Essay on Online vs Brick and Mortar Shopping - 1029 Words

Online vs. Brick-and-Mortar Shopping The Internet has changed the way we do virtually everything, including the way we shop. However, shopping is not the only thing that has changed. In the last decade we have changed the way, we apply for loans, study, and even plan a vacation. Doing any of these things would have been impossible a few decades ago. At present, online banking, paying bills, ordering new services, and shopping online have become part of our daily lives. Traditional brick-and-mortar stores have been around much longer than online stores, but we cannot deny that online shopping is giving the traditional stores competition. Many consumers still choose to shop at regular brick-and-mortar stores because they like to see and†¦show more content†¦Amazon and eBay attracted the most unique visitors each month to their global e-commerce sites. Forrester Research Inc. estimates that the global online population will be 2.32 billion in 2014. Online shoppers have more options than ever before. Used, hard to find items, and collectables are more accessible thru online shopping. Online shoppers no longer need to drive from one store to the next to find the best deal, and there is no need to stand in long lines making shopping online fast, easy and enjoyable. In addition, a huge benefit of shopping online is that it allows product and specification comparison so you can purchase what you need and pay less. Online stores have a lower overhead than the traditional stores offering better deals, and the consumer is able to find the product they want at a better price. In traditional brick-and-mortar stores, sales have limited quantities at hand, but online stores are able to keep a bigger inventory giving online shoppers more opportunities to find a bargain. In fact, shopping at several stores at the same time guarantees the consumer the best deal. Shopping online is simple, and finding the right product is easier. If you are shopping for a digital camera at the store it might be a little overwhelming to see the camera selection with so many specifications. Sales representatives can sometimes be misleading in an effort to make the sale. Online side-by-side product comparison will allow the consumer toShow MoreRelatedOnline Shopping Vs Brick And Mortar1483 Words   |  6 PagesOnline Shopping vs Brick and Mortar Times are changing faster than ever. It seems like only yesterday that mail order catalogs, grocery stores, and shopping malls were the places to shop for items for our homes and our lives. As with all things, technology advances us to places we would have scoffed at in times past, and as technology advances, so do our shopping trends. Today, the high-energy bustle of the malls of America is dwindling down to lonely, dilapidated store fronts with â€Å"space forRead MoreOnline Shopping vs Brick and Mortar1459 Words   |  6 PagesOnline Shopping VS Brick and Mortar Ann Gove COMM/155 December 10, 2011 Marianne Raley Online shopping VS Brick and Mortar Does the idea of shopping in Italy, France, or Japan at 3:00 am in your pajamas while snuggled up on the couch sound like a good idea? Then internet shopping is the way to go. As of the first twenty five days of the November- December 2011 Holiday season internet sales totaled 12.7 billion dollars, that’s an increase of 15% since last year. Online shopping dominates theRead MoreOnline Shopping vs. Brick and Mortar Shopping966 Words   |  4 PagesBrick and mortar shopping and online shopping compare and contrast in many different ways. Some of the ways are obvious such as one is online and one is an actual store, but there are others that many different people would not even think about if they didn’t shop in both settings regularly. Knowing the benefits of online shopping and shopping in store can not only save a person the hassle of getting out when something may be better to get online, but it can also save a person tons of money knowingRead MoreConsumer Perceptions Towards E Grocery Market1396 Words   |  6 Pagesfacilitates online transaction between business entities and consumer for various product and services. As market penetration of internet is rising which leads to the growth of e-grocery sector in India. Social media has impacted the growth of online consumers dynamically in Tier I cities. Some e-commerce players came up with the online grocery market concept but not able to sustain which reflects about the dynamic environment toward e-grocery. E-grocery allows consumers to purchase grocery online throughRead MoreOnline vs Brick and Mortar844 Words   |  4 PagesJacobie COM170 10/27/2014 Laura L. Dorsey Online vs. Brick-and-Mortar Shopping One of the opportunities we have in today’s world is whether to buy online or go to a brick and mortar store to do our purchasing. The two offer great sales and promotions along with selections from which we can choose. As online shopping and brick and mortar may seem similar; however, both differ in pricing, convenience and selection. Discounts are offered both online and in store which makes it easy for theRead MoreThe Development Of On Line Shopping1234 Words   |  5 Pages Brick and mortar used to be the only means of how we purchased products or services; however that changed with the invention of the WWW. It’s hard to pinpoint an exact date on-lining shopping started. The development of on-line shopping was such a gradual process since its very beginnings to when the first transaction took place. I think the best year to use is 1995, since that was the year when Amazon, Dell, Cisco started selling products to customers online. That same year is also when EBayRead MoreAmazon Case Study996 Words   |  4 Pagesof Amazon.com in July of 1995 was the creation of a new and bold way of doing business on the Internet. Amazon.com forced the traditional physical world brick and mortar retailer in the book industry to change the way they target the industry s consumers and then epitomized Business-2-Consumer e-retailing. Although, Amazon.com started as an online bookstore, according to eRetailNews , they have since spread its wings into other industr ies such as music, DVD, toys, videos etc... Subsequently, thisRead MoreTypes and Functions of Retailers1901 Words   |  8 Pagesliving nearby. Hyperactive Markets: Offers variety of goods in huge volumes at a low price. Supermarkets: Store mainly offering grocery and limited nonfoods item. Malls: Offers wide range of retailers under one roof. E-retailers: Offers product online that are delivered at customer doorstep. Vending machines: Equipment that offer goods upon dropping in of money. All the factors discussed above show us the importance of retailer in the channel of distribution. In spite of these factors, many peopleRead MoreRelationship Between Customer Service And Logistics1403 Words   |  6 Pagesservice and logistics in retail supply chain are becoming more synonymous every day. As competition between traditional and online shopping becomes more intense, expedited shipping options and combined supply chain networks are key. Simply put, delivery speed and logistics dexterity provide customer service with metrics needed to be success. The leading benefit of brick-and-mortar retailers, like Wal-Mart, is the customers’ ability to achieve instant gratification. The ability to compare options, kickRead MoreWeek 4 Workshop Questions Essay757 Words   |  4 PagesWorkshop Questions – Week 4 1. Search the Web for a company that is purely Web based. Next, find the Web site of a competing company that is a hybrid (i.e., they have a traditional brick-and-mortar business plus a presence on the Web). ASOS vs Westfield (a) Explain the pros and cons of dealing with each type of company. An example of a company that is purely Web based would be ASOS and an example of a competing company that is a hybrid would be Westfield. One of the pros of ASOS

Source of Congressional Power Free Essays

In the United States’ system of government, there is a checks and balances system where power is shared by the executive branch, the judicial branch and the legislative branch. To a great degree the legislative branch (the congress) exists to provide oversight of the executive branch. In other ways, congressional power can be quite extensive as visible in a number of famous court cases where such power was challenged and the end result of the court cases resulted not in a lessoning of congressional power, but an affirmation and expansion of it. We will write a custom essay sample on Source of Congressional Power or any similar topic only for you Order Now Examples of famous court cases that involve Congressional power include McCullough vs. Maryland (the constitution grants Congress the ability to carry out the constitution when the function of the national government is concerned); South Carolina vs. Katzenback (the authority of Congress to pass the Voting Rights Act was upheld); Gibbons vs. Ogden (Congress’ powers under the Commerce Clause of the Constitution were upheld); and McGrain vs. Doherty (inherent powers defined) Of all its powers, Congress is most notable for the ability to regulate and maintain interstate (and foreign) commerce, write tax law, declare war and fund the military, confirm nominations to the federal court and even impeach the President if he breaks the law (or opt to ignore the fact that he broke the law) While some may wrongfully argue that such powers lead to a long, bureaucratic process that could be much better served it were streamlined by a central authority, the fact that Congress prevents the emergence of a central authority is its greatest asset. That is to say, by not allowing the executive branch to develop overreaching power, the Congress eliminates the President from emerging as a dictatorial figure who is not subject to oversight. If too much power is placed in the hands of any one branch of government, then the ability of the government to overreach and become corrupt is a very real possibility. Congress keeps this system of checks and balances in line. The expansion of Congressional power also exists to greatly help the people. For example, South Carolina vs. Katzenback solidified the power of the Voting Rights Act and allowed people to maintain their ability to exercise their right to vote. The control of commerce as defined by McCullough vs. Maryland held businesses accountable and did not give them free reign to do whatever it is they wished at the detriment of society as a whole. Yes, there have been numerous complaints over the years that Congress has overreached its authority and regulated/interfered in business and private lives beyond what is appropriate; but such overreaching has been curtailed in the past when public outcry became loud and virulent. As such, it would be hard to press a case that Congressional Power is abusive or overreaching since Congress does, ultimately, have to be accountable to its constituency every election cycle. Because of this, the ability to exercise power remains in check and can not overreach beyond what the population wishes. So, in that regard, congressional power is not unlimited and is subject to the same checks and balances system that the other parts of government are subject. How to cite Source of Congressional Power, Papers

Marketing Fundamentals

Question: Write and make a presentation on marketing objectives, marketing strategy and action programs for the new product chosen in Assessment. Answer: 1. Introduction The prime purpose of this study is to provide a brief understanding about marketing strategy to entry in a new market with a new product. The manager has found that the new product g-roo luggage bag is viable for market entry into the country Australia. The senior management of the organization has decided to launch this new product in the Australian market in the year 2016. Here, the management body of the organization identifies the marketing objectives as well as formulates marketing strategies for this new product. Along with that, the action plan for launching and marketing the product is demonstrated well in this study. The marketing objectives, marketing strategies and action plan are outlined for the first six months form the product launch. 2. Marketing Objectives Piercy (2014) opined that it is essential for the marketers to identify the objectives that they need to achieve for the success and growth of their business. In the present case scenario, the management body has outlined the objectives behind launching their new product in the Australian market. The objectives are demonstrated below: To establish brand awareness for the new product To provide more customer satisfaction by offering better quality products To enhance the sales 8% within 6 months The management body of the organization found that the above mentioned marketing objectives are achievable within six months from the product launch. Hollensen (2015) explained that it is essential to establish brand awareness first before entering in new market. This is because the customers need to be aware of about the new product which is going to be available in the market. Here, the managers of the organization would establish the brand awareness for g-roo luggage bag in order to make the Australian customers aware about the product and its specialty. The g-roo luggage bag would offer better quality to the customers in the Australian market. Through promoting the product, they would ensure that some specific qualities would be featured. These are: Comparatively light weight Strap for attaching extra bags Integrated combination lock durability and maneuverability will be relatively high Latest design Apart from this, the organizations expect to increase the sales by 8% within the six months. They expect that the sales growth rate can be achieved as they provide better quality products. 3. Market Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning As per the viewpoint of Kumar Zia (2016), STP Model helps the marketers to analyze their offerings, ways of communicating the benefits, and valuing specific groups (Refer to Appendix 1). The STP Model helps to concentrate on three steps that include Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning. Here, the management body of the organization has considered the STP model in launching the new product g-roo luggage bag. According to Schlegelmilch (2016), market segmentation is the key process to divide the customers into smaller groups regarding their common characteristics and needs. In the below table, the market segmentation process for the new product is demonstrated: Market Segmentation Geographic Segmentation In the Australian market, they target mainly the popular cities as more people are living there due to various reasons. Besides, the cities are considered where people make their business as well as personal travel. Demographic Segmentation The managers target the groups among which the demand for the latest model of luggage bags is comparatively high. Psychographic Segmentation More specifically, they target the customers who like to spend their leisure time through travelling places. Behavioral Segmentation It has been found that the customers who like to travel are looking for the luggage bags that are more user-friendly. Table 1: Market Segmentation for g-roo luggage bag Schlegelmilch (2016) stated that the targeting the market is one of the essential strategies that help to attract more customers and enhance the sales. Here, the respective organization targets the both the adult and mature age groups of Australias citizens. The reason behind considering these age groups is that these specific groups tend to purchase the latest model of luggage bags. In the present period, most of the people of these age groups like to spend their leisure time through travelling across the world. Therefore, they find more user-friendly benefits in the luggage bags they carry during travelling several areas. Moreover, they are looking for the bags that are featured with more benefits and provide better quality than other substitutes. Apart from this, they are going to launch as well as supply their product g-roo luggage bag in Melbourne and Sydney. The reason behind considering these two places is that these are the most popular cities in Australia. People are travell ing these places due to their business as well as personal purposes. Thus, it is expected that the organization would able to stay connected with more cultural groups. As opined by Kumar Zia (2016), market positioning is the process of communicating core benefits of the product to the target customers. They have aligned the product characteristics with the customer benefits in their positioning strategy. After analyzing the demand and expectations of the travel loving people regarding luggage bags, the organization included specific characteristics in the luggage bag. Apart from this, they would consider low-pricing strategy in order to build an effective position in the Australian market. They expect that they would be able to attract more customers as the customers are offered better quality products against lower price. 4. Marketing Strategy Following the viewpoint of Goi (2015), the marketing mix strategy helps to put right product at right place with right price at right time. Here, the management body of the respective organization considers the 4Ps marketing strategy to launch the new product (Refer to Appendix 2). The marketing strategy of the organization is demonstrated in the below table: 4Ps of Marketing Mix Marketing Strategy Product Latest product design More features in single product Better quality New brand Price Low pricing strategy Discount at the day the product will launch Place Supply through right distribution channel Promotion Promote in the local 4 stores of Melbourne and Sydney Promote through social media sites Create own website for launching the product Table 2: Marketing Strategy for launching g-roo luggage bag The above table is elaborated further here. Product: It has been mentioned before that the product will be included more features in this specific product so that it would help them to acquire competitive advantages and attract more customers. Latest design will be incorporated along with the better quality. As a result, both the quality and modern visualization of the product would attract more customers. Price: The product will be offered at lower prices in order to attract both the price sensitive and quality conscious customers. It has been found that most of the customers tend to contribute less money in these accessories and more in their holiday vacations. At the same time, they want travel friendly accessories. Thus, the respective organization both the low price and high quality strategy in this product. Place: The management body of the organization has decided to supply the product through the largest supply chain in the market of Melbourne and Sydney. People have a tendency to assume that the popular retail stores sell branded and better quality products (Kapferer, 2012). Thus, the organization has targeted the largest retail stores of these two markets. Promotion: They promote the product in the 4 local stores of these two cities. Apart from this, they would promote their product through the social media sites. Nowadays, people gather all the information through internet and contribute most of their time in surfing social media sites. This is the prime reason of choosing the sites for promoting their products. Along with this, they would create their own website to provide the information about this new product. 5. Action Programs Hrebiniak (2013) opined that the action plan helps to outline the actions of processes that would be applied in order to achieve the organizational goal and objectives. Here, the action plan is made for launching the product as well as attain the objectives within six months. Strategies Actions Implementation process Time period Establish brand awareness Promote the product in the social media sites Create own website The product will be promoted in the site of facebook, as this is the most popular social media site in which consumers contribute their maximum time. Apart from that, an information technology team will be involved to create their own website. Initially the website provide only the product information After launching the product, they would offer online purchases for the products. 8th June - 15th August Product Launch Consider 2 local retail store in Melbourne and 2 stores in Sydney Offer at half of the product price At the first day, the product will be launched as well as offered at half price of the product. The store seller of the product would be benefitted as the organization will make additional expenses on them. 13th June Gathered feedbacks from customers Collecting feedbacks form the buyers of the bag Collecting feedbacks form other consumers about their expectations A team will be engaged who gather the feedbacks of the customers who purchase the product. The feedback will account their expectations and perspectives about the product. Another team will be engaged who gather the feedbacks of the customers who do not have any intension to make purchases. 13th June Meet the market demand Identify the demand by the feedbacks and supply as per the demand The feedbacks of the customers would help to identify the market demand for the product in Australia. As per the demand they would gradually increase the supply. 15 June - 20th December Provide more customer satisfaction Improve the quality by gathering the feedbacks of the consumers After knowing the expectations of the consumers, they would able improve the quality. A team will be engaged that would gather monthly feedbacks of the customers through online process. 15th July - 15th November Table 3: Action Plan for first six months 6. Conclusion The study concludes that the respective organization is expecting to enhance their business through promoting the new product in the Australian market. They would value the both the positive and negative feedbacks of the customers in order to improve their product quality. This would help them to improve their objective of enhancing the customers satisfaction. The increasing the satisfaction level, they would able to increase their sales as well. It further concludes that the organization adapts several strategies and policies to establish brand awareness and launch the product in the new market. Reference List Goi, C. L. (2015). Marketing Mix: A review of'P'.The Journal of Internet Banking and Commerce,2005. Hollensen, S. (2015).Marketing management: A relationship approach. Pearson Education. Hrebiniak, L. G. (2013).Making strategy work: Leading effective execution and change. FT Press. Kapferer, J. N. (2012).The luxury strategy: Break the rules of marketing to build luxury brands. Kogan Page Publishers. Kumar, N. S., Zia, M. (2016). A Three Dimensional Vertical Differentiation Model: Implications for Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning.Targeting and Positioning (April 3, 2016). Piercy, N. (2014).Export Strategy: Markets and Competition (RLE Marketing). Routledge. Schlegelmilch, B. B. (2016). Segmenting Targeting and Positioning in Global Markets. InGlobal Marketing Strategy(pp. 63-82). Springer International Publishing.

Oral Arguments and Decision

Introduction Oral arguments and briefs have a great influence on jurists’ decisions in the courts. In his book, Oral Arguments and Decision Making on the United States Supreme Court, Timothy Johnson notes that judges consider a number of issues such as oral arguments, political considerations, and external factors, which are not part of the case records prior to making an ultimate decision in a particular case. Conventionally, jurists do not decide on how to decree on a particular case before listening to it.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Oral Arguments and Decision-making on the Supreme Court specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The intent of this paper is to affirm that oral arguments affect how judges make decisions in courts and in this particular instance, in the Supreme Court. The paper begins by a summary of a reading Timothy Johnson’s book, Oral Arguments and Decision Making on the United Stat es Supreme Court. Summary of the oral arguments and decision-making on the US Supreme Court Johnson argues that advocates should not use oral argument as a tool for influencing judges, but rather for accomplishing the goals that the judges have set. He further asserts that conscious of the existing external factors that might influence the process of decision-making and the need for creating strong internal coalitions, judges capitalize on the arguments to get facts, form legal, and procedure matters for conference deliberation, and finally use them to develop their written judgments (Johnson 28). Johnson presents a properly researched writing that helps students comprehend how strategic decision-making is achieved in the Supreme Court. Johnson notes that litigation involves the presentation of legal problems in two opposing sides with the exemption of the amicus briefs, with the two opposing sides presenting their arguments on biased grounds (26). Conscious of the bias-based argume nts, judges utilize oral argument as a tool for determining issues, which are of greatest importance irrespective of whether they were tabled by advocates. How oral arguments affect decision-making in the Supreme Court In his book, Johnson refers to a number of cases tackled in the 1970-80s and uses them to compare the briefs presented by the parties and the questions that developed during the oral argument session. The aim of the latter is to determine if the court simply requests the parties to explicate the issues that they wrote in their briefs or they go past the issues outlined in the briefs and seek clarification on new developments. According to Johnson, most issues raised by judges, close to 80%, are new concerns that were not tackled by the parties and amicus (98). Furthermore, in instances where the jurists raise issues in relation to the briefs, they mainly seek to understand how particular issues in the briefs affect public policy. In essence, judges are concerned with how the litigants’ briefs influence external factors, for instance as the Congress to help them determine policy options that should adopt in coming to a particular conclusion.Advertising Looking for essay on law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Indeed, oral argument plays a critical, but distinct role for advocates and judges. When an advocate presents his or her oral argument, he or she is able to clarify facts related to the cases that helps the judges when examining what the case actually entails (Johnson 47). By simply tabling the briefs, they are never assured if the court heard their plea, as they are not certain if the judges read the briefs. Even the responses from the judges do not erase the doubts as the judges’ legal clerks normally prepare the responses. Oral argument is an important communication aspect to the court as it assures the litigants that they have communicated and the genuine people have heard their cases. It affirms the significance of face-to-face communication. The nature of communication adopted by a lawyer during the oral submission is of great essence. Moreover, oral arguments help judges to get the main points because lawyers have to be precise. It compels advocates to concentrate on issues, which they consider as important. Since lawyers often have a fixed time, possibly one or two hours, to present their oral argument, the litigant is thus compelled to highlight the important issues. This use of language is absent in briefs where lawyers have the liberty to respond to the laws and facts that they find relevant for their case. Moreover, lawyers will be in search of fresh perspectives in relation to the case. As a result, jurists are able to seek clarification on some of the questions that emerged from the briefs. Unlike briefs, justices are in a position to know the highlights of the case as they can easily question the litigant to explain to the court what he or she considers as collateral issues, which should be put into consideration during their judgment. Subsequently, if an advocate fails to clarify some of the issues he or she raised in the brief, then he or she cannot blame the court if it makes a little drift from the issues when making its judgment. In essence, the oral argument has the power to shape the outcome the judges intend to make. The justices can use it to get backing for their verdicts and ultimate results. Johnson notes that most issues that justices raise during an oral argument presentation often appear in their written opinions (73). For instance, in the case of Roe v Wade, a question that emerged during the oral argument later developed to a Court’s theory (Johnson 75). In essence, oral arguments give judges an instrument for substantiating the reasons why they particular decisions. The communication amongst judges is also a vibrant occurrence during oral arguments. This aspect helps judges in raising ma tters that probably a litigant had shied from presenting. Furthermore, raising such questions helps judges to tackle some issues that would complicate the decision-making process if not handled early enough and in the open.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Oral Arguments and Decision-making on the Supreme Court specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Indeed, the time that justices get to have a collegial deliberation in the Supreme Court is normally inadequate, and thus they may utilize a portion of the oral argument session to consult each other on the possible outcome of a case (Johnson 94). Nonetheless, the major role of oral argument is to endow justices with adequate and pertinent information. Justices are coupled with reservations that can only be altered by relevant information and laws. From this approach, litigants present oral arguments to give justices information that can shape how they decide on their clien t’s case. In essence, the aim of advocates is to table issues and link them to the current law coupled with how they are going to affect the public policies. Judges rely on the oral submissions made by lawyers to assist them in advancing their goals. A skilled oral advocate can largely influence the outcome of a given case. For instance, in the case of Jensen v Quaring (1985), Justice Blackmun confessed that the oral arguments made by the respondents simplified his decision-making process. Considering the aforementioned issues, what type of information that justices seek after that eventually influences their position in a particular case? At times, justices simply need to have a clear-cut understanding of the issues presented by litigants. Jurists raise questions on certain issues not only to get facts, but also to determine the type of approach that they should adopt. Lawyers are thus compelled to think beyond the facts and law applicable in a certain case and they are advi sed to incorporate the social and political effects of the case in their arguments because judges will consider social and political impact of their ruling with respect to the case. Judges try to associate every point raised by advocates to other scenarios in a bid to construct the actual outcome of the arguments. Essentially, they want advocates to guide them towards a particular path. Nevertheless, judges do not communicate their strategies directly to litigants. One can tell approach adopted by the courts by examining the questions that justices raise during oral arguments. Recent studies indicate that one can simply predict the outcome of a case by tallying the amount of questions directed to a given party. Apparently, a lawyer that receives a certain question ends up losing his or her case (Johnson, 91). Moreover, the prevailing tone during the oral argument can affect the ultimate decision made by judges. The tone gives a glimpse of the speaker’s ambitions, intentions, and aspirations. Presumably, when judges adopt a harsh tone towards a given lawyer, then he or she is likely to lose the case Jonathan, (28).Advertising Looking for essay on law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Johnson comes up with a number of models that Supreme Court judges apply when making decisions with respect to oral arguments. Judges are affected by the quality of information presented by a litigant. In that, judges are likely to vote for the attorney who offers the best oral argument. In this regard, it can be noted that judges may be influenced by a lawyers experience and skills in oral arguments. For instance, judges are likely to be convinced by a Solicitor General that an advocate who has a one year in experience. Another argument is that policy preference plays a role in how judges make decisions after an oral argument. In that, judges are likely to support attorneys whose presentations are close to their policy preferences. Nonetheless, the law restricts how judges are influenced by their ideological beliefs. To explain the latter, Johnson (94) develops the conditional effect of oral advocacy theory where he argues that the proximity of the ideological position of judge in comparison to an attorney is likely to be influenced by the credibility of an attorney’s oral argument. Moreover, the oral argument plays a substantial role in complex cases. Using the conditional effect of information need theory, Johnson (102) asserts that the influence of oral arguments on judges in dependant on the complexity of a particular case. Conclusion The importance and impact of oral argument on the Supreme Court‘s decisions can never be ignored. Not every case is decided on oral arguments; however, when justices begin requesting advocates to expound certain issues during oral arguments, then its significance cannot be overlooked. Oral arguments influence all parties in the Supreme Court and the eventual decision made by judges. By focusing on the important issues, it aids judges in deciding on the strategy that they will adopt in their judgment. On the other hand, justices ask the lingering questions that might have developed from the briefs and get clarifi cation on the important issues of the case. Moreover, it gives judges an opportunity to have collegial consultations on issues that would have possibly made it difficult to determine a case. The impact of oral argument on the Supreme Court cases can thus never be underrated, as it influences the decisions made by judges despite the presence of briefs. Works Cited Johnson, Timothy. Oral arguments and decision-making on the United States  Supreme Court, New York: State University of New York Press, 2011. Print. This essay on Oral Arguments and Decision-making on the Supreme Court was written and submitted by user MotherAskani to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Jakob The Rich

Jacob Fugger â€Å"The Rich† During the Renaissance there were many advances, new ideas, and other things that helped create a time period in which we still study greatly today. One of the contributing factors of the Renaissance was the merchant and financier fields. There were quite a few families that were extremely successful in their professions of trading and financing. One of the most successful families was the Fugger family of Germany. The Fugger family were one of the most prominent mercantile of the Renaissance. They mastered their competitors in such feilds as trading spices, wool clothe, jewelry, and silk. They also made much of their money in lending finances to important people and charging a high interest rate in order to profit as much as possible. However the biggest of their revenue was their near monopoly in the silver, copper and quicksilver mines. The family business was started by Hans Fugger who died in 1409. He was just a wool weaver with a big dream. The family was based in Augsburb, Germany and expanded their business throughout Renaissance Europe. The most important of the Fugger family was Jacob Fugger the second, or better known as Jacob the Rich. Jacob the Rich was one of the hardest working men I have ever read about. He did so McDonald 2 much for his family name. While so much of the ground work was underway on building the family business stronger, Jacob was a young man and he was to become a priest. Shortly after Jacob had taken his first orders to become a priest in 1478 his family asked him to do one of the hardest things anyone can ask of their fellow family members. They asked if Jacob could abandon his dream of being a priest and help oversee and expand the Fugger business. He was sent to Venice to learn the traits of a good merchant and business person. This sacrifice would be forever remembered by the family because now Jacob demanded that every available family d... Free Essays on Jakob The Rich Free Essays on Jakob The Rich Jacob Fugger â€Å"The Rich† During the Renaissance there were many advances, new ideas, and other things that helped create a time period in which we still study greatly today. One of the contributing factors of the Renaissance was the merchant and financier fields. There were quite a few families that were extremely successful in their professions of trading and financing. One of the most successful families was the Fugger family of Germany. The Fugger family were one of the most prominent mercantile of the Renaissance. They mastered their competitors in such feilds as trading spices, wool clothe, jewelry, and silk. They also made much of their money in lending finances to important people and charging a high interest rate in order to profit as much as possible. However the biggest of their revenue was their near monopoly in the silver, copper and quicksilver mines. The family business was started by Hans Fugger who died in 1409. He was just a wool weaver with a big dream. The family was based in Augsburb, Germany and expanded their business throughout Renaissance Europe. The most important of the Fugger family was Jacob Fugger the second, or better known as Jacob the Rich. Jacob the Rich was one of the hardest working men I have ever read about. He did so McDonald 2 much for his family name. While so much of the ground work was underway on building the family business stronger, Jacob was a young man and he was to become a priest. Shortly after Jacob had taken his first orders to become a priest in 1478 his family asked him to do one of the hardest things anyone can ask of their fellow family members. They asked if Jacob could abandon his dream of being a priest and help oversee and expand the Fugger business. He was sent to Venice to learn the traits of a good merchant and business person. This sacrifice would be forever remembered by the family because now Jacob demanded that every available family d...

Size, Facts, and Figures of the Alamosaurus

Size, Facts, and Figures of the Alamosaurus Although there may be other genera whose fossils have yet to be discovered, Alamosaurus (Greek for Alamo lizard and pronounced AL-ah-moe-SORE-us) is one of the few titanosaurs known to have lived in the late Cretaceous (70-65 million years ago) in North America, and possibly in vast numbers: According to one analysis, there may have been as many as 350,000 of these 60-foot-long herbivores living in Texas at any given time. Its closest relative appears to have been another titanosaur, Saltasaurus. Bigger Than We Thought A recent analysis has shown that Alamosaurus may have been a bigger dinosaur than originally estimated, possibly in the weight class of its more famous South American cousin Argentinosaurus. It turns out that some of the type fossils used to reconstruct Alamosaurus may have come from adolescents rather than full-grown adults, meaning that this titanosaur may well have attained lengths of over 60 feet from head to tail and weights in excess of 70 or 80 tons. The Origin of the Name By the way, its an odd fact that Alamosaurus wasnt named after the Alamo in Texas, but the Ojo Alamo sandstone formation in New Mexico. This herbivore already had its name when numerous (but incomplete) fossils were discovered in the Lone Star State, so you might say that everything worked out in the end!

Quality Management Organizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Quality Management Organizations - Essay Example ASQ (American Society for Quality) is a national firm which is in existence for more than twenty years. It has been offering its services across the globe for supporting the organizations in developing and implementing quality assurance and quality improvement projects. The company provides the community of quality with relevant training, knowledge about latest tools and specialized certifications so that the companies can get benefit (ASQ, 2014). Likewise, SCDDSN (South Carolina’s Department of Disabilities and Special Needs) is a division of South Carolina government which is striving to enhance the standard of living of people who require special attentions. In order to provide excellent service, the quality management department is utilizing a multi-dimensional approach for assuring that the superior quality services are provided. Also, the principles of TQM and Continuous quality improvement are employed so that the medical facilities are designed appropriately (SCDDSN, 2014). The primary purpose of all of these quality management organizations is to assist other firms in developing the best policies and procedures for performing their business operations with high quality. When the value of offering is extraordinary and meet the requirements of the customers, there is significant possibility that the people are offered the most compatible options for living a quality life. Moreover, such enterprises make sure that the organizations are encouraged to enhance their knowledge base about the latest developments so that they can move ahead with continuous quality improvement policy. Even the firms have to make sure that they provide sufficient sources to their staff members for focusing on the level of quality service provided to the customers. Hence, the experts provide guidance to the organizations about developing quality relatled projects so that they are implemented and evaluated properly. When the business firms become associated with these

Determinants of financial conservatism in the United Kingdom and Dissertation

Determinants of financial conservatism in the United Kingdom and France - Dissertation Example In the first section, which serves as a background and motivation for this investigation; the empirical studies into financial conservatism and debate on its existing measures in a summarized form has been laid out. In this chapter, a detailed literature review is presented, which elaborates on the various schools of thought regarding conservatism. The next section describes about financial distress. The co-relation between financial distress and financial conservatism is discussed. The analysis has been carried out on financial models of Ericson (as an example from the literature), Alcatel-Lucent and England and Wales Cricket Board (their financial report) as case studies and the results have been discussed to establish that the financial conservatism has its standing and strengths in corporate governance to the modern corporate world. In addition, a comparison of the term Financial Distress with the Accounting Conservatism from the literature concludes that financially conservative firms do not depend on financial distress. To carry out this comparison, a sample of small firms that defaulted on their bank debt in UK and France is taken and analyzed. The last part is devoted to the conclusion of our analysis efforts. From this study, we conclude that financial conservatism is very independent of financial distress and provides more flexibility to the firms. We find that there are several reasons to use accounting conservatism in corporate governance and that current empirical evidence indicates that conservatism has increased in the last decades. Key terms; International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), Financial Conservatism, Cash conservatism, Leverage Conservatism, Regression Analysis, Statistical Mean, Empirical Measure/Model, Data, Cash Flow, Financial Distress, Bankruptcy and Proxies CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION OF CONSERVATISM 1.1 Introduction Conservatism is the most influential principle of valuation in accounting (Watts, 2003).It is defined as the di fferential verifiability required for recognition of profits versus losses. Firms employ this approach to restrict the risk factor by anticipating/ portraying lower profits along with higher losses. According to the principle of conservatism in accounting in case of doubt, the accounting alternative that is least likely to overstate assets and income should be chosen. (Schroeder et al., 2001, p.78). The conservative accounting method influences both on earnings and on net asset value. The effect on earnings will depend on whether the investments are growing, stable or decreasing. Conservative accounting always results in a lower net asset value of the company. Thus, conservatism of the firm can be evaluated based on either its leverage conservatism (low leverage firms) or cash conservatism (cash rich firms) or both. (Iona et al., 2004). It is employed to avoid any misunderstanding regarding the company’s financial standing with the internal as well as external shareholders. T hese stakeholders can be the business shareholders, debt holders and the management. 1.2 General Approaches to Financial Conservatism 1.2.1 Revenue Recognition Firms commonly impose a strict revenue recognition policy as part of their conservative policies. This ensures that the company does not over state its revenue, hence reducing the chance of inflated gross profits appearing in its financial statements. For this purpose, the revenue is recognized only when the products are sold/services completed; all transactions are realizable. 1.2.2 Overestimation of Allowance for Bad Debts This policy is placed to cater for a worst-case scenario

Modern Virtue Ethics Essay Example for Free

Modern Virtue Ethics Essay To what extent do modern virtue ethics address the weaknesses of Aristotle’s teaching on virtues? (35) Virtue Ethics looks at a person’s good traits, known as ‘virtues’ and negative traits, known as ‘vices’; a person is considered to be a good person if they are virtuous and a morally bad person if they have developed lots of vices. Deontological and teleological ethicists argue that good or bad behaviour is far more important than a person’s good or bad characteristics whereas Virtue Theory argues it is only by becoming a better person that we will engage in the ‘right’ behaviour; Virtue Theory looks at the agent in itself and rather than the action. The key concepts of Virtue Ethics were first penned by the ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle and in more recent times have been adapted and added to by Alasdair MacIntyre. Aristotle’s theory is made up of many key features, including Moral Virtues, The Doctrine of the Mean, Eudaimonia, and Friendship and the Community. According to Aristotle, everything has a purpose, for example, pens, their purpose is to write, if the pen fulfils its purpose and writes well, it is a good pen. In the same way, if we equate Eudaimonia to the pen, Eudaimonia is the supreme goal of human life, if a person reaches Eudaimonia, they are a considered a good person as the purpose was to be happy, therefore they have reached their purpose, just as the pen reaches its own. He also argued that every action comes down to this aim, every human being desires to be as happy as possible. An example of this is to ask a Doctor or a Lawyer why they chose such professions, the majority would answer that they chose this profession because it pays well and they believed that being paid well would lead to an easier and happy life, or Eudaimonia. Aristotle’s theory also says that relationships and friendships play a very important role in how we behave as people and how our actions are determined; we should all aim to individually achieve Eudaimonia, which would therefore achieve the greatest good for society as a whole as everyone would be happier; Aristotle sees our communal friendships and relationships as a vital part of our moral code and flourishing as a virtuous being. As previously mentioned, a good life involves developing a good character and these are known as moral virtues which are cultivated by habit; one must practice these good virtues in order to adopt them. Some of the key virtues Aristotle spoke of include modesty, generosity, patience, truthfulness and friendliness. Aristotle also spoke of Intellectual Virtues and Cardinal Virtues. Aristotle believed that we should aim to be virtuous people and avoid vices. Aristotle’s theory is centered around the concept of The Doctrine of the Mean; this states that there are two different vices that accompany every virtue- the Vice of Deficiency and the Vice of Excess. The Vice of Deficiency refers to a distinct lack of virtues, whereas the Vice of Excess refers to too much of the virtue being present. For example, modesty, if there is a distinct lack of this virtue, it may result in shamelessness and if there is too much of this virtue, it may result in shyness. Aristotle argued that the ‘Golden (or Virtuous) Mean’ is the middle of these to extremes and that is what people should aim to have. Aristotle’s theory is very logical and encourages people to adopt good characteristics which in an ideal world would result in every individual being as happy as possible; however there are many criticisms of this theory. For example, it is somewhat unclear of what is considered a virtue and what is considered a vice and it is also unclear of who is responsible for deciding these; as well as this, it could be argued that it is not possible to measure these virtues. It could also be argued that if every individual had exactly the same characteristics, everyone would be the same and the world be become mundane and monotonous. Virtue Ethics also does not provide clear guidelines or rules of how to act in specific circumstances and is vague and subjective. Alasdair Macintyre is a Scottish philosopher, whose writing dates to the 20th Century CE. He made an attempt to alter Aristotle’s theory in order to make it more relative and contexualise the ideas. Macintyre felt that morality had become lax and felt that they had become far hypothetical. He felt that people focused more on how an ethical theory would hold up under uncommon and unrealistic circumstances rather than situations where morality counts. He believed that we should understand the context of ethics before attempting to fix modern moral dilemmas. Macintyre’s belief in context as the central part to ethical decision making shows us that he is relative in his ideology. He believed that virtues would change over time naturally, for example, bravery for us is a person that confronts a gang of youths, throwing rocks at windows, or a police tackling a burglar, however 2000 years ago, bravery was considered as a man dying in battle, for his country. This is an attempt at addressing a weakness of Aristotelian Virtue Ethics, as it would encourage the person to look at the time and place before deciding whether the character traits are good or not. It has to be said that what may be considered good in the Congo may not necessarily be considered good in Brixton, London. Finally Macintyre addresses the issue of External and Internal goods. Internal Goods are what he calls, the qualities of a person’s character. The External Goods are the things that a person relies on, for example,food or a decent living arrangement. He states that although these are valuable to the human nature, they can be considered good or bad. However the Internal Goods are the most important. This gives more relativism than Aristotelian Virtue Ethics which can be considered an improvement. In conclusion I feel that Alasdair Macintyre has made a good attempt to improve and change Aristotle’s version of Virtue Ethics, however we can still see some weaknesses. For example, it is even more relative than Aristotle’s version and this can lead to ambiguity when facing a moral dilemma. This has not been addressed, in the modern version by Macintyre. It also does not eliminate the idea of universal virtues to achieve Eudaimonia. This is problematic. So, I feel that his attempt must be congratulated but I do not feel that it has been entirely successful as there are still elements which could be improved further.

Grand Avenue Masks :: essays research papers

Windows to the Soul   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many Characters in the novel Grand Avenue, by Greg Sarris, are wearing masks. Masks that conceal themselves and their culture in an attempt to fit into the world that has enveloped their history and stifled their heritage. The key to these masks is the eyes. The eyes of the characters in the novel tell stories.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The dispair of the Native Americans is first shown in The Magic Pony when Jasmine, the voice of the story, describes her Aunt Faye’s eyes. “Her eyes looked dark and motionless, like she was seeing something she didn’t want to see and couldn’t look away from'; (p.4)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Faye, like many inhabitants of the novel, seems helplessly focused on the sordid history of her family and the poison that seems to infect their very souls. She is obsessed to the point of madness and this poison is best described by Jasmine when she comes upon Faye the morning of Faye’s decision to create order out of the chaos that has been her life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  “I realized talking about it was useless when I saw her eyes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The fearful person I had seen behind her bright eyes the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  past few weeks had come out now; she was that person.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  She had told stories to save herself - now she was telling   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  them to excuse herself. Hatred. Jealousy. Anger. Evil.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All I had seen in my mother’s and my aunt’s eyes at   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  different times were here in Faye’s.'; (p. 23-24)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After doing her best to fight the poison that curses her family, she finally succumbs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jasmine describes her cousin Ruby’s eyes as being “a million miles away'; (p.7). But when Ruby’s mind is set on saving the pony, her determination comes shining brightly through.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  “Her eyes were like a pair of headlights on the highway,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  staring straight ahead, zooming past me.'; (p.18)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ruby has found a purpose, a cause. All of her will is focused on achieving this goal. For her, saving the pony from the slaughterhouse is a way to retake a part of her that was lost in the very same slaughterhouse when she went to work for Smokey, the local pimp.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In another story, Ruby’s eyes still exhibit an innocence and exuberance of youth. Slaughterhouse is a story told by the voice of Frankie, Ruby’s teenage boyfriend. The story begins with Frankie describing her eyes “pretty as the nighttime sky';. (p.51) But later in the story, Frankie notices a change in Ruby.

Forests

INTRODUCTION The  Wildlife in India  is a mix of species of different types of organisms. The forests of India are ancient in nature and composition. Indian people need to have more wildlife education. They are rich in variety and shelter a wide range of flora and fauna and insects. The fact they have existed from time immemorial is substantiated from the ancient texts all of which have some mention of the forests. Even today in parts of India the sacred forests exist and are worshiped. The wildlife in India is equally diverse and rich.From big animals like elephants and tiger and deers and bisons to small reptiles the Indian forests are teeming with life force. But unfortunately most Indians don't understand the importance of this rich wealth of forest and wildlife India has. Felling of tress and illegal poaching of animals are fast depleting the forest and wild life wealth of India. So efforts must be taken to stop these malpractices and conserve the forest and wild life of Ind ia. KINDS OF NATURAL RESOURCES Natural resources are resources in the environment that have not been disturbed by mankind.By resource, one refers to any physical entity which has limited availability. These resources occur in their natural form. Few examples are as follows: 1. Air, wind, and atmosphere 2. Plants (Flora) 3. Animals (Fauna) 4. Agronomy (the science of using plants for food, fuel, feed, and fiber) 5. Wildlife 6. Forestry and Agroforestry 7. Coal and fossil fuels 8. Range and pasture 9. Soils 10. Water, oceans, lakes, and rivers Something that people generally aren't aware of is that everything we use in everyday life is derived from natural resources.For example, milk, which comes from cows, vegetables that come from plants, salt which is a mineral, etc. Wood that we get from tree is another example. It can be used to build a house, make paper, burn in fireplaces and in stoves for cooking, etc. FOREST RESOURCES Forests have a tremendous importance to the humans. They c onstitute important components of our environment. Forests are important renewable natural resource. Forest ecosystem is dominated by trees, the species varying in different parts of the world. Forests are intimately linked with our culture and civilization.The chief products which forests supply is wood which is used as fuel raw materials, new materials for various industries as pulp, paper, board, plywood, timber for furniture items. Forests influence flood conditions by intercepting surface run-off infiltration, evaporation, and most importantly provide suitable habitats for a number of important plant and animal species and this help in maintaining a broad genetic base from which future strains of species could be developed. Forests also have aesthetic and tourist values. Forest resources play an important role in the development of regions, states and nations. SOIL EROSIONSoil erosion is when the soil is  blown away  by the wind orwashed away  by the rain. Soil erosion is common in areas with steep slopes, where trees have been cut down, in droughts when crops and other vegetation grows poorly and in rural areas which are overpopulated. Nepal, in the Himalayan Mountains, has severe problems caused by increased population density and steep slopes. Soil erosion can be reduced by building terraces on hillsides, irrigation schemes to overcome droughts, planting more trees to bind the soil together and make wind breaks, and using fertilisers in overpopulated areas to make the soil more fertile.It is very important that the farming techniques used do not damage the structure of the soil, as this makes it easily eroded. Good farming techniques include contour ploughing, crop rotation and keeping the soil rich in humus. THINGS WE GET FROM FOREST Trees  are amazing! They provide beauty, shade, oxygen, clean air and water, fruit, nuts and wood products such as paper, furniture and housing. These benefits are well known. But did you know that literally thous ands of products are made from trees? Many are surprising!From the medicine L-Dopa for treating Parkinson's Disease, to film in your camera, forest products are all around us. When Trees are used  to make lumber and plywood, there are leftover chips, bark sawdust. The chips and sawdust are made into wood pulp for paper and other products. Not too long ago, those leftovers would have been burned as waste. Bark is used for landscaping, and to generate electricity for paper and lumber mills. Modern forest products operations are very efficient at using every part of a tree. Nothing is wasted. Wood  is made of tiny fibers  (cellulose)  and the natural glue that holds them together  (lignin).When wood is turned into pulp for paper, heat and chemicals dissolve the lignin and release the cellulose fibers. Byproducts of this process are used in asphalt, paint, chewing gum, detergents and turpentine. TYPES OF FOREST Piece of land that is thickly covered with trees is the general of definition of a forest. Forest is also known as woods, weald or woodlands. Forests cover approximately 30% of land and 9. 4% of all the planet earth. They are also responsible for regulating our planet's climate and act as large purifiers of airs, by absorbing carbon dioxide, and giving out oxygen.Types of forests are classified differently from one and another depending upon the species developed with the age of forests, soil found in those forests, the density of trees and history of the geological region. So forests are divided into following main types: * Tropical forest * Sub tropical forest * Plantations * Boreal Forest * Temperate forest * Seasonal or monsoon forest CONSERVATION OF FOREST Our Government has also made laws to prevent unnecessary felling of trees. Government has decided to declare certain forests as protected areas. These protected areas are called Reserves or wild Life Sanctuaries.Here no one is allowed to hunt animals. There are about 150 wild life sanctuari es in India. People come from all over the world to see these sanctuaries. They consist of some of the most beautiful and rare animals. The largest sanctuary is in West Bengal. It is called the Sunderbans. This sanctuary is famous for its Bengal tigers. The other well known sanctuaries are Kaziranga in Assam, in Gujarat, Bundipur in Karnataka, Kanha in Madhya Pradesh. Corbetf in Uttar Pradesh, Palamau in Bihar and Periyar in Kerala. The Government has made plans to grow more trees.Vanmahotsava is celebrated every year to plant more trees. Thousands of school children participate in the Van-mahotsava and plant trees every year. Chipko Movement and Narmada Bachao Andolan are some of the movements to save forests and wild life in India. Chipko Movement was started by Shri Sunderlal Bahuguna in Tehri District of Uttar Pradesh. The women of a village in Tehri clung to the trees and protected them from being cut down. Shrimati Medha Patekar started a Movement named Narmada Bachao Andolan to save the forests and wild life in the Narmada region.DEFORESTATION Deforestation,  clearance  or  clearing  is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use. About half of the world's original forests had been destroyed by 2011, the majority during the previous 50 years. Since 1990 half of the world's  rain forests  have been destroyed. More than half of the animal and plant species in the world live in tropical forests.The term  deforestation  is often misused to describe any activity where all trees in an area are removed. However in  temperate climates, the  removal of all trees in an area in conformance with  sustainable forestry  practices—is correctly described as  regeneration harvest. In  temperate mesic climates, natural regeneration of forest stands often will not occur in the absence of dist urbance, whether natural or anthropogenic. Furthermore, biodiversity after regeneration harvest often mimics that found after natural disturbance, including biodiversity loss after naturally occurring rainforest destruction.Deforestation occurs for many reasons: trees are cut down to be used or sold as fuel (sometimes in the form of  charcoal) or timber, while cleared land is used as  pasture  for livestock, plantations of commodities, and settlements. AFFORESTATION Afforestation  is the establishment of a forest or stand of trees in an area where there was no forest. Reforestation  is the reestablishment of forest cover, either naturally (by natural seeding, coppice, or root suckers) or artificially (by direct seeding or planting).Many governments and non-governmental organizations directly engage in programs of  afforestation  to create forests, increase  carbon capture  and  sequestration, and help to anthropogenically improve  biodiversity. (In the UK, affo restation may mean converting the legal status of some land to â€Å"royal forest†. ) Special tools, e. g. tree planting bar, are used to make planting of trees easier and faster. Less than 0,5% of South Africa is covered by indigenous forests. Owing to their slow growth and sensitivity to logging, these forests cannot supply the majority of our country's wood requirements.Additional fast-growing trees are planted to cater for the demand for wood products. Commercial forests, or plantations, cover 1,1% of South Africa. VANAMAHOTSAVA Van=forests mahotsava=festival So vanamahotsava is the festival of forests. The day to remind all of us that we should take care of priceless forests. Vanamahotsava is a big celebration day for forest officials, forest rangers, DFOs, employees, and their contractors, suppliers, mahaldars etc. On this day they all get together and take decision n promise for the coming year and calculate the present year's gross income.On this day they enquire abou t their deposit in the bank, the deposit which is said to be their side income, happens to b their monthly salary and send their family member to the bank to meet the branch manager to enquire how to make fixed deposits in some Alia's name. Actually they not require the meagre salary they earn as their legitimate income, when they earn daily in multiples of that. WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES India  has over 441  animal sanctuaries, referred to as  Wildlife sanctuaries  (IUCN  Category IVProtected Area). Among these, the 28  TigerReserves  are governed by  Project Tiger, and are of special significance in the conservation of the  tiger. Some wildlife sanctuaries are specifically named  Bird Sanctuary, e. g. Keoladeo National Park  before attained National Park status. Many National Parks were initially Wildlife Sanctuaries. Wildlife sanctuaries of national importance to conservation, usually due to some flagship faunal species, are named  National Wildlife Sanctuary, like  National Chambal (Gharial) Wildlife Sanctuary  for conserving the  Gharial  (1978) NATIONAL PARKSA  national park  is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. It is most commonly a  natural park. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently, an international organization, the  International Union for Conservation of Nature  (IUCN), and its World Commission on Protected Areas, has defined â€Å"National Park† as its  Category II  type of  protected areas. While ideas for this type of national park had been suggested previously, the United States established the first such one,  Yellowstone National Park, in 1872.The largest national park in the world meeting the IUCN definition is the  Northeast Greenland National Park, which was established in 1974. According to the IUCN, there were 6,555 national parks worldwide in 2006 that meet its criteria. INTRODUCTION Th e  Wildlife in India  is a mix of species of different types of organisms. The forests of India are ancient in nature and composition. Indian people need to have more wildlife education. They are rich in variety and shelter a wide range of flora and fauna and insects.The fact they have existed from time immemorial is substantiated from the ancient texts all of which have some mention of the forests. Even today in parts of India the sacred forests exist and are worshiped. The wildlife in India is equally diverse and rich. From big animals like elephants and tiger and deers and bisons to small reptiles the Indian forests are teeming with life force. But unfortunately most Indians don't understand the importance of this rich wealth of forest and wildlife India has. Felling of tress and illegal poaching of animals are fast depleting the forest and wild life wealth of India.So efforts must be taken to stop these malpractices and conserve the forest and wild life of India. KINDS OF NA TURAL RESOURCES Natural resources are resources in the environment that have not been disturbed by mankind. By resource, one refers to any physical entity which has limited availability. These resources occur in their natural form. Few examples are as follows: 1. Air, wind, and atmosphere 2. Plants (Flora) 3. Animals (Fauna) 4. Agronomy (the science of using plants for food, fuel, feed, and fiber) 5. Wildlife 6. Forestry and Agroforestry 7. Coal and fossil fuels 8. Range and pasture . Soils 10. Water, oceans, lakes, and rivers Something that people generally aren't aware of is that everything we use in everyday life is derived from natural resources. For example, milk, which comes from cows, vegetables that come from plants, salt which is a mineral, etc. Wood that we get from tree is another example. It can be used to build a house, make paper, burn in fireplaces and in stoves for cooking, etc. FOREST RESOURCES Forests have a tremendous importance to the humans. They constitute impo rtant components of our environment. Forests are important renewable natural resource.Forest ecosystem is dominated by trees, the species varying in different parts of the world. Forests are intimately linked with our culture and civilization. The chief products which forests supply is wood which is used as fuel raw materials, new materials for various industries as pulp, paper, board, plywood, timber for furniture items. Forests influence flood conditions by intercepting surface run-off infiltration, evaporation, and most importantly provide suitable habitats for a number of important plant and animal species and this help in maintaining a broad genetic base from which future strains of species could be developed.Forests also have aesthetic and tourist values. Forest resources play an important role in the development of regions, states and nations. SOIL EROSION Soil erosion is when the soil is  blown away  by the wind orwashed away  by the rain. Soil erosion is common in are as with steep slopes, where trees have been cut down, in droughts when crops and other vegetation grows poorly and in rural areas which are overpopulated. Nepal, in the Himalayan Mountains, has severe problems caused by increased population density and steep slopes.Soil erosion can be reduced by building terraces on hillsides, irrigation schemes to overcome droughts, planting more trees to bind the soil together and make wind breaks, and using fertilisers in overpopulated areas to make the soil more fertile. It is very important that the farming techniques used do not damage the structure of the soil, as this makes it easily eroded. Good farming techniques include contour ploughing, crop rotation and keeping the soil rich in humus. THINGS WE GET FROM FOREST Trees  are amazing! They provide beauty, shade, oxygen, clean air and water, fruit, nuts and wood products such as paper, furniture and housing.These benefits are well known. But did you know that literally thousands of product s are made from trees? Many are surprising! From the medicine L-Dopa for treating Parkinson's Disease, to film in your camera, forest products are all around us. When Trees are used  to make lumber and plywood, there are leftover chips, bark sawdust. The chips and sawdust are made into wood pulp for paper and other products. Not too long ago, those leftovers would have been burned as waste. Bark is used for landscaping, and to generate electricity for paper and lumber mills.Modern forest products operations are very efficient at using every part of a tree. Nothing is wasted. Wood  is made of tiny fibers  (cellulose)  and the natural glue that holds them together  (lignin). When wood is turned into pulp for paper, heat and chemicals dissolve the lignin and release the cellulose fibers. Byproducts of this process are used in asphalt, paint, chewing gum, detergents and turpentine. TYPES OF FOREST Piece of land that is thickly covered with trees is the general of definition of a forest. Forest is also known as woods, weald or woodlands. Forests cover approximately 30% of land and 9. 4% of all the planet earth.They are also responsible for regulating our planet's climate and act as large purifiers of airs, by absorbing carbon dioxide, and giving out oxygen. Types of forests are classified differently from one and another depending upon the species developed with the age of forests, soil found in those forests, the density of trees and history of the geological region. So forests are divided into following main types: * Tropical forest * Sub tropical forest * Plantations * Boreal Forest * Temperate forest * Seasonal or monsoon forest CONSERVATION OF FOREST Our Government has also made laws to prevent unnecessary felling of trees.Government has decided to declare certain forests as protected areas. These protected areas are called Reserves or wild Life Sanctuaries. Here no one is allowed to hunt animals. There are about 150 wild life sanctuaries in India. P eople come from all over the world to see these sanctuaries. They consist of some of the most beautiful and rare animals. The largest sanctuary is in West Bengal. It is called the Sunderbans. This sanctuary is famous for its Bengal tigers. The other well known sanctuaries are Kaziranga in Assam, in Gujarat, Bundipur in Karnataka, Kanha in Madhya Pradesh.Corbetf in Uttar Pradesh, Palamau in Bihar and Periyar in Kerala. The Government has made plans to grow more trees. Vanmahotsava is celebrated every year to plant more trees. Thousands of school children participate in the Van-mahotsava and plant trees every year. Chipko Movement and Narmada Bachao Andolan are some of the movements to save forests and wild life in India. Chipko Movement was started by Shri Sunderlal Bahuguna in Tehri District of Uttar Pradesh. The women of a village in Tehri clung to the trees and protected them from being cut down.Shrimati Medha Patekar started a Movement named Narmada Bachao Andolan to save the for ests and wild life in the Narmada region. DEFORESTATION Deforestation,  clearance  or  clearing  is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use. About half of the world's original forests had been destroyed by 2011, the majority during the previous 50 years. Since 1990 half of the world's  rain forests  have been destroyed. More than half of the animal and plant species in the world live in tropical forests.The term  deforestation  is often misused to describe any activity where all trees in an area are removed. However in  temperate climates, the  removal of all trees in an area in conformance with  sustainable forestry  practices—is correctly described as  regeneration harvest. In  temperate mesic climates, natural regeneration of forest stands often will not occur in the absence of disturbance, wheth er natural or anthropogenic. Furthermore, biodiversity after regeneration harvest often mimics that found after natural disturbance, including biodiversity loss after naturally occurring rainforest destruction.Deforestation occurs for many reasons: trees are cut down to be used or sold as fuel (sometimes in the form of  charcoal) or timber, while cleared land is used as  pasture  for livestock, plantations of commodities, and settlements. AFFORESTATION Afforestation  is the establishment of a forest or stand of trees in an area where there was no forest. Reforestation  is the reestablishment of forest cover, either naturally (by natural seeding, coppice, or root suckers) or artificially (by direct seeding or planting).Many governments and non-governmental organizations directly engage in programs of  afforestation  to create forests, increase  carbon capture  and  sequestration, and help to anthropogenically improve  biodiversity. (In the UK, afforestation may mean converting the legal status of some land to â€Å"royal forest†. ) Special tools, e. g. tree planting bar, are used to make planting of trees easier and faster. Less than 0,5% of South Africa is covered by indigenous forests. Owing to their slow growth and sensitivity to logging, these forests cannot supply the majority of our country's wood requirements.Additional fast-growing trees are planted to cater for the demand for wood products. Commercial forests, or plantations, cover 1,1% of South Africa. VANAMAHOTSAVA Van=forests mahotsava=festival So vanamahotsava is the festival of forests. The day to remind all of us that we should take care of priceless forests. Vanamahotsava is a big celebration day for forest officials, forest rangers, DFOs, employees, and their contractors, suppliers, mahaldars etc. On this day they all get together and take decision n promise for the coming year and calculate the present year's gross income.On this day they enquire about their deposi t in the bank, the deposit which is said to be their side income, happens to b their monthly salary and send their family member to the bank to meet the branch manager to enquire how to make fixed deposits in some Alia's name. Actually they not require the meagre salary they earn as their legitimate income, when they earn daily in multiples of that. WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES India  has over 441  animal sanctuaries, referred to as  Wildlife sanctuaries  (IUCN  Category IVProtected Area).Among these, the 28  Tiger Reserves  are governed by  Project Tiger, and are of special significance in the conservation of the  tiger. Some wildlife sanctuaries are specifically named  Bird Sanctuary, e. g. Keoladeo National Park  before attained National Park status. Many National Parks were initially Wildlife Sanctuaries. Wildlife sanctuaries of national importance to conservation, usually due to some flagship faunal species, are named  National Wildlife Sanctuary, like  Nation al Chambal (Gharial) Wildlife Sanctuary  for conserving the  Gharial  (1978) NATIONAL PARKSA  national park  is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. It is most commonly a  natural park. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently, an international organization, the  International Union for Conservation of Nature  (IUCN), and its World Commission on Protected Areas, has defined â€Å"National Park† as its  Category II  type of  protected areas. While ideas for this type of national park had been suggested previously, the United States established the first such one,  Yellowstone National Park, in 1872.The largest national park in the world meeting the IUCN definition is the  Northeast Greenland National Park, which was established in 1974. According to the IUCN, there were 6,555 national parks worldwide in 2006 that meet its criteria. CONCLUSION Wildlife conservat ion has become an increasingly important practice due to the negative effects of  human activity  on  wildlife. The science of extinction. An endangered species is defined as a population of a living being that is at the danger of becoming extinct because of several reasons. Either they are few in number or are threatened by the varying environmental or predation parameters.The endangered species in India have been identified by different national and international organisations like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII). INTRODUCTION The  Wildlife in India  is a mix of species of different types of organisms. The forests of India are ancient in nature and composition. Indian people need to have more wildlife education. They are rich in variety and shelter a wide range of flora and fauna and insects.The fact they have existed from time immemorial is substantiated from the ancient texts all of which have some mention of the forests. Even today in parts of India the sacred forests exist and are worshiped. The wildlife in India is equally diverse and rich. From big animals like elephants and tiger and deers and bisons to small reptiles the Indian forests are teeming with life force. But unfortunately most Indians don't understand the importance of this rich wealth of forest and wildlife India has. Felling of tress and illegal poaching of animals are fast depleting the forest and wild life wealth of India.So efforts must be taken to stop these malpractices and conserve the forest and wild life of India. KINDS OF NATURAL RESOURCES Natural resources are resources in the environment that have not been disturbed by mankind. By resource, one refers to any physical entity which has limited availability. These resources occur in their natural form. Few examples are as follows: 1. Air, wind, and atmosphere 2. Plants (Flora) 3. Animals (Fauna) 4. Agronom y (the science of using plants for food, fuel, feed, and fiber) 5. Wildlife 6. Forestry and Agroforestry 7. Coal and fossil fuels 8. Range and pasture . Soils 10. Water, oceans, lakes, and rivers Something that people generally aren't aware of is that everything we use in everyday life is derived from natural resources. For example, milk, which comes from cows, vegetables that come from plants, salt which is a mineral, etc. Wood that we get from tree is another example. It can be used to build a house, make paper, burn in fireplaces and in stoves for cooking, etc. FOREST RESOURCES Forests have a tremendous importance to the humans. They constitute important components of our environment. Forests are important renewable natural resource.Forest ecosystem is dominated by trees, the species varying in different parts of the world. Forests are intimately linked with our culture and civilization. The chief products which forests supply is wood which is used as fuel raw materials, new mate rials for various industries as pulp, paper, board, plywood, timber for furniture items. Forests influence flood conditions by intercepting surface run-off infiltration, evaporation, and most importantly provide suitable habitats for a number of important plant and animal species and this help in maintaining a broad genetic base from which future strains of species could be developed.Forests also have aesthetic and tourist values. Forest resources play an important role in the development of regions, states and nations. SOIL EROSION Soil erosion is when the soil is  blown away  by the wind orwashed away  by the rain. Soil erosion is common in areas with steep slopes, where trees have been cut down, in droughts when crops and other vegetation grows poorly and in rural areas which are overpopulated. Nepal, in the Himalayan Mountains, has severe problems caused by increased population density and steep slopes.Soil erosion can be reduced by building terraces on hillsides, irrigati on schemes to overcome droughts, planting more trees to bind the soil together and make wind breaks, and using fertilisers in overpopulated areas to make the soil more fertile. It is very important that the farming techniques used do not damage the structure of the soil, as this makes it easily eroded. Good farming techniques include contour ploughing, crop rotation and keeping the soil rich in humus. THINGS WE GET FROM FOREST Trees  are amazing! They provide beauty, shade, oxygen, clean air and water, fruit, nuts and wood products such as paper, furniture and housing.These benefits are well known. But did you know that literally thousands of products are made from trees? Many are surprising! From the medicine L-Dopa for treating Parkinson's Disease, to film in your camera, forest products are all around us. When Trees are used  to make lumber and plywood, there are leftover chips, bark sawdust. The chips and sawdust are made into wood pulp for paper and other products. Not too long ago, those leftovers would have been burned as waste. Bark is used for landscaping, and to generate electricity for paper and lumber mills.Modern forest products operations are very efficient at using every part of a tree. Nothing is wasted. Wood  is made of tiny fibers  (cellulose)  and the natural glue that holds them together  (lignin). When wood is turned into pulp for paper, heat and chemicals dissolve the lignin and release the cellulose fibers. Byproducts of this process are used in asphalt, paint, chewing gum, detergents and turpentine. TYPES OF FOREST Piece of land that is thickly covered with trees is the general of definition of a forest. Forest is also known as woods, weald or woodlands. Forests cover approximately 30% of land and 9. 4% of all the planet earth.They are also responsible for regulating our planet's climate and act as large purifiers of airs, by absorbing carbon dioxide, and giving out oxygen. Types of forests are classified differently from on e and another depending upon the species developed with the age of forests, soil found in those forests, the density of trees and history of the geological region. So forests are divided into following main types: * Tropical forest * Sub tropical forest * Plantations * Boreal Forest * Temperate forest * Seasonal or monsoon forest CONSERVATION OF FOREST Our Government has also made laws to prevent unnecessary felling of trees.Government has decided to declare certain forests as protected areas. These protected areas are called Reserves or wild Life Sanctuaries. Here no one is allowed to hunt animals. There are about 150 wild life sanctuaries in India. People come from all over the world to see these sanctuaries. They consist of some of the most beautiful and rare animals. The largest sanctuary is in West Bengal. It is called the Sunderbans. This sanctuary is famous for its Bengal tigers. The other well known sanctuaries are Kaziranga in Assam, in Gujarat, Bundipur in Karnataka, Kanha in Madhya Pradesh.Corbetf in Uttar Pradesh, Palamau in Bihar and Periyar in Kerala. The Government has made plans to grow more trees. Vanmahotsava is celebrated every year to plant more trees. Thousands of school children participate in the Van-mahotsava and plant trees every year. Chipko Movement and Narmada Bachao Andolan are some of the movements to save forests and wild life in India. Chipko Movement was started by Shri Sunderlal Bahuguna in Tehri District of Uttar Pradesh. The women of a village in Tehri clung to the trees and protected them from being cut down. Shrimati Medha Patekar started a Movement namedNarmada Bachao Andolan to save the forests and wild life in the Narmada region. DEFORESTATION Deforestation,  clearance  or  clearing  is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use. About half of the world's original f orests had been destroyed by 2011, the majority during the previous 50 years. Since 1990 half of the world's  rain forests  have been destroyed. More than half of the animal and plant species in the world live in tropical forests.The term  deforestation  is often misused to describe any activity where all trees in an area are removed. However in  temperate climates, the  removal of all trees in an area in conformance with  sustainable forestry  practices—is correctly described as  regeneration harvest. In  temperate mesic climates, natural regeneration of forest stands often will not occur in the absence of disturbance, whether natural or anthropogenic. Furthermore, biodiversity after regeneration harvest often mimics that found after natural disturbance, including biodiversity loss after naturally occurring rainforest destruction.Deforestation occurs for many reasons: trees are cut down to be used or sold as fuel (sometimes in the form of  charcoal) or timber, while cleared land is used as  pasture  for livestock, plantations of commodities, and settlements. AFFORESTATION Afforestation  is the establishment of a forest or stand of trees in an area where there was no forest. Reforestation  is the reestablishment of forest cover, either naturally (by natural seeding, coppice, or root suckers) or artificially (by direct seeding or planting).Many governments and non-governmental organizations directly engage in programs of  afforestation  to create forests, increase  carbon capture  and  sequestration, and help to anthropogenically improve  biodiversity. (In the UK, afforestation may mean converting the legal status of some land to â€Å"royal forest†. ) Special tools, e. g. tree planting bar, are used to make planting of trees easier and faster. Less than 0,5% of South Africa is covered by indigenous forests. Owing to their slow growth and sensitivity to logging, these forests cannot supply the majority of our country's wood requirements.Additional fast-growing trees are planted to cater for the demand for wood products. Commercial forests, or plantations, cover 1,1% of South Africa. VANAMAHOTSAVA Van=forests mahotsava=festival So vanamahotsava is the festival of forests. The day to remind all of us that we should take care of priceless forests. Vanamahotsava is a big celebration day for forest officials, forest rangers, DFOs, employees, and their contractors, suppliers, mahaldars etc. On this day they all get together and take decision n promise for the coming year and calculate the present year's gross income.On this day they enquire about their deposit in the bank, the deposit which is said to be their side income, happens to b their monthly salary and send their family member to the bank to meet the branch manager to enquire how to make fixed deposits in some Alia's name. Actually they not require the meagre salary they earn as their legitimate income, when they earn daily in mult iples of that. WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES India  has over 441  animal sanctuaries, referred to as  Wildlife sanctuaries  (IUCN  Category IVProtected Area).Among these, the 28  Tiger Reserves  are governed by  Project Tiger, and are of special significance in the conservation of the  tiger. Some wildlife sanctuaries are specifically named  Bird Sanctuary, e. g. Keoladeo National Park  before attained National Park status. Many National Parks were initially Wildlife Sanctuaries. Wildlife sanctuaries of national importance to conservation, usually due to some flagship faunal species, are named  National Wildlife Sanctuary, like  National Chambal (Gharial) Wildlife Sanctuary  for conserving the  Gharial  (1978) NATIONAL PARKSA  national park  is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. It is most commonly a  natural park. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently, an in ternational organization, the  International Union for Conservation of Nature  (IUCN), and its World Commission on Protected Areas, has defined â€Å"National Park† as its  Category II  type of  protected areas. While ideas for this type of national park had been suggested previously, the United States established the first such one,  Yellowstone National Park, in 1872.The largest national park in the world meeting the IUCN definition is the  Northeast Greenland National Park, which was established in 1974. According to the IUCN, there were 6,555 national parks worldwide in 2006 that meet its criteria. CONCLUSION Wildlife conservation has become an increasingly important practice due to the negative effects of  human activity  on  wildlife. The science of extinction. An endangered species is defined as a population of a living being that is at the danger of becoming extinct because of several reasons.Either they are few in number or are threatened by the v arying environmental or predation parameters. The endangered species in India have been identified by different national and international organisations like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII). CONCLUSION Wildlife conservation has become an increasingly important practice due to the negative effects of  human activity  on  wildlife.The science of extinction. An endangered species is defined as a population of a living being that is at the danger of becoming extinct because of several reasons. Either they are few in number or are threatened by the varying environmental or predation parameters. The endangered species in India have been identified by different national and international organisations like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).

Teen Mom and Effects on American Culture

American teenagers take a lot of things for granted, but what we don’t take into consideration is what would happen if these things suddenly disappeared. Teenage life consists of school, jobs, driving, friends, sports, and going out with friends. We never consider others’ way of life. In some cultures, they are just fighting to stay alive, while others don’t have the freedom to go out with friends, or play a certain sport. They are so consumed in family life or their future jobs that they have no social life. No one ever thinks what would happen if their way of life was completely turned around.This concept is shown on a reality television show called 16 and Pregnant. It follows a group of teenage girls throughout their pregnancy and a few weeks after. It shows the trials, worries, and changes in these girls’ lives. There is also a follow up show called Teen Mom that follows 4 girls from the first season of the show. I will be expanding on these girls†™ lives from the beginning of their pregnancy to their lives now. Maci Bookout was just your ordinary teenage girl. She was an excellent student, played softball, and was very popular. She had big plans to go away for college and be a typical college student.This is the way the typical American is viewed. But things suddenly changed for Maci when she discovered she was pregnant. All her dreams and aspirations soon faded away and she had to consider her life with a baby. Maci comes from a middle upper class family, so concerns for money were minimal, and she didn’t have much of a struggle, other than with her baby’s dad, Ryan. But she couldn’t go away to college; she was just worried about graduating high school. She had to quit softball, and her friends soon turned on her. Her life was completely changed with just one decision.She took her teenage years for granted, but once she became a teen mom, that was all she wanted back. Amber Portwood was a big party gi rl, who didn’t care what others thought of her. She would party instead of doing homework, and didn’t have many friends that truly cared about her. She viewed life as a big party, and didn’t take it seriously, until she had to. She became pregnant at 16 and her whole life was changed. She dropped out of high school, and moved in with her boyfriend, Gary. They were from a lower class family, so they struggled with money. Gary and Amber soon both were working, and had to leave their aughter with Gary’s mother. It was obvious from the start that Amber and Gary were not meant for each other, because they would often get into fights. Fights started to get physical and Amber soon saw herself sitting home alone while Gary took their daughter and left, after many months of physical abuse. Amber knew she had a problem, and needed help, but she realized it too late. Gary broke up with her and she was alone, and without her daughter. She took her teen years for gran ted, and instead of living life to the best of her ability, she tried to grow up too fast, and got what she wanted.Farrah Abrams was the popular cheerleader in high school. She had great friends and an amazing boyfriend. She had big dreams of going to culinary school, becoming a chef, and opening her own restaurant. All those dreams were put on hold when she discovered she was pregnant. Things became even worse when the father of her baby, and boyfriend of 1 year, was killed in a car accident. 2 months later, her daughter, Sophia, was born. She had to go through the loss of her boyfriend, and the birth of her daughter. Soon after Sophia’s birth, Farrah began to miss her boyfriend and saw herself going out more, and leaving her baby with her mother.Farrah’s mom constantly had to remind her daughter that she was now a mother and couldn’t just go out with friends anymore. She was from a very wealthy family and had no problems with money, but all her other problems took the place of money problems. Farrah and her mother did not get along very well at all. She was constantly disrespecting her mom, and her mom was constantly nagging her about everything. When Sophia was almost 1 year old, Farrah’s mother punched Farrah. Cops came to the house and arrested her mother, and Farrah didn’t see or speak to her mom for months.Farrah had a successful life planned out for herself, but now she’s unsure of whether or not she’ll ever reach her goals. Catelynn Lowell is an ordinary girl. She doesn’t have any special gifts or talents, she’s just a teenager. She and her boyfriend, Tyler, were dating 3 years when she discovered she was pregnant. Ironically this was a good thing for her. She had no plans or goals for her life, because her mother and step-father (which is Tyler’s real dad) are both drug addicts and have never been strict on Catelynn about anything. Being pregnant made Catelynn realize she needed to do something with her life and not turn into her mother.She and Tyler talked for months, and both decided that they needed to give their daughter, Carly, up for adoption, because there was no way they could raise their daughter in the living situation they were in. Catelynn and Tyler are both from very low class families, and could barely provide for themselves, so they knew their daughter would be very unhappy. While it was a difficult decision, they also knew it was the best one. Catelynn and Tyler will be graduating from high school this year, and have many goals they’re eager to achieve. The similarities and differences between these girls are many.Amber dropped out of high school, and missed out on graduating. Will she ever get her GED? Farrah is the only one who does not have a father in her baby’s life; will her baby ever have a father figure? Maci seems to have it all together, but does is she really happy not being with her first love? Catelynn and Tyler gave their daughter up for adoption, and while it was a smart decision, will they later regret it? All these girls’ lives will be affected forever because of the decisions they’ve made. I believe this show takes the concept of the average American teenager, and adds some reality into it.While not all teen girls become pregnant, it’s amazing to see that this is what it take to make some teens grow up. Other cultures would think that this is just crazy because these girls took for granted the fact that they had people who loved them, a house to live in, and a chance for education. American culture is very different from other cultures, just in the fact that we don’t value things that should be valued, such as family, morals, and God. If we viewed life a little more seriously, and not as a game, then we may be a much stronger, happier nation.