤pe: Chimera as organized by curator Rachael Thomas. In most of her works, she employs themes such as danger of beauty, seductions of natures as well as the establishment of personal versions and themes in regard to mythical stories in the context of the themes. Examples include chimera, lemanja, the Brazilian water spirit, mermaids, and sirens. In most instances, most of her works are in regard to a relationship with her body as well as the body’s perception of the world thereby replacing her human body in and with sites of mythical exchange. It is complicated to denote the meanings of these representations and the questions of many are whether these images are results of imagination or mutants as a result of the polluted environment. It is up to the audience to decide on the most viable interpretation in regard to personal experiences and opinions (Janaina & Victoria

Ethical Considerations of Health Information Management Essay

Ethical Considerations of Health Information Management - Essay Example Naturally, human beings are secretive and tend to limit the extent to which certain information concerning their social and health status should reach the public ear. Societal response to healthcare services often depends on the extent to which the health care service would infringe their civil liberty. This research examines possibility of privacy violation among the medical professionals as well as the effects of such violations to the patients. Problem Statement Handling of patients’ information is critical concern in the medical practice because it affects the liberty of the patient in one side and on the other side, it dictate the ability of the healthcare profession to discharge his duty. The consequent of the above phenomena is the need to create ethical codes that define the manner in which healthcare professionals should handle the patients’ information. In practice, medical officer often request clients to volunteer information concerning their health or perso n problems. This data is instrumental in discharging the right service to the patient as well as designing of an intervention mechanism to a disease outbreak in the society (Harman, 2001). Nevertheless, protection of the patient liberty is critical in ensuring effective service delivery. In this sense, handling of the patient’s information within the stipulated codes necessary, but the code should not bar the medical professional from protecting life. Summary of Research Sources Some critics have demonstrated concerns about the use of social network among medical professionals (Thompson et al., 2011). The fact that the medical professionals use social network aggravate the danger of violation of patient’s privacy. Recent studies indicate that medical institutions have established that some unprofessional medical students post medical information in the social network thereby breaching the patient’s privacy rights. Various laws defining medical practice tend to o utlaw activities or engagements between the medical professional and the public that would lead to breach of patient’s privacy. The Health Information Portability and Accountability Act define the extent to which the medical professional can share confidential information of the patients. The relationship between medical professionals and the patients is not only instrumental in defining the nature of the service delivered to the patients, but also affects the societal perception to the medical practice. Some critics show that patients are unwilling to visit healthcare facilities if their personal information were to reach the public ear (Neurodiagn, 2012). Arguably, this finding does not only affect the patient, but also the societal values establishing the medical practice. Some studies have sought to establish the influence of trust in medical practice (Thompson et al., 2011). Such studies shows that trust between the medical practitioner and the client dictate the nature of response that the patient would give to the medical officer. Information dissemination is a critical component of the medical practice. The medical practitioners rely on the information given to them by the patients. It follows that, lack of trust or breach of trust between the parties involves elicit poor service delivery. The handling of patient’

Summary and response 11 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Summary and response 11 - Assignment Example However, the physical price will only be paid by them. 3. "Kentucky Town Illustrates National Obesity Crisis" prompt: How does Haygood explain the serious increase in over weight and obese people in this town? What evidence does he provide? What attitude does he say contribute to this problem? Haygood mainly focuses in his article over the unhealthy lifestyle of most people of Kentucky town. He questions a few families like the family of three, father and 2 daughters.. Haygood provides a review of the town in relation to obesity by highlighting the sufferers of obesity. In addition, he creates a bridge between obesity and the town having no Parks and such facilities along with a healthy store that gives nutritional information to the people. Susie Orbach analyses â€Å"feminism† when finding out the cause for women suffering from obesity. She pints out and talks about the Social pressure placed on the women of America. She further, asserts that if you are a true supporter of women, being overweight proves your disapproval for the society and its set patterns and opinions, which is wrong. Orbach also deals with the fact that women in America are falling in the traps of obesity with the passage of

MBTI & decision-making Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

MBTI & decision-making - Assignment Example There are certain techniques imperative in the realisation of this ability. Indeed, the ability to classify and recognise the information is one of the greatest challenges in this ability. Decision making requires making proper networks and task analysis. In order to facilitate the realisation of this, it creates the need to attend and address the internal and the external consistencies. Proper decision making also calls for the evaluation of all the relevant facts in order to create the efficiency and effectiveness in the process. In the context of the organisational structure, the making of proper decisions needs to be a methodical process that follows a given pattern. In the practical sense, several techniques are normally imperative in the context of decision making (Brooks 2006). These normally involve backward planning and the use of the PMI technique which provides a clear demonstration of the decision making process. In order to facilitate the process, certain fundamental strengths become very important. This includes the identification of the possible defects and problems and the need to follow up the whole decision making process. Proper judgment also calls for the implementation of the decisions in a timely manner. It is also important to evaluate for the efficiency and effectiveness of the decision am made. I recall being invited to make a decision regarding whether or not to suspend a student who had been caught watching illicit material over the internet while in school. From the outset, it appeared everybody wanted the boy to be kicked out of school. On much scrutiny of the school rules and regulations, I realised that there wasn’t a proper written rule which outlawed such behaviour. I therefore took it upon myself to inundate the members on the invalidity of a decision to suspend the boy yet there wasn’t any proper rule of dealing with such a case. Though it was

How to Support Bilingualism in Early Childhood Essay Example for Free

How to Support Bilingualism in Early Childhood Essay Bilingualism is very important. Although most people speak English in this country, there is not really a national language in the United States of America. However, speaking more than one language will, without a doubt, get you father. Many children that enter early childhood centers have another primary language. Although it is very important that all the children learn English, it is just as important that they do not lose their first language. Besides being able to keep close to your roots and communicate with your family, being bilingual can open doors professionally. This in itself is a great reason to make sure schools support bilingualism. Accepting the child’s first language is a great step to show respect for the child and his culture and family. This acceptance is important in the early years, especially when the child first enters preschool / daycare. In showing tolerance and acknowledgement to the primary language, the child will feel comfortable in the classroom and this will make the transition to go much smoother. This article continues to explain ways in which educators and school staff can support bilingualism. Preschools and daycares play an important role in the lives of the children. The seeds we plant about bilingualism will grow forever in that child. As we accept and learn, so will the children. If we were to treat this in a negative manner, the children will perceive it that way as well. Getting to know the families in our centers is imperative. Knowing what language they speak and where they come from is a sure way to make them feel secure and comfortable. As stated in the article, the attitudes of the staff are essential to supporting bilingualism. Making sure that staff members speak both English and another language (majority at center) is the first step in having a bilingual school/program. It is never â€Å"ok† to simply disregard the native language of the child or the child’s family. Parents should continue to speak in their native language and no one should make that child feel embarrassed or ashamed to speak another language. This article is pro children and pro responsibility. As educators, it is our duty to have our children reach for the highest goal possible. It is our responsibility to take the children far in life. Guiding children and their families towards bilingualism is a great way to give value to immigrant families. Achieving the â€Å"American dream† does not mean leaving your roots behind. Having a strong self-esteem includes being proud of ourselves and where we come from. Teachers need to nurture this.

Happiness Is Being Content Philosophy Essay

Happiness Is Being Content Philosophy Essay Happiness is being content with what you have in your life. It comes down to two different types of contentment. The first type is a material happiness that comes from material things including food, shelter, clothing, cars, technological devices and anything else that that physically exists and is an object of desire. The second type of happiness is much more abstract; it is a kind of spiritual or natural happiness. It comes from being at peace or from achieving a state of inner contentment. As the saying goes, the truth lies somewhere in the middle and it is my belief that only through a perfect balance of these two sources of happiness can one be truly happy, which is, in a way, to be content. The fourteenth Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso speaks of happiness in much the same way. When asked by Howard Cutler to speak about desire, the Dalai Lama replies, I think there are two kinds of desire (Cutler 1000). The Dalai Lama says of the material desire I previously identified: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦I think that this kind of excessive desire leads to greed-an exaggerated form of desire, based on over expectation. He goes on to say, When it comes to dealing with greed, one thing that is quite characteristic is that although it arrives by the desire to obtain something, it is not satisfied by obtaining (Cutler 1001). I completely agree with him on this point, that material desire can become excessive and lead to insatiable greed. However, it is my belief that happiness comes from fulfilling desire, which is, in part, fulfilling superficial material desire. But that is not all that constitutes happiness. As the Dalai Lama says, The true antidote of greed is contentment. If you have a strong sen se of contentment, it doesnt matter whether you obtain the object or not; either way, you are still content (Cutler 1002). This kind of inner contentment comes about through the second type of happiness I spoke of, the spiritual or natural happiness. Natural happiness or inner contentment is a rather difficult thing to explain, as it is a very abstract idea. Inner contentment cannot be found through material things. It comes from oneself, from one making peace with what they have and understanding that they cannot have everything. Howard Cutler, the Dalai Lamas companion, asks à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦How can we achieve inner contentment? There are two methods. One method is to obtain everything we want and desireà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The second, and more reliable, method is not to have what we want but rather to want and appreciate what we have (Cutler 1002). It would seem that Cutler, the Dalai Lama, and I share many of the same views. Inner contentment itself comes from making peace with what we already have, moving past the desire of wanting material things. However, it should be made clear that we are discussing happiness, not contentment. Contentment, inner contentment, certainly comes from achieving a peace with what one has and accepting that one cant have everything. But that is only contentment. True happiness comes from a balance of both contentment and desire. It comes from striking a balance between the two methods of achieving inner contentment. But this is only one persons happiness. Philosophers such as Epictetus would argue that happiness does not come about through these methods. Epictetus taught that: The goal of life is happiness or flourishing life. The way to achieve this condition is to understand the nature of the good (Barnet and Bedau 995). He argued that The only true good is virtue. Yes, wealth can be useful, but it is not good or badà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Povertyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ is not bad but is morally indifferent (just as wealth is morally indifferent)à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The life that is happy or fruitful is the virtuous life (Barnet and Bedau 995). Epictetus was likely speaking about happiness as a whole or happiness for the greater good. One persons happiness may not be the same as anothers, but I agree with Epictetus that happiness comes about through living a virtuous life. I would call this version of happiness a worldly contentment. This is, of course, different from the inner contentment previously discussed. Daniel Gilbert adds onto this idea of contentment. In his essay Does Fatherhood Make You Happy? he explains that having children generally makes a parent happy. Psychologists have measured how people feel as they go about their daily activities, and have found that people are less happy when they are interacting with their children than when they are eating, exercising, shopping or watching television (Gilbert 985). He starts off by stating how studies have shown that parents become less happy when they have children around them and how they would rather be spending time doing other things to make them happy, but later counters this idea with his reasons from personal experience. First, when something makes us happy we are willing to pay a lot for it, which is why the worst Belgian chocolate is more expensive than the best Belgian tofu. But that process can work in reverse: when we pay a lot for something, we assume it makes us happy, which is why we swear to the wonders of bottled water and Armani socks (Gilbert 985). Gilbert brings toward a materialistic view very similar to the Dalai Lamas. We are willing to sacrifice for material wants and desires but only true happiness lies in contentment. Gilbert compares children to heroin, while it may seem irrational his points are made clear. Children give parents a feeling of pleasure that makes them forget everything else around them. The analogy to children is all too clear. Even if their company were an unremitting pleasure, the fact that they require so much company means that other sources of pleasure will all but disappear (Gilbert 986). I interpret this as another form of contentment. Because of how satisfying it is to have children, it makes a parent content that they dont need anything else. Lewis proposes a countercultural idea, that we actually have no right to happiness. Some people believe that happiness is a right and is supposed to be given out, or is required to be provided by the government, like a right. In all reality that is true, but to an extent, we do have a right to happiness; we also have a right to earn happiness. We are all provided with the resources to do so. As in all rights we are provided with there still is some kind of boundary. If we establish a right to (sexual) happiness which supersedes all the ordinary rules of behavior, we do so not because of what out passion shows itself to be in experience but because of what it professes to be while we are in the grip of it (Lewis 1006). Lewis would say that pursuing happiness is alright as long as you are within legal and moral laws. In other words, living a good life is a means to pursue happiness. Thus the question of what is happiness can be defined in multiple ways. For one person, it is through achieving a state of inner contentment through finding a balance between material desire of what one does not have and a desire of what one already has. In the context of worldly or societal happiness, happiness is found through living a life of virtue and thus being fulfilled, or finding contentment, in that manner. Happiness is all of these things. Happiness, however, isnt a destination to reach. Its a perception, a mindset. There are those that believe that people are born with this mindset. There are others who believe that each of us can achieve this perception merely by redirecting our thoughts. Both are true. Sometimes it takes a really stressful event to make us realize how grateful we are for what we have rather than desiring what we dont have. The secret to happiness is contentment; a still point of realization that happiness is found within, not through external measures and possessions. Contentment is more than being grateful for the small things in life, it is being grateful for simply being. Contentment is a song the heart sings in the quiet moments of the day. Can you hear it?

Bakery Business Plan Jollys Java And Bakery

Bakery Business Plan Jollys Java And Bakery Jollys Java and Bakery (JJB) is a start-up coffee and bakery retail establishment located in southwest Washington. JJB expects to catch the interest of a regular loyal customer base with its broad variety of coffee and pastry products. The company plans to build a strong market position in the town, due to the partners industry experience and mild competitive climate in the area. JJB aims to offer its products at a competitive price to meet the demand of the middle-to higher-income local market area residents and tourists. The Company JJB is incorporated in the state of Washington. It is equally owned and managed by its two partners. Mr. Austin Patterson has extensive experience in sales, marketing, and management, and was vice president of marketing with both Jansonne Jansonne and Burper Foods. Mr. David Fields brings experience in the area of finance and administration, including a stint as chief financial officer with both Flaxfield Roasters and the national coffee store chain, BuzzCups. The company intends to hire two full-time pastry bakers and six part-time baristas to handle customer service and day to day operations. Products and Services JJB offers a broad range of coffee and espresso products, all from high quality Columbian grown imported coffee beans. JJB caters to all of its customers by providing each customer coffee and espresso products made to suit the customer, down to the smallest detail. The bakery provides freshly prepared bakery and pastry products at all times during business operations. Six to eight moderate batches of bakery and pastry products are prepared during the day to assure fresh baked goods are always available. The Market The retail coffee industry in the U.S. has recently experienced rapid growth. The cool marine climate in southwest Washington stimulates consumption of hot beverages throughout the year. JJB wants to establish a large regular customer base, and will therefore concentrate its business and marketing on local residents, which will be the dominant target market. This will establish a healthy, consistent revenue base to ensure stability of the business. In addition, tourist traffic is expected to comprise approximately 35% of the revenues. High visibility and competitive products and service are critical to capture this segment of the market. Financial Considerations JJB expects to raise $110,000 of its own capital, and to borrow $100,000 guaranteed by the SBA as a ten-year loan. This provides the bulk of the current financing required. JJB anticipates sales of about $491,000 in the first year, $567,000 in the second year, and $655,000 in the third year of the plan. JJB should break even by the fourth month of its operation as it steadily increases its sales. Profits for this time period are expected to be approximately $13,000 in year 1, $36,000 by year 2, and $46,000 by year 3. The company does not anticipate any cash flow problems. Company Summary JJB is a bakery and coffee shop managed by two partners. These partners represent sales/management and finance/administration areas, respectively. The partners will provide funding from their own savings, which will cover start-up expenses and provide a financial cushion for the first months of operation. A ten-year Small Business Administration (SBA) loan will cover the rest of the required financing. The company plans to build a strong market position in the town, due to the partners industry experience and mild competitive climate in the area. 2.1 Company Ownership JJB is incorporated in the state of Washington. It is equally owned by its two partners. 2.2 Company History JJB is a start-up company. Financing will come from the partners capital and a ten-year SBA loan. The following chart and table illustrate the companys projected initial start-up costs. Products JJB offers a broad range of coffee and espresso products, all from high quality Columbian grown imported coffee beans. JJB caters to all of its customers by providing each customer coffee and espresso products made to suit the customer, down to the smallest detail. The bakery provides freshly prepared bakery and pastry products at all times during business operations. Six to eight moderate batches of bakery and pastry products are prepared during the day to assure fresh baked goods are always available. Market Analysis Summary JJBs focus is on meeting the demand of a regular local resident customer base, as well as a significant level of tourist traffic from nearby highways. 4.1 Market Segmentation JJB focuses on the middle- and upper-income markets. These market segments consume the majority of coffee and espresso products. Local Residents JJB wants to establish a large regular customer base. This will establish a healthy, consistent revenue base to ensure stability of the business. Tourists Tourist traffic comprises approximately 35% of the revenues. High visibility and competitive products and service are critical to capture this segment of the market. 4.1.1 Market Analysis The chart and table below outline the total market potential of the above described customer segments. 4.2 Target Market Segment Strategy The dominant target market for JJB is a regular stream of local residents. Personal and expedient customer service at a competitive price is key to maintaining the local market share of this target market. 4.2.1 Market Needs Because Washington has a cool climate for eight months out of the year, hot coffee products are very much in demand. During the remaining warmer four months of the year, iced coffee products are in significantly high demand, along with a slower but consistent demand for hot coffee products. Much of the days activity occurs in the morning hours before ten a.m., with a relatively steady flow for the remainder of the day. 4.3 Service Business Analysis The retail coffee industry in the U.S. has recently experienced rapid growth. The cool marine climate in southwest Washington stimulates consumption of hot beverages throughout the year. Coffee drinkers in the Pacific Northwest are finicky about the quality of beverages offered at the numerous coffee bars across the region. Despite low competition in the immediate area, JJB will position itself as a place where customers can enjoy a cup of delicious coffee with a fresh pastry in a relaxing environment. 4.3.1 Competition and Buying Patterns Competition in the local area is somewhat sparse and does not provide nearly the level of product quality and customer service as JJB. Local customers are looking for a high quality product in a relaxing atmosphere. They desire a unique, classy experience. Leading competitors purchase and roast high quality, whole-bean coffees and, along with Italian-style espresso beverages, cold-blended beverages, a variety of pastries and confections, coffee-related accessories and equipment, and a line of premium teas, sell these items primarily through company-operated retail stores. In addition to sales through company-operated retail stores, leading competitors sell coffee and tea products through other channels of distribution (specialty operations). Larger chains vary their product mix depending upon the size of each store and its location. Larger stores carry a broad selection of whole bean coffees in various sizes and types of packaging, as well as an assortment of coffee- and espresso-making equipment and accessories such as coffee grinders, coffee makers, espresso machines, coffee filters, storage containers, travel tumblers and mugs. Smaller stores and kiosks typically sell a full line of coffee beverages, a more limited selection of whole-bean coffees, and a few accessories such as travel tumblers and logo mugs. During fiscal year 2000, industry retail sales mix by product type was approximately 73% beverages, 14% food items, eight percent whole-bean coffees, and five percent coffee-making equipment and accessories. Technologically savvy competitors make fresh coffee and coffee-related products conveniently available via mail order and online. Additionally, mail order catalogs offering coffees, certain food items, and select coffee-making equipment and accessories, have been made available by a few larger competitors. Websites offering online stores that allow customers to browse for and purchase coffee, gifts, and other items via the Internet have become more commonplace as well. Strategy and Implementation Summary JJB will succeed by offering consumers high quality coffee, espresso, and bakery products with personal service at a competitive price. 5.1 Competitive Edge JJBs competitive edge is the relatively low level of competition in the local area in this particular niche. 5.2 Sales Strategy As the chart and table show, JJB anticipates sales of about $491,000 in the first year, $567,000 in the second year, and $655,000 in the third year of the plan. Sales Forecast 2001 2002 2003 Unit Sales Espresso Drinks 135,000 148,500 163,350 Pastry Items 86,000 94,600 104,060 Other 0 0 0 Total Unit Sales 221,000 243,100 267,410 Unit Prices 2001 2002 2003 Espresso Drinks $3.00 $3.15 $3.31 Pastry Items $1.00 $1.05 $1.10 Other $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Sales Espresso Drinks $405,000 $467,775 $540,280 Pastry Items $86,000 $99,330 $114,726 Other $0 $0 $0 Total Sales $491,000 $567,105 $655,006 Direct Unit Costs 2001 2002 2003 Espresso Drinks $0.25 $0.26 $0.28 Pastry Items $0.50 $0.53 $0.55 Other $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Direct Cost of Sales Espresso Drinks $33,750 $38,981 $45,023 Pastry Items $43,000 $49,665 $57,363 Other $0 $0 $0 Subtotal Direct Cost of Sales $76,750 $88,646 $102,386 Management Summary Austin Patterson has extensive experience in sales, marketing, and management, and was vice president of marketing with both Jansonne Jansonne and Burper Foods. David Fields brings experience in the area of finance and administration, including a stint as chief financial officer with both Flaxfield Roasters and the national coffee store chain, BuzzCups. 6.1 Personnel Plan As the personnel plan shows, JJB expects to make significant investments in sales, sales support, and product development personnel. Personnel Plan 2001 2002 2003 Managers $100,000 $105,000 $110,250 Pastry Bakers $40,800 $42,840 $44,982 Baristas $120,000 $126,000 $132,300 Other $0 $0 $0 Total People 10 10 10 Total Payroll $260,800 $273,840 $287,532 Financial Plan JJB expects to raise $110,000 of its own capital, and to borrow $100,000 guaranteed by the SBA as a ten-year loan. This provides the bulk of the current financing required. 7.1 Break-even Analysis JJBs Break-even Analysis is based on the average of the first-year figures for total sales by units, and by operating expenses. These are presented as per-unit revenue, per-unit cost, and fixed costs. These conservative assumptions make for a more accurate estimate of real risk. JJB should break even by the fourth month of its operation as it steadily increases its sales. Break-even Analysis Monthly Units Break-even 17,255 Monthly Revenue Break-even $38,336 Assumptions: Average Per-Unit Revenue $2.22 Average Per-Unit Variable Cost $0.35 Estimated Monthly Fixed Cost $32,343 7.2 Projected Profit and Loss As the Profit and Loss table shows, JJB expects to continue its steady growth in profitability over the next three years of operations. Pro Forma Profit and Loss 2001 2002 2003 Sales $491,000 $567,105 $655,006 Direct Cost of Sales $76,750 $88,646 $102,386 Other $0 $0 $0 Total Cost of Sales $76,750 $88,646 $102,386 Gross Margin $414,250 $478,459 $552,620 Gross Margin % 84.37% 84.37% 84.37% Expenses Payroll $260,800 $273,840 $287,532 Sales and Marketing and Other Expenses $27,000 $35,200 $71,460 Depreciation $60,000 $69,000 $79,350 Utilities $1,200 $1,260 $1,323 Payroll Taxes $39,120 $41,076 $43,130 Other $0 $0 $0 Total Operating Expenses $388,120 $420,376 $482,795 Profit Before Interest and Taxes $26,130 $58,083 $69,825 EBITDA $86,130 $127,083 $149,175 Interest Expense $10,000 $9,500 $8,250 Taxes Incurred $3,111 $12,146 $15,650 Net Profit $13,019 $36,437 $45,925 Net Profit/Sales 2.65% 6.43% 7.01% 7.3 Projected Cash Flow The cash flow projection shows that provisions for ongoing expenses are adequate to meet JJBs needs as the business generates cash flow sufficient to support operations. Pro Forma Cash Flow 2001 2002 2003 Cash Received Cash from Operations Cash Sales $491,000 $567,105 $655,006 Subtotal Cash from Operations $491,000 $567,105 $655,006 Additional Cash Received Sales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Received $0 $0 $0 New Current Borrowing $0 $0 $0 New Other Liabilities (interest-free) $0 $0 $0 New Long-term Liabilities $0 $0 $0 Sales of Other Current Assets $0 $0 $0 Sales of Long-term Assets $0 $0 $0 New Investment Received $0 $0 $0 Subtotal Cash Received $491,000 $567,105 $655,006 Expenditures 2001 2002 2003 Expenditures from Operations Cash Spending $260,800 $273,840 $287,532 Bill Payments $143,607 $186,964 $237,731 Subtotal Spent on Operations $404,407 $460,804 $525,263 Additional Cash Spent Sales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Paid Out $0 $0 $0 Principal Repayment of Current Borrowing $0 $0 $0 Other Liabilities Principal Repayment $0 $0 $0 Long-term Liabilities Principal Repayment $0 $10,000 $15,000 Purchase Other Current Assets $0 $0 $0 Purchase Long-term Assets $0 $20,000 $20,000 Dividends $0 $0 $0 Subtotal Cash Spent $404,407 $490,804 $560,263 Net Cash Flow $86,593 $76,301 $94,744 Cash Balance $156,593 $232,894 $327,637 7.4 Balance Sheet The following is a projected Balance Sheet for JJB. Pro Forma Balance Sheet 2001 2002 2003 Assets Current Assets Cash $156,593 $232,894 $327,637 Other Current Assets $12,000 $12,000 $12,000 Total Current Assets $168,593 $244,894 $339,637 Long-term Assets Long-term Assets $65,000 $85,000 $105,000 Accumulated Depreciation $60,000 $129,000 $208,350 Total Long-term Assets $5,000 ($44,000) ($103,350) Total Assets $173,593 $200,894 $236,287 Liabilities and Capital 2001 2002 2003 Current Liabilities Accounts Payable $14,574 $15,438 $19,907 Current Borrowing $0 $0 $0 Other Current Liabilities $0 $0 $0 Subtotal Current Liabilities $14,574 $15,438 $19,907 Long-term Liabilities $100,000 $90,000 $75,000 Total Liabilities $114,574 $105,438 $94,907 Paid-in Capital $110,000 $110,000 $110,000 Retained Earnings ($64,000) ($50,981) ($14,544) Earnings $13,019 $36,437 $45,925 Total Capital $59,019 $95,456 $141,381 Total Liabilities and Capital $173,593 $200,894 $236,287 Net Worth $59,019 $95,456 $141,381 7.5 Business Ratios The following table represents key ratios for the retail bakery and coffee shop industry. These ratios are determined by the Standard Industry Classification (SIC) Index code 5812, Eating Places. Ratio Analysis 2001 2002 2003 Industry Profile Sales Growth 0.00% 15.50% 15.50% 7.60% Percent of Total Assets Other Current Assets 6.91% 5.97% 5.08% 35.60% Total Current Assets 97.12% 121.90% 143.74% 43.70% Long-term Assets 2.88% -21.90% -43.74% 56.30% Total Assets 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% Current Liabilities 8.40% 7.68% 8.42% 32.70% Long-term Liabilities 57.61% 44.80% 31.74% 28.50% Total Liabilities 66.00% 52.48% 40.17% 61.20% Net Worth 34.00% 47.52% 59.83% 38.80% Percent of Sales Sales 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% Gross Margin 84.37% 84.37% 84.37% 60.50% Selling, General Administrative Expenses 74.74% 71.43% 71.39% 39.80% Advertising Expenses 0.49% 1.76% 6.87% 3.20% Profit Before Interest and Taxes 5.32% 10.24% 10.66% 0.70% Main Ratios Current 11.57 15.86 17.06 0.98 Quick 11.57 15.86 17.06 0.65 Total Debt to Total Assets 66.00% 52.48% 40.17% 61.20% Pre-tax Return on Net Worth 27.33% 50.90% 43.55% 1.70% Pre-tax Return on Assets 9.29% 24.18% 26.06% 4.30% Additional Ratios 2001 2002 2003 Net Profit Margin 2.65% 6.43% 7.01% n.a Return on Equity 22.06% 38.17% 32.48% n.a Activity Ratios Accounts Payable Turnover 10.79 12.17 12.17 n.a Payment Days 27 29 27 n.a Total Asset Turnover 2.83 2.82 2.77 n.a Debt Ratios Debt to Net Worth 1.94 1.10 0.67 n.a Current Liab. to Liab. 0.13 0.15 0.21 n.a Liquidity Ratios Net Working Capital $154,019 $229,456 $319,731 n.a Interest Coverage 2.61 6.11 8.46 n.a Additional Ratios Assets to Sales 0.35 0.35 0.36 n.a Current Debt/Total Assets 8% 8% 8% n.a Acid Test 11.57 15.86 17.06 n.a Sales/Net Worth 8.32 5.94 4.63 n.a Dividend Payout 0.00 0.00 0.00 n.a

Organic Consumers Association :: Web Internet Food Cyberspace Essays

Organic Consumers Association The World Wide Web, so vast, so fast, what’s the page you’ll look up last? Well it may not be the last page you would ever search for but it probably is not on the list of your top ten web sites. However it should be on the top ten, dare I say number one? The Organic Consumers Association is an extremely interesting and informative web page that most Americans will probably never see. It deals with a broad range of issues, mainly those concerning organic foodstuffs. The web page also has many other aspects to it including discussion boards and ways to search for related material over the web. The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) web page offers a broad range of places to explore and issues to learn about while incorporating rhetorical devices and various illustrations. Well awesome, now it is understood that the OCA webpage offers a plethora of opportunity for hours and hours of internet fun. But why does this concern me and why do I care? The fact of the matter is many people are inadequately informed about many issues happening in the world today. Most people get their news from the television or a newspaper but those are only small samples of things happening in this wondrous country of ours. This is where the OCA website comes into play. It offers hundreds of different articles from newspapers around the world based on less mainstream but equally important topics. These topics range from research done about organic foods to air pollution crack downs. One topic that I guarantee most would not expect to encounter goes a little like this, â€Å"Flame Retardants Found in Mothers’ Breast Milk in U.S† (OCA website). Clearly there are a wide range of topics to read about to make yourself more aware of less common things happen ing around the globe. The majority of topics covered on the site are obviously going to about be organic foods. This may pertain to growing foods organically or what types of organic foods are the most popular or health facts about eating organic foods. There are also many articles about genetically engineered foods that are becoming more and more problematic. Being more specific, there is an article to make people aware that Starbucks Coffee (a place where many American visit one to two times per day) uses genetically altered coffee beans.

Sharing Music over the Internet :: Digital Media Sharing

In a report prepared by Arbor Networks, a network-management firm employed by over 70 percent of the top ISPs globally, peer-to-peer sharing has reached more than 60 percent of the net traffic in the year 2012. Peer-to-peer sharing and piracy websites allow internet users to download music, videos and programs without having to pay for them. Technically, this is described by the law as stealing which makes peer-to-peer sharing and piracy websites illegal. Moreover, the government, through the enforcement of certain laws, imposes discipline to its citizens with regard to downloading and sharing music over the internet. Copyright Infringement The Department of Justice of the U.S. government presented a report Task Force on Intellectual Property which clearly imparts the laws protecting intellectual properties of individuals. As stated in the report, an intellectual property is an intangible property which is expressed through ideas and inventions. Copyright is intended to protect these intellectual properties including music—its lyrics and composition. Through the Copyright Act, the creator is given exclusive rights which encompass credit until after 70 years from death and the option of distribution. In peer-to-peer sharing and free downloads where music is used commercially in the internet, copyright is violated. In fact, as the shown in the statistics above, copyright infringement is practiced by millions in just one day. Probably, these people do not know and fully understand the laws and the penalties such as fines and imprisonment if they commit copyright infringement. Piracy The music industry, as represented by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), has gone procedures in fighting both copyright infringement and piracy. Accordingly, as shown in the report of Arbor Networks, the overwhelming 40 percent of net traffic that shares music through peer-to-peer connection has rapidly decreased to just 18 percent in the year 2009. RIAA has sued internet fans who commit infringement. Furthermore, the association has also presented piracy surcharges on ISPs which offer an upgrade to peer-to-peer connections for fast downloads at a fee, and websites which provide free searches and downloads for music. Government’s Response To stop piracy and copyright infringement, the Congress commenced the â€Å"Piracy Deterrence and Education Act of 2003†. As stated in this bill, the Congress appeals to the Department of Justice, along with the FBI, to involve their departments in discovering peer-to-peer file sharers and taking legal actions against them.

Cis11 Assessment 1

Safety Styles Pty Ltd Financial Information Ratios and Financial Data Profitability201020112012 Return on assets30. 2%31. 46%31. 48% Return on equity32. 62%34. 02%34. 07% Gross profit margin57. 55%57. 51%57. 93% Net profit margin16. 04%13. 90%14. 35% Efficiency Asset turnover (times)1. 882. 262. 19 Inventory turnover (days)95. 6290. 5595. 10 Accounts receivable turnover (days)50. 3742. 6645. 16 Liquidity Current ratio4. 124. 13. 91 Quick asset ratio2. 462. 452. 21 Capital Structure Gearing ratio2. 372. 62. 54 Safety Styles Pty Ltd Application Decision It would be my recommendation to grant Safety Styles their application for additional finance. Profitability: Safety Styles Pty Ltd has demonstrated in is able to generate and increase its profits as demonstrated through the healthy Gross and Net Profit Margins. It should be noted during this three year period Safety Styles Pty Ltd has maintained and increased the Gross Profit margin, Safety Styles Pty Ltd has also maintained a healthy Net Profit Margin.Although dropping slightly the second year they have managed to improve this in their third year increasing their overall profitability Safety Styles has also increased both its Return on Assets and Return on Equity, this demonstrates the ability of the company to efficiently make use of its assets and equity which ultimately reduces requirements for more funding and reduces cost making better use of what they currently have. Efficiency: Safety Styles Pty Ltd appears on average over the last three years to be improving its efficiency to make better use of their assets and turning over their inventory.Safety should also focus on this area and strive to improve their efficiency. Whilst the values may seem quiet higher their total sales amount has raised which may not be taken into account with averages. Safety Styles may need to revisit their inventory strategy as their turn over period is quite high; this would be a benefit for them in the long term by having quicke r access to cash for investment in other assets. They should also pay attention to their Accounts Receivable Turnover and aim to reduce this. Liquidity:Whilst Safety Styles Current ratio and Quick asset ratio is declined they are both still very healthy numbers. Safety Styles non-current assets have been increasing annually. They may want to pay attention to reducing their inventory levels and accounts receivable to give them more cash and the opportunity to invest into non-current assets or reduce their liabilities as they currently has a low level of cash compared to inventory and accounts receivable. This will make the company more â€Å"liquid† in the short term.Safety Styles also has a very healthy quick asset ratio compared to the industry standard of 2. It should be noted that Safety Styles currently do not have a high level of liabilities and seem to be maintaining their levels of dent in relation to their assets Capital Structure: Safety Styles currently have a very low gearing ratio and are using retained earnings for most of their financing. External sources of financing will be a benefit to Safety Styles to help them grow and invest in additional non-current assets. Executive SummarySafety Styles appear to be utilizing their assets and equity very well currently to help produce their profit and maintain both healthy gross and net profit. If this is maintained they should be able to repay their long term liabilities and possibly improve their current asset liquidity. ? Appendix Formulas †¢Return on Assets = (Net profit before interest and taxation / Average total assets) x 100 †¢Return on Equity = (Net profit after tax and preference dividends / average ordinary shareholder’s funds) x 100 †¢Gross Profit Margin = (Gross profit / sales) x 100 Net Profit Margin = (Net profit before interest and taxation / sales) x 100 †¢Asset Turnover Ratio = ( Sales / Average Total Assets) †¢Inventory Turnover = (Average inventor y / cost of sales) x 365 †¢Accounts Receivable Turnover = (Average accounts receivable / credit sales) x 365 †¢Current Ratio = (Current assets / current liabilities) †¢Quick Asset Ratio = (Current assets (excluding Inventory and prepayments) / current liabilities) †¢Gearing Ratio = (Long-term liabilities / share capital + reserves + long-term liabilities) x 100 Ratio definitions †¢Return on Assets The Return on Assets (ROA) demonstrates how effectively a company is using its assets to generate profit. The higher the ROA the better as the company is earning more off less investment †¢Return on Equity oThe Return on Equity (ROE) demonstrates the amount of net profit generated as a percentage of the shareholders equity. A higher ROE is better as it displays how much profit is generated based on shareholder investment. †¢Gross Profit Margin oThe Gross Profit Margin (GPM) is used to display the percentage difference between sales and the cost of sales b efore any other costs are factored in.A higher GPM is better as the company is making a higher profit off its sales †¢Net Profit Margin oThe Net Profit Margin (NPM) is used to display the net profit as a percentage of the revenue generated. A higher NPM is better as it indicates a more profitable company and how effective a company is at controlling its costs †¢Asset Turnover Ratio oThe Asset turnover Ratio (ATR) displays how well a business can use its assets in generating sales or revenue. A higher ATR is better as it demonstrates the amount of dollars generated by one dollar of the company's assets †¢Inventory Turnover The Inventory Turnover formula display how often the company sells and replaces its inventory. A low Inventory turnover is preferred as this means cash is not being held in inventory, is producing more revenue and has access to an ongoing source of cash †¢Accounts Receivable Turnover oThe Accounts Receivable turnover displays the average settlem ent period (days) credit purchased are settled by the customer. A shorter average settlement period is preferred as this means funds are not tied up and can be †¢Current Ratio This ratio is compares a company’s current assets and current liabilities to measure the liquidity. A higher ratio is preferred as it generally means the business can meet their commitments †¢Quick Asset Ratio oThe Quick Asset Ratio (QAR) also known as the â€Å"Acid Test Ratio† measures if a company can meet its short term liabilities with its current assets less its inventory as you can’t always rely on inventory to be converted into cash quickly. A higher ratio means the company is in a better position †¢Gearing Ratio The Gearing Ratio (GR) measures how much capital is financed by long term finance. A high gearing ratio means a company will depend of long term loans, a low gearing ratio displays higher reliance on financing through equity investment. Typically a high leve l of gearing means a higher level of risk for the company. Ratio Calculations †¢Return on Assets o2010 – (647 / ((2122 + 2163) /2)) x 100 o2011 – (685 / ((2233 + 2122) /2)) x 100 o2012 – (712 / ((2291 + 2233) /2)) x 100 †¢Return on Equity o2010 – (585 / ((1774 + 1813) /2)) x 100 2011 – (619 / ((1865 + 1774) /2)) x 100 o2012 – (644 / ((1916 + 1865) /2)) x 100 †¢Gross Profit Margin o2010 – (2321 / 4033) x 100 o2011 – (2834 / 4928) x 100 o2012 – (2875 / 4963) x 100 †¢Net Profit Margin o2010 – (647 / 4033) x 100 o2011 – (685 / 4928) x 100 o2012 – (712 / 4963) x 100 †¢Asset Turnover Ratio o2010 – (4033 / ((2122 + 2163) / 2)) o2011 – (4928 / ((2233 + 2122) / 2)) o2012 – (4963 / ((2291 + 2233) / 2)) †¢Inventory Turnover o2010 – (((((216 + 175) + (223 + 283)) / 2) / 1712) x 365) o2011 – (((((235 + 298) + (223 + 283)) / 2) / 2094) X 365) 2012 â €“ (((((235 + 298) + (230 + 325)) / 2) / 2088) X 365) †¢Accounts Receivable Turnover o2010 – ((((561 + 552) / 2) / 4033) x 365) o2011 – ((((561 + 591) / 2) / 4928) x 365) o2012 – ((((637 + 591) / 2) / 4963) x 365) †¢Current Ratio o2010 – (1257 / 305) o2011 – (1324 / 323) o2012 – (1272 / 325) †¢Quick Asset Ratio o2010 – (((1257 – (223 + 283)) / 305) o2011 – (((1324 – (235 + 298)) / 323) o2012 – (((1272 – (230 + 325)) / 325) †¢Gearing Ratio o2010 – (((43 / (70 + 1704 + 43)) x 100) o2011 – (((45 / (70 + 1795 + 45)) x 100) o2012 – (((50 / (70 + 1846+ 50)) x 100)

Quest motif in John Cheever’s short story ‘The Swimmer’ Essay

The destination of any journey is a profound realization of some kind – literally, the realization of one’s goal, metaphorically often a consciousness of one’s reality. For an individual on a mission, a quest – the arrival at the truth is the final destination. The motif of quest has been used diversely in literature from the search for the Holy Grail to the legend of the Golden Fleece. John Cheever uses the quest motif in his short story ‘The Swimmer’ to present the unusual travails of his narcissistic hero, Neddy through the different pools of society till he arrives at the emptiness of his own life, the shut-down panels of his home. The transition from the fall to experience is paralleled through the quest motif. At the beginning of the short story, Neddy is the apparently youthful, imaginative quester setting forth on his own adventure to swim the county, across a stretch of private and public pools to reach his home â€Å"in Bullet Park, eight miles to the south, where his four beautiful daughters would have had their lunch and might be playing tennis. † (Cheever, The Swimmer) As the quest continues, there are inevitable signs of passing time (not paralleled by the physical time of Neddy’s eight-miles’ swimming journey), subtle indications of the fraying of the self-deception Neddy indulges in, the slow unmasking of the unpleasant truths of his life and the final epiphanic climax at the sight of his empty locked house in the enfolding darkness of the wintry evening. Cheever ironically stands the traditional quest on its head. The legendary hero leaves his home and hearth, setting forth on a road of trials, overcoming hurdles, and finally achieves success in the form of a treasure. As defined by Neela Mookerjee in her essay, The Long Winding Road, the hero begins his quest and starts to encounter difficulties that lie along the way. One such meeting is with the Other. The Other, often described as the hero’s alter-ego or the hero’s dark side, reflects the personality traits which the hero does not want to acknowledge as being present in himself. Because he finds this figure so repugnant, the hero often tries to deny any commonality between himself and the Other. Neddy Merrill, â€Å"the legendary figure† (Cheever, The Swimmer) is the wealthy elite socialite who starts the sunny day â€Å"breathing deeply, stertorously as if he could gulp into his lungs the components of that moment, the heat of the sun, the intenseness of his pleasure. †(Cheever, The Swimmer) In his own mind, he prints his own trail of pools, the swimmer in his own world till the self-pretense is stripped away from the eyes of the protagonist as well as the readers ‘swimming’ along with the narrative as he confronts his Other reality. Often described as an â€Å"anglophile† , John Cheever depicts the social milieu of Merrill in its suburbanite languid pace – the Grahams, the Hammers, the Lears, the Howlands, and the Crosscups, then the Bunkers, the Levys, the Welchers, and the public pool in Lancaster. Then there were the Hallorans, the Sachses, the Biswangers, Shirley Adams, the Gilmartins, and the Clydes. Neddy is portrayed as the pilgrim seeking an unexplored route to the known end with the belief that â€Å"friends would line the banks of the Lucinda River. †(Cheever) The upper class suburbanite society depicted is a world of self-indulgence – a world where one could lounge about in naked pleasure, an everlasting party with the same faces, rounds of drinks and ensuing hangovers, and even the same serving bartenders. From the surfeit of drinks/hangovers in the opening paragraph to the Communist label as a marker of reformist zeal, even the contrast between the private haven of one’s own pool vis-a-vis the disgusting commonness of the public pool – Merrill’s class is painted visually for the reader. The social behavior towards Neddy subtly changes from the courteous welcome of Mrs. Grahams to the patronizing sympathy of Mrs. Halloran, to the rude reaction of the Biswangers at his intrusive presence in their noisy party. Neddy tries to integrates himself into the texture of the social class he once belonged to, but as the text develops, he is portrayed as an invasive element, an opportunist for free drinks and begging loans. The color of the quest thickens, darkens as the slow realization of the erstwhile insider being the unwelcome outsider hits home.

Appendix G

Associate Program Material Appendix GWireless LAN Vulnerabilities MatrixComplete the following matrix by filling in the blank boxes in the table.Security protection Brief description Vulnerabilities Prevention (if any) MAC address filtering Only allows access to a device if its MAC address matches that of a pre-approved list on the router. MAC Spoofing Don’t rely on MAC filtering alone. Open system authentication (SSID beaconing) Disables SSID from being broadcast so wireless networks are harder to detect. A spectrum analyzer can still be used to find the network name. Create a more complex SSID and password settings in your APWEPStands for Wired Equivalency Privacy. Uses 64 bit or 128 bit encryption. (including 24-bit IV) In larger networks, IV’s can be duplicated and cause collisions, which are easy to detect by outside influences Use WPA2 with AES or similar instead on larger, enterprise deployments.Of the six categories of attackers, the one I would most want to bre ak into my network would be hackers, as they attempt to penetrate your network and expose vulnerabilities, then inform you of them. This is opposed to a cracker, which will do the same thing, only steal the data and attempt to sell it. A script kiddie is very dangerous, as they are generally under-experienced hackers and crackers who use someone else’s codes and almost always have malicious intent.Between MAC filtering, WEP, and authentication, I believe that WEP is the most secure of the three. MAC filtering can be easily overcome by MAC spoofing, and is not part of the 802.11 standard. Authentication is somewhat weaker than WEP, as someone could capture the cleartext challenge phrase and the encrypted response frame and gain access to the network. WEP is the strongest of the 3, but is still weak due to IV collisions which can be monitored and the hacker can recover the security key during those collisions.In fact, hackers can even cause massive IV collisions to speed up the process. It should be noted this is really only an issue on larger wireless networks as there are approximately 16 million IV’s that can be handed out. But in an enterprise application, 16 million can happen in a matter of hours or days.

Racial Profiling Essay

Racial profiling is a big issue. Many people have been victimized because of cops and other high authorities’ senseless attitudes on how to handle the law. What people have to realize is that racial profiling does happen to innocent people who are mostly targeted or pursued because of their race or sometimes even because of their religion. These things can also cause citizens to become very angry and unwilling to cooperate with law enforcement. Racial profiling has been the cause of many outbreaks of riots. There has even been many riots because of innocent people being racial profiled against; causing citizens to become antagonistic, bitter, and hateful towards the law. This can be a problem because they even target good police. The cause of racial profiling can start not only hostile attitudes, but a shift in the views of how police treat citizens. Racial profiling is a method that police and other law enforcement agents use to catch someone who has committed a crime or is about to commit one. It is a controversial method. In fact, even the meaning of racial profiling is controversial† (Kops, Pg. 9). Racial profiling is a very controversial topic, because this topic makes people uneasy to talk about. It’s especially hard for victims who have been racial profiled against because of the memory of their terrible experience. â€Å"In 1942, over 120,000 American were stripped of their business and their homes and incarcerated for the duration of World War II. They had committed no offense. They were convicted of no crime. They were suspected, subjected to curfews, arrested, had their property confiscated, and finally imprisoned because of the color of their skin and their national origin or the national origin of their parents† (Meeks, Pg. ). Situations like this can cause a shift in the government where they have constant issues on how to approach citizens because of the fear of being accused of discriminating against people. This sometimes has citizens wondering is it okay for police to check you if they â€Å"think† you are committing a crime? Well there have been mixed answers when the law is confronted with this question. Also this can cause tension between cops and the law enforcement because of all the animosity and stress of being constantly accused of racial profiling. There have been retired cops who have written books talking about their experience as a cop. Some give details that outsiders wouldn’t know about the cop’s secret jobs. Is it possible that good police are afraid? This could be the reason why; they could also be afraid that if they tell too much they could possibly lose their job. But just as there are good cops, there are also bad cops. Like the ones who harass people for no reason; simply because of the physical features. â€Å"An officer’s daily duties require them to violate the rights of others, without question, on a repeated basis (see video – 2min in). Police routinely fine or jail, at taxpayer expense, people whose crimes lack an actual victim. Whether it is for driving without a license, disorderly conduct or illegal drugs, police are the ones enforcing such laws. More surprisingly is it seems they do so only because they are told to, and believe such violations are acceptable to keep others safe (this doesn’t even include officers who blatantly and knowingly abuse their power)† (Freeman). Is it a thing of giving law enforcement too much power? Many people have many complaints that the law has access to how they suspect if the person is in the wrong. This is a prime example of why there can be a separation between cops. However, often many good cops are targeted for a crooked cop’s bad deed. With this happening it scares away potential cops; who are afraid of this horrible thing happening to them, which has citizens and other authorities on edge. The lack of law enforcement would be a huge problem; without the law the crime rate could possibly reach an ultimate high. Law enforcement is supposed to be put in place as a security, and protection for citizens. But how can you trust them when they also commit crimes. It makes it even harder for citizens to report a crime because they are afraid of what might happen to them. Bad cops are considering somewhat professionals at pulling big schemes. They can pull off these schemes because of the connections they have with even high authorities. Some schemes could be tied to drug trafficking and many other things. But are once they are accused of such heinous crime, why are these issues sometimes forgotten about? It’s like the process of prosecuting these police are constantly kept quiet. Well it’s about time that it’s brought public. â€Å"Negative stereotypical biases of African-American males overshadow any appearances that they are law-abiding citizens. Indeed, in the eyes of many law enforcement officers, an African-American male driving a Mercedes-Benz projects the presumption of illegal activity, not the presumption of a hard working citizen† (Weatherspoon). Keeping these things private can cause more attention to what are they really doing. But no one is taking a stand and asking questions; simply because of fear of becoming a target of the police. â€Å"The term driving while black has been used to describe the practice of law enforcement officials to stop African-American drivers without probable cause. The practice particularly targets African-American males. African-American males are not only singled out while driving, but also while schooling, eating, running for political office, walking, banking, serving as a juror, getting a taxi, shopping, and just being black and a male. The mere fact of being black and male in America is sufficient cause for governmental and private law enforcement officials to abridge the rights of African-American males. This is not to suggest that law enforcement officers can never consider race when performing their job† (Weatherspoon). African American males are not the only people who are targeted. For example, during the Holocaust Jews were killed, beaten, starved, and a lot of other horrific things all because of their religion and race. â€Å"The European Holocaust of the 1930s and 1940s, which cost millions of Jews (and other ethnic groups) their lives, led many Jews and non- Jews alike throughout the world to believe that a Jewish homeland was necessary. During and after World War II, many Jewish refugees found themselves without a nation and with nowhere to go† (Jones, Johnstone, Pg. 358). Racial profiling seems to never have an end. Many cases you hear about how racial profiling still exists ‘til this very day. The question that everyone should be asking is, â€Å"why should a person race, religion, or beliefs determine how they are judged? â€Å"Racial profiling is an abusive practice that targets innocent citizens solely because of the way that they look. It is not an effective law enforcement strategy. Research shows that racial profiling diverts officers’ attention from using actual, objective signs of suspicious behavior to effectively assess situations. Racial profiling erodes trust between law enforcement and its community. As a result, people are less likely to report a crime or work with the police to give information that could apprehend an actual criminal† (Elliot). This statement is true; racial profiling really is not a strategic method. Since this method has been put in place it has done nothing but cause an upset to the community. Communities have had negative feelings towards racial profiling. So why is this still a method? No one seems to ask this important question that could change the law enforcement system. Changing the system could make a better relationship between citizens and law enforcement. Because more citizens may be willing to open up more to the law, without feeling like they can’t trust police. Before this solution could be an option the law enforcement should make an extra effort with making sure that the community knows that they can trust they are truly secured. â€Å"While there have been attempts to end racial profiling in Congress, no bill has successfully been passed. Communities across the country have been subjected to this useless, degrading tactic for too long. Now is the time for Congress to reintroduce and pass comprehensive legislature to end racial profiling† (Elliot). Congress has yet to make any decisions about eliminating racial profiling. But that doesn’t mean that change won’t happen. Racial profiling as stated in within this research paper is a very controversial topic, but it also a sad topic. The way a person can be mistreated just because of the color of their skin. When reading the facts about racial profiling it is saddening to know that a person can be humiliated and tortured over nothing. Victims of racial profiling are caught off guard, because they have no clue of why they have become a target. Some people are targeted because of their religion; for example a Muslim lady could become a target of racial profiling because of her head wrapped. Muslims have became targets ever since the 9/11 incident. â€Å"Since September 11, 2001, members of Arab, Muslim, and South Asian communities have increasingly been searched, interrogated and detained in the name of â€Å"national security†, often times labeled â€Å"terrorism suspects† when in reality many were only charged with misdemeanors or minor immigration violations, if they were charged at all† (Racial Profiling: Face the Truth Campaign). African-American males are also targeted, because of how they present themselves. This can make some African- American males uneasy to go out in public, because of the fear of being watched and seen for the clothes they wear. â€Å"As a result, community members become less likely to assist with criminal investigations or seek protection from police when they themselves are victimized, which makes everyone less safe† (Racial Profiling: Face the Truth Campaign). Communities are now starting to stick together, by not helping the police. Some feel that they should not help the police when the police attack innocent people.

Pesticides and their environmental impact Essay

Introduction Pesticides are chemicals or organic substances that have been designed to prevent pests, weeds or diseases in agricultural production and other places where public health is of paramount importance. Pesticides are very important in agricultural production because they control vermin that would otherwise lead production losses during growth and the storage. (Hond, Frank et.al.2003). Various researches have continued to indicate that farmers stand to loose about a third of the crop field if pesticides are not used as a control measure. This would have catastrophic effect on food security across the globe. Thus pesticides play a major role in food production. However the handling and the usage of the pesticides has continued to have long lasting effect on the environment including the flora and fauna. (Hamilton D & Crossley S   2004). Since 2500 BC farmers used biological means to control various pests. It was the safest method even though not the most effective. The farm products treated by biological pesticides  Ã‚   did not have any side effects to the consumers who used these products. However after the agrarian revolution, an increasing number of farmers started using artificial pesticides that were more suitable for the increased scale of agricultural production. (Hond, Frank et.al.2003).   There are different types of pesticides depending on the target pests; insecticides help to control insects, bactericide control bacteria and fungicides control fungi. We also have synthetic pesticides that are artificially produced in factories. DDT is always listed as one of the most effective pesticides yet the most environmental destructive which led to its eventual ban in 1939 in over 98 countries. (Hond, Frank et.al.2003). Environmental Effects The environment is always contaminated when pesticides are applied on crops. During the process of application it has been known that some amounts of pesticides vaporize and are later deposited in the soil or other waterways by rainfall. (Hamilton D & Crossley S   2004). Pesticides present in ground water or drinking water has great impact and is both costly and problematic to control. For example the total concentration of pesticide residues in many ground water supplies in the EU countries exceeds the maximum permissible concentration. In the US the situation is the same and research done on about 68,000 wells revealed that about 9,000 of these wells were indeed contaminated with the residues, which exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency standards (EPA) for water meant for drinking. (Hond, Frank et.al.2003) Contaminated water is very harmful to animals, vital microorganisms in the soil, and extremely dangerous for the marine ecosystem. (Hond, Frank et.al.2003) Pesticides and Wildlife Wildlife by nature do not discriminate in their eating and drinking habits, thus when the pesticides residues find their way to the areas where the wildlife is bound to exist then it poses great danger as they may lead to a slow but sure death of the animals. A very good example is the death of flamingoes and other bird species in the Kenyan lake Nakuru. These deaths were as a result of the excessive use of pesticides in the upstream waterway that feed the lake with water. (Watson, D 2004).   Greater effects have also been recorded amongst various bee and bird species that are very important in the pollination processes. A good example of this effect was also recorded in the US and Europe between 1950 and 1970 when the dramatic decline in the population of the birds of prey was attributed to the organochlorine pesticide that was POPs. The use of DDT was found to break down to DDE, chemical that was responsible for the cause of eggshell thinning that resulted to the crushing of the eggs leading to the failure of the breeding cycle of the birds of prey that also included the fish-eating birds. http://www.greenpeace.org/china/en/campaigns/food-and-agriculture/pesticides/ Another pesticide aspect that has led to the decline in the bird populations is when they have reduced the existence of certain weeds in various arable fields. The weeds play a very significant role in providing the birds with seeds and insects for food, thus when they are decimated then it affects the bird’s food chain. The great decline of the grey partridge is directly attributed to the use of herbicides that change the availability of the food supply.  Ã‚   http://www.greenpeace.org/china/en/campaigns/food-and-agriculture/pesticides/ Until recently a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide called cypermethrin was commonly used in sheep dips across the UK and had adverse effect on the environment. The greatest impact was realized in the marine life where a vast number of various aquatic invertebrates were killed. http://www.greenpeace.org/china/en/campaigns/food-and-agriculture/pesticides/ In fish the residues are consumed resulting to the bioaccumulation of the pesticides in the birds of prey that eat this fish. Such pesticides as dieldrin   and aldrin were directly blamed for the decline in the deaths and population decline of birds of prey. However it is worth noting that in areas where the usage of the chemicals is prohibited the population of the birds species has recorded remarkable increase. http://www.greenpeace.org/china/en/campaigns/food-and-agriculture/pesticides/ Health Effects Workers in the manufacturing companies are at great dangers of developing various other complications while handling the manufacturing processes. Sometimes the workers lack adequate protection and are therefore exposed to the chemicals that are highly carcinogenic. Farmers and other pesticide handlers are the most exposed people to the dangers of the pesticides. (Watson, D 2004). Organophosphates are less harmful to the environment  Ã‚   compared to organ chlorine pesticides. The pesticides can cause abdominal pain, headache, dizziness, nausea, as well as skin and eye problems. When pesticides are used for a long time they can also cause respiratory problems, memory disorder, cancer, neurological deficit and in women who are exposed so much to the pesticides it can cause miscarriages and birth defects when pregnant. (Walter A. et.al.2005) Consumers Most of the crops planted by big scale farmers are very harmful to the consumers because these farmers use the pesticides for cultivation processes. Fruits and vegetables contain the pesticides residues making them harmful to the consumers. Due to these residues, the maximum Residue limits has recommended some standards for individual pesticides food to be used. The EPA has set tolerances that detect the toxicity of the residues and amount of pesticide application that remain in food before it is marketed and prepared. The tolerance level is obtained using scientific assessments that manufactures are required to produce before a particular pesticide can be registered. (Walter A. et.al.2005) The study published in 1993 showed that the infants and children are exposed to pesticides through their diet, while in the US the study shows that pesticide residues in food cause causes of cancer. (Watson, D 2004). The pesticide residue has been a major concern in the US making it possible in 1996 to begin a program known as United States Department of Agriculture to allow its food to be tested for different types of pesticides. The program allowed the test of different vegetables and fruits commonly eaten for example: Apple, Lettuce, Pears and Oranges. To avoid the entire health problem, the consumer can wash, peel, cook and even trim the fat from meat and eat variety of food to avoid long-term exposure to pesticide. The consumer is also advised to buy organic food. (Walter A. et.al.2005) Pesticides are generally exposed to the general public some of the pesticides are very harmful and because they lack proper handling instructions pose great dangers not only to the users but also to the public at large. According to various studies, various pesticides have severe effects on young children and cause leukemia. Organophosphate can cause infliction to the nerve cells and may lead to low birth weights. This is because when pregnant women are exposed to the pesticides they have a very high chance of affecting the uterus and the child carried in the womb. (Walter A. et.al.2005)   With the development of new technology most pesticides are becoming obsolete and other better methods are being used as form of pest control such technologies are being developed in such countries as Bangladesh, Indonesia and Mexico. To reduce health and environmental risks, biological and botanical methods are being  Ã‚   developed and applicators are advised to adopt other methods other than the use of chemical pesticides. For example farming methods like polyculture where by you grow multiple types of plants or even planting crops where the pests that damage the plants do not exist (crop rotation) if not you can adopt the US style of spraying the pests with hot water or the release of natural predators. Interfering with insect’s production can be accomplished by sterilizing males so that there is no production of the off springs. All this methods have been achieved in Indonesia and Sweden thus making their environment very friendly not only to human beings but also to their crops and animals. (Hond, Frank et.al.2003). Conclusion Pesticides have been of great use especially in the production of food to sustain the ever-increasing world population. Most of the pesticides have significant side effects on the environment and have continued to cause untold damage to the ecosystem. In the developed world the governments have continued to institute very strict measures that have seen the banning of the usage most of such products. The producers realizing the challenges they face in these regions have opted to switch their operations to the third world countries where the regimes lack the necessary infrastructure or legislation to control the use of the said products. Thus the dangers have been shifted from the first worlds to the poor third world countries, which are left to bear the brunt of the pesticides. First world countries have the responsibility of protecting the world from the effects of the pesticides because they are the largest producers.    Work cited Hamilton, Denis; Crossley, Stephen (2004). Pesticide residues in food and drinking water. J. Wiley. Hond, Frank et.al. (2003). Pesticides: problems, improvements, alternatives. Blackwell Science. Pesticides-and-the-environment: Retrieved on 11th April from http://www.greenpeace.org/china/en/campaigns/food-and-agriculture/pesticides/ Walter A. Alarcon, et.al. (2005) Pesticides and the Environment. â€Å"Acute Illnesses Associated With Pesticide Exposure at Schools†. Journal of the American Medical Association Watson, David H. (2004). Pesticide, veterinary and other in food residues: woodhead Publishing