Deception in the investigative, interrogation, and testimonial Essay

Deception in the investigative, interrogation, and testimonial processes - Essay Example The fact is that the law often supports police detection, although police action is limited without an arrest or search warrant. The police conduct detection within a contradictory moral order wherein certain fidelities fuse with certain betrayals (Skotnick). The detection process has three stages and deception can and does occur in any or all of these (Skotnick, 1985). These are investigation, interrogation and testimony. Within the policeman's broad moral cognition, the acceptability of deception depends on the level of criminal process: It is most acceptable to the police and the courts at the investigation stage, less during interrogation and least at the testimonial stage in the courtroom. Increasingly stringent normative constrains account for the differences among the levels and stages. Courtroom testimony is given under oath, whereby witnesses sweat to tell only the truth and nothing but the truth. It is the norm to accept that a witness is telling the truth in court. Courtroom lying violates the basic justice system, which all the parties are assumed to uphold. A policeman who lies in the courtroom can work his way out of his predicament by insisting that judicial interpretations of his limitations can get on the way of his abil ity of performing his job. This appears to be true within the context of the forces, which operate within the investigative stage of an adversary system, wherein the end justifies the means. The policeman seems to have the "privilege" of lying to get to the truth in achieving justice through due process (Skotnick). It may be quaint and a contradiction of values and norms but it is also factual that police freely admit to deceiving suspects and defendants to catch them, yet lying policemen and detectives do not admit to committing perjury (Skotnick, 1985). Perjury is as systematic as police work and police know among themselves that they perjure as a norm rather than as an individual error. A study, conducted by Columbia law students on the effect of Mapp v. Ohio on police practices in New York City, on certain search and seizure cases showed that uniformed police fabricated grounds for arrest in narcotics cases in meeting the requirements of Mapp. This does not justify but only explains how police who falsely witness justify the practice for the sake of greater persuasiveness. They resort to lying as routine of shaking themselves out of a predicament or helping one another out of it and because of a skeptical attitude towards a system, which is disinclined towards the truth that would be favor able to the criminal. The law allows a policeman to lie during the investigative stage but forbids it during the testimonial stage in the courtroom where and when he is certain of the guilt of the suspect, unlike during the investigative stage. The lying policeman puts more value on a short-term objective of suppressing evidence than on the long-term principle of due process in protecting the dignity of the accused. The policeman's pursuit is to legitimize the evidence he presents rather than weigh and analyze its sufficiency. He is merely after complying with the arrest laws, although this compliance often involves manipulation

War of 1812 Essay Example for Free

War of 1812 Essay The War of 1812 was a war that lasted for two years that helped the United States to firmly and officially establish its independence. After finishing with the concern of France, England turned its attention over to the United States. At first, the United States did not want to resort to war and fighting (Doc. B) but rather sort out their issues economicallybecause England had seized all ships that did not stop in the British port before heading to their other European destinations, Congress passed the Embargo Act and then the Non-Intercourse Act, allowing trade with all nations except France and England. Then, England refused to allow this trade to occur, so America had to resort to war. The Northeastern Federalists were not in favor of war, but the Republicans ultimately won the majority vote in Congress to declare warthe War of 1812 (Doc. G). During this war, America was very concerned with gaining control over land in this country as well as in Canada, but at the same time Americans needed to defend themselves against their strong British enemies. Either way, America had to abandon its position of neutrality (Doc. C). During the war, Britain was very effective in fighting the Americans during many battles, so we needed to defend ourselves in every way possible, and often we were successful. In addition, America wanted to take revenge on the British for taking people from American ships and forcing them to work in the British Navy. The British were able to make their way via water to Washington, D.C. and burn down many parts of the city. After weakening the capital, they set off to Baltimore Harbor but Fort McHenry had already blocked their path, so the British actually had to attack from afar, which ended up not being so effective. America also blocked the British from success in the Battle of Plattsburgh. The United States was successful in capturing Lake Ontario and Lake Eerie, causing them to have very easy access to Canada. By being able to enter Canada, William Henry Harrison led the soldiers to kill Tecumseh in the Battle of Thames, making this a great victory over the Native Americans. This does seem like an unnecessary battle done completely out of greed for control, but the defeat of the Creeks (allies of Tecumseh) in the Battle of Horseshoe Bend was helpful for the Americans in that Andrew Jackson led his men to destroy the tribe because they had been attacking whites along the Floridian border, and we annexed a  section of Florida (Doc. D). Although the Indians may have thought that the Americans only wanted to take over their lands (Doc. F), America was not out to hurt the Indianswe actually wanted to be on good terms with thembut Madison made them aware that if it is necessary, Americans will fight them in order to protect their own well-beings (Doc. E). Ending the War of 1812 was the Battle of New Orleans, when the British were planning to attack, but Andrew Jackson was ready with his men to destroy their enemies, and they were victorious. The War of 1812 officially ended with the Treaty of Ghent, which stated that America did not gain Canada, that impressments would not stop, and that America would have to return some land to the Indians (this statement was not really obeyed). But, a few other small treaties were written that allowed America to trade freely with England. All of the various battles aforementioned except for the Battle of Thames were ones that were instigated by the British and the Americans saw no other way to deal with their enemies but to defend themselves. This does not connote that the Americans fought this war in the first place out of greed or land hunger. Although the British did make many attacks on the United States during the War of 1812 and Americans did indeed need to defend themselves, America did not have entirely pure intentions (defense and struggle for complete independence were not the only reasons). During this rather pointless war, America had hoped they would annex Canada, and that is why the Battle of Thames occurred. The United States also wanted to cede Florida, hence the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. In addition, because the Republicans held the majority in Congress, President Madison felt he needed their support (Southern and Western states). The opinion of these states, expressed by Henry Clay (a War Hawk), was that the country needed to go to war because they wanted to gain land and they were concerned over the falling prices of agricultural products and therefore the restriction on trade. America entered this war caring only about the white citizens and not really about how the Indians would be affected by their hopes for the end results of the war. Americans did enter the war with hopes of annexing land, but the end result was completely different from the initial goals. After much unnecessary fighting, America left the war victorious in her own waythe country was finally completely free to do as she pleased, and the country was officially independent of any and all other foreign powers.

Branding architecture and strategies

Branding architecture and strategies Brand distinguishes a companys product from its competitors and an identified product or service that closely satisfies customers needs and wants. Brand is an asset to a company and reflects the quality of customer service. Branding is all about the customers trust of the product or service and makes the segmentation easier for the company. The difference between a company and its competitors should be communicated by brand, because it makes a company unique. BMW, Toyota, Luis Vuitton, NEXT, Debenhams, Nike and Coca Cola are the well-known brands that command price premium and stimulate deep customers loyalty. Branding is the collection of actual and emotional characteristics associated with a particular identified product or service that differentiates it from the rest of marketplace Hand-out notes by tutor Anthony smith Branding is an important aspect of marketing to build a strong image of a company. Mercedes Benz is an automobile brand that commands a premium with their engineering, performance, quality, customer service and after sales service. Toyota shares all these attributes but still they were not positioned as premium in the customers mind. Toyota then formed Lexus as a premium brand with the partnership of both Toyota and Lexus shared engineering, design elements and customer service to successfully compete the big automobile brands like Audi, BMW and Mercedes Benz. How-to-branding.com Brand Architecture Brand architecture refers to the hierarchy of brands within a single company. It is the interrelationship of the parent company, subsidiary companies, products, and services, and should mirror the  marketing strategy. Kompanigroup.com How an organization structures various products, services or other entities within its portfolio and how they relate to one another. Brandinstitue.com In the growing economy we can see different companies merging with each other and form the strategy for each of the targeted group in which every product can bring its own brand name. Good and clear brand architecture clues a company towards brand positioning and also helps to get sustainable competitive advantage. There are three different types of brand architecture strategies. Corporate/Monolithic Branding Strategy In this strategy company takes on a unified brand for all products and target markets. This strategy brings simplicity, and cost deficiencies can be achieved as opposed to multi-branding architecture, in which a corporate brand plays a smaller role. Microsoft, Intel, Disney, CNN, SONY, Nike, Virgin and coca cola etc. are the best examples of corporate branding. Corporate banding makes the advertising easier for the company as they just advertise their name and slogan. . Coca cola is recognizable in every continent of the world through its red curved bottle and logo. SONY is a corporate brand as its name is attached to everything, from its DVDs to play station. The founder of SONY, Akio Morita, once said: I have always believed that the company name is the life of an enterprise. It carries responsibility and guarantees the quality of the product. Therefore corporate strategy leads a company to sustainable financial outcomes. Brandingstrategyinsider.com . Adhistry.wikispaces.com Google.co.uk Multi/Individual Branding Strategy Multi Brand Strategy refers to a marketing strategy under which two or more than two similar products of a firm are marketed under different brand names.   Finance.mapsofworld.com It is very difficult for a brand to position itself in a diversified environment where the customers needs and wants are different. Therefore, company can fill different market segments through diversifying its product range. VW, PG, Unilever and Diageo are the best examples of multi branding. PG is the prime example, having a multiple shampoo brand to influence different customers, like head shoulder for dandruff, Pentene for healthy hear and Sassoon for professional saloon experience. Through multi branding a company can target more than one segment in the market and fill the price gaps. Multi branding is a good strategy but sometime it fails because of the poor management. Due to failure it could harm the family brand name. VW took many years to change the negative brand image of Skoda from the customers mind. Helen Meek. et al, 2001 Google.co.uk Endorsed Branding A brand that carries the endorsement of a  source brand (the parent company). Brandbuild.eu Endorsements add integrity and assurance of the indorsed sub brand in customers mind without overpowering it with its own association. Endorsed branding is suitable for the company, using varied product portfolio, e.g. Nestle, Cadbury, Unilever etc. Nestle written on the  Kit Kat,  Cadbury written on Dairy Milk to provide credibility and assurance to the product. Some companies give independence to the endorsed brands like Unilever give freedom to the Heartbrands such as Feast, Magnum and Cornetto and they have their own marketing campaigns and target market. Some companies has firm relationship between company name and product, e.g. Ford does it with the model Mustang, people using either the brand name Mustang or the full name Ford Mustang. Google.co.uk Brand Elements Brand elements are those trademarkable devices that identify and differentiate the brands. There are certain elements of a brand, like names, logos, symbol, characters, slogans, design, features etc. some important elements are mentioned below. Kotler et al, 1996 Brand Name Name is the most significant element of the brand. This is the only part of the brand which should never be changed. It help customers to identify distinguish product from competitors. It is not necessary the brand name is associated with the company and can be different. But if the brand name is linked with the quality of the product either high or low, then all good must be of the same standard. MS is the prime example of providing quality products through St Michael Brand as one can see its tag on the cloths and food and household goods as well. Brand Image Brand image is fundamental way through which a customer recognises and believes a brand. It gives a company an identity and creates a better image in the mind of the customers. Brand image is unique that clearly reflects the image of the organisation and different from the competitors. To build a right image in the customers mind, the company must have to focus on brand identity. Brand Personality Brand personality is the goodwill of the brand. It is associated with the benefits and attributes of the brand. Brand personality is unique and long lasting; it is the emotional attachment of the consumers with the product, e.g. Sony and Panasonic, both are the giants of electronic sector, although both got same features, some peoples prefer one of the other because of their trust on the product by long time. Brand Association Associations, according to Aaker (1991) represent the bases for purchase decisions and for brand loyalty. The way consumers perceive brand is a key determinant of long-term business-consumer relationships. Hence, building strong brand perceptions is a top priority for many firms today. Morris, 1996 It is the perception of the customers towards a brand attributes and quality. Brands can be associated with the name, colours, symbols, attitudes, expressions and sound etc. Mercedes Benz is associated with the luxury drive and excellent engineering, Nike with its Slogan, Nokia with its sound, and Coca Cola with its red colour, Colgate toothpaste with cavity protection and Microsoft with Bill Gates. Renault has launched a successful campaign for its model Clio and used the famous French footballer Thierry Henry and Sesame Steet in the Va Va Voom advertisement. This campaign resulting attract more male customers than females. This is how celebritys association to the brand benefits organisation. Kotler et al, 1996 Brand association gives the basis of buying and brand loyalty to the customers. Companies always try to associate their brands with the positive things to create good image of the product in the mind of customers. Brand association developed if the product is desirable, durable and satisfies the customers needs. Positive customers perception about the product makes a brand stronger. It is formed on the basis of Product attributes, Advertisement, Relevant price, Quality, Celebrity and big entity association, Competition and Display points. Brand positioning Positioning is the place in consumers mind that you want you brand to own. For example, Hallmark caring shared, and Disney Family Fun entertainment. Positioning is not what you do to a product; positioning is what you do to the mind of the prospect. Ries and Trout, 1981 Brand positioning is successfully built through continuous communication with the customers about the product to its targeted market, through advertisement, brand name and its packing. Brand positioning refers to the position in the customers mind, it does not relate to market position. Brand positioning is associated with the market segmentation. The right market segment is to be targeted for the brand positioning. Brand positioning is all about a customers perception about the product. There are certain ways for a brand to be positioned, e.g. offering specific benefits, targeting a specific segment, pricing and distribution. Brand positioning is an important concept in which a company can decide where it wants to position its brand in its field relative to competition. Brand positioning is a thinking that guides a company to build a relationship between the brand and customers. Brand positioning gives space in the customers mind, so the company become in the better position to control over its own brand image. Price and quality are the most common attributes are considered in the brand positioning. To get a good position in the customers mind the company introduce brand of a good quality with on competitive price. The quality of the product must be at least equivalent or better from the competitors. Quality perception is the most powerful element of the brand positioning. Once a company is successful in building a powerful perception of quality will result in building a powerful brand. Psychological element is dominant to some extent in building a quality perception as some peoples psyche is that the product with high price tag is of good quality. Communicating brands through their specific features is another way to position brands, e.g. Clinic all clear, Dare to wear Black or Pakistan and India surf excel is advertised as stain remover, Surf Excel hena. Culture is another strong aspect to the brand positioning. Different companies use cultural symbols to differentiate products from their competitors. Examples including, Air India advertise through Maharaja, Tata tea, Hamara Bajaj etc. Treedeuce.com Brand Extension Brand extension  is a marketing strategy in which a firm that markets a product with a well-developed image uses the same brand name but in a different product category. Brandexpress.net When a firm uses its brand in another product form, or even within another product class, then the firm is stretching the brand (also referred to as brand extension). Iain Ellwood, 2002 Virgin is the good example of brand extension as they sell everything from records to airline travel, to cola drinks to wedding parties from clothing to cosmetic and computers. This is successful in brand extension because it has the ability to connect the customer directly and give them values. Many firms attempt to extend their brands but all the brand extensions are not suitable or desirable. An extended brand always works best in a top to down direction. It is always easy for a company to bring brand extension from relatively cheaper product line. Ralph Lauren and Gucci are the best example. Ralph Lauren extended from luxury clothing to jeans and bed linen while Gucci brand is extended from luxury clothes to oven gloves, cooking aprons and dog toys. An extended brand has a low introductory cost because the customers, traders and retailer are well aware of the product. Brand extension brings options to the customers through variety of products. If the product is of lower quality, will result in damaging in overall brand value. Iain Ellwood, 2002 Caterpillar is one of the biggest non-sporting footwear companies in the world with its brand CAT. This is basically a construction and mining equipment manufacturing company that extended their brand in this potential segment. It was perceived that it is the biggest mistake of the caterpillar but the extension was a big success. Sometimes the brand extension, implemented incorrectly due to less understanding. LEGO is a Danish toy manufacturing company, decided to extend its brand and launched its own product line of cloths, watches and video games but it was ignored by its target market, that result half of its employee are redundant back in 2004. Kotler et al, 2009 Michelin and Goodyear are the French companies, famous for making rubber tyres and having a number of brand extensions. Michelin brand extensions are car and cycle related product, footwear and clothing, sports and leisure and personal accessories. On the other hand Goodyear becomes the partner of the Adidas to make a series of driving shoes. Kotler et al 2006 We can see normally financial services providers have not attempted to extend their brands, and only concern with their original market. On the other hand, there are too many non-financial service providers extended directly to the financial services. E.g. Tesco extended its market to Tesco banking and Tesco insurance. Benefits of branding To customers People buy brands, because they are well aware of the quality of the product and save time and efforts. Buying a branded product can give customers a peace of mind and credibility. Most of the branded products have warranty policies, which gives customers assurance of a quality product. Some big companies having product replacing policies, e.g. DeWalt a power tool manufacturing company, replace the product immediately in case of damage. To intermediaries/stakeholders There are certain benefits of branding to different stakeholders, that directly/indirectly effecting the organisation. Multinational organisations always have the strategy for social, environmental and economic issues, so Companies contribute to the societies in which they operate. Brands follow government regulations to minimise any adverse effect to the environment and pays tax and create job opportunities that help governments to control over unemployment. Employees always attract to innovative companies where learning opportunities are always there to enhance their career. Multinational companies give assurance of the job security and give career path at the time of recruiting them. Instead of supplying goods directly to retailers, companies distribute goods through agents or distributers. Distributers get long-term agreements from the known brand companies and also benefits from the goodwill of from that brand. Retailer can get benefits from the companys overall marketing campaign. Sustainable competitive advantage When two or more firms compete within the same market, one firm possesses a competitive advantage over its rivals when it earns (or has the potential) to earn a persistently higher rate of profit. Grant, 2002 It is very important for every organisation to be successful in long term. Effective corporate branding is certainly the main source of getting sustainable competitive advantage in the market. Worlds famous corporate brands do not sell products, they sell concepts, e.g. Coca Cola does not sell a soft drink, it sells enjoyment and Microsoft does not sells computers, it sells possibility. Brand designers create a corporate brand identity through promotional material and advertising campaign to establish a corporate identity. There are certain brand characteristics that lead a company to get sustainable competitive advantage. A well designed logo and a strong identity system can give a company an edge over its competitors. Through Brand Identity A unique set of brand associations that the brand strategist aspires to create or maintain. These associations represent what the brand stands for and imply a promise to customers from the organisation members. Aaker, 2004 Brand identity is the way a company aims to identify or position itself or its product or service. Kotler et al, 2009 Brand identity is the first thing that a customer experience and plays a major role in getting a sustainable competitive advantage in the market. Brand attributes are is a bag of features that shows the personality of a brand and these attributes help to create brand identity. Brand identity is supported by emotional and unique elements and values, serve to distinguish the brand in the market, especially for progressively competitive environments, service organisations and recreational sectors. Brand identity creates a distinct identity that is very hard for the competitors to duplicate. The main elements to build a strong brand identity are human resources, organisational culture, organisational structure, stationary, company cards, company dà ©cor, packing, catalogue, market and innovation etc. Kotler et al, 2009 Through Brand loyalty Brand loyalty is considered as ultimate reward for a brand as it is another factor which leads a company to get a sustainable competitive advantage. Customers always prefer to buy those brands they are loyalty with, even though that is expensive and have close substitutes in the market. Apples iPod is a product to listen mp3/mp4 music, and the big electronic giants like Sony, Panasonic and so many other companies have same product with same features at the relatively low price than Apples iPod. Majority of the customers buy iPod just because they are loyal with the brand. Through Brand Equity Brand is a symbol of extremely precious part of legal property, that can control consumer behaviour and it also provides the protection of persistent future revenues to the firm. Brand equity is called the amount that is directly or indirectly accrues by these various benefits. Kapferer, 2005; keller, 2003 Companies invest huge amount of money to develop brand equity. Brands with high equity win the space in the market because of the uniqueness, reliable services and continuous and effective relationship with the customers. Stronger brand image takes a company to financial advantage through the brand equity. Brand equity leads a company to charge perineum prices for the product to raise their profit margin.

Supporting Prayer in Public Schools Essay -- Religion

â€Å"Our Father†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Denied For centuries, the debate has existed whether or not to allow prayer in public schools. Many Americans feel it is not right of the schools to teach religion. With all the diversity associated with the United States, public schools cannot select one standard religion to practice, due to the cultural and religious differences in the country. Not only are schools the storm center of controversy involving religious differences, they are the principal institution charged with transmitting the identity and mission of the United States from one generation to the next. If we fail in our school policies and classrooms to model and to teach how to live with differences, we endanger our experiment in religious liberty and our unity as a nation. According to the First Amendment of the Constitution, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof (usconstitution.net). The writers of the Constitution made it an important point in protecting freedom and religion. The writers then even stressed the importance of being able to be in any religion that suited a person. â€Å"The First Amendment of the Constitution removes government from the realm of religious belief and practice so that the state can neither subvert nor manipulate religion to serve secular, public ends† (Keynes and Miller 177). It is pure ignorance for someone to think that one religion is accepted throughout the world. No man or woman should be forced into a specific religion, quieted by peers, or not allowed to gather as a group of students just to pray. â€Å"A Congress that allows God to be banned from our schools while our schools can teach about cults, Hitler and even devil worship is wron g, out of t... ...reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what you have done in secret, will reward you† (Matthew 6:5-6 Holy Bible NIV). It would be beneficial to all if the advice set forth by Matthew the Apostle, was followed both in private life and mirrored with public schools. Works cited U.S Constitution Online. Steve Mount. 12 May 2008. 6 November 2008. Religion and Prayer in the US Public Schools. B.A. Robinson. 2006 October 11. Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. 6 November 2008. Keynes, Edward and Miller, Randall K. Court vs. Congress. North Carolina, Duke University Press, 1989. http://books.google.com/books?id=_Ebb2wsxkF4C. 6 November 2008 Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

New Venture Financing Case

`New venture financing at its core is securing the necessary funding to launch a new business. There are a variety of options for the entrepreneur to secure these funds, and finding the right financing in critical to starting any new business. Investors into a new venture will want to know that there is an acceptable risk/reward threshold for their capital. Therefore, it is important that the entrepreneur alleviate investor anxiety about the riskiness of the venture.There are several ways of an entrepreneur can portray the investment so that it is perceived to have less risk to the investor’s capital: an entrepreneur can stake his/her own capital in the venture to show the investor that he has a â€Å"horse in the race† as well, he/she may promise to pay back the money invested at an earlier stage in business growth rather than a later stage where the business’ financial status is less certain, or he/she may give investors some form of control in the company thro ugh specified terms, loan covenants, or participation in management.There are many entrepreneurs, however, who receive no outside funding for their start-up businesses. â€Å"Bootstrapping,† as it’s called, is when an entrepreneur uses his/her own savings, credit, personal loans, or equity available from a home or car mortgage. This is ideal if the entrepreneur has enough capital to start the business, as they retain 100% of ownership and control. Unfortunately, not all entrepreneurs can fund their new venture without outside help.When starting a new venture, it can be problematic to be burdened with too many liabilities that must be repaid, instead of reinvesting the funds back into the business to stimulate growth. For this reason, equity financing may be a more prudent path. There is a sector of specialized firms that will provide â€Å"seed capital† for a new venture, when the entrepreneur does not have enough capital to begin the new venture on their own.Th is capital is meant to get an idea off the ground and move it from past the â€Å"idea stage,† until the business has advanced to the stage where it can generate sufficient revenues itself. In this regard, they are considered to be â€Å"angels,† although this term can apply to individual investors as well as firms. â€Å"Angels† are typically those who have an excess of capital and contribute capital to new ventures. Angels may want forms of convertible debt, ownership equity, or management positions or control. To approach anyone for financing it is important to have a business plan.All legal issues regarding stakes and/or ownership should be clearly stated in any business plan, and it may be advantageous to supply a formal offering memorandum to investors. This will legally protect both principals in additional to providing the investors with a well-formulated blueprint for the formation and growth of the new venture. Venture Capital is another source of fina ncing. Venture capital is a pool of equity capital that is professionally managed. Wealth individuals can invest in these funds as limited partners, but usually they are comprised of pension funds and endowments.The general partners of the venture capital firm manage the funds, and are compensated with a fee as well as a percentage of the gains on the investments of the funds. Target returns on the investment in a venture capital fund are between 50% – 60%, although they can be very volatile. Venture capital usually does not take place during the start-up stage of the business cycle; usually is in the 2nd round financing stage. When exploring financing options and potential investors, it is paramount to guard any proprietary material associated with the new venture.Proprietary material is also known as a trade secret, which can be almost anything: a pattern, formula, design, process, or information. Whatever the proprietary information, it gives the entrepreneur a potential c ompetitive advantage over competitors, and is usually not generally know by the public. Protecting proprietary material with confidentiality agreements or non-disclosure agreements is advisable to any entrepreneur. As stated previously, there are different options when selecting financing. Equity ecurities are instruments like common stock and preferred stock, ownership shares in a firm, which derive value from the value of the firm, and are also a claim on a firm’s assets after all senior claims have been satisfied in the event of liquidation. Debt securities can take many forms: bonds, debentures, notes, etc. These debt securities receive higher priority than equity securities, and have the added benefit to the hold of receiving interest payments as well as the principal payment at the maturity of the security. Some debt instruments can be converted into equity securities depending on their construction.Venture capital firms will often â€Å"syndicate† a large invest ment: they attempt to entice other firms to take a stake in the investment. This allows venture capital firms to invest in numerous firms, diversifying their portfolios, and decreasing risk. Another form of financing is â€Å"cash flow financing. † Cash flow financing is typically funded by commercial banks, although it can also be obtained from institutional lenders (insurance firms or pension funds), loan institutions, or finance companies, and is a form of debt financing.These can either be short-term, long-term, or line-of-credit obligations. Asset-based financing may be more appealing to a start-up business than cash flow financing because start-ups lack an earnings history. In this form of financing, the firm gives the financier a first lien on assets: assets that can be used for these liens include accounts receivable, inventory, equipment, real estate, personally secured loans, letter-of-credit financing, and government secured loans.Venture leasing, a hybrid financin g option, occurs when a piece of equipment must be rented by a new venture for a fixed term. However, since the machine will have depreciated in value by the end of this fixed term, and if the new venture fails, the renter will have a harder time renting a depreciated piece of equipment, venture leasors will want to be able to purchase equity shares of the venture at the current price of financing at some date in the future, in exchange for the additional risk they take in leasing to the new venture.Of course, once your new venture has begun receiving revenues, financing may be internally generated. Profits can be reinvested into the venture to continue growth. Sources of internally generated financing include retained earnings, credit from suppliers, accounts receivable, a reduction in working capital, and the sale of assets. And while these sources can be a beneficial way of raising capital without the help of outside investors, the venture must be wary of becoming too â€Å"lean ,† or not having any wiggle room financially.There are a variety of investment possibilities to entrepreneurs in a new venture. Choosing the right one, or combination of financing methods, is critical to the growth and maturity of any venture. Throughout the business life-cycle, there are different stages at which these different financing methods will be helpful, or even necessary, and knowing which one best suits the venture is a vital part of prosperity.

Defining Rheumatoid Arthritis essays

Defining Rheumatoid Arthritis essays to most people arthritis means pain and stiffness in the joins. Indeed, if you trace the word arthritis to its Greek roots you will discover that it means inflammation (itis) of the joints (arthron). In practice the word is used to describe more than one hundred joint disorders, many of which are not caused by inflammation at all. There are several forms of arthritis which do begin as significant inflammation in the joints, and this inflammation cause damage to the joints. Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is one of the so called inflammatory for of arthritis. With RA, inflammation plays a major role in causing joint problems. This inflammation can bring about warmth and swelling in the joints in addition to significant stiffness and pain. It is believed that the inflammation of RA causes other problems, too. Peoples with RA often have such symptoms as fatigue, low-grade fever, decreased appetite, depression, and muscle aches along with pain and swelling in their joints. In, fact many peopl e with RA say that they just dont feel well. These people are describing malaise, a vague feeling of illness. This overall feeling of illness is common with RA because the condition is systemic, meaning that it can affect more than one part of the body. RA is also referred to as a chronic illness because if can last for months or years. The joints in RA vary from one person to another. For example, some people have painful joints only in there hands, whereas others may experience pain in there knees and feet. One on the distinguishing characteristics of RA, however, is the particular pattern of specific joints that can potentially become affected. Those most commonly involved in RA are finger joints, wrists, elbows, shoulders, some joints in the neck, jaw, hips, knees, ankles, feet, and toe joints. RA most often affects the body symmetrically, meaning that arthritis on one side of the body affects the other side equa ...

How to Become a Flight Attendant 13 Expert Tips

How to Become a Flight Attendant 13 Expert Tips SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Do you dream of traveling for work, touching down in a new city every day and experiencing different cultures regularly? Do you love helping people, and live for customer interactions (even the not-so-pleasant ones)? If so, you might want to consider a career as a flight attendant. Despite their glamorous TV and movie reputation, flight attendant jobs are difficult. They’re also competitive to get. In this article, I’ll break down how to become a flight attendant by first deciding if a job as a flight attendant is right for you and, if so, how to apply for flight attendant jobs. Becoming a flight attendant is an exciting, unique career path that has the potential to transform your life. Interested in Becoming a Flight Attendant? Consider These Questions First Flight attendant jobs are exciting, unique, and well-respected. They can also be exhausting and intense and require you to make significant sacrifices in your personal life. Before beginning the lengthy application process to be a flight attendant, consider these questions. Are You Okay With Working Long, Difficult Hours? A flight attendant’s schedule, at best, includes long, difficult work days. At worst, a flight attendant’s schedule can be unpredictable and exhausting. Once becoming a flight attendant, you’ll be responsible for having specific days where you’ll have scheduled trips to complete. You’ll also be responsible for a handful of days each month where you must be on-call to jump on a trip if required. Your on days, and your on-call days, can be any days - weekdays, weekends, holidays, etc. As a first year flight attendant, you’ll likely have to be on or on call for most major travel days, and have less seniority in picking which trips to fly. That means that you’ll probably be working on holidays and almost definitely be working on at least some weekends. The trips you take will often be extremely difficult and tiring on your body. If you mainly fly short, national flights, you’ll likely have two or more flights in a day and be responsible for overseeing the customer service needs of hundreds of customers. If you fly international trips, you’ll probably only have to fly one trip a day, but you’ll typically have a quick turnaround time before you have to be on your next flight. The toll of traveling to so many different places so quickly can heavy on your body, as you’ll often be adjusting to different time zones and getting up extremely early or staying up very late. Are You Able to Commit to an Intense Training Process? Flight attendant training is a long, intense process. For flight attendant training, you’ll need to move to a specified training location, where you’ll live with other flight attendant trainees for the duration of the training, which can last for several months. Most airlines only have two or three training facilities, so you’ll likely be far away from home for the entirety of your training. Training days themselves are mentally and physically exhausting. You’ll be learning rules about how to keep people safe in the air, as well as practicing the physical skills you’ll need to help pack the planes or conduct safe evacuations. Would You Be Okay Moving For Work? Airlines have hubs where many of their flights originate, and their flight crews are often required to live nearby so that they can be ready to jump on a flight at a moment’s notice. If you don’t live near your airline’s hub, you’ll likely have to move, at least for the part of the month where you’re on-call. That can mean leaving your friends and family behind for large amounts of time. Do You Like Dealing With Customers? As a flight attendant, you’ll have to deal with customers all the time - and they won’t always be pleasant or happy to work with you. If you don’t like dealing with customers, being a flight attendant probably isn’t the right job for you. How to Become a Flight Attendant: Flight Attendant Requirements Still want to be a flight attendant? Applying for a job as a flight attendant is highly competitive. For instance, Delta regularly receives 100,000 applications during its open enrollment periods, from which they only accept several hundred trainees. Many airlines have strict requirements for their flight attendants. In this section, I’ll talk about what some of those requirements are. Keep in mind, however, that every airline has different requirements of its attendants. Flight Attendant Requirements for Minimum Age All airlines have minimum age requirements from applicants. These can range from 18 to 21 years old, depending on the airline. There is no maximum age requirement for flight attendants at any US airline. Flight Attendant Requirements for Physical Ability One of the greatest myths about being a flight attendant is that you need to be a beautiful supermodel in order to be a flight attendant. Not true! Airlines don’t have physical appearance requirements, but they do want you to look neat and well groomed. Normally, airlines tend to look for conservative, classic styles of dress and appearance. That means that your hair should be dyed a natural color and you shouldn’t have any visible tattoos or piercings, besides ears. In terms of height and weight, airlines require that you’ll be able to reach the overhead bins to store luggage and that you can fit into the jump-seat easily. Other than that, there are no hard or fast cutoffs for height or weight. Airlines require their flight attendants to have 20/20 vision, which can be achieved either naturally or through the use of contacts and/or glasses. Finally, some airlines may require you to undergo a medical or physical fitness test to ensure that you’re in good enough health to fulfill the job’s requirements. Flight Attendant Requirements for Education All US airlines require that you have a high school diploma or GED to apply. You must also be able to pass a full background check and drug screening. How to Become a Flight Attendant: Finding a Job Flight attendant jobs can be difficult to find. Airlines often have hiring windows throughout the year during which they accept applications. Very few US airlines are hiring year-round. To that end, here are some tips for finding the flight attendant job of your dreams. Decide Which Airlines You’d Like to Work For First, you should decide what airlines you’d like to fly for. All of the US airlines are very different. When considering which airline you’d like to fly with, think about the following questions. #1: Where do I want to fly? Not every airline flies the same places. If you’ve got your heart set on making it out to the Pacific Northwest, make sure you’re applying to an airline that flies there.#2: What’s my customer service philosophy? Each airline has its own philosophy about customer service. Read up on the airlines to see which matches your own customer service philosophy.:3: What’re other flight attendants saying about working for this airline? You can use online company review sites like Glassdoor to get a sneak peek into what it’s like to work at a different airline. These reviews can help you see the positives and negatives a company, so you can make a more informed decision about where to apply. Always take these reviews with a grain of salt, however–just because someone else had a bad experience, doesn’t mean you will, too. Use Job Search Sites Job sites like Indeed.com and Monster.com can help you find out when companies are hiring flight attendants. You can also check Flight Attendant Career, a website that provides information about open applicant periods for all airlines in one place. Check the Websites of Airlines You’re Interested In Another great way to find flight attendant jobs is to watch the websites of the airlines that you’re interested in applying to. They’ll often have information about open positions on their sites. How to Become a Flight Attendant: Applying for Jobs As I mentioned, applying to be a flight attendant is very competitive. In this section, I’ll talk about how you can stand out from the crowd during the application and interview process. How to Present a Polished Flight Attendant Application Hiring managers at airlines have to look through hundreds of thousands of applications. Here are a few tips to make your application stand out. Show Off Your Skills Airlines are often looking to hire flight attendants who have special skills, like exceptional customer service ability or a passion for travel. If you’ve proven yourself to be able to work with people in different situations, you’ll definitely want to highlight this on your application. For instance, if you’ve encountered and had to serve people from different backgrounds in a previous job, it’ll show that you’ve got what it takes to deal with people. Similarly, airlines are looking for candidates who will enjoy traveling, which will obviously be a large part of your job description. If you’ve traveled a lot, highlight that, even if it’s in a later section of your resume, such as personal interests or skills. Finally, if you’re looking to fly internationally, fluency in another language can help you truly stand out from the pack, as you’ll have to help customers whose first language isn’t English. Make sure that your application reflects any unique skills you have that’ll help you standout from the crowd. Highlight Your Experience If you have previous experience as a flight attendant or in other high-stress customer service fields, make sure you note that on your application and resume. Airlines are looking for flight attendants who’ll be able to provide exceptional customer service to all of their customers. When highlighting your customer service experience, make sure you provide context. For instance, if you’ve worked in a shop before, quantify the number of customers you dealt with on busy days, which’ll show that you can handle numerous customer interactions in one day. Even if you’ve worked in a less relevant position, highlight how you’ve had to be flexible and helpful to different groups of people. Check Your Application Carefully Because hiring managers need to quickly screen hundreds of thousands of candidates at one time, you’ll need to make sure that your application is free of errors or mistakes that may automatically disqualify you from the position. Check for typos or other easy-to-correct errors that’d make your application look less professional. Make Sure You Fulfill the Requirements Before applying, make sure you fulfill all the requirements for employment. For instance, if the airline requires that you have a passport, make sure you’ve got one. If you don’t, the hiring managers will likely get rid of your application right away. How to Stand Out at Your Interviews Flight attendant interview days can be stressful affairs. You’ll often be interviewed amongst hundreds of your peers who’re applying for the same limited spots. Follow these tips to stand out from the pack. Make Sure You Look Professional As I mentioned previously, airlines place a high value on having their flight attendants be neatly groomed. Make sure you’re wearing a professional outfit, that your hair is neatly combed, and that you are awake and alert during the interview. Practice Flight Attendant Skills Airlines may have you demonstrate flight attendant skills during your interview, such as making an announcement on the PA loudspeaker of an airplane or dealing with an unruly customer. Prepare for these scenarios ahead of time by practicing what you’d say over the loudspeaker (remember to speak slowly and clearly) or how you’d deal with an angry customer. Coming in prepared for any scenario will help you stand out and give you a sense of calm during the interview process. Demonstrate That You Can Work Well As Part of a Team Flight attendants are part of a team. They work with other flight attendants on the plane, as well as with the captains and first officers who fly the planes. Make sure that you demonstrate your ability to be a good teammate during the interview process. Be prepared to highlight specific examples from your previous work where you’ve had to collaborate with other employees or positively resolve a workplace conflict. If there are any group activities, treat your other applicants cordially and respectfully, even though you’re competing for the same job. Training to be a Flight Attendant Once you’ve been provisionally hired as a flight attendant, you still have to complete the long and difficult training. Not everyone who’s accepted to training makes its all the way through to officially become a flight attendant. Knowing what you’ll face when going into training can help prepare you. Flight attendant training is an intense, multi-week program. You’ll be in training from anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks. You’ll likely have to move away from home to be at the training, which means you’ll be away from your friends and family. Your training will consist of educational and physical portions. You’ll learn about the codes, rules, regulations, and theories you need to know to safely transport passengers from one place to another. You’ll also go through the physical requirements of being a flight attendant. You’ll learn how to evacuate a flight, how to stow and remove luggage, and how to protect and see to passengers in the event of an emergency. To complete your training, you’ll be required to pass a safety, emergency, and evacuation test administered by the FAA. For most airlines, you must pass with a 90% or higher in order to be accepted as a flight attendant. Review: Is a Career as a Flight Attendant Right for You? If you’re wondering how to become a flight attendant, it’s first important to understand if being a flight attendant is right for you. Flight attendant jobs are quite difficult, and the path to becoming a flight attendant is long and competitive. Make sure that your application is polished and competitive so that you standout from the pack.