Effective Book Review Writing Tips

Effective Book Review Writing Tips There are fundamental differences among the various kinds of scientific books. What should be covered in an effective book review. Monographs. We can define a monograph as a specialized book written for a specialized audience. Therefore, the reviewer of a monograph has one paramount obligation: to describe for potential readers exactly what is in the book. What, precisely, is the subject of the book, and what are the outside limits of the material covered? If the monograph has a number of subjects, perhaps each with a different author, each subject should be treated individually. The good book review, of course, will mirror the quality of the book; the pedestrian material will be passed over quickly, and the significant contributions will be given weightier discussion. The quality of the writing, with rare exceptions, will not need comment. It is the information in the monograph that is important to its audience. Highly technical language and even some jargon are to be expected. Reference Books. The subject of a reference book is likely to be much broader than that of a monograph. Still, it is important for the reviewer to define in appropriate detail the content of the book. Unlike the monograph, which may contain many opinions and other subjective material, the reference book contains facts. Therefore, the prime responsibility of the book reviewer is to determine, however possible, the accuracy of the material in the reference book. Any professional librarian will tell you that an inaccurate reference book is worse than none at all. Textbooks. In reviewing a textbook, the reviewer has a different set of considerations. Unlike the language in a monograph, that in a textbook must be nontechnical and jargon must be avoided. The reader will be a student, not a peer of the scientist who wrote the book. Technical terms will be used, of course, but each should be carefully defined at first use. Unlike in the reference book, accuracy is not of crucial importance. An inaccurate number or word here and there is not crucial as long as the message gets through. The function of the book reviewer, then, is to determine whether the subject of the text is treated clearly, in a way that is likely to enable students to grasp and to appreciate the knowledge presented. The textbook reviewer has one additional responsibility. If other texts on the same subject exist, which is usually the case, the reviewer should provide appropriate comparisons. A new textbook might be good based on its own evident merits; however, if it is not as g ood as existing texts, it is useless. Trade Books. Again, the reviewer has different responsibilities. The reader of a trade book may be a general reader, not a scientist or a student of the sciences. Therefore, the language must be nontechnical. Furthermore, unlike any of the other scientific books, a trade book must be interesting. Trade books are bought as much for entertainment as they are for education. Facts may be important, but a boring effusion of facts would be out of place. Scientific precepts are sometimes difficult for the layperson to comprehend. The scientist writing for this market must always keep this point in mind, and the reviewer of a trade book must do so also. If a somewhat imprecise, nontechnical term must replace a precise, technical term, so be it. The reviewer may wince from time to time, but a book that succeeds in fairly presenting scientific concepts to the general public should not be faulted because of an occasional imprecision. Finally, with trade books (as with other scientific books, for that matter), the reviewer should try to define the audience. Can any literate person read and understand the book, or is some level of scientific competency necessary? If a reviewer has done the job well, a potential reader will know whether or not to read the book under consideration, and why. Imprint Information. At the top of a book review, the reviewer should list complete imprint information. The usual order is as follows: title of the book, edition (if other than the first), name of author(s) or editor(s), publisher, place (city in which the publisher is located), year of publication, number of pages, and list price of the book. Conventionally, well-known cities are not followed by state or country names. A publisher located in New York is listed New York not New York, NY and London is listed as London not London, U.K. A company providing support in all kinds of book review writing can be a good source of help when you need a book review. Books related to any discipline and of any kind can be reviewed excellently by following the instructions. If you do not know how to do a book review writing, do not get upset as we are here to help you. So, follow the instructions given below for book review writing: Read the book for which you are going to do book review writing. While reading, summarize all the chapters in your own words. Evaluate the book. Closely look into the writing style of the author, what words he/she uses mostly, how he/she has managed to deliver his/her views regarding the main topic and what theme he/she has followed to write the book. Try to find out the center of the book, the main idea around which the whole text is revolving. Find out the strong and weak aspects of the writer which he/she has shown in his/her writing. Highlight the strong and weak points in your review writing. Try to find out how the writer has justified his/her claims that he/she made in his/her written work. Introduce the text. Conclude in the last. Remember writing book reviews is a small exercise, you should not write a number of pages for it. Try to cut it short. First of all, do the drafting for book review writing, then check it and write it with amendments. Try to keep the review as simple as you can. Moreover, it should be readily understood. If you are still in need of assistance, contact us, and we will resolve all of your problems related to book review writing.

Astronomy 101 - Early History of Astronomy

Astronomy 101 - Early History of Astronomy Astronomy is humanitys oldest science. People have been looking up, trying to explain what they see in the sky probably since the first human-like cave dwellers existed. Theres a famous scene in the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, where a hominid named Moonwatcher surveys the sky, taking in the sights and pondering what he sees. Its likely that such beings really did exist, trying to make some sense of the cosmos as they saw it. Prehistoric Astronomy Fast forward about 10,000 years to the time of the first civilizations, and the earliest astronomers who already figured out how to use the sky. In some cultures, they were priests, priestesses, and other elites who studied the movement of celestial bodies to determine rituals, celebrations, and planting cycles. With their ability to observe and even forecast celestial events, these people held great power among their societies. This is because the sky remained a mystery to most people, and in many cases, cultures put their deities in the sky. Anyone who could figure out the mysteries of the sky (and the sacred) had to be pretty important.   However, their observations were not exactly scientific. They were more practical, although somewhat used for ritual purposes. In some civilizations, people assumed that that celestial objects and their motions could foretell their own futures. That belief led to the now-discounted practice of astrology, which is more of an entertainment than anything scientific.   The Greeks Lead the Way The ancient Greeks were among the first to start developing theories about what they saw in the sky. Theres much evidence that early Asian societies also relied on the heavens as a sort of calendar. Certainly, navigators and travelers used the positions of the Sun, Moon, and stars to find their way around the planet.   Observations of the Moon suggested that Earth, too, was round. People also believed that Earth was the center of all creation. When coupled with the philosopher Plato’s assertion that the sphere was the perfect geometrical shape, the Earth-centered view of the universe seemed like a natural fit.   Many other early observers believed the heavens were really a giant crystalline bowl arching over Earth. That view gave way to another idea, expounded by astronomer Eudoxus and philosopher Aristotle in the 4th century BCE. They said the Sun, Moon, and planets hung on a set of nesting, concentric spheres surrounding Earth. Nobody could see them, but something was holding up the celestial objects, and invisible nesting balls were as good an explanation as anything else. Although helpful to ancient people trying to make sense of an unknown universe, this model did not help in properly tracking the motions planets, the Moon, or stars as seen from Earths surface. Still, with few refinements, it remained the predominant scientific view of the universe for another six hundred years. The Ptolemaic Revolution in Astronomy In the Second Century BCE, Claudius Ptolemaeus (Ptolemy), a Roman astronomer working in Egypt, added a curious invention of his own to the geocentric model of nesting crystalline balls.   He said that the planets moved in perfect circles made of something, attached to those perfect spheres. All that stuff   rotated around Earth. He called these little circles epicycles and they were an important (if erroneous) assumption. While it was wrong, his theory could, at least, predict the paths of the planets fairly well. Ptolemys view remained the preferred explanation for another fourteen centuries! The Copernican Revolution That all changed in the 16th century, when  Nicolaus Copernicus, a Polish astronomer tiring of the cumbersome and imprecise nature of the Ptolemaic model, began working on a theory of his own. He thought there had to be a better way to explain the perceived motions of planets and the Moon in the sky. He theorized that the Sun was at the center of the universe and Earth and other planets revolved around it. Seems simple enough, and very logical. However, this idea conflicted with the Holy Roman churchs idea (which was largely based on the perfection of Ptolemys theory). In fact, his idea caused him some trouble. Thats because, in the Churchs view, humanity and its planet were always and only to be considered the center of all things. The Copernican idea demoted Earth to something the Church didnt want to think about. Since it was the Church and had assumed power over all knowledge, it threw its weight around to get his idea discredited.   But, Copernicus persisted. His model of the universe, while still incorrect, did three main things. It explained the prograde and retrograde motions of the planets. It took Earth out of its spot as the center of the universe. And, it expanded the size of the universe. In a geocentric model, the size of the universe is limited so that it can revolve once every 24 hours, or else the stars would get slung off due to centrifugal force. So, maybe the Church did fear more than a demotion of our place in the universe since a deeper understanding of the universe was changing with Copernicuss ideas.   While it was a major step in the right direction, Copernicus’ theories were still quite cumbersome and imprecise. Yet, he paved the way for further scientific understanding. His book, On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Bodies, which was published as he lay on his deathbed, was a key element in the beginning of the Renaissance and the Age of Enlightenment. In those centuries, the scientific nature of astronomy became incredibly important, along with the construction of telescopes to observe the heavens. Those scientists contributed to the rise of astronomy as a specialized science that we know and rely upon today.  Edited by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

Confucius ( type of essay is for Literature) Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Confucius ( type of is for Literature) - Essay Example This also coincides with showing actual change and not merely claiming. To talk is one thing but be that change that you are aiming for is another. Actions always speak louder than words. I have come to realize that people are more akin to trusting you if they see that you are working. When one has the gift of gab, people are immediately drawn to him. But sooner or later if words are not accompanied with actions then they will see right through you. Contemplation is imperative in everything that we do. â€Å"When one cultivates to the utmost the principles of his nature, and exercises them on the principle of reciprocity, he is not far from the path. What you do not like when done to yourself, do not do to others† (Confucius, The Doctrine of the Mean, par. 29). This is no less than the golden rule. There is no doubt that this proves true in our lives. The penchant for empathy is an integral human nature that must not be dispensed with. I do not steal because I do not want to be stolen from. I know how valuable possession is for a person as I especially value my own. Even for things as simple as getting in line this is true. We all have been victims of others who have no regard and cut through a line which is why I do not do the same. â€Å"It never has been the case that what was of great importance has been slightly cared for, and, at the same time, that what was of slight importance has been greatly cared for† (Confucius, The Great Learning, par. 7). If you truly value one thing then you will pay much attention to nurture it. The same reins true for our endeavors. At the moment, the most important part of my life is my studies. I work hard to attend to all of my subjects so that I will not receive a failing grade. Although there are times that I falter, I am not easily deterred and I continue on. Because I know that this will be something of great importance

Regulatory and Conceptual Framework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Regulatory and Conceptual Framework - Essay Example International accounting standards will enhance the quality and transparency of accounting information. According to the principles of corporate governance, corporate reporting should ensure that the information is fair and transparent (AAA, 2003). Consequently, this results in the numbers getting beyond reproach in terms of integrity. It is very easy for companies to reduce the costs of transactions because there is a reduction in risk estimations by the market. However, the standards have the effect of increasing costs for small companies since they have few resources to implement the changes including training of accountants. Second, international accounting standards enhance flexibility in financial reporting because it is principle-based as opposed to the use of rules. This means that companies have many ways to arrive at a valuation that is reasonable and suitable to particular situations. This makes it very easy to read and interpret financial statements (FASB/IASB, 2008). On the downside, international accounting standards can promote manipulation because companies can selection a method of valuation of their choice. Most companies will decide to report only desired results while hiding financial problems. The result is that a company may appear more profitable than its real performance. Third, the use of international standards has the advantage of creating uniformity in financial reporting which improves comparability. It would be more accurate to compare the financial performance of companies using a uniform accounting standard than using different standards. It makes it easier for an investor to select an investment. On the downside, the international standard has not been accepted especially in the U.S. This has influenced other countries to hold out because they use the accounting standards adopted by the U.S. as a gold standard of measure. The situation is worse for foreign firms doing business in the U.S. because they

Impact of Airports Political, Environmental and Social

Impact of Airports Political, Environmental and Social Airports play an important economic role within their local communities. Airports serve a significant role in the economic shaping of the communities of which they serve due to the sheer actuality that they are among the largest public facilities in the world. It is well understood that a viable and efficient transportation system is a fundamental and necessary component to the economy of any region (Wells Young, 2004). Although there is no doubt that the presence of an airport has great positive impacts on a surrounding community from an economic standpoint, the presence of an airport, much like any large industrial complex, unfortunately impacts the community and surrounding natural environment in what many consider a negative manner. These effects are a result of activity whose sources is the airport itself and of vehicles, as well as both aircraft and ground vehicles, which travel to and from the airport (Wells Young, 2004). Examine the political, environmental and social impact an airport has on its local community. Analyze some rules and regulations that govern environmental impact activities, and explain how their strategies help satisfy the needs of the local communities while maintaining sufficient airport operations. Determine and evaluate the role technology plays in mitigating the risks and reducing the environmental impacts created by airport activity. Determine if a relationship exist between community economic growth indicators and airport activity. Program Outcome addressed by this question. 1. P.O. #1: Students will be able to apply the fundamentals of air transportation as part of a global, multimodal transportation system, including the technological, social, environmental, and political aspects of the system to examine, compare, analyze and recommend conclusion. A literary review will analyze the environmental impacts of airports on the surrounding communities in which they serve. An evaluation of environmentally related complaints filed against aviation activity and reported to the FAA will determine the most significant environmental impacts associated with airports. Predicting the future of the global multimodal air transportation system is impossible without first understanding the local role and responsibility of each component of the air transportation system. This question will show evidence of satisfying the Program Outcome by demonstrating how the social, economical, political, and environmental fundamentals of an airport are an integral part of the air transportation system, and how these factors contribute to the relationship that an airport has with its surrounding communities. Research and Analysis Airports serve a significant role in the political, economic, and social shaping of the communities of which they serve due to the sheer actuality that they are among the largest public facilities in the world. Political Roles A major commercial airport is a huge public enterprise. Some are literally cities in their own right, with a great variety of facilities and services (Wells Young, 2004). Although the administrative functions and responsibilities of these facilities are governed by public entities, airports are also comprised of private dispositions. Commercial airports must be operated in cooperation with the air carriers that provide air transportation service and all airports must work with tenants, such as concessionaires, fixed-based operators (FBOs), and other firms doing business on airport property. This amalgamation of public management and private enterprise fashions a unique political role for airport management (Wells Young, 2004). Airline carrier-airport relationships. One of the most prominent and essential relationships in the aviation industry is the airport airline relationship. When viewing the relationship from the airlines standpoint, an airport is a point along their route system for the purpose of enplaning, deplaning, and transferring passengers, cargo, and freight. To facilitate effective and efficient operations, the airlines necessitate specific facilities and services at each airport. The specified requirements of the airports are as varied and unique as the airlines who request them; however, they scarcely remain stagnant, as they are ever changing and evolving to meet the needs of traffic demands, economic conditions, and the competitive climate. Before airline deregulation in 1978, response to changes of this sort was slow and mediated by the regulatory process. Airlines had to apply to the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) for permission to add or drop routes or to change fares. CAB deliberations involved published notices, comments f rom opposing parties, and sometimes hearings that could take months, even years, and all members of the airline airport community were aware of an airline carriers intention to make a change long before they received permission from the CAB (Wells Young, 2004). The Deregulation Act of 1978 enabled air carriers to change their routes and fares without awaiting the approval of the CAB. Many of these changes occurred on short notice, thus causing airline necessities and requirements at airports to change with haste. Contrary to the viewpoints of air carriers, which operate at multiple airports over a route system connecting many cities, airports concentrate on accommodating the interests of a variety of users at a solitary location. Airport operators and managers have the strenuous task of ensuring that they meet all the demands and requirements of their airline carriers while maintaining their resources. Due to the rapidly changing specifics of each airline carrier, airports often find their services and facilities needing improving or refurbishing, requiring major capital expenditures or even making obsolete an already constructed facility. Airport operators and managers must exercise diligence and caution in realizing that they accommodate and must meet the needs of other tenants and users besides the airline carriers, and must ensure that the airports landside facilities are effectively and efficiently utilized. Although the landside facilities are of minimal importance to the airline carrie rs, their efficiency can severely have an effect on and be affected by their operations. Despite their notably different perspectives, airline carriers and airports share the collective objective of making the airport a successful and established economic venture in which both parties can benefit and prosper from. Traditionally the relationship between the airline carriers and airports has been formally fused through the use of airport user agreements which establish the circumstances and methodology for establishing, calculating, and collecting usage fees and charges. These agreements are also used to identify the rights and privileges of air carriers, sometimes including the right to approve or disapprove any major proposed airport capital development projects (Wells Young, 2004). Residual cost airports, or airports where two or more air carriers assume financial risk by agreeing to pay any cost of running the airport that are not allocated to other users, typically have longer-term use agreements than compensatory airports, with agreements of terms of 20 or more year s and terms of 30 years or longer not being uncommon. On the other hand, only approximately half of compensatory airports, or airports in which the airport operator assumes the financial risk of running the airport and charges the air carrier fees and rental rates set so as to recover the actual costs, have agreements running for 20 years or more, with many of the compensatory airports having no contractual agreements whatsoever with the airline carriers (Wells Young, 2004). Concessionaire-airport relationships. Another vital relationship which attributes to an airports success is the relationship between the airport and the concessionaires. This is due to the fact that the majority of airports rely on their concessionaires in order to generate a considerable amount of their non-aviation related revenues. Airports maintain management contracts and concession agreements with the concessionaires who provided the airport with services and facilities such as banks, restaurants, hotels, car rental companies, parking facilities, bookstores, bars, gift shops, taxi services, and business centers. The context of these agreements varies to a great extent; however, they typically extend the various concessionaires the privilege of operating on the property of the airport in exchange for the greater payment of either a minimal annual fee, or a percentage of the revenues. These agreements can vary from outlet to outlet at the same airport depending upon location, nature of business, forecast turnover and whether or not the outlet is new (Francis et. al, 2004). The tenure of each agreement between the airport and the various concessionaires and the financial circumstances affixed to each will vary by airport and concessionaire. The length of the contractual agreement is dependent upon an array of criteria, with one of the most important being the level of investment required from the retailer. If little investment is required then a contract is often short term; however, if any substantial level of investment is required from the retailer then a contract of five years would be considered the minimum (Freathy OConnell, 1999). A concessionaire who is often overlooked when speaking of concessionaire, despite its critically important role, is the fixed based operator (FBO). FBOs generally provide services for airport firms, users, and tenants lacking facilities of their own, typically through fuel sales, and aircraft repair, service, and maintenance facility operations. The contracts and agreements between airport operators and FBOs vary due to FBOs constructing and developing its own facilities on airport property in some cases, and FBOs simply managing facilities belonging to the airport in other cases. In addition to concessionaires, some airport authorities serve as landlord to other tenants which may reside and operate on airport property such as industrial parks, freight forwarders, and warehouses, all of which can provide significant revenue. It is the responsibility of airport management to maintain fruitful political relationships with all tenants, by ensuring reasonable lease fees, contract terms, and an overall mix of tenants that meet the needs of the airport and the public it serves (Wells Young, 2004). General aviation-airport relationships. In contrast to airline carriers and concessionaires, contractual agreements are rarely used to characterize and solidify the relationships between airport operators and general aviation (GA). GA is a diverse group which can be comprised of GA aircraft owned and operated by an assortment of organizations and individuals for a miscellaneous number of leisure, business, or instructional purposes. Agreement when they are in place, are seldom long term due to the variety and diversity of owners and aircraft type and use. Airport facilities, in particular storage space such as hangars and tie-downs, are often leased from the airport with the airport playing the role of landlord in a landlord-tenant relationship. Thus, at the airport, the primary needs of GA are parking and storage space, along with facilities for fuel, maintenance, and repair. Whereas as air carrier might occupy a gate for an hour to deplane and enplane passengers and load fuel, a GA user might need to have property space to park an aircraft for a day or more (Wells Young, 2004). Airport-public relations. Indubitably, one of the most vital and challenging relationships that an airport must foster and maintain, is the relationship between the airport and its community it serves. The overall goal of the airport must be to create goodwill and a positive reputation for the airport and its products, services, and ideals with the community, who can affect its present and future welfare. Without regards to the size, location, or activity scope of an airport, every airport four publics in which it must deal with. These publics include the 1) external business public, which includes all segments of the business, government, educational, and general flying public; the 2) external general public, which is all the local citizens and taxpayer, many of whom have never been to the airport but who vote on airport issues or who represent citizens groups with particular concerns; the 3) internal business public, which includes the businesses and enterprises who interests are tied directly to the airpor t-the airlines, FBOs, other members of the GA community, government officials, and other aviation and travel-oriented local businesses and trade organizations, and the employees of all these enterprises; and the 4) internal employee public comprised of everyone who works for the airport and its parent organization (Wells Young, 2004). Like any other facility that is a part of and serves the total community, the airport requires total understanding by its community and publics, and must ensure that it creates an environment and atmosphere of awareness and acceptance. Airport regulatory policies. The airport has many organizations who are profoundly interested in their operations, and in developing and preserving airports due to their role in the national air transportation system and their value to the communities and publics they serve. The primary goal of these groups is to provide political support for their causes with hopes to influence federal, state, and local laws concerning airports and aviation operations in their favor (Wells Young, 2004). Some of the most prominent groups include the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), the Air Transport Association of America (ATA), the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), the Aviation Distributors and Manufacturers Association (ADMA), the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), the Flight Safety Foundation (FSF), the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (G AMA), the Helicopter Association International (HAI), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA), the National Air Transportation Association (NATA), the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO), the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA), and the Regional Airline Association (RAA). Economic Roles Unquestionably, airports are economic locomotives and a reflection of the community, publics, and region in which they reside, serve, and represent. Transportation, by definition, provides the ability for people and goods to move between communities, thus leading to trade and commerce between markets, which in turn, lead to jobs, earnings, and overall economic benefit for a communitys residents (Wells Young, 2004). Transportation role. Despite the fact that there are numerous modes of transportations, to include automobiles, trains, trucks, and ships, air travel has had a significant impact on trade and commerce that is absolutely unrivaled by any other transportation mode. In comparison to their sister modes of transportation, travel in the aviation system allows substantial amounts of passengers and cargo to travel internationally in relatively short periods of time, resulting in communities garnering extraordinary and exceptional economic benefit through providing them access to various world-wide markets. Stimulating economic growth. The airport has become vital to the growth of business and industry in a community by providing air access for companies that must meet the demands of supply, competition, and expanding marketing areas. Economic impacts of airports are measured according to direct impact and indirect, or induced, impact. Directs impacts include the economic activities carried out at the airport by airline carriers, airport management and operators, FBOs, and other firms, and tenants with a direct involvement with aviation. Airports and the agencies and tenants that directly impact the airports represent a major source of employment for their various outlying communities, with the wages and salaries earned by the employees of airport-related business having a significant direct economic impact on the local communities economy by providing the means to purchase goods and services while generating tax revenues as well. Local payrolls are not the only measure of an airports economic benefit to the commun ity. In addition, the employee expenditures generate successive waves of additional employment and purchases that are more difficult to measure, yet nevertheless substantial (Wells Young, 2004). Total Airport Earnings and Employment (Earnings in Millions) Category Earnings Jobs Salaries $208.91 4,870 Local Fuel Purchases $3.99 237 Local Non-Fuel Purchases $4.23 252 Rent $18.35 723 Equipment Purchases $1.39 82 Utilities $8.07 318 Contractual Services $41.77 1,647 State Taxes $10.16 125 Local Taxes $27.42 338 Other Spending $73.14 901 Hotel Spending $42.20 2,234 Construction $19.11 743 Total $458.74 12,471 * Totals may not add due to rounding Table 1: Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) 2004 earnings and employment. Taken from MSY 2004 Airport Report In addition to the direct economic impact generated by the airport, the outlying communities receive indirect, or induced, impact generated by economic activities by on-airport businesses and off-airport business activities associated with the airport through-put, such as hotels, gas stations, restaurants, and travel agencies, as well their roles in facilitating trade and tourism, among others. The airport also indirectly supports the local economy through the use of local services for air cargo, food catering to the airlines, aircraft maintenance, and ground transportation on and around the airport, as regular purchases of fuel, food, goods, supplies, equipment, and other services permeate additional income into the communities surrounding the airport. The local economys tourism and business convention industry can also receive economic growth and substantial revenues indirectly impacted by the airport through air travelers patronage and use of hotels, restaurants, retail stores, sp orts and night clubs, rental cars, and local transportation, among others. Beyond the benefits that an airport brings to the community as a transportation facility and as a local industry, the airport has become a significant factor in the determination of real estate values in adjacent areas. Land located near airports almost always increases in value as the local economy begins to benefit from the presence of the airport. Land developers consistently seek land near airports, and it follows inexorably that a new airport will inspire extensive construction around it (Wells Young, 2004). TOTAL TAX REVENUE CREATED (In millions of $s) CATEGORY INCOME State Direct $9.95 Income $7.18 Selective Sales $7.52 General Sales $8.90 Business $2.48 Total State $36.04 Local Sales $10.57 Local Direct $23.83 Local Property Taxes $0.97 Total Local $35.38 State Plus Local $71.41 * Totals may not add due to rounding Table 2: MSY Tax revenue created 2004. Taken from MSY 2004 Airport Report Airports are a major force and contributor to the local, regional, and national economy with an impact that goes well beyond the actual physical boundaries of the airport. As cargo and passenger continue to rise, and infrastructure continue to improve, the importance and impacts of airports as economic catalyst will also continue to increase. Environmental Roles Although there is no doubt that the presence of an airport has great positive impacts on a surrounding community from an economic standpoint, the presence of an airport, much like any large industrial complex, unfortunately impacts the community and surrounding natural environment in what many consider a negative manner. These effects are a result of activity whose sources is the airport itself and of vehicles, as well as both aircraft and ground vehicles, which travel to and from the airport (Wells Young, 2004). Noise Impacts. Conceivably the most noteworthy environmental impact associated with airports is the noise emanated by the taking off and landing of aircraft, with engine maintenance and taxiing aircraft following closely behind. The impact of such noise on communities is usually analyzed in terms of the extent to which the noise annoys people by interfering with their normal activities, such as sleep, relaxation, speech, television, school, and business operations (GAO, 2000). According to a 1978 study that has become the generally accepted model for assessing the effects of long-term noise exposure, when sound exposure levels are measured by the method that assigns additional weight to sounds occurring at night (between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.), and those sound levels exceed 65 decibels, individuals report a noticeable increase in annoyance (Schultz, 1978). There is increasing evidence that high exposure to noise has adverse psychological and physiological effects and that people repeatedly exposed to loud noises might exhibit high stress levels, nervous tension, and inability to concentrate (Wells Young, 2004). Since the beginning of aviation, airports have always had conflicts with their neighboring communities; however, noise did not become an issue until the 1960s introduction of the commercial jet. It is estimated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that between 1960 and 1970, the land area affected by aviation-related noise and the complaints they received with noise as the culprit increased sevenfold.

Death Penalty Essay

There are several reasons to argue for making the death penalty illegal in the United States of America. The United States Constitution does not allow for unkind penalties as a sentence for crime. The death penalty poses many risks to the innocent. World opinion supports the cessation of the death penalty. Poor and minorities suffer disproportionately from the death penalty. Capital punishment is not a deterrent to crime. Putting people to death by capital punishment is not cost effective. Putting people to death by capital punishment is inhumane and should be illegal. The U. S.  Constitution states that, â€Å"cruel and unusual punishments (Amendment 8, 1791),† should not be inflicted on its citizens. It is especially cruel in cases of â€Å"botched† executions. On April 22, 1983 in Alabama, it took several jolts of 1,900 volts of electricity to execute John Evans. On the third attempt â€Å"another charge of electricity was sent through John’s body. Once again, his head and leg boiled (80, Canan, Burning at The Wire)†. In a 1994 case, Fierro v. Gomez, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California reviewed evidence on the effects of the gas chamber and supported Justice Brennan’s Eighth Amendment claim. The court â€Å"concluded that the time it takes for the lethal gas to kill an inmate combined with the degree of pain inflicted on the inmate warrants the use of another method of execution† (US Court for 9th Circuit). Brennan cited evidence that criminals executed in the gas chamber—by asphyxiation—suffered great pain over a number of minutes. Although most modern execution methods appear to be physically painless, appearances can be misleading. Renowned neurobiologists are now providing evidence which show that it is scientifically and medically certain that death by electrocution is not instantaneous. In the words of Harold Hillman, a prominent neurobiologist, â€Å"death by electrocution may inflict unnecessary pain, physical violence, and mutilation† (Hillman 174). The death penalty poses serious risk to the innocent. Due to inherent flaws in the US criminal justice system innocent people have been wrongly convicted. The danger is that once an innocent person is executed it cannot be remedied. Excerpts from a 1993 report by a US Congress Subcommittee, states that no matter how careful we are â€Å"the chances are high that innocent persons have been or will be executed† (deathpenaltyinfo. rg). In 1989 although no physical evidence linked Joseph Burrows to the murder of William Dulin, he was convicted and sent to Death Row. Witnesses later said they had been coerced by prosecutors and police. In summing up the appeal, Justice Harry Blackmun, stated that, an â€Å"execution without adequate safeguards is unacceptable, so too is an execution when the condemned prisoner can prove that he is innocent† (deathpenaltyinfo. org). In 1994, a Texas court sentenced Michael Blair to death for the 1993 murder of 7-year old Ashley Estell. Mr. Blair could have paid with his life. However a re-investigation of the case in May 2008 found that â€Å"no reasonable juror would have convicted [applicant] in light of newly discovered evidence (cca. courts. state. tx. us)†. More innocent people continue to be released from death row. â€Å"There have been 220 post-conviction DNA exonerations in United States history (innocenceproject. org). † World opinion is in favor of abolishing the death penalty. The European Union campaigns for the universal abolition of the death penalty. Abolition of the death penalty is a requirement for countries seeking EU membership. The EU Charter states that â€Å"no one shall be condemned to the death penalty, or executed (Article II-2)†. Turkey has joined the growing number of countries that advocate the abolishment of the death penalty. The Turkish Constitution states that, â€Å"neither death penalty nor general confiscation shall be imposed as punishment (Article 38, 9)†. Even in Central Asia where executions are part of a long tradition, several countries have limited or suspended the use of the death penalty. On June 26, 2006 the President of the Philippines Macapagal Arroyo passed into law a bill abolishing the death penalty. The bill ratified their 1987 Constitution which states that, â€Å"the death penalty shall not be imposed. Any death penalty already imposed shall be reduced to reclusion perpetua† (Article III, section 19(1). In Africa, only six countries continue to impose the death penalty. On September 16, 2005, Liberia acceded to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty. Article 1. 2 of the protocol states that, â€Å"each State Party shall take all necessary measures to abolish the death penalty within its jurisdiction† (http://www2. ohchr. org). Because poor and minorities are disproportionately subjected to the death penalty, it should be prohibited. A United States Judiciary Subcommittee in 1994 found that, â€Å"minorities are being prosecuted under federal death penalty law far beyond their proportion in the general population† (usdoj. gov). Most court appointed attorneys often lack the experience necessary for capital trials. Since â€Å"ninety-five percent of death row inmates cannot afford their own attorney,† (deathpenaltyinfo. org) a court attorney is usually appointed for them. During closing remarks in a murder trial in a 1985 case in Georgia (State v. Dungee), the defense attorney stated that, the defendant â€Å"is poor and he is broke. He’s got an appointed lawyer† (11th Cir. 1985). The defendant was found guilty and sent to Death Row. A 2003 Amnesty International report found that the â€Å"juvenile offenders executed in Texas since 1998 were all African-Americans who committed their offenses at the age of 17† (texasdeathpenalty. rg). No white juveniles have been sentenced to death row in Texas since the death penalty was reinstated in 1982. Since capital punishment does not deter criminal offenses, it should not be a legal form of punishment. A study by The New York Times in 2000 found that homicide rates had risen and fallen along roughly symmetrical paths in the states with and without the death penalty. The neighboring states of Michigan, with no death penalty, and Indiana, which regularly imposes death sentences and carries out executions, have had virtually indistinguishable homicide rates. In 2007 the murder rate in Michigan was 676 (1. 76%) with a 10 million population† (disastercenter. com). While the murder rate in Indiana for the same period was â€Å"356 (1. 4%) with a population of 6. 3 million† people (disastercenter. com). An analysis of the murder rate in Virginia second behind Texas in number of executions from 1976-2004 (94/944) and neighboring Maryland show no significant difference. In 2007 the murder rate in Virginia was â€Å"406 with a 7. 7 million population† (fbi. gov) and in Maryland for the same period it was â€Å"553 with a population of 5. million people† (fbi. gov). It is also pertinent to compare states with high and low rates of execution as a result of the death penalty. A good comparison for this scenario is Oklahoma, which executed 75 candidates between 1976 and 2004, and Pennsylvania, which executed three. In 2004, Pennsylvania had â€Å"a total Crime Index of 2,995. 3 reported incidents per 100,000 people† (disastercenter. com). Whereas, Oklahoma â€Å"had a total Crime Index of 4,558. 6 reported incidents per 100,000 people† (disastercenter. com) in 2004. Although the crime index is not restricted to murders, Oklahoma’s numbers are significantly higher than Pennsylvania’s. The death penalty is cost-prohibitive and should be illegal. A system with a death penalty is vastly more expensive than one where the maximum penalty is keeping murderers in prison for life. In the State of California the additional cost of confining an inmate to Death Row, â€Å"is $90,000 per year, per inmate† (ccfaj. org). California could save about $90,000,000 per year by abolishing the death penalty and re-sentencing all of its Death Row inmates to life imprisonment. In Maryland an average capital-eligible case in which prosecutors do not seek the death penalty cost $1. 1 million. A capital-eligible case in which prosecutors unsuccessfully seek the death penalty costs $1. 8 million and a case resulting in a death sentence costs approximately $3 million. From 1978-1999 seeking the death penalty in 162 cases has cost tax payers of Maryland â€Å"$186 million more than what those cases would have cost had the death penalty not been sought† (Urban Institute Report, 2008). In Indiana â€Å"the cost of a death penalty trial and direct appeal alone is more than five times the cost of a life without parole trial and direct appeal† (in. gov). This was the conclusion from a 2002 Indiana Criminal Law Study conducted for the then Governor of Indiana Frank O’Bannon. From 1973 to 1988, the state of Florida spent an average of $3. 2 million per execution (in. gov). â€Å"Bottom line, life in prison is one-sixth as expensive† Miami Herald, July 10, 1988. The death penalty is in itself useless and has created counterproductive results in deterring the crime of murder. It wastes enormous resources on a handful of cases, to the detriment of measures that may provide actual rehabilitation. The United States is currently the only industrialized nation actively executing convicted felons by capital punishment. Considering that all human lives have an innate value it is inherently wrong to take one as a process to compensate for one that’s been lost. â€Å"The death penalty remains fraught with arbitrariness, discrimination, caprice, and mistake† – Justice Harry A. Blackmun, February 22, 1994. Our future generations will look back and shudder at the barbaric acts we practice today.

Implementing Core Competencies Of The Strategic Planning...

Organizations must develop and execute strategic plans to ensure future company growth and success. Assessing the internal and external aspects affecting a business is a key part of the strategic planning process, as it provides a vector for organizations to maintain a competitive advantage within a marketplace that is continuously evolving. Using quantitative data is considered a best practice to begin an assessment by reviewing recent financial performance and objectively determining the company’s current financial condition (Abraham, 2012). Subsequently, innovative organizations like Tesla Motors must apply methodologies to intimately measure subjective aspects such as a company’s competitive strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and potential threats. A SWOT analysis is the operational method used to analyze these aspects (Abraham, 2012). The purpose of the following project is to apply core competencies of the strategic planning curriculum to inspire a culture of s trategic innovation within organizational leaders of tomorrow. First, we will take an assessment of Tesla Motors history, the company’s current products, and major competitors affecting the innovative company’s business plan. Then, we can examine the current market situation to determine any potential barriers to organizational success, before applying the principles of a SWOT analysis to determine Tesla’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that may affect the future of the organization.Show MoreRelatedITM 580 Core Comp Essay1307 Words   |  6 Pages Core Competencies and the Planning and Implementing of Information Technology Abstract With any organization, rather it be civilian or military focused, there is a common element that resides; organizational competencies. These competencies is what makes any organization unique and identifies how they do the things they do, how relationships with institution division and external entities are developed and handled. With Information technology shifting from an administrative support tool toRead MoreThe President Of Honeywell Fm T1629 Words   |  7 Pagesjob role? How have they been involved in the strategic planning process at the company? The President of Honeywell FMT was the subject of the interview for the following information. The President of Honeywell FMT is the leader of the organization and currently leads over 3000 employees. Even though, many individuals are involved and provide valuable input for the plan, the president is the final decision maker, when it comes to the strategic planning and ultimately responsible for the path forwardRead MoreFinancing And The Development And Implementation Of Strategies1190 Words   |  5 PagesImplementation of Strategies SUMMARY The role of finance within the strategic planning process has become more relevant than ever. With the introduction of the balanced scorecard the financial performance of a firm has been emphasized has a key indicator of success and links strategic goals to performance and provide timely, useful information in order to facilitate strategic decisions. The article, The Role of Finance in the Strategic-Planning and Decision-Making Process, by Pedro M. Kono and Barry BarnesRead MoreComparison of the Resource-Based vs Market-Based View Approaches to Competitive Strategy1474 Words   |  6 Pagescompetition through ‘astute market positioning’. In other words firms identify the opportunities and threats in their external environment through the use of tools such as the Product Life Cycle, Porter’s 5 Forces Model of industry analysis, Strategic groups, Scenario planning and models namely Porter’s Generic Strategies, Customer Matrix and Mintzberg’s 5Pâ€⠄¢s Model. Upon mapping out the various opportunities and threats from outside and having a good understanding of the behavior and current external situationsRead MoreStrategic Management : Strategic Planning986 Words   |  4 Pagesit comes to strategic management many defined it as the management that link strategic planning decision-making. It is sometimes over looked unless it is specifically brought up when it comes up in strategic planning. With this management in place an organization can achieve its long-term goals. As well as plan out its future goals and endeavors for the organization to be successful. Strategy itself has many forms and levels as well; it is broken down into smaller parts of planning. For strategyRead MoreYahoo and Amazon: Building a Competitive Advantage1643 Words   |  7 PagesRunning Header: Yahoo and Amazon: Building a Competitive Advantage student name professor Bus599 Strategic Management date: 1. Describe, in brief, the histories of both of Amazon.com and Yahoo.com, and determine the core business of each. Yahoo and Amazon have been seeking to have a competitive advantage for years. Since they were incorporated, the companies have experienced a mix of challenges and success as they strive to gain market share. To start with, Yahoo was establishedRead MoreStrategic Management : Strategic Planning1460 Words   |  6 Pagesit comes to strategic management many defined it as the management that link strategic planning decision-making. It is sometimes over looked unless it is specifically brought up when it comes up in strategic planning. With this management in place an organization can achieve its long-term goals. As well as plan out its future goals and endeavors for the organization to be successful. Strategy itself has many forms and levels as well; it is broken down into smaller parts of planning. For strategyRead MoreHnd Business Strategy Task 11407 Words   |  6 Pagesorganisational strategic purpose and different processes of strategic planning, how to formulate a strategy and understand approaches to the evaluation process and the selection and finally how to implement that chosen strategy. CONTENTS Page no. Summary 2 Contents 3 1 Task 1 4 1.1 Mission, Vision, Objectives, Goals and Competencies†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 4-5 1.2 Key factors when designing strategic plans for SAS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5 1.3 Two different planning techniques forRead MoreSwot Analysis Of Boeing1500 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction The World s largest manufacturers of military and commercial aircrafts Boeing was formed in Seattle, Washington in the year 1916. The leading manufacturer has been involved in many mergers and acquisitions internationally and making strategic alliances with aerospace giants like North American Aviation, Rockwell International, McDonald Douglas (Boeing, 2015). With the presence of diverse, talented and innovative workforce currently, being is operating in more than 80 countries with moreRead MoreStrategic Planning : A Strategic Plan905 Words   |  4 Pagesconsistency of strategic planning, which will improve business efficiencies by undertaking continued systematic evaluations of all processes and overhead costs of the business economic performance. Companies can find the basis of developing a strategic plan by understanding the functionality of the company, the structure of organizational change, the impact of the strengths and weaknesses of the organization, and abiding by the c ompany’s mission. Furthermore, strategic planning is the development