Introduction to Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Introduction to Law - Essay Example Should any element be absent, their effects vary, and the contract would be rendered either void, voidable or unenforceable, depending on the element missing. Legislation includes the statutes and Acts of Parliament, which are laws that pass through the legislative process of both Houses in order to become law. Some significant statutes passed include the Education (Student Loans) Act of 1998, the Education (Schools) Act of 1997, the Protection from Harassment Act of 1997, the School Inspections Act of 1996, and the Disability Discrimination Act of 1995, among others. This is the law made by judges. Although judges are not allowed to legislate, it is through hearing cases and rendering judgments before the courts that cases become a source of law. The basic concept of this is through the doctrine of stare decisis, which translates, "stand by what has previously been decided." Through stare decisis, a statement of law made by a judge in a case can become binding on subsequent cases and can become the law, by setting precedents for judges in later cases to follow when they find that the ruling of a case held earlier applies to a current case that has similar facts and legal issues. This source is acquired through the UK's participation in the European Union. As an organisation of European States, it has a developed system of internal law directly affects laws of member states. Examples of European Community law are treaties, EU institution's regulations, directives, decisions and recommendations, legal decisions of the European Court of Justice, etc. Legislative Process Before it proceeds to become an Act of Parliament, a bill passes through many stages outlined below: First reading - formal presentation of the bill Second reading - start of debates on principles of the

International Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

International Relations - Essay Example Realism theory focuses on the continuing tendency for arising disputes between two countries or states, whereas, the liberalism theory helps to identify the various ways to diminish the conflicting tendencies. The radical theory traditionally describes how the entire system of maintaining relations between countries should be altered. In other words, the realists believe that the critical force among countries is to preserve the struggle for power by improving its military security and fiscal welfare in comparison to other countries. Furthermore, the competition between countries is observed as ‘zero-sum game’ in which a country’s gain is a loss for the other country (Dumbaugh 2009). Thesis Statement The paper will discuss the international relations shared between the United States and China for exporting Chinese Tires to the US. Moreover, the paper will focus mainly on the realist and liberal theories for evaluating and better understanding of the relations betw een the two countries. Furthermore, it has been observed that the US government has issued new tariff rules for the US firms in importing tire products from China, which have discouraged many buyers from importing. The issue has bothered many large tire manufacturer companies of China, such as Giti tires which are expecting huge losses (Dumbaugh 2009). Thus, with regard to the challenging policy imposed by the US government, relationship between the two countries will be evaluated. The current situation has instigated a comprehensive list of mutual and polygonal issues that have developed recently (Dumbaugh 2009). Expansive Detail of the Event Hufbauer & Lowry’s findings state that the entire cost to American consumers due to the increased prices which are the affects of imposing hire tariffs to the Chinese tires, was approximately US$1.1 billion in 2011. This has led to job cuts rather than employments which saved nearly US $ 900,000 in the same year. Therefore, the addition al costs that the US citizens had to pay in buying the tires made them reduce the amount spent on other retail products, thereby affecting employment in the retail sector as well. Furthermore, the tire protectionism affected the US economy with more than 2,531 job cuts which were due to the increased losses in the retail sector (Hufbauer and Lowry 2012). The recent updates state that the Chinese government greatly opposed to the decision taken by US President Barack Obama about the tariffs imposed on the tire imports from China. In this regard, this case would be brought under the judgment of World Trade Organization (WTO) as concluded by the Asian country’s Ministry of Commerce. The ministry further said that by imposing higher import duties the US government violated the rules implemented by WTO which was a breach in commitments made by the US at the Group of 20 summits. Thus, it can be stated that the decision to register the case in WTO will affect the international relat ions between the two countries, thereby leading to a chain reaction towards trade protectionism (Bloomberg L.P. 2009). The decision to increase the import duties on tires was followed by a complaint from the United Steelworkers union which is one of the biggest US trading partners. The complaint was to discourage imports from China and encourage using tires produced in own country. Moreover, the steelworkers union that represented more than 15,000 employees working at the 13 tire plants in the US supported the decision as their job cuts were being frequent due to the shutdown of the factories which were being affected by the cheap imports (Bloomberg L.P. 2009). Arguments Realist Theory According to Donnelly (2000), realism is considered as an advancement

Irish Defence Forces History

Irish Defence Forces History Joshua Ryan Public Administration: Public Organisation Profile 2017 The public organisation that I have chosen to investigate is the Irish Defence Forces. I chose this organisation as I have a strong interest in the Irish Defence Forces and a desire to pursue a career as an officer upon completion of my degree. The Irish Defence Forces have a proud tradition of professionalism and good conduct. They have proven themselves on the world stage with their peacekeeping missions that have gained them a phenomenal reputation within the UN. At home they have defended the state and provided security in times of need. They have provided aid at the highest levels at both home in conjunction with the Gardaà ­ and abroad with other militaries and Aid organisations. Origins The Irish Defence Forces can trace its origins back to the formation of the Irish Volunteers in 1913.The Irish Volunteers were founded by The ORahilly and Eoin MacNeill, they were founded due to growing militarism in Ulster and to oppose the Ulster Volunteer Force. The Irish Volunteers grew substantially and by 1914 they numbered approximately 180,000 personnel. The Irish Volunteers however split after the outbreak of the First World War. John Redmond the leader of the Irish Home Rule party urged members of the Irish Volunteers to join the British army and show their support for the Empire to prove their loyalty to home rule. Approximately 11,000 personnel strongly opposed this and split from the Irish Volunteers but retained the name, the remaining personnel renamed themselves the National Volunteers.[1] The Irish Volunteers were then effectively taken over by the Irish Republican Brotherhood, using the volunteers they planned the 1916 Easter Rising. The 1916 Easter rising was a reb ellion mainly confined to Dublin, fought by a small group of the hardened volunteers due to confusion in orders, it was characterised by fierce street fighting and incredible discipline by the volunteers. Fifteen of the leaders or the rebellion were executed by the British which led to public outcry and a sympathy for the rebels which previously they did not have. This sympathy would lead to a strong public support for the volunteers as they transitioned into the Irish Republican Army.[2] In 1919 as the Dail was established the Irish Volunteers pledged their allegiance to the Dail, which made them the national army of the Dail. This transitioned them to become the Irish Republican Army. They then grew in strength and in 1919 after an attack by an IRA section at soloheadbeg they began the war of independence. They began to use guerrilla warfare tactics and gained success through small sections called flying columns. Members of the Irish Republican Army had to swear the same oath of allegiance to the Dail as TDs which further concreted them as the national army.[3] Once the war of independence was complete and both sides wanted peace, the Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed. This caused a divide in both the Dail and the Irish Republican Army. The IRA split between the Anti-Treaty IRA and the Pro-Treaty IRA. The Pro-Treaty IRA became the National Army, unofficially known as the Free State Army or the Regulars. The Civil War began on the 22nd of June 1922 with the shelling of the four courts which the Anti-Treaty IRA had taken and ended on the 24th of May 1923 with the order for the Anti-Treaty to drop arms. The National Army strengthened itself during the civil war and began to take shape of a professional Army and lay the foundational structure for the Defence Forces we have today. The National Army was given Artillery, Aircraft, Armoured Cars, Machine Guns, Rifles, Small Arms and Ammunition supplies by the British Army. At the end of the war the National Army numbered at 55,000 personnel and 3,500 officers. Many of the troops that entered the new Na tional Army were veterans of the First World War that served in Irish Battalions in the British Army. After the Civil War the National Army was well structured, manned and equipped, they were no longer a guerrilla insurgency but a strong National Army.[4] There was a need to reduce the size of the Army after the civil war. This led to the Army Mutiny where there was a severe reaction to the demobilisation of officers. This was dealt with effectively and democratically. This led to the Executive Council formally establishing Oglaigh na hEireann on the 1st of October 1924. The Army sent representatives to the United States of America in 1926 to study their structures, tactics and training. This visit led to the formation of the Military College, Corp and Service schools. In 1934 the Volunteer Force were established as the Permanent Defence Forces were being reduced. [5] In June 1922 the Air Service HQ was formed at Baldonnell. They began with 14 pilots flying 13 aircraft. In 1926 the cadet scheme was introduced which still is the process in becoming a pilot in the Air Corp today. Moving into the late 1930s and early 40s the Air Corp received new Aircraft and equipment. In 1956 the Air Corp upgraded their airfields to accommodate the purchases of jet fighters later that year. In the early 1960s the Air Corp purchased their first helicopters for search and rescue then for troop transport and air reconnaissance. The Air Corp continued to update its Aircraft as time progressed and as new needs and duties for the Air Corp were required. In the late 1990s a new branch of the Gardai was established the Garda Air Support Unit, the Air Corp was tasked with helping establish this and to train its personnel. [6] From 1922 the Army was tasked with protection of the state from the land, the Air Corp with the protection of the Airspace but Irish waters were under protection by the British until 1938 when the Treaty ports were returned after the economic war. In May 1939 the Irish Government ordered two torpedo motor boats. The outbreak of the Second World War greatly increased the speed of which the Naval Service was being established. The order of torpedo motor boats increased from two to six and in September 1939 the Marine and Coastwatching service was established. This service at its height during the Second World War comprised of ten vessels. After the war the Coastwatching service was disbanded. Afterwards the Irish Government decided that what remained of the Marine Service would be integrated into the Defence Forces. This is the establishment of the Naval Service that we know today.[7] Head of the Defence Forces The overall head of the Irish Defence Forces is the Supreme Commander President Michael D.Higgins but this is more of a ceremonial role rather than direct management. The Irish Defence Forces falls under the Department of Defence, the current Minister for Defence is Paul Kehoe TD. The Chief Of Staff for the Irish Defence Forces with overall control of the Defence Forces is Vice Admiral Mark Mellett DSM. Vice Admiral Mellett DSM has held this position since September 2015. [8] Vice Admiral Mellett DSM is a native of Castlebar, Co. Mayo. He enlisted in the Naval Service in November 1976. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) in 1994 as Captain of LE Orla for his role in detention of drug smuggling craft. He has had a long and successful career in the Irish Defence forces, having served overseas in both the Lebanon and Afghanistan [9] The Chief Of Staff is accompanied by General Staff, these include Deputy Chief Of Staff Operations Major General Kieran Brennen, Deputy Chief Of Staff Support Major General Kevin Cotter and Assistant Chief Of Staff Support Brigadier General Peter OHalloran. [10] The General Officer Commanding of 1st Brigade is Brigadier General Philip Brennan, 2nd Brigade is commanded by Brigadier General Michael Beary. The Defence Forces Training centre is commanded by Brigadier General Joe Mulligan. The Officer in command of the Air Corp is Brigadier General Paul Fry. The Flag Officer Commanding the Naval Service is Commodore Hugh Tully.[11] These heads of the Defence forces are those that are called upon to answer for actions of the Defence Forces. They are responsible for accountability with the General staff cooperating with the Minister for Defence in times where accountability is questioned. Structure The Irish Defence Forces encompasses the Army, Air Corp, Naval Service, both Army and Naval Service Reserves . There is currently a recruitment drive in the Defence Forces. There is approximately 9,137 personnel as of May 2016 in the Permanent Defence Forces and 2,323 personnel as of November 2015 in the Reserves. This is distributed among the branches with 7,310 personnel in the Army, 733 in the Air Corp and 1,094 in the Naval Service.[12] The Army is structured into the Defence Forces HQ, 1st Brigade, 2nd brigade and the Defence Forces Training Centre. The 1st Brigade is responsible for the south of the country, Carlow, Laois, Offaly, Kilkenny, Wexford, Waterford, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Clare, Tipperary and Galway. The HQ of 1st Brigade is located at Collins Barracks Cork, there are four other 1st Brigade barracks, Sarsfields Barracks in Limerick, Stephens Barracks in Kilkenny, Kilworth Training Camp in Kilworth and Dun Ui Mhaoilosa in Galway.[13] 2nd Brigade is responsible for the north of the country, Wicklow, Dublin, Louth, Kildare, Longford, Meath, Westmeath, Roscommon, Cavan, Monaghan, Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim and Mayo. The HQ is Cathal Brugha Barracks in Rathmines, Dublin, there are six other 2nd Brigade barracks, Mckee Barracks in Dublin 7, St Bricins Hospital in Dublin, Gormanstown Camp in Co. Meath, Aiken Barracks in Dundalk, Custume Barracks in Athlone and Finner Camp in Ballyshannon.[14] The Defence Forces training Centre is located in The Curragh Camp in Co. Kildare. The HQ and all training, education and logistical units are located there. The 1st Mechanised Infantry Company, 1st Armoured Cavalry Squadron and the Army Ranger Wing are also located in the Curragh Camp. The Army consists of nine corps, Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery, Communications and Services, Engineers, Ordnance, Medical, Transport and Military Police.[15] The Air Corp Comprises of the Air Corp Headquarters, No.1 Operations Wing, No.3 Operations Wing, No.4 Support Wing, No.5 support Wing, Communications and Information Services Squadron and Air Corps College. The Air Corps Headquarters is located in Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel. The Naval Service comprises of the Naval Service Headquarters, Naval Operations Command, Naval Support Command which are all located on Haulbowline Island in Cork Harbour and the Naval College. The Naval College is situated in two locations the Naval College Training Naval Base and the National Maritime College of Ireland in Ringaskiddy. The Navy consists also of seven ships, one Helicopter Patrol Vessel, three Offshore Patrol Vessels, two Large Patrol Vessels and two Coastal Patrol Vessels.[16] Main Functions The Irish Defence Forces main role is protection of the state. The Irish Armys role is to defend the state, provide aid and support to the Garda Siochana when needed, to contribute and participate in peacekeeping and international aid and support. In times of emergency to assist crisis situations.[17] The Role of the Irish Air Corp is to provide Inshore and Offshore Maritime patrol, Army support and reconnaissance, Garda Air Support, Air Ambulance, Military Transport and Search and Rescue.[18] The role of the Naval Service is to defend the state, to protect the nations maritime interests. The Naval Service provides a lot of deterrent aggression and protecting Irelands sovereign rights. The Navy does a lot of policing word with people, arms and drug smuggling. The Naval Service has provided support for refugees fleeing Syria in the Mediterranean recently and has been praised globally for its efforts there. The Navy has been flexible in its UN missions and have outperformed much larger better equipped naval powers.[19] Budget The Irish Defence Forces has always had a small budget compared to other nations but it has utilised the resources its been given most efficiently. The 2016 Defence Forces Budget was 904 million euro which was an increase from 2015, the proposed budget for 2017 will see an increase again in the defence budget. The budget increase is to maintain commitments of the Defence Forces both internationally and at home.[20] The budget for the Irish Defence Forces is planned to increase over the next six years, there is a planned 437 million to be given for equipment and capital investments for the Defence Forces. Minister for Defence Paul Kehoe announced that the 2017 budget would be 922 million euro which is a 16million euro increase from 2016. The proposed plans for the increased investment in the Irish Defence Forces are to upgrade or replace the Armys Armoured Personnel Carriers, to increase the capability and strength of the Army Ranger Wing, to replace three of the Naval Service Vessels and replacement of the Air Corps Cessna fleet and Casa Maritime patrol aircraft.[21] The breakdown of the 2017 budget of 922 million is 692million for defence and 230 million for Military pensions.497 million of the 692 million is spent on wages for the 9,500 military personnel, 550 civilian employees and 350 civil servants. With the order of the replacement Naval Vessels, this will take up a good portion of the increased budget and the additional capital investment allocation. The increased spending on the Defence Forces is welcomed by the public and military personnel. There is an additional 2 million allocated to the Reserve Defence Forces to recruit new members but to also improve equipment and increase the capabilities of the RDF. This further investment into the RDF comes as they are given a stronger link to the Permanent Defence Forces and joint cooperation is increased, with plans to send member of the RDF on peacekeeping missions alongside PDF members this increase in spending is welcomed and needed.[22] Personal Impressions of their Public Profile My own personal impressions of the Irish Defence Forces is that recently there has been a big push to promote the Irish Defence Forces within the public. There has been a stigma over the years towards the Defence Forces, that since we are neutral that there is no need for them. I completely disagree with this and the image that previously the public have viewed the Defence Forces lightly and not seen them as a professional outfit. The Irish Defence Forces of 2017 are one of the best trained in the world, they not are equipped with new standard issue Steyr Aug A4s replacing the A1s we have been using.[23] The Defence Forces Peacekeeping missions for the UN have been praised worldwide, they are favoured by the UN for their professionalism and good conduct. The Naval Service has been conducting operations in the Mediterranean, where they have been rescuing refugees and migrants from the conflicts in the Middle East. They have received international recognition for this and have truly ma de the nation proud.[24] My personal opinion is that the Defence Forces deserve the increase in Budget, there has been issues with pay in recent years, I firmly believe that every member of the Defence Forces deserve an increase in pay. The Job asked of our brave men and women is full of peril and the current wages dont match what is asked of them. The Irish Defence Forces of 2017 is a military of which I am proud of what they have accomplished as a small island with a small population we have made our mark on the world stage that would make a much larger military envious. Bibliography Coogan, T.P. and Morrison, G. (1998) The Irish Civil war: A photographic record. Boulder, CO: Rinehart, Roberts Publishers. (Coogan and Morrison, 1998) Cuà ­v, É.Ó. and Ó, M. (2013) The Irish Volunteers 1913-1915: Recollections and documents. Edited by F. X. Martin, Ruan ODonnell, and Micheal O h Aodha. Ireland: Merrion Press. (Cuà ­v and Ó, 2013) Department of Defence home page (2017) Available at: http://www.defence.ie (Accessed: 1 March 2017). (Department of Defence home page, 2017) English (no date) Available at: http://www.military.ie (Accessed: 2 March 2017). (English, no date) Forces, I.D. (2015) Irish Defence forces Lebanon 16 06 2014 TAOISEACH Enda Kenny meets some of the Irish Personnel who escorted him during his visit. Commandant Colin Miller ( back to camera), trooper Shane Callaghan (foreground) and trooper Michael Barry (background). Available at: http://www.defence.ie/WebSite.nsf/WP2015E (Accessed: 3 March 2017). (Forces, 2015) Independent (2012) Irish Army rifle to get multi-million euro upgrade. Available at: http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/irish-army-rifle-to-get-multimillion-euro-upgrade-26835770.html (Accessed: 3 March 2017). (Independent, 2012) Lee, J. (2017) Irish Defence budget increases but is it enough? Available at: https://flyinginireland.com/2016/10/irish-defence-budget-increases-but-is-it-enough/ (Accessed: 1 March 2017). (Lee, 2017) Ltd, I.E. (2016) Naval service rescues over 10, 000 in Mediterranean. Available at: http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/naval-service-rescues-over-10000-in-mediterranean-411454.html (Accessed: 3 March 2017). (Ltd, 2016) McCarthy, M. (ed.) (2013) Irelands 1916 rising: Explorations of history-making, Commemoration heritage in modern times. Farnham, Surrey, England: Ashgate Publishing. (McCarthy, 2013) McIvor, A. (1994) History of the Irish naval service Aidan McIvor hardcover. Dublin: Irish Academic Press. (McIvor, 1994) [1](Cuà ­v and Ó, 2013) [2] (McCarthy, 2013) [3] http://www.military.ie (Accessed: 1 March 2017). [4] (Coogan and Morrison, 1998) [5] http://www.military.ie (Accessed: 1 March 2017). [6] http://www.military.ie (Accessed: 1 March 2017). [7] (McIvor, 1994) [8] http://www.military.ie (Accessed: 1 March 2017). [9] http://www.military.ie (Accessed: 1 March 2017). [10] http://www.military.ie (Accessed: 1 March 2017). [11] http://www.military.ie (Accessed: 1 March 2017). [12] http://www.military.ie (Accessed: 1 March 2017). [13] http://www.military.ie (Accessed: 1 March 2017). [14] http://www.military.ie (Accessed: 1 March 2017). [15] http://www.military.ie (Accessed: 1 March 2017). [16] http://www.military.ie (Accessed: 1 March 2017). [17] http://www.military.ie (Accessed: 1 March 2017). [18] http://www.military.ie (Accessed: 1 March 2017). [19] http://www.military.ie (Accessed: 1 March 2017). [20] (Department of Defence, 2017) [21] (Lee, 2017) [22] (Forces, 2015) [23] (Independent, 2012) [24] (Ltd, 2016)

Literary Techniques Used by Fyodor Dostoyevsky in Crime and Punishment

A Study of the literary techniques used by Fyodor Dostoyevsky in Crime and Punishment to convey the downfall and subsequent rise of the main character. "Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoyevsky is the story of a young student Raskolnikov and his need to murder an old woman to prove one of his many philosophies. The book begins with the murder, but the primary focus is on his reasoning and reactions before and after the act. It is set in St Petersburg where the main character, Raskolnikov, appears to be an ex-student living, in poverty, a life of lethargy. However, it soon emerges that he, despite the physical nature of his situation, has a very active mind. To reveal whether he is of a special "breed" of humans, he finds it necessary to kill, and the unfortunate subjects of his experiment are an old pawnbroker and her sister. After the murders, Raskolnikov is subject to a series of mental and emotional changes, eventually leading to his confession and, later, his arrest, trial and eight-year prison sentence. It was both this interesting plot and the philosophical nature of Dostoyevsky's writing, which initially attracted me to this book. It also features many themes and characters, as well as an effective setting. As a result, I will examine the literary techniques used in "Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoyevsky to convey the downfall and subsequent rise of the main character, Raskolnikov. I will begin by looking at how the setting formed Raskolnikov's character, and then discuss the structure and other characters of the novel. The setting plays a primary role in forming Raskolnikov's character. In mid-19th century Russia, an oppressive rule is a result of the Romanov monarchy and this in... ...ition to being important in portraying Raskolnikov's changing personality. By making such dissimilarity between the two ways that the two characters affect Raskolnikov, we are able to see his downfall and subsequent rise much more clearly. Dostoyevsky's writing in this book is such that the characters and setting around the main subject, Raskolnikov, are used with powerful consequences. The setting is both symbolic and has a power that affects all whom reside there, most notably Raskolnikov. An effective Structure is also used to show changes to the plot's direction and Raskolnikov's character. To add to this, the author's word choice and imagery are often extremely descriptive, and enhance the impact at every stage of Raskolnikov's changing fortunes and character. All of these features aid in the portrayal of Raskolnikov's downfall and subsequent rise.

Thirty Minutes Later: Are You Smarter Yet?

Each and every night millions upon millions of people turn on their televisions and tune in to their favorite programs. Most people think that this behavior is perfectly normal and that nothing is either exceptionally good or detrimentally bad about doing so. Others actually think that watching television can and sometimes does make you smarter. I feel that the general statement â€Å"tv makes you smarter† is not specific enough when talking about such an issue. I think that some television programs can help you gain some knowledge but I do not believe that all television makes you smarter.So, does watching television make you smarter, dumber, or does it have no affect at all? In Steven Johnson’s essay â€Å"Watching TV Makes You Smarter† he argues that watching television â€Å"alters the mental development of young people for the better (291)†. Meaning that when young people watch television it can aide in the development of their minds. In a nutshell, h e is saying that watching television can actually make a person smarter. In his essay, Johnson uses the popular show 24 to support his claim. He states that â€Å"to make sense of an episode of 24 you have to pay attention, make inferences, and track social relationships†(279).Johnson refers to this as part of what he calls the Sleeper Curve. Johnson believes that the Sleeper Curve is the single most important new force altering the mental development of young people today, and it is largely a force for good†(279). He agrees that the media may indeed contain more negative messages but he doesn't think that is the only way to evaluate whether our television shows are having a positive impact or not. In one part of his essay, Johnson compares the intellectual strain of watching shows like Frasier, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show to the physical strain of watching Monday Night Football.With that comparison he is basically saying that the viewer doesn't have to think about th e content of the show in order to follow the storyline the same way a person doesn't have to actually play football in order to enjoy a game. Throughout his essay, Johnson even goes as far as to say that even â€Å"bad† television has gotten better. To validate this point he talks about Joe Millionaire and The Apprentice.He discusses how in order how in order to win the show contestants had to overcome certain obstacles, figure out â€Å"weak spots† in the game, and use everything they learned to complete the last  challenge which usually contained a twist. This goes to say that on the surface it may seem like these shows are easy to follow but they contain surprises that may interrupt what the viewer thought was going to happen. Johnson states that â€Å"traditional narrative also trigger emotional connections to the characters† (291). He explains this by talking about the largely popular show Survivor, and how because our emotions are involved it becomes eas y to vote someone off the island as opposed to someone else.I think that only certain types of television shows makes you smarter, so part of me agrees with Steven Johnson’s argument. I think that people can learn things from certain kinds of shows. When a person watches show on the Food Network, the person will most likely learn how to prepare a new dish, or improve upon a technique that they are having trouble with. Another example would be when children watch â€Å"Dora the Explorer†. Some people might only see a show like this as way to keep children quiet and occupied.What they would realize if they actually sat down and watched an episode or two is that children can earn many things like; shapes, colors, numbers, letters and even some Spanish, all within the thirty minute runtime of the show. There may be some sitcoms or reality shows out there that you can learn from but I have yet to find one that I learned a lesson from. The reason I don't fully agree with his argument that television makes you smarter is because I think only certain types of shows make you smarter. I think in his essay he is referring to all television shows and genres.I think he is referring to all genres in his argument because he doesn’t say that any specific genre or show is excluded. I don't think a person can learn anything from a football game, or an episode of Family Guy because, in my opinion, these shows have the sole purpose of entertaining the people that watch them. Family Guy is an animated series about a family and all of the crazy situations they get themselves in to. By the way, one member of the family is a talking baby. In Dana Stevens’ essay, Thinking Outside the Idiot Box, she blatantly disagrees with Johnson.She even goes as far as to mock him saying, â€Å"If watching television really make you smarter, as Steven Johnson argued in an article†¦ then I guess I need to watch a lot more television†¦because†¦I could make n o sense of Johnson’s piece†(295). I think this comment used logos because she is saying that since she wasn’t able to understand Johnson’s argument maybe she doesn’t watch enough television. Of course this comment was a sarcastic one. In order to make this point clearer she references the popular children’s show Teletubbies, saying that it is â€Å"essentially a tutorial instructing toddlers the basics of vegging out† (Stevens 296).She thinks that the show 24 teaches you nothing except to watch further episodes of the show. Stevens also states that Johnson’s claim for television as a tool for brain enhancement seems deeply and hilariously bogus (297). So, clearly Stevens is a part of the group of people that do not think television makes you smarter. I don’t think Stevens is totally watching television. I think instead she is against people watching television all the time and thinking it will make them smarter. She think s that adults should monitor the amount of television they watch, the same way they monitor the number f alcoholic drinks they consume at a bar.Stevens ends her essay by giving readers a way to test Johnson’s theory: â€Å"National Television Turnoff Week† (298). Even if the participant’s IQ doesn’t drop from not watching television, it would still give people’s minds a break from watching television and give them the opportunity to tune back in with real people, real problems, and real life. She also mentions a handheld device that can switch off any television set within twenty to twenty-five feet. The difference between this remote and any other remote already on the market is that this remote would have the ability to control all television sets within its radius.Like with any new technology there are both proponents and opponents. Proponents think that this device will restore peace and calmness to public places such as airports and bus statio ns. Opponents think this just another way for people to try to control their lives. I think the device is very invasive and controlling. If people want to watch television for twenty-four hours straight, they are adults and they should be able to do that. This device relates to the debate about television because people that think television is watched too much would want this remote to be used.But for people that think television is useful as well as entertaining, the use of this device would seem like an invasion of privacy. I am personally on the fence of this issue. I think some television programs have educational value. I also think people should watch less television, and perhaps pick up a book- which are proven to make you smarter. I think shows such as Wheel of Fortune, Family Feud, and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire make you smarter because you can’t help but immerse yourself in the show and try to get the answers right.Even if you get the answers wrong, or never use the information you gained, you sill learned something. On the other hand, I don’t think reality television shows can teach you anything at all. Think of your favorite reality show, now take a few seconds to make a mental list of the things you have learned from watching that show. If you can think of anything at all, the list is probably very short. This is ok because the sole purpose of television is not to educate people. I think television is supposed to be watched for entertainment purposes.If you were to take a poll of the television shows people watch on a regular basis, most of the answers would probably be; Scandal, Teen Mom, and NCIS. These shows I would have to say contain very little to nothing to teach a person. Some shows can even encourage bad behaviors and influence people to do bad things. Let’s take the popular MTV show Teen Mom for instance; before the show first premiered, when teens would get pregnant they didn’t think it was cool, or cute, and they definitely were not posting pictures on Facebook with their pregnant friends.When teenage girls saw all of the fame the stars of the show were getting, it somehow registered in their minds that if they got pregnant at a young age they would somehow become the star of a show, get paid for it, and live a happy life. What they don’t realize until it’s too late is that most of the stuff on â€Å"reality† shows are staged and fake. One of my personal favorite shows was Jersey Shore, which was a reality show about a group of strangers living in a house together for a number of months.The show followed all of the drinking, smoking, drama, and sex that went on in that house. What young teens seemed to forget was that the people on that show were of legal drinking age that were held accountable for their own actions, so when they went out trying to mimic the cast members behavior they and their parents ended up in trouble. This supports my claim that some telev ision programs are for entertainment purposes because when things are imitated that shouldn’t be the consequences are much worse in real life than they are on the show.I also feel as though the time people spend watching television could be spent doing more productive things such as exercising, working, reading, or having and actual conversation with someone. If people sent half as much time doing things like that as they do watching and recording their favorite shows I think people would be a lot healthier and happier. In my opinion watching television is like a double-edged sword. Watching television sometimes for entertainment purposes is a good way to relax and connect with friends and family.I think the trouble happens when people become consumed with their favorite shows and totally disconnect from the real world. I admit. There have been a few times when I have been doing something and I just dropped everything because I knew the season premiere of my favorite show wou ld be starting son. But some people drop everything for every episode of their favorite show. That kind of behavior can actually hurt relationships because no one wants to be constantly tuned out by a show that will most likely come on multiple times within the next few days.I think until someone does some sort of definitive research on whether or not watching television makes a person smarter, this will be an ongoing debate. Things like remote devices that can control any television aren’t going to change people’s opinions. If anything it will only make them feel angry towards the people trying to control a part of their lives. Television just like anything else in the world has its positive and negative points. I just don’t think one of those positives is making people smarter.

Facebook Financial Performance Report

Financial Performance 7. 1 Financial Statement FACEBOOK, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (In millions, except for number of shares and par value) (Unaudited) | | | | | | | | | |   Ã‚  | June   30, 2012|   |   | December  31, 2011|   | Assets|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | | Current assets:|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | |Cash and cash equivalents|   Ã‚  | $| 2,098|   |   | $| 1,512|   Ã‚  | Marketable securities|   Ã‚  |   | 8,090|   |   |   | 2,396|   Ã‚  | Accounts receivable, net of allowances for doubtful accounts of $17 as of June  30, 2012 and December  31, 2011|   Ã‚  |   | 578|   |   |   | 547|   Ã‚  | Income tax refundable|   Ã‚  |   | 567|   Ã‚  |   |   | 0|   Ã‚  | Prepaid expenses and other current assets|   Ã‚  |   | 634|   |   |   | 149|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |Total current assets|   Ã‚  |   | 11,967|   |   |   | 4,604|   Ã‚  | Property and equipm ent, net|   Ã‚  |   | 2,105|   |   |   | 1,475|   Ã‚  | Goodwill and intangible assets, net|   Ã‚  |   | 809|   |   |   | 162|   Ã‚  | Other assets|   Ã‚  |   | 47|   Ã‚  |   |   | 90|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Total assets|   Ã‚  | $| 14,928|   |   | $| 6,331|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Liabilities and stockholders’ equity|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | | Current liabilities:|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | |Accounts payable|   Ã‚  | $| 43|   |   | $| 63|   Ã‚  | Platform partners payable|   Ã‚  |   | 153|   Ã‚  |   |   | 171|   Ã‚  | Accrued expenses and other current liabilities|   Ã‚  |   | 441|   |   |   | 296|   Ã‚  | Deferred revenue and deposits|   Ã‚  |   | 85|   |   |   | 90|   Ã‚  | Current portion of capital lease obligations|   Ã‚  |   | 312|   |   |   | 279|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   | à ‚  |   |   | Total current liabilities|   Ã‚  |   | 1,034|   Ã‚  |   |   | 899|   Ã‚  | Capital lease obligations, less current portion|   Ã‚  |   | 394|   Ã‚  |   |   | 398|   Ã‚  | Other liabilities|   Ã‚  |   | 191|   |   |   | 135|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |Total liabilities|   Ã‚  |   | 1,619|   |   |   | 1,432|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Stockholders’ equity:|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | | Convertible preferred stock, $0. 000006 par value, issuable in series; no shares and 569  million shares authorized as of June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively, no shares and 543  million shares issued and outstanding as of June  30, 2012 and December  31, 2011, respectively|   Ã‚  |   | 0|   |   |   | 615|   Ã‚  | Common stock, $0. 00006 par value; 5,000  million and 4,141  million Class  A shares authorized as of June  30, 20 12 and December  31, 2011, respectively, 641  million and 117  million shares issued and outstanding as of June  30, 2012 and December  31, 2011, respectively, including 1  million outstanding shares subject to repurchase as of June  30, 2012 and December  31, 2011; 4,141  million Class B shares authorized, 1,501  million and 1,213  million shares issued and outstanding as of June  30, 2012 and December  31, 2011, respectively, including 2  million outstanding shares subject to repurchase, as of June  30, 2012 and December  31, 2011|   Ã‚  |   | 0|   Ã‚  |   |   | 0|   Ã‚  | Additional paid-in capital|   Ã‚  |   | 11,684|   |   |   | 2,684|   Ã‚  | Accumulated other comprehensive loss|   Ã‚  |   | (29| )  |   |   | (6| )  | Retained earnings|   Ã‚  |   | 1,654|   |   |   | 1,606|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Total stockholders’ equity|   Ã‚  |   | 13,309|   |   |   | 4,899|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity|   Ã‚  | $| 14,928|   |   | $| 6,331|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Revenue|   Ã‚  | $| 1,184|   |   | $| 895|   |   | $| 2,242|   Ã‚  |   | | 1,626|   Ã‚  | Costs and expenses:|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | |   | | | |   | | | | Cost of revenue|   Ã‚  |   | 367|   Ã‚  |   |   | 210|   |   |   | 644|   Ã‚  |   |   | 377|   | Marketing and sales|   Ã‚  |   | 392|   Ã‚  |   |   | 96|   |   |   | 535|   Ã‚  |   |   | 158|   | Research and development|   Ã‚  |   | 705|   Ã‚  |   |   | 99|   |   |   | 858|   Ã‚  |   |   | 156|   | General and administrative|   Ã‚  |   | 463|   Ã‚  |   |   | 83|   |   |   | 567|   Ã‚  |   |   | 140|   | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Total costs and expenses|   Ã‚  |   | 1,927|   Ã‚  |   |   | 488|   |   |   | 2,604|   Ã‚  |   |   | 831|   | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | (Loss) income from operations|   Ã‚  |   | (743| )  |   |   | 407|   |   |   | (362| )  |   |   | 795|   | Interest and other income (expense), net:|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | |   | | | |   | | | | Interest expense|   Ã‚  |   | (10| )  |   |   | (9| )  |   |   | (24| )  |   |   | (17| )  | Other income (expense), net|   Ã‚  |   | (12| )  |   |   | 1|   Ã‚  |   |   | 3|   Ã‚  |   |   | 19|   | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | (Loss) income before benefit from (provision for) income taxes|   Ã‚  |   | (765| )  |   |   | 399|   |   |   | (383| )  |   |   | 797 |   | Benefit from (provision for) income taxes|   Ã‚  |   | 608|   Ã‚  |   |   | (159| )  |   |   | 431|   Ã‚  |   |   | (326| )  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Net (loss) income|   Ã‚  | $| (157| )  |   | $| 240|   |   | $| 48|   Ã‚  |   | $| 471|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Less: Net income attributable to participating securities|   Ã‚  |   | 0|   Ã‚  |   |   | 81|   Ã‚  |   |   | 21|   Ã‚  |   |   | 160|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Net (loss) income attributable to Class  A and Class B common stockholders|   Ã‚  | $| (157| )  |   | $| 159|   |   | $| 27|   Ã‚  |   | $| 311|   | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | (Loss) earnings per share attributable to Class  A and Class B common stockholders:|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | |   | | | |   | | | | Basic|   Ã‚  | ($| 0. 08| )  |   | $| 0. 12|   Ã‚  |   | $| 0. 02|   Ã‚  |   | $| 0. 25|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Diluted|   Ã‚  | ($| 0. 08| )  |   | $| 0. 11|   Ã‚  |   | $| 0. 02|   Ã‚  |   | $| 0. 22|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Weighted verage shares used to compute (loss) earnings per share attributable to Class  A and Class B common stockholders:|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | |   | | | |   | | | | Basic|   Ã‚  |   | 1,879|   Ã‚  |   |   | 1,292|   Ã‚  |   |   | 1,613|   Ã‚  |   |   | 1,267|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Dil uted|   Ã‚  |   | 1,879|   Ã‚  |   |   | 1,510|   Ã‚  |   |   | 1,792|   Ã‚  |   |   | 1,499|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Share-based compensation expense included in costs and expenses:|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | |   | | | |   | | | | Cost of revenue|   Ã‚  | $| 66|   Ã‚  |   | $| 3|   Ã‚  |   | $| 71|   Ã‚  |   | $| 3|   Ã‚  | Marketing and sales|   Ã‚  |   | 232|   Ã‚  |   |   | 11|   Ã‚  |   |   | 251|   Ã‚  |   |   | 11|   Ã‚  | Research and development|   Ã‚  |   | 545|   Ã‚  |   |   | 35|   Ã‚  |   |   | 605|   Ã‚  |   |   | 39|   Ã‚  | General and administrative|   Ã‚  |   | 263|   Ã‚  |   |   | 15|   Ã‚  |   |   | 282|   Ã‚  |   |   | 18|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Total share-based compensation ex pense|   Ã‚  | $| 1,106|   Ã‚  |   | $| 64|   Ã‚  |   | $| 1,209|   Ã‚  |   | $| 71|   | | Three  Months  Ended June  30,|   |   Ã‚  | Six  Months   Ended June  30,|   |   Ã‚  | 2012|   |   | 2011|   |   Ã‚  | 2012|   |   | 2011|   | Net (loss) income|   Ã‚  | $| (157| )  |   | $| 240|   |   Ã‚  | $| 48|   Ã‚  |   | $|   471|   Ã‚  | Other comprehensive (loss) income:|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | |   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | | Foreign currency translation adjustment|   Ã‚  |   | (21| )  |   |   | 0|   Ã‚  |   Ã‚  |   | (22| )  |   |   | 1|   Ã‚  | Change in unrealized gain (loss) on available-for-sale investments, net of tax|   Ã‚  |   | (1| )  |   |   | 0|   Ã‚  |   Ã‚  |   | (1| )  |   |   | 0|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Comprehensive (loss) income|   Ã‚  | $| (179| )  |   | $| 240|   Ã‚  |   Ã‚  | $| 25|   Ã‚  |   | $| 472|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Figure #: Financial Statement (Sources: United States Securities And Exchange Commission, Form 10-Q, For the quarterly period ended June 30, 2012) Looking at the Financial Statement of Facebook Inc above we can calculate the current ratio on June 30, 2012 and compare it with December 31, 2011's ratio. We can calculate the 2011 ratio by using Total Asset of $6,331 million divided by Total Liabilities of $1,432 million equals $4. 42 million. And we can also find out the current ratio of Facebook Inc on June 30, 2012 by using the Current Assets of $11,976 million divided by Current Liabilities of $1,916 million equals $6. 25 million.Financial StatementsAs we can see the just in six months Facebook Inc's ratio increased almost by 70%. 7. 2 Active Users Figure #: Trends in Facebook User Metrics, Daily Active Users(Sour ces: United States Securities And Exchange Commission, Form 10-Q, For the quarterly period ended June 30, 2012) The graph above showed us how Facebook Inc increased their ratio almost 70% in just six months. As we can see Daily Active Users Worldwide had increased from 108 million to 552 million users. Facebook Inc define a daily active users as a registered Facebook user who logged in and visited Facebook through the Facebook website or through a device that can connect with Facebook.Facebook Inc check DAU (Daily Active Users) everyday. In Figure # we can see that the Worldwide DAUs increased 32% from 417 million users on June 2011 to 552 million users on June 2012. Most of the users now can log into Facebook through mobile device and Facebook Inc has already realized that. March 31, 2012, DAU's increased from 526 million to 552 million because of the increase of mobile users. 7. 3 Competitor The biggest competitor for Facebook is Twitter. The reason is that because many celebritie s like to use Twitter to connect with their fans. Twitter has not only become a well known social network but yet a tool for celebrities to do advertisement.In the United States presidential election of 2012, President Barack Obama used Twitter to connect with his fans. Figure #: Twitter Total Active Users, Worldwide (Source: Business Wired 2012) Even though Twitter is one of the threats for Facebook, but from the figure # we can clearly see the big difference that the two company have. On March 31, 2012 Facebook has 526 million active users worldwide, and Twitter only has 200 million active users worldwide. Facebook clearly beat Twitter. 7. 4 Facebook's Stock Markets Even though Facebook beat Twitter in the social network markets, but it has clearly not beat anyone in the stock markets. Below is the graph for Facebook's stock markets.Figure #: Facebook Stock Market graph, June 2011-December 2012 (Sources: United States Securities And Exchange Commission, Form 10-Q, For the quarterl y period ended June 30, 2012) Facebook opened its stock markets with $31 per stock on May 18, 2011 and on November 16, 2012 it has closed with $23. 56 per stock. Facebook's stock market did not increase as we can see through Facebook. Below is the graph why it has dropped dramatically. Figure #: Facebook's Revenue Makeup, 2012 (Business Insider 2012) As the graph shows that Facebook Inc spent most of their money in Advertising the market instead of using the money to pay off their Payments and Other.Although Facebook will continue to increase their active users due to mobile services, but if users growth flattens or decline, the impact of these increase have on Facebook's revenue growth will be limited for sure. Sources: Financial Statement : http://www. sec. gov/Archives/edgar/data/1326801/000119312512325997/d371464d10q. htm#tx371464_3 Daily Active Users: http://www. sec. gov/Archives/edgar/data/1326801/000119312512325997/d371464d10q. htm Twitter Active Users: http://blog. business wire. com/tag/social-media/ Facebook Stock Markets http://tmx. quotemedia. com/charting. php? qm_symbol=FB:US Facebook's Revenue Makeup: http://www. businessinsider. com/facebook-users-decline-2012-8