Computer Software Essays - Taxation In The United States

Computer Software Comparison of Three Tax Preparation Software Packages, Including: Turbo Tax by Intuit, Inc., Simply Tax by 4Home Productions, and Tax Cut by MECA Software Prepared for Finnerty Professor Prepared by Joseph Wise Accountant Wise's Wild Toys Bay Village Ohio, 44140 April 13, 2000 Wise's Wild Toys 24407 Electric Dr. Bay Village Ohio, 44140 Tel. # (440) 835-1234 April 6, 2000 Ms. Finnerty, Chief Financial Officer Finnerty: Per your request, I have chosen to do my report on an evaluation of three separate tax preparation software packages for potential use in our company. The following are the programs that I evaluated for Wise's Wild Toys: Turbo Tax by Intuit, Inc., Simply Tax by 4Home Productions, and Tax Cut by MECA Software. My research concluded that Tax Cut by MECA Software would be the optimal program for our company to purchase. This program provided the greatest value as far as price and helpful features are concerned. During the evaluation process, Tax Cut proved to be a superior program in every category in which it was tested. The information in this report was primarily obtained through a personal interview with Jonathan, a Sales Manager at CompUSA computer store. Additional information came from journal articles, which were found in the Grasselli Library of John Carroll University. Thank you for affording me the opportunity to conduct this research project. My associates and I are looking forward to working with this new method of preparing our tax information. Please let me know if you have any additional questions. I will be happy to assist you in getting this project underway. Sincerely, Joseph R. Wise Accountant I Table of Contents Letter of Transmittal.................................................................................................................I List of Illustrations.................................................................................................................III Executive Summary...............................................................................................................IV Introduction..............................................................................................................................1 Purpose..........................................................................................................................1 Scope..............................................................................................................................2 Limitations.....................................................................................................................2 Turbo Tax by Intuit, Inc...........................................................................................................2 Price................................................................................................................................3 System Requirements...................................................................................................3 States Available.............................................................................................................3 Special Features.............................................................................................................3 Installation..........?.......................................................................................................3 Error Recovery and Support........................................................................................4 Preparation, Guidance, and Filing..............................................................................4 Simply Tax by 4Home Productions........................................................................................5 Price................................................................................................................................5 System Requirements...................................................................................................6 States Available.............................................................................................................6 Special Features?.............................................................................................6 Installation.................................................................................?..........................?..6 Error Recovery and Support........................................................................................6 Preparation, Guidance, and Filing..............................................................................7 Tax Cut by MECA Software....................................................................................................8 Price?...........................................................................................................................8 System Requirements...................................................................................................8 States Available.............................................................................................................8 Special Features............................................................................................................9 Installation.....................................................................................................9 Error Recovery and Support............................................................................9 Preparation, Guidance, Filing............................................................................10 Conclusion?.?....10 Works Cited?...............................?..................................................................................12 II List of Illustrations Figure 1 Suitability to Task for Turbo Tax by Intuit, Inc.....................................................5 Figure 2 Suitability to Task for Simply Tax by 4Home Productions..................................7 Figure 3 Suitability to Task for Tax Cut by MECA Software............................................10 III Executive Summary The purpose of this report is to determine which tax preparation software program would be best suited for use in Wise's Wild Toys. The company has undergone a rapid expansion since its organization in 1960, and it continues to grow today. In keeping with the constant developments in computer technology and software, it has been decided that a tax preparation software package will increase the efficiency of the company's business transactions. This report evaluates the following software programs: Turbo Tax by Intuit, Inc., Simply Tax by 4Home Productions, and Tax Cut by MECA Software. These three packages were evaluated in the areas of price, system requirements, states available, special features, installation procedures, error recovery and support features, as well as preparation, guidance, and filing mechanisms. A personal interview with an employee of CompUSA computer store provided the primary information for this report. Journal articles gathered from the Grasselli Library of John Carroll University provided the remainder of the information on tax preparation software packages. It has been concluded that Wise's Wild Toys should purchase the Tax Cut program produced by MECA Software. This program produced superior results in the several categories in which it was evaluated. IV Introduction Wise's Wild Toys began in the early 1900's selling discounted toys mainly to those families in poorer areas of Cleveland, Ohio. Today Wise's Wild Toys has customers all over the Cleveland area. Their generosity to the underprivileged has given them great publicity in the Cleveland area has brought many people to see this wonderful store. Due to its expanded clientele, Wise's Wild Toys has recently expanded to a second location to meet public demand. They now have stores located on the east and West Side of Cleveland. Purpose Wise's Wild Toys has increased their inventory by 900% in almost 100 years and their hired employees from the 2 owners to roughly 100 employees. Due to Wise's Wild Toys increase in size its managerial duties have become more difficult to organize. It has become obvious with the advances in computer technology and software design that efficiencies can be gained through the use of a modern accounting and tax software package. The purpose of this report is to evaluate three tax preparation software programs and submit recommendations on the premium program for Wise's Wild

Free Essays on Thai Marriage

One of the most important moments in a person’s life after birth is marriage. This is a special moment when a man and woman decide to unite in a bond that will influence them for the rest of their lives. However, marriage rituals and tradition vary from culture to culture. Even among people of the same race, ethnic or linguistic heritage can diversify. Like most cultures, the Thai culture has its unique ways to go about a marriage. In my interview, I interview two young males that are currently attending college. Their names are Chatchwal Ponguisooti and Piyamit Chomprasob. Chatchwal is twenty-two years old and attends Glendale Community College. He has lived in the United States for about ten years. On the other hand, Piyamit Chomprasob is seventeen years old and attends University of California Irvine. He has lived in the United States for about four years. When I interview both of these individual, they both commented on the idea that they wanted to get marry someday. However, their ideas of marriage where not very different. At the beginning of the interview, they both commented on the idea that they would not like their marriage to be arranged. They will both like to follow the traditions of the Thailand culture. The cost of the wedding would all be taken care by the groom’s parent’s, which would be given to the bride’s parent with the amount they demanded.... Free Essays on Thai Marriage Free Essays on Thai Marriage One of the most important moments in a person’s life after birth is marriage. This is a special moment when a man and woman decide to unite in a bond that will influence them for the rest of their lives. However, marriage rituals and tradition vary from culture to culture. Even among people of the same race, ethnic or linguistic heritage can diversify. Like most cultures, the Thai culture has its unique ways to go about a marriage. In my interview, I interview two young males that are currently attending college. Their names are Chatchwal Ponguisooti and Piyamit Chomprasob. Chatchwal is twenty-two years old and attends Glendale Community College. He has lived in the United States for about ten years. On the other hand, Piyamit Chomprasob is seventeen years old and attends University of California Irvine. He has lived in the United States for about four years. When I interview both of these individual, they both commented on the idea that they wanted to get marry someday. However, their ideas of marriage where not very different. At the beginning of the interview, they both commented on the idea that they would not like their marriage to be arranged. They will both like to follow the traditions of the Thailand culture. The cost of the wedding would all be taken care by the groom’s parent’s, which would be given to the bride’s parent with the amount they demanded....

Operating System and Networking Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Operating System and Networking - Coursework Example the primary factor that can be examined is the Wide Area Network. Likewise, if the college is communicating with the remote offices concludes that a proper Wide Area Network connectivity is present. However, there are many WAN technologies that can be deployed to cover all the specified requirements. Moreover, cloud computing has also gained a high value and is well recognized in academic institutions in the UK, as researchers share information on a collaborative platform. For instance, University of Portsmouth has already initiated a commercial use of off the shelf cloud service from globally recognized organizations such as Google and Microsoft (Cloud guarantees bright outlook 2012). Equally, cloud computing saves significant cost and the complex Information Technology acquisition procedures and processes (Cloud guarantees bright outlook 2012). The University is synchronized with the other three remote campuses and 5 other campuses that are located outside the city. Likewise, a rob ust WAN infrastructure is required to fulfill these long distance connectivity and data transfer requirements. As mentioned earlier, the different WAN technologies that can be implemented in this scenario are: Point to Point Connectivity Circuit Switching Packet Switching WAN Virtual Circuits WAN Dial up Services We cannot deploy point to point connectivity, as it provides a dedicated link from the customer premises to the carrier network. As the University is connected to multiple locations, several point to point links are required, resulting in a costly solution. Secondly, circuit switching also resembles with the point to point connectivity technology and it is comparatively slower. One example of this technology is Integrated Services Digital Networks (ISDN). Thirdly, WAN dial up services are also associated with slow and outdated technology. Moreover, virtual circuits will not be efficient in a crisis situation, as it cannot handle a lot of traffic and if the device stops work ing, the whole connection is lost. Finally, WAN virtual circuits and Packet switching technology will be considered in this scenario. Packet switching WAN technology shares a single point to point connectivity within network devices to exchange data from source to destination via a carrier network. Moreover, statistical multiplexing techniques are implemented to activate packet switching in network devices. Some of the examples of this technology are Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), Frame Relay etc. Advantages after deploying packet switching technology within the University are demonstrated below: As the data packet breaks into small data chunks, bandwidth capacity utilization is optimal Confidentiality, Integrity and Availibility is addressed, as the confidential data needs adequate security Compatible with devices supporting different transfer rates, as end users or network devices configured at different remote campuses may support different transfer rates. In case of a link fa ilure, signals are re routed by using a different path ensuring high network availability. In case of a declared disaster or a failure of a telephone exchange, end users can still send emails for service interruption notifications and vice versa. Above mentioned advantages concludes that

Educational achievement and attainment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Educational achievement and attainment - Essay Example The relationship between gender and educational achievement/attainment is a complex and controversial one, especially at the vital early level of primary education (Richards, 1998). This analysis will consider the definition of gender, how it has changed over time with specific concentration on educational assumptions, the current policy developments which are underway that are attempting to alleviate concerns and an overall view of how gender actually does effect educational achievement. Some questions that will be considered are whether there are indeed innate differences in raw potential between the genders, whether differences are culturally/socially constructed and whether (and if) differences should be alleviated.First, the importance of primary education must be stressed. As Richards (1997) suggests, "the foundations in learning, thinking and feeling which it provides are essential for what comes later not only in schooling but also in life". This undeniable argument will unde rpin much of the discussion of gender. Second, what is gender The Oxford English Dictionary defines gender as "sexual identity, especially in relation to society or culture" and also "the condition of being female or male" (Oxford, 2007). The difference between a person's "sex" and their "gender" is an important one. Whether one is born male or female in a physical sense relates to "sex", whereas "gender" is a much wider - it is a construct of society in which especially when young, people are socialized into various norms for what it means to be 'male' or 'female', a 'boy' or a 'girl'. The distinction between gender and sex is vital, because while the vast majority of people naturally fall into the various biological imperatives of the sex that they are born into (the trans-gendered apart), gender roles are constructed by society and are more fluid/changeable (Sleeter, 2006). The traditional view of gender within British primary education fell into the constructs which were regarded as received truths so obvious that they need hardly be stated. Thus boys were regarded as 'good' at subjects such as Maths/Science, were expected to be the loudest socially, were more likely to get into fights and would be more likely to push themselves forward in class (Archer, 2003). Girls would be better at subjects such as English and languages. They were more likely to work cooperatively and in teams. They were less likely to get into fights (Archer, 2003). Before rejecting these stereotypes out of hand, they should be considered against actual evidence. Male human beings do tend to be more aggressive than females and are more likely to engage in violence at every age, including when primary children (Diamond, 2005). Males also tend to perform better on Maths/Science standardized tests than females (Baron-Cohen, 2003). Conversely, females have long been observed as being more cooperative and less prone to aggression than males within a variety of cultural contexts (Diamond, 2005). They also tend to score better on verbal tests than males (Baron-Cohen, 2003). As Baron-Cohen suggests, "the female brain is predominantly wired for empathy . . . the male brain is predominantly hard-wired for understanding and building systems" (2003). This is of course a highly controversial point of view, but one that seems to be based upon the overwhelming weight of empirical evidence. The words hard-wired are perhaps most important here. If the sex differences are indeed "hard-wired", leading to the various gender differences in both treatment within primary education and attainment/achievement, then little can be done to change them. But if, to stretch the computer metaphor, the differences between male and female are a form of software that can be adapted or even outright changed, then gender differences in educational outcomes may be more malleable. As human beings are mammals, and as all mammals exhibit clear differences in

Differences in Afica Apartheid vs Post Apartheid Essay

Differences in Afica Apartheid vs Post Apartheid - Essay Example The non – black minorities believe that SA is going to turn into Zimbabwe, where foreigners and minorities were exiled and their property confiscated by the government (Bearak). Despite the fact that absolute incomes of the poor have increased, many fear that SA might turn into another Rwanda due to high levels of crime (Bearak). However, the same fears existed during apartheid: â€Å"Not so long ago, people feared that the end of apartheid would set off civil war and a blood bath† (Bearak). Inequalities existed then as well: though blacks formed the majority, they owned in 1974 only 13.7% of the total land (UNESCO 36). Non – whites were supposed to support expansion of the white power and economic welfare. The former had to be mobile, cheap and thus uneducated, without political rights to complain or try to change the status quo (UNESCO 44). Though apartheid no longer exists in SA, its remnants are felt in the society. The blacks are still poor, and the poor are increasingly violent. In turn, the whites flee the country, fearing for their lives. Segregation has not been eliminated in practice, as inequalities and crime eliminated some progress made by Nelson Mandela and his

The Performance Management At Hewlett Packard Commerce Essay

The Performance Management At Hewlett Packard Commerce Essay   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hewlett-Packard is believed to be one of the most popular companies in the universe. It markets all over the world and distinct locations. Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard founded HP in the year 1939. The company has its own philosophy to attain success and stand different from its competitors in the market. Management by Objectives (MOB) is one of the successful trends carried out by HP Company to measure its performance management and appraisal system. Therefore many companies were following this method for evaluating their performance management. The objective of this report is to identify the performance management effectiveness and frequency of appraisal and also recognize the strength and limitations at HP Company and to make recommendations regarding their limitations and possible ways to overcome them (Armstrong 2005). Hewlett-Packard   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hewlett-Packard (HP) is a multinational company marketing allover the world. The company offers a wide range of consumer and IT products such as personal computers, Laptops, printing machines and services, Ink, Toner paper, Monitors, Accessories and softwares, Scanners, Smart Phones etc. The HP Way   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The HP way is not entirely different from other companys management philosophy. But the company has got its own principles and management frame implemented by its founders in approaching the top to bottom level management in distinct way. It implies that the company should trust and respect every individual and they believe in their employees intelligence leads to company success and they followed decentralized system (Peter Burrows business week 2004). This leads HP Company to retain the second top most places in the hardware industry globally (Hardware Top 100 2010). System Aim Performance management is a process carried out by organizations in order to attain the organization goals by identifying their employees performance individually and in teams (Armstrong Baron, 2005). The management levels may differ from organizations to organizations thus every management has its own performance appraisal system to identify, support, ascertain problems, develop and appreciation to the employees regard their work performance (Sims 2002a, p. 81). Performance management evaluates the companys performance of the employees, which helps to give effective feedback in order to improve their employees working performance and to succeeded organization targets. The organizations targets are considered to be the long-term goals and to attain that performance appraisal system are to be carried as short-term goals. Controlling process, which is the most important role of any organization to monitor the individual employees performance and this helps to compare the employees per formance and to analyses the overall management performance (Sims, 2002a). The basic need for controlling system is to initiate performance principles, observing performance of the employees and comparing it with the primary principles framed by the organization and finally taking required action to manage the performance. Hewlett-Packard applies the quality management therefore their organizations aim and objective is concerned about the ultimate customers. Therefore, HP employees practice the scheme called Management by Objectives (MOB). This scheme has structured the company objectives into two elements as long-term objectives and short-term objectives. These objectives were discussed between their distinct management levels that are communicating the performance criteria with the individual employees and as department vise were negotiated. The Management by Objective (MOB) scheme finds how the employees complete their task successfully, which indicates the process of mentoring and coaching. This process is made efficient by interconnecting the monitoring process at all levels throughout the HP Company. MOB also involves in the strategic planning of HP Company as a part that describes the aim or goal of the company. The companys top management involves in performance management system and introduces the performance appraisal process to the employees and given chances to fix their goals. Even the workers at bottom management level are encouraged to participate in the process of decision making by suggesting their views for attaining targets successfully this process is carried out for every six months between all levels. The Mobs objectives are to serve as day-to-day to help in making decision for tremendous growth of the company. Dave Packard believe in if HP made every individuals understanding their company objectives and goals and what the company planning for, then they could easily get every employees narrow attention towards attaining the goal. This is known as the HP Way. Frequency of Appraisal:   It is a process of identifying the employees characteristics during the working period that basically indicates quantitative and also qualitative features of management performance. This can be identified by adopting certain appraisal methods in order to find how the employees work efficiently and perfectly. Accordingly performance appraisal has goal setting and performance evaluation as arching targets. These targets are combined because of the performance management criteria used by the managers/supervisor in order to encourage the employees by giving proper command about how to transfer results to compete distinct levels of performance. 1. Goal Setting In HP Company they traditionally practice the HP Way, according to it they give respect and importance to each individual employee, therefore people in top-to-bottom level management have determined their goals. According to Bill Hewlett (co-founder of HP) a organizations performance should be measured by setting up of Goals also that should be measurable in both qualitative and quantitative terms for efficient management performance (mystrategicplan). 2. Performance Evaluation In Hewlett-Packard, the performance evaluation method is implemented as a basic development device. The company conducts frequent meetings by mixed up with all level of management people at one roof to evaluate about the management performance quarterly. According to the HP Way the employees are given full freedom to place their requests and ideas in the meeting and their suggestions are strongly supported. They practice an informal way of approaching to the analysis the performance of its management by giving feedbacks to the employees on an ongoing basis. This reflects and made the company to introduce 360-degree and MOB appraisal method as measuring the companys performance. Method of Appraisal Management of Objectives In HP Company their managements performance is analyzed by carrying out the management of objectives appraisal method. Through this method the company find their employees rating during the work time and those who attain top rating are awarded with promotions and offers on the other hand the employees who got poor performance rating will be taken necessary actions to make them correct accordingly. This appraisal scheme followed by the Hewlett-Packard Company measures both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of their employees performance. The company follows a quality management hence their objectives

Free College Admissions Essays: The FIRST Engineering Competition :: College Admissions Essays

The FIRST Engineering Competition    It was just the second week of school, and I had mustered up all my courage to venture to the nether regions of our school known as the basement to attend the first meeting of the newly forming FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) robotics team. When I walked into room one, the newly proclaimed FIRST headquarters, I looked around with apprehension, and I noticed that I did not recognize a single face in the room. Nervously, I took a seat, and Mr. Mothersele, the advisor for the program began describing the program. FIRST is a national engineering competition in which partnerships are formed between local businesses and high schools to design and build a robot-like machine from identical kits of parts supplied by FIRST. The team has about six weeks to build the machine which must be able to compete in a timed sporting event. As soon as I saw the video of the students working and competing with the robots, I was hooked. The program seemed tailored to my int erest in math in science and to my competitive spirit. I couldn't resist the opportunity.    As a shy and relatively inexperienced freshman, I signed up for the program as the only underclassmen on the team of ten students. I bumbled along, learning about design and how to use the machines. I made my full share of mistakes and then some, but by the end of the program, I was gaining some real experience. Although our robot did not fare very well in the competition our first year, my learning process was underway, and I knew that I had found my place.    The second year of the competition, I was only one of two returning students. I took an active role in recruiting new students, and our membership doubled. It was a complete role reversal for me because all of a sudden I was the experienced team member. We finished fifth out of forty teams at the regional competition, and at the national tournament, we placed in the top third.    This past year, was the golden year of my FIRST career. In September, I was voted team captain. It was my job to ensure that our team was well organized and that we stayed on task. Our team advanced to the semifinals, where we lost to the eventual National Champion.

Review of Related Literature Essay

The review of related literature for this study focuses on different previous studies about working students locally and outside the country. These studies identify models and several case study of a working student including the reasons why students are force to work are also enumerated. (cited,.) ( ïÆ'ŸHindi ako sure dito) Local Literature According to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) about 216,000 students in the country are currently juggling school and work, this figure is about 8% of the total number of college students in the country. CHED said working students today are mostly into food service, entertainment and sales, apart from their usual stints as library and research assistants. â€Å"Due to financial crisis that’s why they need a extra income,† said lawyer Julito Vitriolo, officer-in-charge at CHED’s office of the executive director. He also added that these students are forced to work because of higher commodity prices and tuition fees. The CHED said that only 50% of working students get to finish college, as many cannot cope and cannot concentrate on their studies, while some have poor health, while others give up because of insufficient funds.CHED advised working students to get jobs that are not that demanding, and that are more closely related to their courses. FOREIGN LITERATURE According to the National Center for Education Statistics in America, in 2007 nearly half (45 percent) of â€Å"traditional† undergraduates—that is, students between the ages of sixteen and twenty-four attending college full time—worked while enrolled. About 80 percent of traditional-age undergraduates attending college part time worked while enrolled. The amount of time students spend working has been of increasing concern for the educators that serve them and, in some instances, the students themselves. Recent data would indicate that 80% of American undergraduates worked while attending college in 1999-2000 (King, 2003).This represents an 8% increase over the class less than a decade previously, among whom 72% worked  (Cuccaro-Alamin & Choy,1998). Further, there appears to be a strong body of literature that points to the positive effects of not working versus working while attending college (King, 2002; Pascarella& Terenzini, 1991). As College Board policy analyst Sandy Baum argues in a 2010 collection of essays I edited, Understanding the Working College Student: New Research and Its Implications for Policy and Practice, while some of these students are awarded â€Å"work† as part of their financial aid package, other students either do not receive work-study funding or find such awards insufficient to cover the costs of attendance. Some traditional-age students may use employment as a way to explore career options or earn spending money. For other students, particularly adult students, work is a part of their identity, as Carol Kasworm, a professor of adult education at North Carolina State University, and other contributors to Understanding the Working College Student point out. Regardless of the reason for working, trying to meet the multiple and sometimes conflicting simultaneous demands of the roles of student, employee, parent, and so on often creates high levels of stress and anxiety, making it less likely that students will complete their degrees. How does Working Affects Students’ Success (?) Some researchers have reported that â€Å"the more time a student devotes to employment, the less he or she has for either academic or social activities† (Fjortoft, 1995). Although this may leave the students with less time, what is the impact on college success? Some studies have looked at the effects of working on social and academic integration—or student engagement. This is an important component in student behavior theory (Bean, 1985; Pascarella & Staver, 1985; Tinto, 1975) that has long been linked with persistence (Kuh, 1995; Pascarella & Terrenzini, 1983). Lundberg (2004) examined a national sample of 3,774 responses to the College Student Experiences Questionnaire (CSEQ) and found that students working more than 20 hours per week reported significantly fewer interactions with faculty and lower quality student relationships with peers. Cheng (2004) examined how work affected the academic and social experience of college students, using a mixed method design, and found â€Å"no significant difference between working and nonworking students in their academic and social experience, though working students’ GPAs are lower than those of the nonworking†(p. 1). Bibliography http://www.aaup.org/article/understanding-working-college-student#.VLCOT9KUf5N http://indiana.edu/~ipas1/workingstudentbrief.pdf http://www.aaup.org/article/understanding-working-college-student#.VLCOT9KUf5N

Roman Terms Covering Politics, Law, War, and Lifestyle

Roman Terms Covering Politics, Law, War, and Lifestyle The Ancient Roman Republic lasted from 509 BCE to 27 BCE, and was followed by the Ancient Roman Empire which existed from 27 BCE to 669 CE. While already boasting a lengthy rule, the Romans influence continued to shape all aspects of society for centuries after. Roman civilization made its mark on Elizabethan literature by inspiring Shakespeares seminal play, Julius Caesar. The iconic Colosseum in Rome is a staple case study in architecture studies and influenced many similar structures, especially sports stadiums. The Roman Republic, and even the Roman Empire with its Senate legislature, is often referred to as the building blocks of modern democracy. And its ruling over diverse lands and its trade with Asia via the Silk Road inevitably established cross-cultural exchanges that continue to today. These terms cover a variety of topics, ranging from names of battles to significant architecture, from geographical features to an explanation of cultural rituals. Hopefully, this extensive list will be intriguing for any history buff or Ancient Rome enthusiast.   Battles   and Warfare Rome was imperialism personified, and the Romans kept blow by blow records of many of the important battles that sealed that definition. Many Roman battles and battle plans are still cited as ideals by recent military tacticians and teachers in military academies. ActiumBattle of CarrhaeBattle of Milvian BridgeBattle of PharsalusCatapultCohort  Gergovia BattleMacedonian WarsMorbihan Gulf BattleRubiconSeleucidsSocial WarVercingetorix Politics and Law Politics played a vital role in Roman society. The passion plays in the Senate and the struggles for power among generals, kings, and emperors provide us a great deal of historical precedent for our society today. Comitia CenturiataConstitutio Antoniniana (Edict of Caracalla)ConsulCuriaCurule AedileCursus HonorumEdict of CaracallaForumInterregnumOptimatesPax RomanaPlebiscitumPlebeiansPraetorsSenatorsTarpeian RockTetrarchyTribuneTriumvirate Architecture   Rome built some of the finest civic architecture, both as public displays but also as functional works, aqueducts and other structures still standing today.   AqueductsCloaca Maxima  ColosseumForumInsulaRegionariesTemplum Lifestyle   What do you know of these terms related to social mores and traditions, music, and foods of Roman society? A.D.  and B.C.AgonaliaBacchanalia  ConfarreatioCornucopiaFabula TogataFescenine VerseGarum (Roman Fish Sauce)HedonismJulian CalendarLudiLudi ApollinaresLudi FloralesPater Familias  PraetextataPrandiumSalutatioTogaTria Nomina Geography At its height, the Roman Empire stretched over much of Europe; do you know these points of geographic interest?   ​7 Hills of RomeAlba LongaAntonine WallAppian WayBoiiGallia /GaulHadrians WallHispaniaMt. VesuviusPraefecturesVesuvius Religion   Roman religion changed over the centuries, and it includes Roman gods and goddesses, but also the influence of religion, and religious specialists.   Abundantia  Fides  FlamenJulian the ApostateMaiaMonkNicene CreedPersecutionsPervigiliumPontifex MaximusPriapusRegiaRex Sacrificulus  Sibyl People Do you know who these important persons were to the history of the Roman Empire?   7 Kings of RomeAugustusCaligula  ClaudiusConstantineCurtius (Lacus Curtius)Historia AugustaJulius CaesarJustinianNero  Pontius PilateScaevolaScipionic Circle

When A Man Loves A Woman

Alcoholism is a serious disease often overlooked by those whom love us the most. In the movie When A Man Loves A Woman, Meg Ryan and Andy Garcia show us how a wonderful love story can be corrupted by an overwhelming addiction. The movie begins with this wonderful couple who soak themselves in their love. You immediately notice the habits of Meg Ryan, from the very first scene. Although it appears that they are just having a good time, the issues begin to become more than Andy Garicia (meg's husband) can handle. Her problem becomes out-of-hand when it effects her work, family and friends. She forgets things, acts irresponsible, abuses her children and then has a hash bought of abusing her self. She in turn decides to go through rehab. Ryan has as supportive of a family as possible. Hoping and praying that everything would return to normal, this family will not require a lot of adjusting. Although she is no longer drinking she now has to find a different life style than the one she had been used to. No longer does Ryan view things with the same eyes. She struggles with all the issues that come along with her new sobriety. Finding a new common ground for this family so almost impossible. Once Ryan finds closure in herself and learns to deal with her changed lifestyle she now has the strength to regain what she had been losing. It is so emotional watching this happy family become ripped apart and then to here even more tragic stories of things we did not see. The family was not really happy. The person in which they loved was falling apart on the inside. When A Man Loves A Woman, is the type of movie that can hit home with someone at many different points. You can feel for the side or the alcoholic or for those who suffer around them. This was a brilliantly made movie. It depicts the feeling of everyone in the situation so well. It is an excellent movie that tells a difficult story.

Costco's Five Forces Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Costco's Five Forces Analysis - Essay Example The focus in this paper is on Costco Wholesale Corporation (CWC) that operates a series of ‘cash & carry membership warehouses’ that trade high-quality, domestically branded as well as privately labeled merchandises at a low price range. It sells the products to businesses that purchase for the purpose of commercial use and also to the individuals as selected member groups. The business of the company is depended on the attainment of high sales volume along with inventory turnover by providing various ranges of products at low price. Costco Wholesale Corporation receives bulk purchase based inquiries from domestic as well as international markets in large volumes. Costco Wholesale Corporation possesses widespread worldwide buying power and it endeavors to satisfy any specific item related requirements beyond its everyday assortment. The innovative concept regarding warehouse retail has enabled the Costco Wholesale Corporation (CWC) to make vertical integration and provid e the products from manufacturers towards consumers. Porter Five Forces analysis facilitates to establish the strength of competition, profitability as well as the attractiveness of a company in the marketplace where it is operating. The five competitive forces that generate the framework of market and industry are ‘bargaining power of supplier’, ‘bargaining power of customers’, ‘threats of new entrants’, ‘threat of substitutes’ and ‘competitive rivalry between existing players’.... The other significant issue is the extreme focus related to capital, as type of inventories as well as warehouse facilities make it difficult for a firm to exist. Another noteworthy issue is that the retailers of warehouse strive to maintain brand loyalty and this effort is unique in comparison to usual customer loyalty based campaigns. In this aspect, Costco has captured the lead by means of proliferation related to tangible products as well as services (George et. al., 2004, pp. 8). Threat of New Entrants The threat of new entrants is low as there is high obstruction of entry in the market due to intense competition of Costco and its competitors. The new entrants may face enormous cost due to the inbuilt capital strength of the company. Costco already has developed good affiliation with suppliers as well as customers thus it would be a challenge for a new company to operate in the new market. Therefore, for Costco new entries are not a matter of great concern. The new entry may be important for two reasons: if the existing store in the market launches a product with greater expediency and low cost and if the competitors such as Target or Wal-Mart introduce warehouse retail chain with their capital resources. However, such situations have not occurred, as a result, for Costco the threat of new entrants has not become a major issue (George et. al., 2004, pp. 8). Threat of Substitute Products The threat of substitute of new products is considered to be low because the substitute of Costco’s multi product offerings is not available in the market. There is presence of substitutes of the products of Costco when there is disaggregation of the products across sub-industry parts. The mattress

Trade Preferential Arrangements or Regional Trade Agreements Essay

Trade Preferential Arrangements or Regional Trade Agreements - Essay Example 21). Though available, the preferences should not extend to all the trade activities between the two transacting countries. Also, the coverage of activities involved can largely depend on the type of agreements existing between the countries. Common forms of PTAs include the free trade areas. Most member countries involved in preferential trade agreements often belong to established geographical areas such as the North American Free Trade Area, European Union, Southern African Customs Union (SACU), and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The North American Free Trade Agreement is a common example of a free trade area that allows its member countries to enjoy free-trade opportunities. However, each of the countries is allowed to have its trade policies that apply to non-member countries that are involved in joint trading activities. The Southern African Customs Union (SACU) serves as an extension of the customs union arrangement. SACU member countries are allowed to conduct free trade, and an external trading policy is also applied to the non-member countries. SACU majorly covers South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, and Swaziland. The European Union is an example of a full customs union that represents a common market. It allows for free movement of labor among its member countries. Lastly, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations consists of Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, Brunei, Vietnam, Burma, Laos, and Cambodia. The ASEAN community has a lot of influence on the trade, security, and political issues within the Asia-Pacific region (Bossche, 2008, p. 706). The North American Free trade Agreement gives precedence to the trading activities between Mexico, Canada, and the United States. The agreement allows for the elimination of relevant tariff as well as non-tariff barriers that are