Ford Motor Company Business Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Ford Motor Company Business - Case Study Example Vertical integration strategy is adopted by Ford and it provided them competency in the industry. Along with the success report, unresolved problems existed with the company. In the beginning of 1990s, Ford automotive-focused on the North American region made huge success whereas, at the same time, the business sector focused on the European Car market recorded greater losses and break even. Since the year 1999, the company showed greater developments through different operational strategies. In between 1999 and 2001, the newly appointed CEO of the company implemented consumer services sector as a part of the Ford Motor business. It was affected by the challenges aroused from safety issues related to the rollover accidents of Ford Explorer Sport. The business relations of the company with the tire manufacturers Firestone was broken from these issues. Nearly 20 million defective tires were required to be returned to Firestone. Operating loss faced by the company after September 11, 20 01, due to the requirements of sales incentives on the recalled tire on the ground of aging of the product. â€Å"Ford now encompasses many global brands, including Lincoln and Mercury of the US, Jaguar, and Land Rover of the UK, and Volvo of Sweden. Ford also owns a one-third controlling interest in Mazda. Ford also recently purchased the Rover name to keep others from using it to capitalize on Land Rover.† (Ford Motor Company Production File Archive for Stock Certificate Design – 1951 2009).... The tax application seems to be the main default with the conversion of profitability in greater stock market return. Vertical integration strategy is adopted by Ford and it provided them competency in the industry. Along with the success report, unresolved problems were exists with the company. In the beginning of 1990s, Ford automotive focused on the North American region made huge success whereas at the same time, the business sector focused on the European Car market recorded greater losses and break even. Since the year 1999, the company showed greater developments through different operational strategies. In between 1999 and 2001, the newly appointed CEO of the company, implemented consumer services sector as a part of the Ford Motor business. It was affected by the challenges aroused from safety issues related to the rollover accidents of Ford Explorer sport. The business relations of the company with the tyre manufacturers Firestone was broken from these issues. Nearly 20 million defective tyres were required to be returned to Firestone. Operating loss faced by the company after September 11, 2001 due to the requirements of sales incentives on the recalled tyre on the ground of ageing of the product."Ford now encompasses many global brands, including Lincoln and Mercury of the US, Jaguar, and Land Rover of the UK, and Volvo of Sweden. Ford also owns a one-third controlling interest in Mazda. Ford also recently purchased the Rover name (which is no longer in use) to keep others from using it to capitalize on Land Rover." (Ford Motor Company Production File Archive for Stock Certificate Design - 1951 2009). In the year 1999 the company attained position among the world's ten largest corporations by revenue and one of the world's most profitable

Effects Of Nuclear Power On American Society Politics Essay

Effects Of Nuclear Power On American Society Politics Essay The issue of nuclear power has always been at the center of attention and public dispute, especially nowadays with the energy crisis and the limited fossil fuels. It is mainly countries within the western system, such as the US, the UK and France that have acquired the technology to support nuclear power.  [1]  American society and identity have been shaped by a self-portrait of super-power that keeps the order.  [2]  Nuclear power has been one of the most powerful weapons that consolidated American identity and established her as the big power of the world. During the Second World War American power was shown to the world with the testing of the first A-bomb. During the Cold-War era the USA competed with the USSR and Great Britain, as to who had the best and nuclear weapons and plants as part of the deterrence doctrine.  [3]   Today nuclear energy is spreading and the USA is thought of as its motherland with the largest number of plants in the world. America presents its need for nuclear power with emphasis on the words security and economic leadership: To maintain our economic leadership and strengthen our energy security America must start building nuclear power plants [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] Your industry has come a long way during the recent decades and I am confident that greater progress lies ahead. By expanding our use of nuclear power we can make energy supply more reliable, our environment cleaner and our nation more secure for future generations. May God bless you all.  [4]  There is a massive debate about how safe production of energy from nuclear power is and if it is worth the financial and environmental cost. Emblematic is the Three Mile Island Plant that was at the same time both a failure and a success story as it recovered from the accident when President Carter visited the station and conti nues to operate efficiently to the day. The question this essay poses is: To what extent does nuclear power affect American Identity? In this essay I will set out to look into the ways that nuclear power has affected, and is affecting, American society. How this technological society has accepted its nuclear future and how nuclear power is becoming the new emblem of the New American Dream as part of an energy-autonomous and sustained America. . Emblematic is the Three Mile Island Plant that was at the same time both a failure and a success story as it recovered from the accident when President Carter visited the station and continues to operate efficiently to the day with a license extension until 2034.  [5]   Three Mile Island  [6]  today Main Body The New Energy Regime and the New American Dream The World today suffers from economic, climate and energy crisis. The energy crisis is a major global problem since fossil fuels in general are limited and do not constitute renewable sources, as do solar energy and wind. However, extracting and storing solar and wind energy is not considered very efficient. Therefore nuclear energy, as supported by many scientists is a way to solve this crisis. The research about nuclear power started in the 1940s for military purposes and more specifically for the atomic bomb, which was based on the chemical process, which is called nuclear fission. The first nuclear power station was founded in the 1950s. U.S. power plant performance has steadily improved in the past 20 years. The USA is the performance leader among the other countries that produce electricity from nuclear energy. Twelve out of the twenty-five top reactors in the whole world are American. Moreover, especially after the establishment of hydroelectric plants, the cost of production of electrical power with nuclear energy is cheaper than the cost of petrol and CO2. Howeve the cost of construction  [7]  , investments for security and technology (which are not always reliable) are immense making the actual cost of effective nuclear power a burden for society.  [8]  Investors consider the high capital costs and the risks of decommissioning cancellations making federal loan guarantees an economically safer option.  [9]  This means that funding basically comes from tax collection. For 10 years now, lobbyists favoring a renaissance in building new U.S. reactors have been lining up financial help from taxpayers. They need this help because these new reactors are far more expensive than other ways of generating or saving electricity. Consequently, private investors wont take the risk of losing a lot of money.  [10]  [delete?[The question is, if the cost is too high, is it socially beneficial?]] The basic argument for the new energy regime, for this very important shift in energy dependence, is climate change. Focusing on the environmental hazards that oil poses while stressing advantages of nuclear power answers well with the American public and its identity as a clean and progressive society. This was evident with the positive response to the documentary Inconvenient Truth that spread ecological consciousness all over the country. Furthermore, taking into consideration that America is a technological society, a society that cannot function without winning  [11]  technology, the combination of clean technological championship makes it self an appealing part of the New American Dream  [12]  , as David Crane puts it a carbon-free American Dream  [13]   Crane: [W]hat I call the Gore Approach [is] based on self-denial: Lets all go back to living without air conditioning and to drying our clothes on the clothes line. Theres another option, though: the Schwarzenegger Approach. Its the American Dream, but its the carbon-free American Dream. SPIEGEL ONLINE: What do you mean by that? Crane: Hes like, I want to drive my Hummer and fly my Gulfstream 4, I just dont want them to produce any greenhouse gas I think its very difficult to get the American people to engage in self-denial. Its just not the American way. The American way is based on consumption. You dont want to change the American way of life, you just want to show them a better way to get there, and nuclear power is a key part of that. The first breakthrough for nuclear power was the connection with global warming. President Barack Obamas speech also finds recurring words in American discourse that point the publics attention to a better life with the right to consumption in an open future of a new world of abundance: To create more of these clean energy jobs we need more production, more efficiency, more incentive. And that means building a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants in this country  [14]  (my italics) The American way then is that of Consumption and along those lines we observe a paradigm shift in the same pattern: from oil to nuclear. With the financial crisis nuclear power seems as a way re-invent the economy and the American Future. It is not only environmental concern but a need of energy-independence and the self-sustainability given by autonomy so as not to be dependent on other countries for energy provision: The road to global security lies in lessening our dependence on Middle East oil and making sure that all people on Earth have access to the energy they need to sustain life.  [15]  This passage among others reflects the new product within American society that will provide for all the basic luxuries of the American home through nuclear powered electricity and that will in turn be sold on to the rest of the world. [[Moreover, nuclear power holds a key to national safety by threats from the East which lead American opinion into feeling safer knowing that the country holds the leading nuclear power in the world.]] Environment, Health and Hazards Among the advantages of nuclear energy is that it has much less organic gas emissions than carbon. As far as pollution is concerned, air pollution in the case of the nuclear reactor is minute as opposed to oil and CO2, while nuclear waste takes up much less volume. Nuclear stations however show high thermal pollution especially in the summer season when demand is higher and droughts challenge the capacity.  [16]  There is the risk of radioactive pollution in the case of an accident or leak, not to mention that most plants are situated on rivers for cooling purposes. Not much has been said about the dangers connected to water contamination and its flow into inhabited areas. Nuclear energy might be more friendly to the environment however it is certainly not green, as mentioned by scientist and writer Conrad Miller, MD  [17]  . Radioactive waste, which is a product of the nuclear process, is dangerous to humans, animals and plants.  [18]  According to Miller If you stand th ree feet away [from radioactive waste] for ten seconds it will kill you.  [19]  One very important fact is that the harm of radioactive waste can last from 240,000 to 480,000 years.  [20]  Research has shown that such waste is a cause of many types of cancer and also genetic paramorphosis due to the emitted radiation. In fact babies located near plants have been found to have strontium-90 contaminant in their teeth.  [21]   Waste disposal is of the major problems that advocates of nuclear energy have to face since there is no actual solution at the moment. The Yucca Mountain that is currently used for waste is a problematic area and most of the plants keep waste on site.  [22]   The possibility of an accident is another danger posed by the use of nuclear energy. A possible meltdown could be caused by faults in the reactors or of course by a simple human error. Moreover, if the control rods happen not to function perfectly, then we will be faced with an uncontrollable chain reaction; namely a nuclear bomb. This was the case with the well-known Chernobyl incident.  [23]   American discourse stresses the limitations in security and maintenance of the Chernobyl Power Plant, implying the advantages of American high security and the notion that such accidents could not occur. However, accidents did occur, four of which took place in the U.S.  [24]  One of these incidents took place in March 1979 at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant, which is near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania  [25]  . It has been characterised as the worst nuclear accident in American history according to the documentary Meltdown at Three Mile Island (1999).  [26]  Problems in the function of the cooling system caused automatically an immediate shut down of the reactor.  [27]  Consequently, there arose a public relations crisis  [28]  . Finally after numerous actions the temperature dropped stabilizing the core. Great contradiction characterizes this incident, as there was the question of political image at stake. Washington D.C could not decide whether to evacuate or not. The public grew anxious with the limited evacuation that was ordered and the contradictory suggestions by the scientists. President Jimmy Carter was invited to the site six days after the incident to cool down public opinion and agitation, marking the end of the crisis, despite the fact that radioactive water rested on the floor of the facility. The core meltdown was denied it ever happened. However, in 1982 a camera was placed inside the core that showed severe damage, with 50% of the core having been melted down. It turns out that 20 tons of melted uranium reached the pressure vessel making it a core meltdown, no question about it.  [29]   The book written in 1982 by Philip L. Cantelon and Robert C. Williams about the incident, entitled Crisis Contained, The Department of Energy at Three Mile Island, is the official history of the Department of Energys role during the accident. The book among other things says that there were no city-evacuation plans and if there were, they were soon abandoned. It is claimed that there was no evacuation but a weekend exodus based on what government officials and the media imagined might happen. On Friday confused communications created the politics of fear.  [30]  The insistence to disprove any evacuation plans shows that primary concerns are public relations rather than extreme precaution with whatever the cost on the image. We can therefore see how nuclear plants have become a signifier of American advance and images of infallibility. In February 1st, 2010 the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant suffered an accident when underground pipes deteriorated causing a leak of radioactive tritium into the groundwater supplies.  [31]  [change source?]This made drinking water poisonous for use, thus affecting all living organisms in the area. The Vermont Yankee officials claimed that tritium did not reach the water. The cleanup was still in progress when another leak was found of a more potent radioactive isotope, strontium-90, linked to causes of cancer.  [32]  On the 29th of May, contaminated water was found (containing 13 different radioactive substances) coming from a pipe near the hole that was dug to clear up the initial leak. [delete?[The Entergy Nuclear officials had given misleading information about the existence of underground pipes that were indeed the cause of the leak and contamination of the area.  [33]  This shows how power plants are not as safe or highly preserved as the government wants to emphasize, while the officials go out of their way to mislead and misinform. In addition to the health and environmental hazard the repeated leaks and the cleanup cost 10 million dollars, which the government pays as guarantee of the government-industry partnership and for which it taxes the citizens. Although Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant had been given permission for extension in operation for 20 years after 2012 after the incident a resolution was passed to block the operations. The owners still pressure to have another vote in order to get the permission for the extension. During 2010 protests took place to prevent the passing of the vote, while citizens have been active in the area to influence a shut down of the plant since 1979.  [34]  ]] There are a lot of scientists who are in favour of nuclear energy. Patrick Moore chairman and chief scientist of Greenspirit Strategies Ltd with Christine Todd Whitman are co-chairs of a new industry-funded initiative, the Clean and Safe Energy Coalition that supports the nuclear energy renaissance. Patrick Moore published an article in the 16th April 2006 arguing that although back in the 1970s he was totally against nuclear energy, the past 30 years have changed his views. [delete?[He empowers his position by saying that US CO2 emissions are at a rate of 36% produced by coal-fired electric plants, while 103 nuclear reactors produce 20% of Americas electricity with zero C02 gas emissions]]. As he reports the public response to nuclear power plants is welcoming. Eighty percent of residents within the range of 10 miles from nuclear plants support them, workers not included in this number.  [35]   Politics Moore believes that the dangers of nuclear power are very small in the USA. He commented the will of Iran to have nuclear energy by saying: And although I dont want to underestimate the very real dangers of nuclear technology in the hands of rogue states, we cannot simply ban every technology that is dangerous.  [36]  This somewhat contradictory statement shows how the West has assumed the right to advanced nuclear technologies with, while other states are not qualified enough to do so as they do not belong in the Western canon. Professor of International Politics Keith Krausse has pointed out how, after the Cold War, the communist threat was replaced by the threat of the rogue states in order to fill in the threat vacuum that justifies many sinister actions and the presence of nuclear proliferation.  [37]  Moore supports that things have changed since the time of the Cold War when everything linked to nuclear power seemed to be catastrophic for the whole world. However, as K rausse shows this is not the case, especially when it is American governmental discourse that tries to equate nuclear power in the hands of the rogue states with weapons of mass destruction. American foreign policy and public relations still rest on the deterrence doctrine to maintain a super power image and continue to use military and nuclear resources. US policy-making reflects the aspects that define a society and affect it in ways that will support strategy and its validity. Therefore, US society and self-definition as a major nuclear power (that can defy the Non-proliferation treaty for security) can verify the actions of the state and place the norms for the global structure of international relations. More importantly, Krausse points out that the shaping of the new discourse of danger can justify todays existence of high technology military and nuclear forces that were already existent during the Cold War and continued to be of use in the modern era as a basis for the energy project. There would have been an economic and power vacuum if these resources were not taken advantage of.  [38]  If after the end of the Cold War there was no re-use of all the nuclear resources and discourses in relation to power and enemies of the state, then there would have been a drastic change in the character of the American society.  [39]   Public Opinion and the The Generational Change, 1970s vs 2000s [delete?too strong?[ The economic requirement for the protection of major capital investments is a more demanding constraint than public acceptance  [40]   Before observing how nuclear opposition during the 70s became minute in the 2000s one should question whether it matters at all. For example, legislation on safety issues and nuclear plants as John F. Ahearne indicates gives power to the legal system making decisions about public interest whereby with regard to public participation the majoritys decision effectively denied public an opportunity to participate further in a regulatory process on a significant safety matter.  [41]  ]] A very recent poll conducted in the USA by Bisconti Research Inc. in March 2010 shows that American citizens support nuclear energy. The graph bellow will illustrate in general the opinion that American citizens annually have since 1983. As we can observe 2010 is the year of the highest percentage of public support for nuclear power (74%). More specifically 33% percent out of 74% strongly support nuclear energy, while only the 10% is strongly against. The ratio is 1 to 3. The time when there was the greatest objection to nuclear energy was 1986-1987. It is obvious that this is due to the Chernobyl accident. Since 1988 public opinion has turned in favor of nuclear energy with an increasing rate.  [42]  The survey also shows that more than 72% of the people questioned, agreed to solutions which nuclear energy gives to reduce greenhouse gasses emission. This survey is entitled Public Support for Nuclear Energy at Record High. These figures show how America is becoming a nuclear society with a smashing 70% favoring the building of new plants. [delete?[What is not clear is whether the public perceives the implied future scale of dependence on nuclear energy and the social and ethical implications.  [43]  ]] A survey conducted by Nelkin and Fallows in 1978  [44]  on public opinion and nuclear energy reveals the ways in which the government and nuclear corporations tried to appease the growing opposition that characterized the 1970s. The government to respond somehow to this pressure tries to reduce conflict, win public acceptance and renew faith in governmental authority [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] necessary for continued progress and prosperity  [45]  Indeed as Yarrow shows in his article Selling a New Vision of America to the World during the 1950s onwards the words prosperity, progress and abundance entered all ranks and sections of American society.  [46]  Being the envy of the world with visions of a fabulous future, economics, wealth and consumption became the basic approach to the public mind.  [47]   Nuclear energy was of course a major part of that economic and technological superiority aligned with the abundance that characterized American life. During the 1970s the industry was accused to have conducted an unbalanced campaign for nuclear energy, stressing the hot issue of employment and economic growth, therefore appealing with the promise of jobs and downplaying practical concerns such as safety, nuclear waste and possible contamination.  [48]  Today the same concerns about employment and prosperity trouble society in order to maintain the American standard of living. As Crane points out in his interview with Spiegel Magazine, there is a generational change that accounts for high numbers supporting nuclear power. The new generation does not remember the big accidents, You basically have to be 45 or 50 years old in the US to remember Three Mile Island SPIEGEL ONLINE: You mean to say that people are beginning to forget about the dangers of nuclear power? Crane: There is a perception that the American public is ready for nuclear. Its a combination of things, and one of them is generational change. The overriding concern in this country, just like in Europe, is global warming. The 1970s Opposition warned about the long-term consequences that are implied with the formation of nuclear society. The massive security measures meant and of course still mean giving up civil liberties for scrutiny and surveillance as a precaution to potential nuclear terrorism.  [49]   Public Awareness It is interesting to look into new power discourses that inform public opinion concerning nuclear projects. An article in The Times July 10, 2006 was headlined Danger from radiation is exaggerated say scientists. This article announces the documentary Horizon: Nuclear Nightmares  [50]  that incidentally or even conveniently came out the same week that the government was to announce the start of a new generation of atomic plants. The Times article and the documentary in question, hold that nuclear danger and the Chernobyl legacy is over exaggerated, while low levels of radioactivity may even be beneficial.  [51]  The documentary attributes sickness after the accident not so much to radioactive contamination but to the fear that was harnessed after the Chernobyl incident; namely an emission of fear and hypochondria rather than radioactivity. The number of the direct and indirect victims is suspiciously reduced while the 4,000 cases of childrens thyroid cancer attributed to the Chernobyl incident are here reduced to 9. The animals that were tested in the area were found to have low radiation levels on their skins, but the evolutionary background of humans and weasels differs greatly. A letter of complaint was sent on December 2008 by Richard Bramhall of the Low Level Radiation Campaign to the chairman of the BBC Trust, proving that the documentary was scientifically illiterate and had a biased stance on Chernobyl  [52]  making it a piece of propaganda. Bramhall accuses the documentary for distorting the Chernobyl Forum Report while the Report it self provides no basis for the statements of the so-called radiophobia that is to account for the overloading of the health system.  [53]  The lack of scientific understanding and objectivity makes the whole project subject to heavy criticism. The only conclusion that can be drawn is that the power discourses need to eradicate any opposition and concerns about nuclear power (since the promise that no accidents will ever happen cannot be sustained), in order to enter smoothly into a new nuclear era with all the consequences that this entails: Advertising the benefits of an activity increases public acceptance of a greater level of risk.  [54]  Nuclear energy is advocated as source of autonomy, development and prosperity, giving employment, economic, scientific and political opportunities the characteristics of the new American Dream needed to come out of the current recession years. Media and government promote that nuclear energy is used for environmental purposes leaving out the option of soft-technology and renewable resources. Moreover, the fact that uranium is an exhaustible source that will become harder to extract, therefore more expensive and a source of conflict in the future (just as oil has) is not something frequently mentioned. If the public is presented with nuclear power as the only feasible solution that brings about positive effects then it is not surprising that the percentages in support have risen. Realistic Solutions Nuclear energy does have its assets, and either way, this form of energy has come here to stay due to the massive investments that have taken place over the years. What seems as a better solution is Adm. Bowmans proposition for recycling.  [55]  Since nuclear fuel does not take up too much space, Bowman suggests that the waste should be removed from the neighborhoods and be consolidated in centralized locations away from the public for precautionary reasons. He is careful not to imply that their current locations are dangerous, but not preferable nonetheless. He suggests that the problems of disposal should be reevaluated and that investments should be employed in recycling nuclear plants, in order to recover vast unused energy in the fuel, reduce waste volume and radio-toxicity that mother earth must absorb.  [56]  Currently, 95% of the energy content is being thrown away, which can be exploited and at the same time remove the earths heat load. Bowman argues that since Ameri ca has 300 nuclear plants it is a feasible vision to construct at least one deep geologic repository that will prove more beneficia

My Educational Philosophy :: Philosophy of Education Teaching Teachers Essays

My Educational Philosophy My decision to become a teacher isn’t because of a lifelong wish or even a childhood dream. My educational experience during childhood left me, for many years, feeling very indifferent towards the teaching profession. I grew up in a very rural area and the schools that I attended didn’t attract the best of teachers. Although I always tested marginally above average on standardized tests, my grades were mediocre and my attitude concerning my education rated a big, fat â€Å"F†. I wasn’t challenged, inspired, or motivated by any of the teachers that I encountered during my years in school. Maybe there were those who tried to reach out to me but I wasn’t interested. Whatever the case, I graduated high school with no thought of ever becoming a teacher and with the attitude that education wasn’t important. Several years later, as my children started attending school, my view concerning teachers gradually started to change. Through volunteering and being at the school s quite often I began to see how wonderful teachers can be, as the majority of the teachers that I came in contact with seemed to be very passionate about their jobs. This was foreign to me—caring teachers! It wasn’t long before I was in awe of the profession and I wanted to do MY part. I wanted to contribute what I could in attempt to obliterate childhood educational experiences such as mine. After all, anyone can sit back and criticize teachers and the education system. But, if you are going to criticize you must be ready to get involved to create change. That is exactly what I decided to do. Another huge catalyst for me in this process was that I wanted to set an example for my children to follow. How could I challenge them to do their best and to pursue college when I was not a college grad uate myself? The answer I came up with was to re-enter the academic world after fourteen years of absence. As you can guess from my brief testimony, my philosophy concerning education is eclectic in nature and centers naturally around the aspects of self-esteem and motivation. These two words go hand in hand. If children feel good about themselves, and are encouraged, they will be motivated to do their best.

Abusive Parents :: essays research papers

Researchers at the University of Toronto have taken important steps toward producing a profile of an abusive parent. Prof. Gary Walters and doctoral student Lynn Oldershaw of the Department of Psychology have developed a system to characterize parents who physically abuse their children. This could ultimately allow social service professionals to identify parents in child abuse. Over the last five years, Walters and Oldershaw, in collaboration with Darlene Hall of the West End Creche, have examined over 100 mothers and their three to six-year-old children who have been physically abused. In the laboratory, the mother and child spend 30 minutes in structured activities such as playing, eating and cleaning-up. The family interaction is video-taped and later analyzed. The researchers have developed a system which allows them to record the effectiveness of parenting skills. They are particularly interested in disciplinary strategies because abuse most commonly occurs when the parent wants the child to comply. "It's a question of trying to determine which type of parent produces which type of child or which type of child elicits which type of parental behaviour," explains Oldershaw. As a result of their work, Walters and Oldershaw have identified distinct categories of abusive parents and their children. 'Harsh/intrusive' mothers are excessively harsh and constantly badger their child to behave. Despite the fact that these mothers humiliate and disapprove of their child, there are times when they hug, kiss or speak to them warmly. This type of mothering produces an aggressive, disobedient child. A 'covert/hostile' mother shows no positive feelings towards her child. She makes blatant attacks on the child's self-worth and denies him affection or attention. For his part, the child tries to engage his mother's attention and win her approval. An 'emotionally detached' mother has very little involvement with her child. She appears depressed and uninterested in the child's activities. The child of this type of mother displays no characteristics which set him apart from other children. In order to put together a parenting profile, the two researchers examine the mother/child interaction and their perception and feelings. For instance, Walters and Oldershaw take into account the mother's sense of herself as a parent and her impression of her child. The researchers also try to determine the child's perception of himself or herself and of the parent. Abusive parents are often believed to have inadequate parenting skills and are referred to

Flexible Budgets and Performance Analysis

9-1 The planning budget is prepared for the planned level of activity. It is static because it is not adjusted even if the level of activity subsequently changes.9-2 A flexible budget can be adjusted to reflect any level of activity—including the actual level of activity. By contrast, a static planning budget is prepared for a single level of activity and is not subsequently adjusted. 9-3  Actual results can differ from the budget for many reasons. Very broadly speaking, the differences are usually due to a change in the level of activity, changes in prices, and changes in how effectively resources are managed.9-4 As noted in 9-3 above, a difference between the budget and actual results can be due to many factors. Most importantly, the level of activity can have a very big impact on costs. From a manager’s perspective, a variance that is due to a change in activity is very different from a variance that is due to changes in prices and changes in how effectively resour ces are managed. A variance of the first kind requires very different actions from a variance of the second kind. Consequently, these two kinds of variances should be clearly separated from each other. When the budget is directly compared to the actual results, these two kinds of variances are lumped together.9-5 An activity variance is the difference between a revenue or cost item in the static planning budget and the same item in the flexible budget. An activity variance is due solely to the difference in the level of activity assumed in the planning budget and the actual level of activity used in the flexible budget. Caution should be exercised in interpreting an activity variance. The â€Å"favorable† and â€Å"unfavorable† labels are perhaps misleading for activity variances that involve costs. A â€Å"favorable† activity variance for a cost occurs because the cost has some variable component and the actual level of activity is less than the planned level o f activity. An â€Å"unfavorable† activity variance for a cost occurs because the cost has some variable component and the actual level of activity is greater than the planned level of activity.9-6 A revenue variance is the difference between how much the revenue should have been, given the actual level of activity, and the actual revenue for the  period. A revenue variance is easy to interpret. A favorable revenue variance occurs because the revenue is greater than expected for the actual level of activity. An unfavorable revenue variance occurs because the revenue is less than expected for the actual level of activity.9-7 A spending variance is the difference between how much a cost should have been, given the actual level of activity, and the actual amount of the cost. Like the revenue variance, the interpretation of a spending variance is straight-forward. A favorable spending variance occurs because the cost is lower than expected for the actual level of activity. An u nfavorable spending variance occurs because the cost is higher than expected for the actual level of activity.9-8 In a flexible budget performance report, the static planning budget is not directly compared to actual results. The flexible budget is interposed between the static planning budget and actual results. The differences between the static planning budget and the flexible budget are activity variances. The differences between the flexible budget and the actual results are the revenue and spending variances. The flexible budget performance report cleanly separates the

Adhd Research Paper (Argumentative Essay)

Over the past couple of decades there has been a huge increase in the diagnosis and prescriptions given out for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. According to a news report done by USA Today over the past five years use of ADHD medications have risen 40% totaling 39. 5 million individual prescriptions (â€Å"New findings,† 2009). When statistics like this are seen it is only normal for someone to ask questions. People are becoming curious about the legitimacy of the disorder, and whether or not the treatments being given to individuals are appropriate.The argument seems to be strong on both sides of the fence, but the extensive research done on ADHD leaves it hard for one to believe that it is a made up disorder. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD is a neurobehavioral development disorder diagnosed by a number of symptoms. An article by Ayesha Sajid, Maria C. Poor, and David R. Diaz states that the history of ADHD goes back to 1902 when physician Sir Geor ge Frederick Sill came up with what he called â€Å"defect of moral control†(58). Dr. Still saw this â€Å"defect† to be something beyond the sufferer's control.Sajid, Poor, and Diaz go on to talk about the disorders terminology changes up to 1980 when it was officially recognized as Attention Deficit Disorder, with or without hyper activity. â€Å"ADHD has been defined by Russel A. Barkley as a disorder of response inhibition and executive dysfunction leading to deficits in self regulation, impairment in the ability to organize behavior toward present and future goals, and difficulty adapting socially and behaviorally to environmental demands†(Sajid, Poor, and Diaz 58). Subsequently it has been proven that neurotransmitter Dopamine plays a big role in ADHD's symptoms listed above.It plays a large role in our brains functions including motivation, reward, and punishment. In Sajid, Poor, and Diaz's article they discuss treating the lack of the neurotransmitter do pamine by using stimulant medications (58). They recognize that stimulants are dopamine agonist which promote the release of stored dopamine(58). Examples of stimulant medications include but aren't limited to Aderall, Vyvanse, Concerta, and Ritalin. Although stimulants are statistically proven to be the most effective form of treatment it is not the only option.There are several forms of non stimulant medications that are used for treatment but not as commonly as stimulants. Beyond medications are behavioral therapies which can be effective in treating ADHD. The USA today article â€Å"New findings raise questions about use of ADHD drugs† says that at the three year mark behavioral therapies such as parenting and classroom behavioral therapies catch up to stimulant medication treatment. Consequently there was no evident difference in those who received therapies and those who have been taking medications.Results in studies such as these leave many to think about the appropri ateness of stimulant medications. Today many argue about the risk of long term effect from stimulant medication use. Why not go to alternative treatment methods such as behavioral therapy? And those even more opposed often deny the existence of ADHD entirely. To many it is not a disorder, rather a result of bad parenting, too much sugar, or just the result of an energetic child. It is easy to see how these conclusions can easily be jumped to. A lack of personal experience with the disorder is most definitely a cause for lack of understanding.Those who have ADHD would be able to tell anyone it is not something that is easy to understand. The constant lack of motivation, concentration, and control aren't symptoms ADHD victims can control. Working in school becomes nearly impossible for some with these symptoms and it is not just from laziness. The lack of the neurotransmitter dopamine effects these parts of the brains functions. These symptoms are something caused by a chemical imbala nce rather than by the choice of an individual. Though this is true the disorder won't get better on its own.ADHD victims need to help themselves get better, it is a disorder that can be overcome. For many no matter what facts are available ADHD is simply not real. It is easy to understand where people with this point of view are coming from. Starting off with the fact the ADHD doesn't seem to be present in other countries around the world. Children's psychologist Angela Southall claims that 90% of the worlds Ritalin is being prescribed in the United States (Southhall). So yes ADHD is more prevalent in the United States than anywhere else in the world.This leads many to believe that ADHD is something made up by the United States pharmaceutical industry as some sort of hoax. This is certainly an argument that can be credited even by the opposing point of view. It does seem that pharmaceutical companies are marketing their ADHD medications strategically in the United States to get as many people onboard as possible. On the opposing side of this argument it has little to do with stating whether ADHD is real or not. The ideas of the disorder did in fact come up far before pharmaceuticals were involved in the treatment. Another common opposition to ADHD is the medications used to treat it.People wonder why hyperactive children are being treated with stimulants. The side effects of stimulant medications seem to not be so positive and don't seem to be acceptable for a child with ADHD. Side effects such as motor tics, insomnia, and loss of appetite are all commonly seen among stimulant medications. Stimulant medications are also known to be highly addictive. Their is a dangerous possibility of substance abuse with the medications. People wonder if something causes side effects such as these, there must be some sort of possibility of long term effects from medication use.It is certain that stimulant medications are not something to be messed with. They need to be used appropriately by the right people in order for the treatment to be safe. Probably the most common argument to ADHD's legitimacy is that it is just the way that child behaves. Many are against putting a labeled disorder on a child or adults particular behavior. To many a child's behavior is a result of the way they are parented. Kids that are not performing well in school must have not been parented properly at home. This is probably the case for some of the children in school but certainly not all.Many parents go above and beyond to fix their child's behavior before even thinking about putting a medical diagnosis on their child. For many parents this is the last thing they would want to do. It is important to understand that ADHD is a complex disorder that involves a lengthy and broad diagnosis process. Understanding ADHD is not easy and requires an extensive amount of research to gain an understanding. There are three important features when it comes to the ADHD diagnosis process. Impulsiveness, inattention, and hyperactivity levels are all tested by a checklist of symptoms.An article on ADHD states that their are five parts of the diagnosis process. It needs to be understood that all symptoms must be more severe than another individual at a comparable level of development. The five parts of the diagnosis process are labeled parts A through E (Goldstein and Naglieri 860). Part A contains the often cited 18 diagnostic symptoms; Part B requires that symptoms must cause impairment before age 7; C that impairment must be present in two or more settings; D that there is clear evidence â€Å"of clinically signi? cant impairment in social, academic or occupational function† (p. 3); and ? nally, E requires that symptoms should not occur exclusively during the course of other conditions or be better accounted for by other mental disorders. As you can see a process such as this makes it difficult when trying to clearly identify whether an individual has ADHD or not (Goldstein and Naglieri 860). Taking a look at ADHD's 18 diagnostic symptoms is a good way to understand they way ADHD effects a certain individual. The American Psychiatric Association lists the following symptoms to be part of the inattention category of ADHD.Failing to pay close attention to detail or make careless mistakes in schoolwork, difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities, not listening when spoken to directly, often does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish multiply types of work, difficulty organizing tasks and activities, often avoids or is reluctant to engage in tasks that require sustained mental effort, often loses things necessary for tasks or activities, often easily distracted by extraneous stimuli, and is often forgetful in daily activities (124).These symptoms are used to classify what is considered inattentive ADHD commonly known as ADD. The American Psychiatric Association refers to two more categories of symptoms regar ding ADHD. The Hyperactivity category includes symptoms such as often fidgeting with hands or feet, Often leaves seat in classroom or in other situations in which remaining seated is expected, Often runs about or climbs excessively in inappropriate situations, often talks excessively, often has difficulty playing or engaging in leisure activities quietly (124).The next category of symptoms developed by the APA regard impulsiveness. These symptoms include often blurting out answers before questions have been completed, often has difficulty awaiting turn, and often interrupts or intrudes on others (124). These two categories are used to classify two different types of ADHD. One being combined ADHD which requires that symptoms from the inattention and hyperactivity categories be present. The other type is hyperactive-impulsive ADHD which requires that symptoms from hyperactivity and impulsiveness are present.For an individual to be diagnosed with ADHD they must not only suffer from a r ange of symptoms but also fulfill parts B through E of the diagnosis process. The second four parts of the diagnosis are what separates those with ADHD and an individual that would be labeled as lazy. ADHD is developed in adolescence. This is a big factor in separating those with ADHD, and say college students who trying to receive an Aderall or Ritialin prescription to help get their work done. When being diagnosed it would be hard for a doctor to really tell if the individual had suffered from the symptoms at an early age or not.People of this age being diagnosed results in people questioning the legitimacy of ADHD. It needs to be understood that ADHD symptoms are something that an individual must have dealt with nearly their whole lives. Part C of the diagnosis process states that the symptoms must be present in two or more settings. When a child isn't performing well in school, and matches ADHD symptoms there is not enough evidence to diagnose that child with the disorder. Sympt oms must be seen in other aspects of the individuals life such as on a little league sports team or at home.This makes it clear that the person actually has problems with the control of their actions. Similar symptoms in multiple environments make it clear that someone is actually having problems with ADHD, rather than just school itself. One of the most key parts of the diagnosis process would probably be part D. For and Individual to actually have ADHD the symptoms must be significant. Symptoms are usually declared significant by being compared to by another individual at the same level of development. For example some children's hyperactive behavioral actions could be explained by simply being a child.Children have a lot of energy and enjoy to play. A child who actually has ADHD would have energy levels much higher than those in the rest of the class. They would appear to be much more restless and inattentive than almost all of the individuals in their class. This is the part of the diagnosis process that really separates the real cases from the fakes. People often over exaggerate symptoms in order to be diagnosed with ADHD. The final part of the diagnosis process part E is what declares that a child officially has ADHD.This part of the diagnosis process is what makes sure that a child isn't being misdiagnosed with ADHD. It is necessary to make sure an individuals ADHD is not being mistaken for another mental disorder. This is where it is important that a full background check of the individual is taken into account. It is important that every little detail of the individuals history is taken in order to avoid a false diagnosis. Usually the patients genetic background will be looked at to see if any other mental disorders are seen in that patients genetic history.The patients background check is also an important part selecting the proper treatment. As discussed briefly earlier ADHD stimulants play a big role in the ADHD controversy. It is known that stimul ant medications are the most common approach to treating ADHD. An article â€Å"Overview of ADHD† make this claim about the effectiveness of Stimulant medications, â€Å"With reported 65% to 75% clinical improvement in double-blinded placebo controlled trials in both children and adults, they are considered as first-line therapy† (Sajid, Poor, Diaz 58).With statistics like this the effectiveness of stimulants cannot be questioned. Sajid, Poor, and Diaz claim that stimulants are the best researched form of treatment (58). They continue to talk about the options of either long acting or short acting stimulate formulations that contain methlyphenidate (58). Methylphenidate is what promotes the release of stored dopamine into the brain and selectively promotes the release of newly synthesized dopamine into the brain. By understanding this it is easy for one to see that dopamine certainly plays a role in ADHD.If sufferers of ADHD didn't have some sort of imbalance of dopami ne levels why would the medication be so efficient. This certainly rules out certain aspects of the opposing sides argument on ADHD. For one this shows that ADHD is not simply a disorder of laziness, bad parenting, or lack of control. The severity and uncontrollableness of the individuals behavior can be further explained by something other than reason. The symptoms are for certain a result of an individuals dopamine levels present in their brain. Through this information one can see that the use of stimulant medications to treat ADHD are appropriate.Unfortunately there is a lot more to the argument for this conclusion to be made. A series of questions are brought up by the opposing view even after seeing information similar to what has been presented. Opposers commonly like to question the increase in the prescription of stimulant medications since their origin. Research done by the Commission for Scientific Medicine and Mental health shows a 700% increase in the use of stimulant m edications since the 1990's (Lefever, Arcona, and Antonuccio). There is a lot to be said about this increase, as it explains a lot of ADHD's history.A book titled Minimal Brain Dysfunction in Children helps us trace the use of stimulant medications to treat ADHD like disorders back to 1960 (Wender et al. 10). The period of 30 years from 1960 to 1990 was more than enough time for people to start actually hearing about ADHD. We can assume that since 1960 the general public in america has gained a much better understanding of the disorder. For people to be skeptics of the disorder and its treatment methods upon their initial discovery is something easy to understand.Once research of the disorder and its medications were made available to the public showing proper information about the disorder it would likely become more acceptable. Although the timing of an increase in the disorders popularity can be explained, the tremendous increase and constantly growing numbers may still seem a my stery to many. These growing numbers can be explained by a few different things. To start the growing popularity of the disorder has made it seem more acceptable to have. Parents of children and adults themselves aren't hesitating to be diagnosed and treated for ADHD.This factor by itself can explain an increase in diagnosis since 1990, although something as simple as this doesn't fully explain the 700% increase statistic we have seen (Lefever, Arcona, and Antonuccio). A major part of the problem linking to ADHD's overwhelming increase in acceptance is misdiagnosis and even an entirely false diagnosis. Due to the competitive nature of humans, parents are looking to have their child diagnosed to receive advantages in school. Students who have disabilities are allowed extra time on tests and given other advantages to make up for their disorder.This has parents headed to the doctor to give false accusations about the severity of their child's ADHD symptoms. A statistic given in a Medic al News Today article states that 46. 7% of the children diagnosed with ADHD only displayed mild symptoms, compared to the 13. 8% that actually suffered from severe symptoms. This statistic provides evidence that a majority of the ADHD diagnosis' are made on children who don't display significant problems with their symptoms. As a result of this we can conclude that due to the significance level of symptoms being 46. % of the ADHD diagnosed population, that a majority of this population doesn't actually have ADHD according to the diagnosis process. The problem of ADHD over diagnosis can be solved through its definition. Author David Antonuccio claims in an article that part of the ADHD definition is statistical rarity limiting only a certain amount of the population to have the disorder. He goes on to say that the ADHD prevalence estimate was set at 3% to 5% (Antonuccio). Having this statistic in the definition certainly verifies that increasing false diagnosis of ADHD is certainly becoming more common in The United States.Another article from The Washington Post written by Steven Weinberg shares a statistic that claims 9% of children in America have ADHD. This goes 4% above the prevalence estimate of 3% to 5% when describing ADHD's statistical rarity. This helps us realize that the leniency, broadness, and lack of control over the diagnosis process is what is causing the tremendous diagnosis increase seen in the disorder. Having this information displayed makes it clear how misconceptions about the legitimacy of ADHD are created. People having seen this huge increase in diagnosis and treatment is what makes them question the disorder.Now having seen how ADHD diagnosis has become increasingly popular we can conclude that it has nothing to do with the validity of the disorder. This problem belongs to the people of The United States rather than the ADHD community. It is important when looking at the truthfulness of ADHD to look at the definition of the term rath er than the cultural problems it has aroused. The problem of false and misdiagnosis are not the only things that raise questions about ADHD. People seem to think there is only a presence of ADHD in The United States.While it is true that ADHD rates are much higher in The United States, it is certainly not the only country in the world who is involved with the disorder. A newspaper article put out by The Times in the United Kingdom shows that they are dealing with problems similar to those in The United States. The article goes over statistics that display tremendous increases in stimulant medication prescriptions in several different parts of the UK. In a similar article it is stated that in the country Scotland prescriptions increased from 4,000 in 1996 to 72,000 in 2009 (Smith 8).Followed by this he says â€Å"The Scottish Government yesterday said the rise was down to better detection of ADHD, a result of wider knowledge of the condition among health workers†(Smith 8). Aft er taking a look at what is going on in the UK, it's safe to say they are undergoing the same process The United States did years ago. The lack of knowledge about ADHD in previous years is what kept ADHD diagnosis so low in certain countries until more recent years. This helps us clear up the misconception that ADHD is something that only exists in The United States.Countries all over the world are continuously seeing large increases in diagnosis rates of ADHD. The reason the rates aren't as high as The United States is simply because the disorder is something new to these countries. Now it should be safe to say that ADHD is in fact a real disorder. With today's technologies resulting in new discoveries on the brains functions and the disorder's acceptance present in the worlds developed countries make it difficult for any individual to deny this fact. Although the controversy of ADHD's legitimacy has been made clear, the argument does not end here.In close relation to the over diag nosis controversy, a similar controversy is aroused by ADHD's stimulant medications. Stimulant medications have aroused a whole new controversy of their own in the medical world today. It is common to see an individual reject the use of stimulant medications because of the various negative side effects that come with their use. The question of long term effects being caused by stimulant medications is being seen more often among users themselves, and anyone else involved in the argument over ADHD.A study shown in the Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services holds the answers to these questions. In order to gain an understanding of stimulant medications it is necessary that a brief summary of this study is given. A table titled Effects of Long-Term Stimulant Therapy on Safety Outcomes in Children With ADHD states the following information regarding side effects of stimulants; Treatment was well tolerated, 7. 6% of patients discontinued treatment. Minimal effects on weight and heigh were seen. Small if any changes in blood pressure or heart rate. Headaches were seen in 3% of patients, insomnia in 19. % of patients, decreased appetite in 18. 7%, abdominal pain in 11. 1%, and tics in 9. 4% of the patients (Wilens, Donner, Michaels, Ambrosini, Biederman, and Lerner). As you can see questionable side effects are seen with the use of stimulant medications. There is a possibility to have trouble sleeping, have problems with abdominal pain, a decreased appetite, and suffer from tics. This study was done over a two year period so it insures that most side effects caused by stimulants were seen in this study. In the two years of this study nothing was discovered that wasn't know before.With the long term use if stimulants you will most likely suffer from a few negative side effects. ADHD patients involved in stimulant treatment would be able to tell you the side effects may not seem pleasant, but can be overcome by proper use of the stimulant. To begin stimulant medications must be taken early in the morning to avoid possible insomnia. For extended release stimulants the effects last anywhere from 12-18 hours. Taking your medication early in the morning gives time for the medications effects to wear off. It is also important that an individual under treatment makes the effort to eat.Stimulant medications decrease appetite not allowing an individual to realize their hunger. Although one may not feel hungry, it is important to eat healthy foods for every meal of the day. Not eating due to stimulant treatment can become a problem and result in serious weight loss. It is important that a few more things are taken into account when being treated with stimulant medications. Before treatment even starts it is important that the proper prescription be given. The article â€Å"Overview of ADHD† gives this information on stimulant treatment, â€Å"Before prescribing any medication, a full history should be taken.In the case of stimu lants, it is especially important to check for a personal or family history of heart conditions and arrhythmias. Of Course, a complete physical examination is also required with referral to a cardiologist if indicated from information in the history† (Sajid, Poor, Diaz 58). Once heart Conditions are ruled out it is safe to say that with a proper ADHD diagnosis stimulant treatment is appropriate. Parents may want to monitor their children carefully once treatment begins. It is important to watch the way one reacts to the medications to make sure none of the side effects cause serious harm.Weight and height should be monitored carefully. In the instance of significant weight or height change treatment should be discontinued. Stimulant medications hold another attribute that give users one more reason to take caution. Stimulant medications are proven to be addictive when the user disregards their prescribed amount. It needs to be understood that in no case should an individual ex ceed their recommended dose. This is considered abuse of stimulant medications and can result in serious problems. An article regarding the misuse and abuse of stimulant medications gives a list of symptoms that help detect misuse or abuse.Users themselves and parents of adolescent users should look for behavioral changes, problems in school or work, change in activities and friends, heightened attention, long periods of sleeplessness, not eating, secrecy and isolation, fatigue, depression, racing heart, confusion and delusion, aggressiveness, irritability, mood swings, weight loss, and dilated pupils (McCarthy). These symptoms will all become apparent when dealing with one that abuses their prescription. The possibility of addiction among stimulant users does in fact exist.This addictive attribute can be disregarded given that the prescription is used as directed by his or her physician. Through the series of information given on the effects of stimulants it can be said that they'r e appropriate as long as the individual being treated takes the necessary precautions. They are effective in treating those with ADHD, and are the answer to the problem for many. For some individuals stimulant medications may not be the right treatment. In this case there are many other options of treatments and therapies that are appropriate for treating those with ADHD.In fact the effectiveness of behavioral therapies among those with ADHD has aroused another controversy regarding stimulant medications. This relatively new controversy is brought up in the USA Today article â€Å"New findings raise questions about use of ADHD drugs†. A quote from the article regarding studies on behavioral therapies says, â€Å"It now reports the advantage is gone by the three-year mark. By the six and eight-year mark, across 30 measures of behavior and academics, the children still being given medication by their parents fared no better than their non-medicated counterparts†¦ † (2009).This quote is referring to behavioral therapy's ability to catch up to the effectiveness of stimulant medications after a three year period. This causes many to question the use of stimulant medications. It wouldn't make sense to pump your child full of amphetamines when you can gain the same results by behavioral therapy. Refuting the previous argument three years is a long time. As Stimulants are instantly effective many individuals are looking for instant results. Although reaching a conclusion on this argument isn't possible, combined treatment methods completely erase the idea of the argument.If both forms of treatment are seen to be equally effective, why not use them both. With the instant effectiveness of stimulants and the long term effectiveness of behavioral therapies, a whole new therapy can be created that is twice as effective. ADHD patients on stimulants would be more susceptible to participating in behavioral therapies. Thus the therapies process would go much quicker producing positive results in half the time. Combined therapy is the ultimate way for any ADHD victim to overcome their problem.Through all of the information that has been given in this argument two final conclusions have been reached. The first conclusion was that ADHD is in fact a real disorder. The second conclusion would be that among individuals that qualify for their use, stimulant medications are an appropriate method of treatment. After seeing long term studies on the safety of their use and studies on their overall effectiveness it is safe to make this conclusion. As ADHD is one of the most researched disorders in medicine it is only normal for a large portion of information to be left out this argument.The large amount of information that has been left out of this argument makes it natural for objections to be made. For some the evidence presented isn't enough to acknowledge the truth of the conclusions that have been reached. This is completely understandable am ong those who are heavily apposed to the argument. It is possible that there is information available that opposes the view that was presented. Chances are that information would be much less credible than what was presented, but it is important to recognize possible objections before the argument is complete.It is only normal for any individual to hold personal beliefs. Individuals opposed to the argument may have their own beliefs that disregard the facts that have been presented. For example an individual that is heavily opposed stimulant medication use would object to the conclusion reached on behavioral therapies. To certain individuals behavioral therapy is better option than the combination of stimulants with therapy. Their personal belief being stimulants are an inappropriate method of treatment leaves the effective option of behavioral therapy to be the better choice of treatment.In this situation credit can be given to this objection, but the facts available don't give it as much support as the original conclusion. There are certainly objections to the argument that can be based on fact. The position stated on the presence of ADHD in other countries will be objected by many opposers of the argument. Even after seeing the factual evidence that ADHD popularity is on the rise in other countries, many would argue that the presence in other countries is only a fraction of what is seen in The United States.This statement may seem to be the basis of a strong argument but is counteracted by other factors. When the numbers are measured in individuals the countries population needs to be taken into account. The US has a much larger population than most countries causing individuals as a unit of measure to be much higher. When a percentage is created by dividing the amount of individuals by the countries population much more accurate results becomes available. When looking at ADHD rates in units of percentage similar rates are seen among the worlds developed co untries.The most expected objection to the given position would be regarding stimulant medications. Although the results of the two year study regarding the safety of stimulant medication use displayed no significant danger in use, opposers remain pessimistic. To many the evidence provided by a two year study isn't enough. It is strongly believed by many that the long term use of stimulants will eventually negatively impact health. This objection is hard to argue due to the fact that we are not able to look into the future. Negative health effects from long term use of stimulant medications is certainly a possibility.Looking back on the fact that ADHD and its treatments are among the best researched ideas in medicine gives hope that any long term health effects would have by now been recognized. Now that all of the possible flaws on the presented position have been reviewed it can now be said that the conclusions reached are justified. ADHD is in fact a real disorder, and the use of stimulant medications for treatment are appropriate. ADHD is a disorder that should be accepted and understood by society. It is a mental disorder that results in significant behavioral and social problems in an individual's life. The disorder is omplex and causes changes in the brains functions causing a series of symptoms to occur. Society needs to realize that disregarding ADHD's legitimacy is offensive to those who suffer from it. It is crucial for members of society to regard that use of medications for treatment is the only way for some individuals to overcome these symptoms. Passing on knowledge of ADHD is important to the future of the disorder on those who suffer from it. Regardless of any personal beliefs it is important to respect the beliefs of other. The controversy over the disorder needs to come to an end, and the fact that ADHD is real needs to be recognized.

The Application Of Machine Learning - 1253 Words

In the recent years, machine learning has made very significant leaps in terms of development. It has undergone a lot of improvement, growth in the industry. Because of its ability to learn and improve itself and make predictions based on data, its popularity has grown leaps and bounds in the recent years mainly due to the large scale data processing and managing capacities of machines nowadays. Many applications of machine learning has come into picture in the recent years. Machine Learning makes use various learning techniques based on the type of problem at hand or the data available. One of the most important learning technique is the ‘Supervised Learning’ technique. Supervised learning makes use of already available labelled training data to infer a function. The training data is then used to make generalization for making predictions for the test data by introducing an inductive bias into it. 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Identifying The Identity Theft And Credit Card Fraud...

Identity theft is when someone, without the consent of the owner, dishonestly uses, or intends to fraudulently use another individual’s personal identity. Personal identifying information can consist of an individual’s name, date of birth, driver’s license number, mother’s maiden name, state identification number, telephone number and other personal information that an individual can be identified with, such as a birth certificate or Social Security number. People who commits this form of fraud is committing a third-degree felony. Proceeding through the system as a victim of identity theft can be an extensive and confusing process. It is important for individuals to keep track of the actions they take and retain a record of their progress, as they contact law enforcement, financial institutions and creditors. If individuals make any decisions regarding their case or decide to talk to investigators without counsel’s advice, they may hurt their opport unity to defend themselves against any identity theft charges. Florida is number one in the country when it comes to overall identity theft and credit card fraud complaints, and actually has been for quite a while. In terms of specific locations, South Florida has the highest rate of identity theft among metro areas in the entire nation. Identity theft is so common and such a huge issue there. This is evident since there was more than twice as many identify theft complaints in South Florida than in Seattle, which is the metro areaShow MoreRelatedIdentity Theft1365 Words   |  6 PagesThe Dangers of Identity Theft Sharae Ernst IFSM 201 – Summer 2012 8/3/2012 â€Å"Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personally identifying information (PII), like your name, Social Security number, or credit card number, without your permission, to commit fraud or other crimes.† (Fighting Back Against Identity Theft: Federal Trade Commission). According to the Federal Trade Commission, identity theft complaints have decreased since year 2008 (314,521 to 250,854). It is estimated by theRead MoreIdentity Theift Essay1672 Words   |  7 PagesIdentity theft is a term used to refer to all types of crime in which someone wrongfully obtains and uses another persons personal data in some way that involves fraud or deception, typically for economic gain. Unlike your fingerprints, which are unique to you and cannot be given to someone else for their use, your personal data  ¬ especially your Social Security number, your bank account or credit card number, your telephone calling card number, and other valuable identifying data  ¬ can be usedRead MoreIdentity Theft And Its Impact On The State Of Florida1276 Words   |  6 PagesIdentity theft is a negative issue in the entire United States, but the state of Florida is where it is most common and where there is the most cases. Due to Florida having the most identity theft complaints, it is important to question just how vulnerable the state is to this form of fraud. However, it is evident that Florida needs to find more efficient ways to limit identity theft drastically, since it has led the nation in identity theft for the past three years. This paper will examine the stepsRead MoreIdentity Crimes : As Common As Death And Taxes1099 Words   |  5 PagesIdentity Crimes: As Common as Death and Taxes With the rise in the need for the convenience of online shopping and bill pay, identity theft has become a more prevalent issue around the world. Identity theft is a type of crime in which someone wrongfully obtains and uses another person’s personal data in some way that involves fraud of deception, typically for economic gain (Identity Theft). In 2009, approximately 13.9 million Americans were victims of some form of identity theft (Theoharis). StudiesRead MoreIdentity Theft Is Not A New Type Of Crime776 Words   |  4 PagesMerriam-Webster defines identity theft as the illegal use of someone else s personal identifying information (such as a Social Security number) in order to get money or credit. The United States Department of Justice says identity theft is, â€Å"The short answer is that identity theft is a crime. Identity theft and identity fraud are terms used to refer to all types of crime in which someone wrongfully obtains and uses another person s personal data in some way that involves fraud or deception, typicallyRead MoreFraud : A Broad Spectrum Of Individuals At Any Time1238 Words   |  5 PagesFraud can affect a broad spectrum of individuals at any time. Companies and consumers are losing billions of dollars every year. The effects of such deceptions can way heavily on companies and consumers. Fraud can be committed in many different ways. It can range from employee embezzlement to email scams. With increasing frequency, fraud continues to occur. No matter what the news reports, without proper controls; fraud will still occur. Proper controls and training need to be put in place at companiesRead MoreBest Practices For Preventing Identifying And Reporting Internet Fraud Essay1590 Words   |  7 PagesBest Practices for Preventing, Identifying and Reporting Internet Fraud The Internet plays critical roles in the fabric of today s society, and people use their computers and mobile devices for business, social contact, recreation playing games and many other activities. However, everyone faces cyber crime risks when using their computersm and these perils range from phishing to investment fraud. People use their computing devices to work, buy products and services and store vital personal informationRead MoreWhat Is Cyber Crime?1424 Words   |  6 Pagescan be considers as target when the crime is directed to the computer. In addition, cyber crime also includes traditional crimes that been conducted with the access of Internet. For example hate crimes, telemarketing Internet fraud, identity theft, and credit card account thefts. In simple word, cybercrime can be defined as any violence action that been conducted by using computer or other devices with the access of internet. This action can give harmful effects to other. Report made by authoritiesRead More Internet Fraud and Identity Theft Essay1176 Words   |  5 PagesInternet Fraud and Identity Theft The Internet is not just a medium for information; it is a tool for communication. Creating a new social sphere and environment, the Internet allows virtually anyone to be a participant. Chat rooms, discussion boards, instant messaging services and e-mail are all mediums that allow individuals to engage in communication. However, although the Internet is a public domain, individuals do not have to honestly represent themselves. Many individuals use false namesRead More The Government Struggle to Combat Identity Theft Essay4278 Words   |  18 Pagesout as particularly frightening: identity theft. The ability of a criminal to completely co-opt the identity of another person strikes at the very core of individuality. No longer can the victim be assured that his place in the world is singular and unique, dependent on his actions alone; rather, he is subject to sudden and dramatic changes, all at the behest of an actor who he – in all likelihood – does not even know. No ting the progressing trends of identify theft crimes in the last few years,