Congress U3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Congress U3 - Essay Example According to the U.S. Constitution the Congress retains the power to declare was and through its control of the purse strings can bring about a termination in a war, but it has no control over the actual conduct of the war, the power of which is retained by the President, and through this power defines the military strategy and troop deployments. (2). This separation of power shows that the Congress has a strong control over the purse strings or the expenditure that a President wants for the various agendas that the President believes is required for the nation. Given the current mindset of the Congress, President Obama will find pushing through his agenda will not be easy. Dilution of the agenda is a strong possibility. This is a not a novel situation. Examples of the failure of President Carter to push through his energy agenda, or President Clinton his healthcare agenda, or President Bush his agenda to privatize Social Security highlight the role that Congress can play in making o r breaking the agenda of a President. President Johnson’s success in getting Congressional support for his agenda can be an inspiration to President Obama. Close interaction between President Johnson and his staff with the congress defines the strategy adopted by President Johnson.

The Sin Tax Bill How Its Affect the Bar Industry in the Philippines Essay Example for Free

The Sin Tax Bill How Its Affect the Bar Industry in the Philippines Essay In 2011, there was a tax increase on alcoholic beverages. The tax increase depended on the alcohol content and the net retail price of the beverage. This however had little effect on bars/pubs in the Philippines because the tax increase was not significant. Many consumers did not feel the price change too much because of the relatively high mark-ups at bars/pubs. PROSPECTS In 2011, the Philippine government was reviewing a bill which proposes to increase alcohol and tobacco taxes quite significantly in the Philippines. If the bill is passed, this may negatively impact sales in bars/pubs in the Philippines. The higher prices of alcohol may result in less alcohol consumption by consumers when they dine-in at bars/pubs. INTRODUCTION MANILA, Philippines—A sin tax on cigarettes and alcohol dampened the New Year party spirit when it was introduced in the Philippines Tuesday, as part of a government bid to boost finances. Many stores started selling tobacco and drink at inflated prices before midnight, ahead of the official implementation of the tax hikes on January 1, 2013 hitting partygoers in the pocket. Tax on cigarettes will gradually be raised to P30 ($0.72) per pack by 2017, roughly doubling the current price to around 52 pesos. Duty on alcohol will also increase gradually until 2017, increasing the price of a bottle of beer by 23.50 pesos, with varying levels for other drinks including wine and spirits. It will be further increased by four percent each year thereafter. The new prices compared to countries like Singapore, for example, are still low, but for the ordinary Filipinos they are expensive, said Laudemer Angeles, a 33-year-old shop owner in the town of Bacoor, south of Manila. Many of my customers were complaining about the higher prices and were not too happy when they bought their booze and smokes for their parties last night. Anti-smoking campaigner Emer Rojas said he hoped the new taxes would lead to a gradual decline in the number of people suffering from tobacco-related illness. I think the sin taxes should even be raised higher, he told AFP. But we commend President Aquino for showing his resolve in signing the law. The government has said that the country of 100 million has the highest incidence of smoking in the region, with tobacco-related diseases costing the country P177 billion ($4.3 billion) last year. The new taxes aim to raise P33 billion ($800 million) this year alone, gradually increasing over the coming years. A large percentage of the money will go towards the government’s healthcare program. The government first asked Congress to raise taxes on â€Å"sin† products as early as 1997, but a strong lobby by tobacco manufacturers stifled change. The lobby included members of Congress representing tobacco-growing regions as well as powerful cigarette companies that enjoyed one of the lowest tobacco taxes in Southeast Asia. Published on Tuesday, January 1st, 2013 Link: http://www.euromonitor.com/cafes-bars-in-the-philippines/report http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/333451/philippines-sin-tax-introduced-dampens-new-year-fun

Comparing Power in Cask of Amontillado, Rappaccinis Daughter, and Bart

Power in Poe's Cask of Amontillado, Hawthorne's Rappaccini's Daughter, Melville's Bartleby the Scrivener, Phelps' Angel over the Right Shoulder and Child's The Quadroon In Poe's The Cask of Amontillado Montressor seeks his revenge (for an imagined offense) on Fortunado. He manipulates Fortunado into beliving that he is a friend and that they are going through the crypt. He uses Fortunado's "weak point" --his love of alcohol-- against him. He creates the illusion of concern by insisting that they turn around to save poor Fortunado's health. Montressor manipulates the entire situation from beginning to end. His greatest achievement is that Fortunado would know what was happening to him by dying a slow death and more importantly, he would know who was behind the elaborate plan for his death. Montressor (who is mentally unstable) is a corrupt man who thrives off of the power he has (had) over Fortunado. In Hawthorne's Rappaccini's Daughter we find two instances of a power struggle and manipulation. The Scientist has used his daughter in an experimental attempt to give her a one-of-a-kind gift. Failing in his attempt he has in a sense "cursed" his daughter. He has taken away her power to choose her own life--she is at the mercy of her "gift" and is suffering the results of his ambition. Baglioni uses Giovanni in a different way. He uses Giovanni to gain power over Rappaccini. He manipulates Giovanni into thinking that Rappaccini is corrupt and that Beatrice can be saved by his antidote. Rappaccini is corrupt because he uses his daughter to practice his scientific experiments. If his intention to enable her with a gift was indeed genuine then he may not be as "wicked" as Baglioni. Baglioni's intentions were purely evil. He man... ... the characters in this story are all manipulated and repressed by the power of the social code of the time regarding quadroons. Everything in the story hinges not only on the social pressures, but also on the fragility of love. She belives that he will love her (even though he is not legally bound to her) and together they could face the injustice of the world or merely hide from it. Due to his ambition, he betrays her and leaves her and his daughter. He does no service to either of the three women--his common-law wife by breaking her heart and leaving her to cope with a child, the child left without a father and a social outcast, and his new wife by marrying her just for the social and economic position it would bring him and especially since she learns that he is still in love with the other woman. The victims in this story are manipulated by one man's ambition.

Leadership Interview Essay

Leaders-like can be found everywhere but effective leaders are going extinction. Yes, in this world, where people are able to express their own ideas, anyone can be chosen as a leader because he or she possesses a certain characteristics that resembles a leader – outspoken, intelligent, or the ability to express ideas in a single sentence (Ricketts, 2009). However, the leader characteristics are not always an assurance of becoming an effective leader. As according to IAAP (2009), effective leadership is the key to success of organizations. Effective leader are somewhat hard to classify in terms of characteristics – but one thing is for sure, he /she is able to lead the group without imposing authority among members. In simple terms, effective leaders are those people who are seen working just like an ordinary member of the groups but the outcome or output of the group is highly commendable. This is because, he works hand in hand with his people and the atmosphere when e verybody’s working is as cool as ice. Works or jobs are growing freely with the flow, without noticing that they have already solved the problem together. Being able to lead people is leadership – by definition, Leadership is simply being able to influence other people in a positive way, and inspire subordinates to work hard for success of the organization (IAAP, 2009). Having this thought in mind about leaders and leadership, the first person that came into my mind as a potential to be interviewed for this assignment is one of our dear family friend, Mr. Karl Fuentes. Mr. Fuentes is of Filipino-descend but is living in the United States for quite some time. He is the manager of one of the McDonalds Store in Modesto California. McDonalds is headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, U.S. It is one of the largest fast food chains in the world and started its operation in 1940, and it is currently present in over 120 countries worldwide serving billions of consumer a day (Yahoo Finance, 2012). He started as a part time service crew for the store and after few years of working since he was already working full time, he got promoted as a manager of the branch. Mr. Fuentes, now 23 is still a student at California State University and he became a manager at the age of 19. According to him, he did not expect to be promoted as a manager because he is only an immigrant. However, since God was on his side and good luck was born with him, he accepted the promotion without having second thought. According to him, the responsibilities of a service crew and a manager are can be compared to David and Goliath – little and huge. As a service crew, your responsibilities was only to serve the food to the customer’s table, clean the store such as wiping the table and mop the floor; and sometimes, immediate person to handle customer complaints – simple and linear. However, according to Mr. Fuentes, when he became the manager, responsibilities did overwhelm him and shaken his confidence. You are the one responsible for the whole store, from inventory to management functions, to handling customer complaints and even monitoring and hitting sales quotas. You also need to assure the quality of the food, the cleanliness of the whole store as well as the marketing side of the store. All of that, you need to manage, monitor and maintain. Personally, I already have known the concepts or theories behind the responsibilities of a manager, but seeing the facial and bodily expression of Mr. Fuentes, I came to realize that it really isn’t easy. There are a lot of sacrifices you need to do to cope with the duties and responsibilities of being a manager or as the leader in the store. Well, before going deeper into personal experiences of Mr. Fuentes, I asked his opinion on the word â€Å"Leader†. In the back of my mind, I was thinking actually that he will go into deep explanation like theories from books, or any other materials. I didn’t expect that his answers will be â€Å"A leader should be a good follower and an active listener†. This sentence is extremely a clichà ©, but after he expounds his answer, like a leader should need to follow rules so his subordinate should follow him as well, I came to realize that a clichà © will never be a clichà © if it’s not true, or if it has not worked for many. Another question that pops out my mind after hearing his answer was also a clichà © question – A leader is born or made? As expected, the answer was also a clichà © – â€Å"it can be both† depending on the reference point. It can also be due to some luck, which made both of us laugh. Yes. It is true. I had also t his opportunity to ask him if how would he differentiated a leader from others and if he believes that certain characteristics are needed to become a leader. According to him, a leader is someone who is willing to listen to other’s opinion and but is actively participating on the tasks, discussion or problem solving. From the expert’s point of view, there is no specific characteristic that is required in order to be named as leader – it’s just being true to you and being able to discern what’s good or bad for your people and company. What I enjoyed in the whole part of interview was when he revealed the challenges he had undergone as a leader and the strategy he used to overcome such challenge. As according to him, in every level of the organization, there is always a challenge. It just so happened that the challenges passed on managers or leaders are really big as compared to low level employees. When he told me his toughest challenge so far – which is to maintain the legacy of the store he is managing, and his strategy – engaging everyone in idea generation, planning and implementation ha s inspired me and I have seen his sincere as well as passionate side as a leader. Though it was simple, his effective leadership has made the big difference. When asked regarding his approached on leadership and management of his branch, he just can’t utter an appropriate word to describe his style. According to him, it was actually combination of different styles, but he personally set the goal to become a charismatic-visionary leader while being a leader by objectives. By definition, a charismatic-visionary leader is someone that influences his people though a single vision (Goleman, Daniel, 2000, p-82-83) and the style is basically engaging the people to work with him. Leadership or management by objective is somehow similar to visionary only that the style is more directed to betterment of the people, fulfilling the pre-assigned objectives as well as coaching people in the workplace (Goleman, Daniel, 2000, p-82-83). Having said that, I suddenly remembered a scenario where in we had a dinner together few years back and someone asked him if who was his inspiration as a person, then he said, â€Å"Nelson Mandela†. Indeed, w hen I asked him if who was his inspiration as a leader, he named the same person. According to him, Nelson Mandela is one of the best examples of a charismatic-visionary leader as he was able to move people by one Vision, which is to help the country to move forward, lessening the poverty and eliminating racism. Such attitude and vision like giving your whole self to save the country have inspired a lot of people and has led him to be the first South African leader to be elected via a democratic election (The Nobel Foundation, 1993). By then, there are a lot of things running on my mind just by observing him, listening to his intelligent answers, jokes, and his non-verbal actions. Before the start of the interview, my connotation of a leader is always serious, task oriented with stern appearance and the like, however, while doing the interview, I came to realize that my connotation before was â€Å"very bookish† as they say. Leaders are still human and are able to laugh, joke around and sometimes, act childish. Indeed, I was partly wrong back then. Being inspired by the answers of Mr. Fuentes to my simple questions, I did not pass the chance to ask for some advice on how to be an effective leader. His advice was, just be you, lead by example, know how to listen to your members and of course, respect other’s opinion. As time goes by, the interview also went on, and I must say that I really learned a lot from him. I came to realize that a leader has this charisma that when he speaks, you are drive to listen to whatever it is. It was like being mesmerized to what he has achieved in life and at the same time, I was inspired to be somehow like him. The overview interview went smoothly as expected and also filled with humour, which did contribute to my learning subconsciously. I truly learned a lot from the leadership interview and I gained knowledge not only on textbook but from the expert himself which is a very overwhelming experience in my part. I must say that learning from the textbook and articles about leadership is re ally not enough. Books, and other printed sources will only help you understand the concept of leadership especially on the theory part, but it leaves you the thinking or imagine what a leader would really be like. Therefore, the formulation of a leader image depends on the use of words written and dependent on the person’s creative imagination. We should keep in mind that there is no perfect person, and since our backgrounds are diverse, we might interpret a single word differently, thus, our connotation of the word leader, leadership and management also varies. Though they mind be the basis for some, readings, textbooks and articles are only a guide in defining the concept of leader, leadership and management, also, since it is based on majority or most leaders really posses this attitude, it may then become a standard qualification for the concept. However, we must keep in mind that each leader or person is exposed to different stimuli and reacts differently under certain circumstances, therefore, in order to know the traits of a leader, it is better to consult a leader itself and witness with your own eyes the qualities that he/she possess as a leader. Thus, this experience of being able to interview a true leader in his field or designation, made me witness the real persona of a leader – the way he act, the coolness when he answers the questions and the substance of every word that came out in his mind. References: * Goleman, Daniel,. (March-April 2000). Leadership that Gets Results. Harvard Business Review, p. 82-83. * IAAP. (April 28, 2009). Leadership Theories and Styles. 2009 Administrative Professionals Week, 1-5. * McDonald’s. (2010-2013). McDonald’s: Our History. Retrieved from mcdonalds.com: http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/our_story/our_history.html * The Nobel Foundation. (1993). Nelson Mandela – Biography. Retrieved from Nobelprize.org: http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1993/mandela-bio.html * Ricketts, K. G. (2009). Leadership vs. Management. UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE. Interview Questions and Answers: 1. Please introduce you, current job and position. I’m Karl Fuentes and I am a manager of one of the McDonalds branch in Modesto California. 2. What are your lines of responsibilities in the company? I started as a service crew at the restaurant, and got promoted as a manager few years ago. My lines of responsibilities from a service crew and as a manager are really different. Working as a service crew, I just need to get the order from the kitchen, and then deliver it to the customer, clean the table and the place. As simple as it sound, isn’t it? However, now being a manager, my responsibilities have become bigger which does not only concerns you but the whole branch as well from employees performance, to sales, to inventories, customer complaints, and a lot more. As a manager, you need to coordinate all the functions which really need a lot of effort. 3. In your own opinion, what is a leader? For me, as a leader, you also need to be a good follower. You need to follow rules and regulations set by the company and act in accordance to that rules. A leader also needs to be a good listener. A leader needs to listen to his subordinates not only to resolve the problems or glitches right away based on fair judgment and also to solicit opinion from them. Through listening to subordinates or people around you, you will learn a lot like from their own experiences and stuffs like that. Thus, in order to understand each and every one, you need to listen to them first. 4. What’s your stand on this issue, â€Å"A leader is Born or Made†? Wow. What a clichà © question. Well, I’ve came across this question often times even when I was in school. My personal opinion for that point is actually, it can be both. There are leaders in our society who were born as leaders – meaning, the leader lineage in their family is very evident. In simple sense, being leaderâ₠¬â„¢s runs in their blood. However, there are also leaders in our society or even in school that were just made as leader. The reason also varies from person to person. It may be influenced by their peers, level of education, innate passion or just luck. Let me give you an example, Mark Zuckerburg is the CEO of Apple right? What is his status before becoming a leader of a multi-billion company? Isn’t it that he was just an a weirdo student at Harvard who often locked in his room, go to classes, drinks beer with his friends and the like? He’s just a typical Harvard Student. Who would have thought that he will be a well-known CEO in the future? In my opinion he is one of the examples of people who have become leader by luck. Though he is really an intelligent guy, his intelligence isn’t enough to achieve the stop where he is now. In my opinion, it was actually out of luck that the website he developed became a hit. 5. How would you differentiate a leader from a bystander, a follower, an initiator or an outspoken person? Leader is someone who listens, take part or participate in a forum, discussion and the like. Bystanders are people who always on the side, though they are physically present, they themselves are mentally absent. Followers are those people who always follow someone without complain. Initiators are the ones who initiate the thought but are unable to finish it. Outspoken are those people who are just talking endlessly without considering others opinion. 6. From your own experience, what are the challenges of being a leader? Are there also opportunities of being a leader what are those? Being a leader is no joke. You need to think less of yourself and think more of others. In our store, it’s inevitable that there are always conflicts between subordinates, shortage in inventory, deficit in sales and a lot of customer complaints. As the manager of the store, you are expected to face these challenges and solve it in any means. What I did was, to hear each side of the coin and plan the action. Planning comes first as it directs the implementation to a clear and single line. A leader does not always face negative circumstances, sometimes; it allows you to discover other things that you yourself cannot imagine that you can do it. If you are a leader, you have subordinates, thus, tasks assigned will be done faster because there are a lot of brains working. You can also express yourself well as you do a lot of coordination, talking and mediating. Leaders really offer a lot of opportunities for a person. 7. In your own experience, what was the most difficult obstacle or challenges you have faced as a leader ad how you were able to resolve it? In all McDonalds store, there is actually that competition every year ends on being the â€Å"Most Outstanding Store† in the area. Before my team, our store was always the winner. During my leadership, there are actually lots of hardship that the store had undergone including fiscal crisis, lots of worker lay-offs, and others which have threaten the sale of the store. It was November then when I and my team realized that we might fall short on the qualification criteria since our sales is not peaking up. As a leader, what I did was, after shift, I gathered my team and discussed possible turn-around strategy that we could do for the store to spike up the sales. I solicited opinions from each of my members and they all contributed their own ideas. After hearing each opinion, we have grouped alike opinions into one category and categorized it according to objectives. Then, each of us chose the best idea and the idea that gathered most of the votes were the one implemented. Luckily, the promotion or strategy that we have implemented did really help us to qualify for the award and later on, won the award. So I guess the best strategy that I did as a leader was soli citing ideas from my members and make them feel that they are part of the company, so, we need to go hand in hand to solve the problem. 8. Are there any special traits, abilities or knowledge that a person should possess in order to become a leader? I don’t think there is. Everyone can be a leader in their own ways. 9. Personally, what are your Philosophies towards leadership and management? Basically, I don’t really have those Philosophies when it comes to leadership and management topic. I just do what I think and my members are right as long as it will be beneficial for the store. 10. I’m sure you are aware of the management or leadership styles, of all, what do you think are your leadership style? How? Yes. I am aware of it. Me? I actually don’t know my leadership styles but since then I am trying really hard to become charismatic-visionary leader and a management by objective at the same time. 11. Having experienced being a follower and a leader, which do you think is the most convenient to your lifestyle or attitude? For me, I guess, it is becoming a leader. It’s not because o f the power or authority I have acquired of becoming a leader, but a sense of responsibility that I have acquired. I have always been very independent since and according to people around me – I am very responsible. I am mindful of my actions and can become a perfectionist at the same time. 12. Is there a specific leader that you look up to? Who and Why? When a word â€Å"Leader† is mentioned, there’s this one person that immediately pops out of my mind – Nelson Mandela. He is very charismatic leader and down to earth. He has vision for his country and was able to revive the spirit of his countrymen. I guess, those qualities has made me more curious about him and in the end, I became his fan. 13. Lastly, what would you advise me so that I would become an effective leader as you are? Advise as a leader? Hmmm. I don’t really have any. But I guess, to become an effective leader, you should know how to listen to other people’s opinion, Motivate people to work hard because you yourself are working hard. Generally, live as an example. You should act, look and think like a leader for others to respect and follow your orders.

Driving Under the Influence of a Cell Phone

Driving Under the Influence of a Cell Phone Dameatrius McCreary, age 5 was killed when he was hit by a driver that had reached down to pick up a ringing cell-phone that had fallen to the floor of the car. Dameatrius had just gotten off a school bus that was dropping him off. The school bus was parked, had its warning lights flashing and a stop sign out when he was hit by the vehicle (11 Reasons to ban). Each year in the United States, talking on a cell phone while driving causes an estimated 2600 motor vehicle-related deaths and 330,000 moderate to critical injuries (Lissy).Driving is a complex task at the best of times. A driver speeds up and slows down, steers, changes lanes, scans the road for hazards, checks mirrors, merges, and brakes. When in traffic, drivers must process a great deal of information in a very short time. Talking on a cell phone while driving greatly impacts ones’ ability to drive safely. Despite the known risk, many people still use a cell phone while dr iving. Cell phones are not only cognitively distracting, but they affect peripheral vision and cause reaction time to become much slower.By banning cell-phone usage while driving, the number of deaths and injuries could be decreased significantly. Lawmakers need to push this issue into law before more innocent lives are taken. Some people feel they are experienced enough drives and have the ability to drive and talk on a cell phone. My brother thinks he is the best driver in the world. We have had many discussions on how dangerous it is to focus more on your phone than on the road. He feels that no amount of talking on the phone or texting is going to be detrimental to his driving.I have found this common attitude with many of my family and friends who drive with the phone stuck to their ear. This behavior is not due to a lack of awareness of the dangers. They truly believe they are in control of their environment and overestimate their own ability to drive safely while talking on t he phone. This superman mind-set clouds their way of thinking. In fact many people know that using a cell phone while driving is dangerous, and some even consider it more risky than eating or putting on make-up in the car. In a focus group, held in 2000, benefits of driving while talking on a cell phone were discussed.Some of the argued benefits were to, â€Å"expand productivity for commuters, improve mental alertness, and diminish the tendency to speed (Lissy 44). In another study conducted in 2002 by Hammond and Horswill showed â€Å"drivers with a high desire for control were more likely to engage in risky driving behaviors than were those with a low desire for control† (Schlehofer 1108). It is this high desire for control that causes drivers to overlook the danger that is involved in talking on the phone and focus on what they are able to accomplish while doing it.It is true if you talk on the phone while driving you will probably get more accomplished, but is it worth the risk? Talking on a cell phone is a cognitive distraction plain and simple. Several studies show that a driver paying attention to a conversation on a cell phone is distracted simply because he is paying attention to the conversation, reducing the attention he is paying to driving and what is going on around him (Ropeik and Gray 71). Not only is talking a distraction, but today our phones are loaded with applications, which usually require two hands to operate.We have all witnessed drivers that have one hand on the wheel and the other hand typing, or driving with their knee while texting. When your hands are holding your phone, or dialing or receiving a call, they’re not holding the steering wheel or helping to control the vehicle. Think of the last time you came upon someone driving in the left hand lane while traveling under the speed limit. A lot of the time they are talking on their phone. Many times they merge into your lane and never realize that you are even there.C ell phone usage may decrease speed, but it also creates more of a hazard for drivers and everyone else around them. Research at the University of Utah suggests that cognitive distraction may be the most important distraction since their test subjects did equally poorly when using hands-free or hand-held devices (Ropeik and Gray 71). Talking on a cell phone while driving, dramatically affects your peripheral vision. It has been claimed that driving while talking on a cell phone can be as or more dangerous than driving drunk.I know that when I have been talking on the phone while driving and change lanes or turn, it is not as easy to see other cars. It has only taken a couple of close calls for me to realize that my life and that of my family is not worth the 5 minute conversation I could be having with someone. A study done by the Southern College of Optometry to measure visual fields with and without a cell phone conversation taking place suggests that cell phone conversations tend to artificially constrict the peripheral awareness as measured by a visual field. This suggests that cell phone use while riving can decrease the perceptual visual field, making the driver less aware of the surroundings and more susceptible to accident (Maples et al 36). Think of those times you have picked up your phone to see who is calling or to read a text you have just received. As you look at the phone, glancing up every so often to see what is ahead of you, are you paying attention to what is around you? Are you able to look over your shoulder to make sure no one is in your blind spot before changing lanes? Generally you have no idea what is behind or on the side of you.Suddenly you are so involved in reading that text or taking that phone call that everything around you disappears. Driving requires the use of all of your faculties. If you are looking for your phone, or at your phone to make a call, you are not looking at the road. Furthermore, the reaction time decreases dra matically when using a phone while driving. University of Utah psychology professor David Strayer stated, â€Å"Drivers talking on cell phones were 18% slower to react to brake lights and once the driver hits the brakes, it takes them longer to get back into the normal flow of traffic.The net result is they are impeding the overall flow of traffic† (Britt). Stop and go traffic is already frustrating, but drivers who are paying more attention to what is going on with their phone than with traffic just amplifies the problem. Studies of driver performance, observing drivers both on simulators and in the field, have shown that mobile phone use while driving can adversely affect reaction time, swerving ability, and the ability to execute difficult driving tasks (Ropeik and Gray 71).Driving with both hands on the wheel and having your eyes focused on the road the whole time is hard enough. Now add the distraction of a cell phone and one is bound to have problems. As much as we woul d like to think that we can do multiple things at the same time, the reality is no one is perfect. Case in point: On Thanksgiving weekend, 1999, John and Carole Hall were killed when a Naval Academy midshipman crashed into their parked car. The driver said in court that when he looked up from the cell phone he was dialing, he was 3 feet from the car and had no time to stop (Stockwell B8).University of Utah research found that test subjects took longer to react to traffic signals and completely missed twice as many of those signals when they were on the phone (Ropeik and Gray 71). Matt Wilhelm was cycling near Urbana, Illinois when he was struck and killed by a driver that was downloading ring tones to her cell phone. Matt’s death has prompted cell phone legislation that has been signed by Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich. The new law teaches teen drivers the importance of avoiding distraction while they are driving (11 Reasons to ban).Recently Oprah has been promoting a No P hone Zone pledge challenging her viewers to stop using their cell phones while driving. They pledge to not text or talk on their cell phone. We can all take this pledge and help get the word out how dangerous it is to let our cell phones distract us from safe driving. Driving is a complex task that requires the driver's full attention. Smart drivers keep their hands on the wheel, their eyes on the road and focus more attention on driving than talking on the phone. Because of increased injuries and deaths surrounding accidents involving cell phones, we must begin to take this problem seriously.How many more lives need to be claimed before we take a stand? The time is now to call your local representative and voice your opinion before someone you love is affected by this dangerous habit. It is time we put the brake on our cell phone usage while driving. Banning cell phone use while driving may not totally eliminate the number of deaths or accidents that happen, but it will dramaticall y decrease them for sure. How many lives can we save by simply putting our cell phones down and concentrating on actually driving?Works Cited â€Å"11 Reasons to ban Cell-Phone Use While Driving. DrivingLaws. org 951online. LLC, 2009. Web. 6 July 2010. Britt, Robert Roy. â€Å"Drivers on Cell Phones Kill Thousands; Snare Traffic Technology. † Live Science. com. TechMedia Network. 01/02/2005. Web. 5 July 2010. Lissy M. P. H. , Karen S. , et al. â€Å"Cellular Phone Use While Driving: Risks and benefits. † Cell Phone Free Driving. Harvard Center for Risk Analysis: Harvard School of Public Health. July 2000. Web. 1 July 2010. Maples, W. C. , et al. â€Å"The Effects of Cell Phone Use on Peripheral Vision. † Optometry 79 (2008): 36-42. Academic Search Premier. Web. 5 July 2010. Ropeik, David, and George Gray. â€Å"Cellular Telephones and Driving. † Risk: A Practical Guide for Deciding What's Really Safe and What's Really Dangerous in the World Around You. B oston: Houghton-Mifflin Company, 2002. 70-75. NetLibrary. Web. 1 July 2010. Schlehofer, Michele M. , et al. â€Å"Psychological Predictor of College Students' Cell Phone Use While Driving. † Accident Analysis and Prevention 42. 4 (2010):1107-1112. Academic Search Premier. Web. 1 July 2010. Stockwell, Jamie. â€Å"Phone Use Faulted in Collision. † Washington Post 6 Dec. 2000: B1+. Web. 13 July 2010.

Standard State Conditions of Temperature and Pressure

Standard State Conditions of Temperature and Pressure Values of thermodynamic quantities are commonly expressed for standard state conditions, so it is a good idea to understand what the standard state conditions are. A superscript circle is used to denote a thermodynamic quantity that is under standard state conditions: ΔH ΔH °ÃŽâ€S ΔS °ÃŽâ€G ΔG ° Standard State Conditions Certain assumptions apply to standard state conditions. Standard temperature and pressure commonly is abbreviated as STP. The standard state temperature is 25 °C (298 K). It is possible to calculate standard state values for other temperatures.All liquids are pure.The concentration of all solutions is 1 M (1 molar).All gases are pure.All gases are at 1 atm pressure.The energy of formation of an element in its normal state is defined as zero. Sources International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (1982). Notation for states and processes, significance of the word standard in chemical thermodynamics, and remarks on commonly tabulated forms of thermodynamic functions. Pure Appl. Chem. 54 (6): 1239–50. doi:10.1351/pac198254061239UPAC–IUB–IUPAB Interunion Commission of Biothermodynamics (1976). Recommendations for measurement and presentation of biochemical equilibrium data. J. Biol. Chem. 251 (22): 6879–85.

Where My Mind Wanders essays

Where My Mind Wanders essays My car slows as it approaches a stoplight. I take this opportunity to allow my mind to become engulfed with my surroundings: the bright, fierce red of the traffic light, the brilliant blue sky with its specs clouds, and the mass of hurried people. The four corners of the intersection are filled with people who are preoccupied with their fast-paced lives to notice the little things, such as animals and anxious cars awaiting the traffic light. My thoughts vigorously put all of the information that my mind has gathered from the intersection to order. My mind eagerly involves itself by engulfing my surroundings and giving them some meaning. The office workers, too busy to pay attention to the life that surrounds them catch my eyes first. They seem to be apathetic robots, preprogrammed to start at one location and go to another. They pay little attention to any detail unless it has to do with them. I chuckle at the automated behavior of these robots. Once my mind has come to a conclusion about the workers, this small little squirrel sitting on its hind legs eating a juicy apple catches my attention. Sitting there on the corner of the intersection, minding its own business, the squirrel devours the apple. Once done with its apple the squirrel throws the core to the side and remains there for a bit. My mind temporarily comes out of its lapse and I wonder if this squirrel is analyzing me, too. The neck of the squirrel seems to be a second hand on a clock, tick tock. It moves a bit then stops, then again moves continuing until it can no longer move its neck. A 1996 Ford Mustang next to my car revs the engine, and my mind loses interest in the squirrel and moves to the cars next to and opposite of me. There are two cars, a BMW, and an old pickup truck; the name is not visible. You can see the eagerness of each car; the impatience in these cars is more than of child the day before their birthday. These cars remain perpendicular to the lan...