Monday, December 30, 2019

Analyzing Levi s Stadium And The San Francisco 49ers

I decided to analyze Levi’s Stadium and how they managed this project. This stadium is the new home to the San Francisco 49ers professional football team. It is a new construction project, and throughout this paper I will discuss the details of the project and what the proper techniques are in successfully managing a construction project. I. Background Candlestick Park (former home of the San Francisco 49ers) stood strong for a memorable 43 years. Its rich history will remain with the NFL, the 49ers organization, and the community of San Francisco forever. 43 years is a significant amount of time for a stadium to try and remain highly efficient though. From 1997-2007, the 49ers owner, Jed York, knew a plan would have to be drafted up for building a new stadium. Although they never made the next step in opening up negotiations during that time, York knew the 49ers would be building a new stadium sooner then most imagined. In 2008, the new stadium project finally found some luck. A piece of land that grabbed the attention of the 49ers organization was conveniently located adjacent to their training facilities in Santa Clara, California. After two years of presenting Stadium Proposals, completing multiple environmental impact reports, and negotiating terms, the voters of Santa Clara approved the stadium deal. On June 8th, 2010, it was then York realized they had found the new site for the new state-of-art â€Å"Levi’s Stadium†. In these terms, the city of Santa Clara stipulated

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Hamlet Speech In Hamlet - 1117 Words

Shakespeare’s famous play Hamlet is a tragic play in which, one of the most famous speeches ever written was said. The speech â€Å"To be or not to be† was spoken by hamlet in Act 3, the first scene, in the famous â€Å"nunnery scene†. It referred to as soliloquy, the staging of this scene ¬ considerably was to test Hamlet by King Claudius and Polonius. They were trying to figure out if Hamlet was truly mad or pretending to be, Hamlet by then surely knew who killed his father because of the earlier appearance of the Ghost. The tragedy of Hamlet is complicated but as it is read increasingly, a knot is untied, and you see hamlet differently every time, the monologue is basically a fluctuating argument Hamlet has with himself over committing suicide or†¦show more content†¦Perhaps the most important part of the soliloquy is when the question is introduced â€Å"To be, or not to be-that is the question: Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune† (3, 1, 59-61), hamlets asks himself the question of whether life is meaningful to him or not if killing his uncle was the only answer to him, as much as try’s avoiding it he can never. Hamlet goes deeper in his imaginative portrayal of death, he believes his death only but sleep and can easily subdue his fear from it, â€Å"To die- to sleep- No more; and by a sleep to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks† (3, 1, 63-65) his feeling towards death has changed due to his past experience, although he further on in the soliloquy speaks of how his dreams are like death to him he imaginatively sees the afterlife and doesn’t know if he wants to depart to such a place â€Å"To die- to sleep. to sleep- perchance to dream: ay, theres the rub! for in that sleep of death what dreams May come† (3,1, 68-69). Hamlet has a moment in which he feels respect for the life he is given, and this contradicts his first q uotes which really describe his suicidal intention for an easy ending to his life, â€Å"When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, must give us pause. Theres the respect that makes calamity of so long life† (3, 1, 70-72), the fact that hamlet is actually a prince and to him there is way more at stake than just committingShow MoreRelatedSpeech on Hamlet869 Words   |  4 Pages †¢ William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is an example of how ideas are raised over time, as the literature itself remains the same. †¢ The unraveling plot of Hamlet depicts morality and philosophy as themes that are illustrated through dramatic and romanticized techniques. †¢ Shakespeare’s literary ideas have continued over time prominently, and new ideas have been raised through audiences’ perspectives, with Hamlet as a figure of this. †¢ The characters in Hamlet, explore the notion of theseRead MoreHamlet Soliloquy Speech1816 Words   |  8 PagesHamlet’s â€Å"To be, or not to be† speech is ubiquitous. From a Sesame Street lesson to a Charlie Chaplin movie to a Malcolm X speech, it is a soundbite, the epitome of acting, and a rallying cry for action. Like Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa or Beethoven’s â€Å"Ode to Joy†, Shakespeare’s ponderous soliloquy seems to be more famous for its fame than for its merits, though it has many. How do directors and actors convince their audiences to engage with Hamlet’s words, when the audience is more inclined to be pulledRead MoreThe Opening Line Of Hamlet s Speech Essay1830 Words   |  8 PagesThe opening line of Hamlet’s speech, â€Å"to be or not to be† could be considered Shakespeare’s most famous as often times it is easily recognized and quoted without any real understanding of its significance (3.1.174 9). At this moment, this question is of the utmost importance, literally a question of life and death; however, its simple phrasing gives it a significance greater than just Hamlet in his moment of despair. Hamlet poses the question in the cloudiest yet clearest way possible. He does notRead MoreThe Speech Opens With Hamlet s Suicidal Desires775 Words   |  4 PagesThe speech opens with Hamlet’s suicidal desires. â€Å"O that this too too sullied flesh would melt† (p.15, 1.2.129) indicates Hamlet’s typical lack of action-he wants to become dead, rather than to kill himself. The distinction between wanting to commit suicide versus committing suicide is a common line of thinking with clinically depressed people. It also doesn’t invalidate or dismiss the existence of his troublesome emotions. This is the first time suicide is discussed in Hamlet, and certainly notRead MoreEssay on Understanding Hamlets Famous Speech in Shakespeares Hamlet532 Words   |  3 PagesUnderstanding Hamlets Famous Speech in Shakespeares Hamlet Hamlets classsic To be or not to be...(Hamlet, prince of Denmark, 3.1.57) speech really shows who he is. Obviously Hamlet is horribly depressed. We have already seen several examples of this, but this speech gives us a clear picture of his sadness. More importantly however, his speech shows his weakness and indecisiveness. Hamlet is consistently melancholy, but he never really acts on it; he just kind of wallows around, full of self-pityRead More The Comedy of Hamlet Essay1191 Words   |  5 Pagesthe use of comic relief best contrast the tragedy of Hamlet? In great works of literature a comic relief is used as contrast to a serious scene to intensify the overall tragic nature of the play or to relieve tension. As illustrated in Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet, intense scenes are joined with character’s banter and vacuous actions as to add a comic relief. In Hamlet, Polonius acts as a comic relief by his dull and windy personality, Hamlet uses his intelligence and his ne gativity toward the kingRead MoreHamlet Soliloquy Analysis899 Words   |  4 Pagesso differently than in present day. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Hamlet delivers a speech in which all those who watched could relate to. Before Hamlet was exiled to England he encountered the captain of Norway’s army and learned of their plan to attack a small patch of Poland’s land. The land was worth nothing to neither Norway or Poland yet both took up arms to obtain the land for it would cost them their pride to lose it. Hamlet then proceeds to recite his soliloquy in which the audience canRead MoreThe Effects Of Soliloquy On Elizabethan Audience954 Words   |  4 Pagesrevenge tragedy play Hamlet, the prevailing themes of revenge, madness, and morality were recognized by the Elizabethan audience and appealed to them. The play s central focus is on a young prince, Hamlet, who has gone through many challenges to avenge his father s death. Prince Hamlet got his revenge on his deceitful uncle, Claudius, the same man who murdered his father and married Hamlet s mother. From the original text of the play, a major scene in Act 4 shows where Hamlet decides that it sRead MoreHamlet Bipolar Essay753 Words   |  4 Pagesbe Bipolar? In Hamlet. the famous tragic play written by William Shakespeare, the main character, named Hamlet, learns the news of his father’s passing and shows signs of bipolar depression. As Hamlet’s friends and family notice something different and odd about their dear Prince his moods and actions have changed for the worst and they consider if he is truly insane. If someone, including Hamlet, should have bipolar disorder then he/she will demonstrate signs of rapid speech, lost sense of realityRead MoreHamlet Audience Essay927 Words   |  4 Pages Hamlet Essay There are various ways in which an author can target its audience, though in the Elizabethan Era one might do so differently than in present day. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Hamlet delivers a speech in which all those who watched could relate to. When Hamlet was sent to be exiled to England he met with the captain of Norway’s army and learned of their plan to attack a small patch of Poland’s land. The land was worth nothing to neither Norway or Poland yet both took up arms to obtain

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Welfare Reform Act Hcr 230 Free Essays

The Welfare Reform Act Today I will be discussing the Welfare Reform Act and if it has caused existing Medicaid beneficiaries to lose needed coverage and if the welfare act has kept eligible Medicaid candidates from enrolling. Also I will discuss whether or not the welfare reform act has been effective in reducing welfare fraud, increasing personal goals, and basically if it has been able to successfully meet its goals that it had been intended to meet. Welfare Reform Act was established in 1996 with the intentions of changing the social welfare policy of the country. We will write a custom essay sample on Welfare Reform Act Hcr 230 or any similar topic only for you Order Now The idea was to reduce the number of people or families that were dependent on government assistance while at the same time helping these people become more independent. They have the welfare to work program which required work in exchange for time limited financial assistance, which is part of the reform act. Also they Job Search which are classes that give people the basic skills that they never had before. For example the taught people how to dress for job interviews, fill out an application correctly, make a resume and how to speak when at a job interview. Teaching them what kinds of questions are asked and how to answer them. There debates about how well the welfare programs work but at least people have more education on the steps needed to get a job. However the initial welfare programs are out dated and needed to be reformed since no programs ever will seem to be able to meet every need of every low income or underprivileged individual or family, more reforms are needed even still. However, â€Å"within 3 years of the reforms enactment, millions of Americans had moved from being dependent on welfare to being self-sufficient. In addition, agencies reported a reduction in the number of social welfare cases. In 2004, the Welfare-to-Work program ended, but during the time this program was active millions of Americans lives were changed for the better (US Welfare System-Help for US Citizens, 2012). The Welfare Act does affect individuals who receive Medicaid benefits because rules and guidelines can often be changed for participants who participate in this insurance plan. Individuals who gain insurance thr ough Medicaid usually can get it through the TANF program and if there is not a TANF program in place then individuals will not be able to apply for Medicaid benefits. There are many questions that are unanswered such as, â€Å"Should the Medicaid program be considered a health financing program or a welfare program? Should states be given the same flexibility to design and redesign Medicaid programs as was being considered for cash welfare programs? † (Moore,. 1999) Medicaid participants sometimes remain un-enrolled even though they are needy as a result of the Welfare Reform Act, because each state can define their own criteria for eligibility and services and expand or deny services entirely to certain groups that the Department of Human Service staff would believe to be a good cause (Moore,. 999). HCFA (Health Care Financing Administration (now the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services), issued a regulation that extends the time allowed to process Medicaid eligibility redeterminations from up to 45 days to up to 120 days. This extension recognizes the extra work states will have to perform to process redeterminations of Medicaid eli gibility for individuals who lose SSI as a result of welfare reform provisions and assures that Federal Medicaid matching funds will continue while the redeterminations are made. States generally are not permitted to terminate an individual’s Medicaid benefits until it is determined that the individual does not qualify for Medicaid as part of any other eligibility group (Gundling, R. 1997). The Welfare Reform Act is effective in reducing welfare fraud to a certain degree. In other words they have not gotten rid of fraudulent acts but they have reduced them. Here in San Bernardino County they not only check your state identification and your social security card making sure they match up correctly but also run both name and number to be sure there is not a case open anywhere else but they also have you bring in prove of residency and then take your picture and finger prints and run them the system. All of that has helped along with getting rid of paper food stamps and giving out like a debit card that both cash aid and food stamps are out onto once a month. Before people would trade their food stamps like money almost and now you can’t do that. They can only be used for what they were intended for and only at stores that accept EBT otherwise known as Electronic Benefits Transfer which is one’s food stamps and cash aid. So while they have reduced fraud at the same time they increased personal responsibility because since you cannot trade as before people are more likely to do the right thing with their EBT and that goes for stores to because with the EBT cards there is a better record of what is being paid for with the EBT so store owners cannot get away with selling items not allowed to be purchased with the food stamps portion on the EBT card. This holds them responsible for their part in committing a fraudulent act. I remember when it was the paper food stamps and in recent years had to receive the new EBT for a short time and was happy to learn about the changes. These rules protect more than just the government but the honest people as well. The Welfare Reform Act has been successful in meeting its intended goals such as placing families on job searches, or providing education needs and training. Also the Welfare Act had other goals such as having families not rely on government benefits and gain employment which has happened for the most part. References US Welfare System-Help for US Citizens. (2012). Welfare Reform-Social Welfare Change. Retrieved from http://www. welfareinfo. org/reform/ Valerius, J. (2008). Medical Insurance. An Integrated Claims Process Approach (3rd Ed. ). Moore, J. D. (1999). Welfare Reform and Its Impact on Medicaid. Retrieved from http://www. nhpf. org/library/issue-briefs/IB732_WelfRef;Mcaid_2-26-99. pdf Gundling, R. (1997). Welfare reform’s effect on Medicaid eligibility. Hfm (Healthcare Financial Management), 51(5), 88. How to cite Welfare Reform Act Hcr 230, Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

Springfield Animal Hospital Case Study Free Sample for Students

Question: Discuss the Case Study of Springfield Animal Hospital. Answer: Introduction The paper reflects on the organization Springfield Animal Hospital which is a privately owned hospital. The main purpose of the report is to provide proper justifications for each of the references that are selected in order to illustrate the questions of the case study Springfield Animal Hospital. The paper illustrates the appropriateness of the choice of various references as well as sources in order to provide an overview about their significance in context to the case study. References Smallbusiness.chron.com. (2017).The Information Systems Information Management Needs of a Small Business or Organization. [online] Available at: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/information-systems-information-management-needs-small-business-organization-65067.html [Accessed 31 Mar. 2017] The above reference is selected for answer number 1 as it helps in illustrating the importance of information system in an organization. The SAH management wants to use an information system in order to resolve the problems, which are related with the operations of the organization. Therefore, the importance of information system for its future operations as well as need of information system in small business is required to be clarified for answering question number 1. The reference is considered appropriate as it helps in discussing the significance of information system. It demonstrates that proper use of information system in small-scale organizations. Proper information systems are required for managing the accounting system, inventory management as well as inventory, payment processing as well as communication. It is analyzed that accounting system software is required to be used in order to track income, expenses, tax liabilities as well as receivable (Smallbusiness.chron.com 2017).The reference helps in demonstrating the usefulness of information system in small-scale industries properly. It is analyzed that for managing the payment system, the organizations generally utilize payment-processing technology that helps in ensuring that a business can accept both the debit as well as credit card payments. This information will be helpful for SAH, as they will get an overview of information system application in small-scale industries. The Perspective. (2017).Problems using Manual System IT Solution. [online] Available at: https://enginprog.wordpress.com/2011/12/03/problems-using-manual-system-it-solution/ [Accessed 31 Mar. 2017]. The above reference is selected for answer number 2 as it helps in elaborating the problems that are faced by organizations for utilizing manual systems. The SAH organization faces numerous problems due to the utilization of manual system. The organization does not utilize IT set up and therefore number of problems associated with the operations of the organization arises. The site of the organization cannot be shared as the organization faces problems related with duplication of the same value (The Perspective 2017). There are number of other problems that SAH faces which includes safety as well as security of data across various sites, logistical issues, staff timesheets, conducting staff meetings, payroll processing. The reference is appropriate as it helps in discussing the problems that an organization faces due to its manual operations. The reference would be helpful in providing an overview that is generally faced by SAH. It will be helpful in discussing the challenges that SA H faces in order of priority. The main problem that is found by utilizing manual system is duplication of data, which is both time consuming and causes wastage of resources. The data, which is entered, is redundant, as there is no repetition check with the help of the computer. The above reference is very much useful for SAH as it helps in providing an overview about the problems that is occurring due to use of manual system. Affairs, A. (2017).Website Requirements | Usability.gov. [online] Usability.gov. Available at: https://www.usability.gov/how-to-and-tools/methods/requirements.html [Accessed 31 Mar. 2017]. The reference is appropriate for answer number 3 because it helps in illustrating the requirements that are required for designing as well as implementing a website. The organization SAH wants to implement an Information system that will be helpful for the clients as with the help of the online application they can book treatment of their pets online, pet appropriate information out grooming of the pets as well as bout their accommodation. Therefore, the organization wants to design a website (Affairs 2017). The requirements of the website must be clarified so that they the organization can design it as per its business requirement. The website requirement includes business requirements, user requirements, functional requirements, quality of service requirements, implementation requirements and many more. The reference also helps in providing information about the best practices of the requirements. The requirements of the organization must have to be specific as well as complete in order to design a consistent as well as prioritized website for the company. This reference helps in reflecting an overview of the requirements, which SAH needs in order to design the website. Business Uses of the Internet, Intranets Extranets. [online] Available at: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/business-uses-internet-intranets-extranets-62042.html [Accessed 31 Mar. 2017]. The reference is selected for answer number 5 as it helps in explaining the importance of extranet, intranet as well as internet. The organization SAH needs to use Internet, Intranet as well as Extranet for engaging with the key stakeholders as well as for fulfilling communication as well as different requirements of collaboration. It is analyzed that Internet is utilized for creating business opportunities for various networking, information retrieval, marketing as well as sales of the organization (Business Uses of the Internet, Intranets Extranets 2017). The organization uses internet for gathering various information and helps in interacting with various individuals of the organization. On the other hand, it is identified that Intranet is utilized for various digital communication needs of the organization. they helps in providing a overview for secure space storing, accessing as well as developing various types of electronic devices whereas extranet are generally used for conne cting numerous intranets together. It is analyzed that the reference is very much proper for the answer as it helps in providing an overview to SAH about the use of internet, extranet as well as intranet. With this, the organization will be able to utilize this strategic tool in order to have proper communication with the various stakeholders of the organization. Hayes, J., 2014.The theory and practice of change management. Palgrave Macmillan The reference is appropriate for question number 6 as it helps in explaining the significance of change management and its importance in the organization. The SAH organization wants to replace its manual system of operation with the help of information system. Therefore, numerous changes will occur in the organization. The organization wants to get an overview about the significant of change management so that it can be able in managing the organizational changes, which is mainly occurring with the implementation of the information system within the organization. It is analyzed that the reference helps in illustrating the importance of change management for managing any type of changes within the organization. The advantages of change management is that it helps in closing the gap between requirements as well as results, helps in enhancing the likelihood of the project success, assist in mitigating the mission related risk of the organization, helps in treating the employees of the o rganization properly and helps in delivering the people dependent portion of the project (Hayes 2014). Therefore this reference is quite suitable as it helps in reflecting the benefits that SAH will receive after utilizing change management in order to cope up with the changes that occur due to the change. Galliers, R.D. and Leidner, D.E., 2014.Strategic information management: challenges and strategies in managing information systems. Routledge. This reference is appropriate for answer number 6 as it helps in explaining the issues, which are associated with the use of information system. It is analyzed that the organization SAH can face number of challenges by introducing information system within the organization. The challenges may be related either with the security or with the ethical issues. The organization does not want that the challenges, which are associated with the information system of the organization, will hamper its business related operations (Galliers and Leidner 2014). Therefore, they want to have an overview about the issues as well as their solution. The reference helps in providing an overview of all the problems that the organization can face due to the introduction of the information system within the organization

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Concept of Testicular Torsion in Medicine

This is an infection that cuts the blood supply to the testicles and the entire scrotum region due to the twisting of the spermatic cord. Notably, the spermatic cord plays essential roles in the lower abdomen; for instance, it allows sperm into the urethra and transports blood to the testicles.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Concept of Testicular Torsion in Medicine specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Therefore, a disturbance in this connection like loose attachment of the spermatic cord to the scrotum will result into the above complications. When the cord twists, it causes pain and swelling of the testicles. The pain is often severe that the testicles reduce in size and even die if no attended to in not more than six hours (Urology Care Foundation – Urology A-Z – Testicular Torsion, 2011). Testicular torsion occurs in individuals whose testes can swing freely in the scrotum thus twisting easily. Aff ected individuals feels nauseated and vomit frequently. In addition, patients notice the high position of the testicle and abnormal cremasteric reflex. Its occurrence is common during physical activities like sports; however, it can occur at any time mostly in ages between 12 and 16. Additionally, this defect can result due to a person’s family history on testicular torsions and an individual’s past history on testicular torsions; for example, if one had experienced such pain without treatment, there are high chances of re-occurrence (Rupp, 2011). When this torsion occurs, an immediate medical surgery is necessary to be conducted within the shortest time possible; that is, not more than six hours. Remarkably, beyond these hours, a permanent damage occurs on the testicles, which may result to in a father’s inability to sire children (Testicular Torsion, 2012). From the repercussions and instant effects that result from this type of torsion, this surgical explorat ion has been grouped under emergency surgical operations. On the other hand, the doctor may untwist (detorsion) the testicles manually by holding the scrotum and pushing the testicles.Advertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Significantly, surgery must be done to prevent future occurrences. According to Rupp 2011, Testicular torsion in newborns is only treated through emergency medical surgery, as the manual option cannot work. In the future, there should be plans to make Doppler ultra sound of the testicle a mandatory service to all male patients. Moreover, the service should be offered freely or under subsidy by the government body. This service will show the blood flow in and out of the scrotum, thus helping in revealing even partial torsions that do not show signs of high magnitude (Liou Vorvick, 2012). Testicular torsions lead to complications such as the reduction in size and ev entual death of the affected testicle, hence calling for surgical operation and incapacitating a father from siring children. The latter results since the testicles that release sperms are not able to function normally. Another significant feature in the scrotum and testicles is the cremasteric reflex. This reflex involves the upward movement of both the scrotum and testicles when the upper part of a male’s thigh is stroked lightly (Urology Care Foundation – Urology A-Z – Testicular Torsion, 2011). This contraction is a reflex action; its absence can imply health defects like spinal injury, motor neuron disorder and testicular torsion. It is this absence that is referred to as absent cremasteric reflex. This reflex is overactive in early adolescence but may slowly disappear. This abnormality can be treated only after a doctor has looked into the patient medical history and other symptoms that accompany the defect like dizziness and syncope.Advertising We wi ll write a custom essay sample on Concept of Testicular Torsion in Medicine specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More References Liou, L. S., Vorvick, L. J. (2012, September 24). Testicular torsion: MedlinePlus. Medical Encyclopedia. National Library of Medicine – National Institutes of Health. Web. Rupp, T. J. (2011, August 8). Testicular Torsion in Emergency Medicine. Medscape:Â  Medscape Access. Web. Testicular Torsion. (2012, March 7). Mayo Clinic. Web. Urology Care Foundation – Urology A-Z – Testicular Torsion. (2011, January 1). Urology Care Foundation – Home. Web. This essay on Concept of Testicular Torsion in Medicine was written and submitted by user Travis Golden 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.

Monday, November 25, 2019

A Book on Writing for Novelists

A Book on Writing for Novelists A Book on Writing for Novelists A Book on Writing for Novelists By Maeve Maddox Before launching myself into the historical novel Ive been thinking about, I decided to read some books on writing before getting too far along. My luck was to pick up Sol Steins How to Grow A Novel. Some writing books are good for beginners, but some are not. I think that the writer who has completed a book length manuscript will get more out of the Stein book than one who is just getting started. I almost didnt read this book because of its title. As Ive mentioned elsewhere in DWT, the use of the transitive verb grow with a non-biological direct object produces a blackboard moment in me. Im glad that I didnt let this prejudice keep me from the trove of great advice to be found in this book. What hooked me was the subtitle: The Most Common Mistakes Writers Make and How to Overcome Them Stein knows what hes talking about. Hes a writer as well as an editor. He has written plays, poetry, and novels. The book is arranged in four sections of unequal length: The Responsibilities of the Writer The Responsibilities of the Publisher Envoi Practical Matters The first section is the meat of the book and discusses the expectations of the reader, the importance of conflict in every scene, and the development of plot, character, dialogue, and setting. Im not going to comment on every section. Theyre all useful, but I know that this is a book Ill read more than once. This time around I was most taken with what Stein says about conflict. Chapter Two poses the question Is Conflict A Necessity? This is how Stein answers it: Yes, conflict was and is a necessity, it is the essence of dramatic action. The engine of fiction is somebody wanting something and going out to get it. And if you let him get it right away, youre killing the storyWithoutopposition, fiction is a vehicle without an engine. What Ive taken away from this first reading of How to Grow a Novel is the importance of planning conflict into every scene before I take the time to write the scene. As I gear up to write my historical novel, Im taking the time to create a scene outline that I think will be more practical than any chapter outline Ive used for my previous novels. My new mantra is Conflict runs the engine. Each scene I sketch has a character who wants something and either gets it or doesnt get it by the end of the scene. When Ive got the first draft on paper, Ill go back to Steins book for help in revising it. You can find the book on Amazon.com Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Book Reviews category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Format a UK Business LetterIn Search of a 4-Dot Ellipsis35 Synonyms for Rain and Snow

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Catcher In The Rye Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Catcher In The Rye - Essay Example It is my opinion that Holden Caulfield became such a universally loved fictional character simply because of his humanity - equally because of his faults and his sensitivity. Sensitivity, yes, as strange as it might sound, but Holden did possess an astute mind, a keen eye, an unadulterated understanding of human nature and at times betrayed a sensitivity towards others that he usually hid under layers of abrasiveness and insolence. This rudeness was a defense mechanism employed by Holden to intentionally protect himself from his fellow men. In order to reach a deeper understanding of Holden, it is imperative to analyze the reason behind his rudeness. It is my opinion that Holden usually brushed people off and never showed them his true inner feelings because he was afraid of opening up and making himself vulnerable to others. He understood that human beings were just as capable of hurting as they were of loving and he did not take a chance with any of his relationships simply because he dreaded being hurt by the ones he chose to love. After Holden's passage from childhood to maturity he became increasingly aware of the "phoniness" of the world around him and craved the innocence and purity of his childhood days.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

LAND LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

LAND LAW - Essay Example e possession or enjoyment had been carried back as far as living memory would go, that a grant had once existed which had since been lost.’ A presumption of lawful grant can be made either at common law, by lost modern grant or under the Prescription Act 1832. Claims are usually made under all three methods2. When applying the doctrine of prescription at common law, such an easement is only presumed where the appropriate user has existed from time immemorial. The limit of legal memory for this presumption was usage from 1189 but as it is normally impossible to supply actual proof dating this far back it has been commonly accepted on the basis of evidence as a long user3. The difficulty with this is that such a presumption can be rebutted as occurred in Hubert v Dale [1909]4 where the plaintiff was able to show that the right claimed had not existed or could not have existed since 1189. Due to the difficulties with the common law approach to prescription and the possibilities of rebuttal the principal of lost modern grant was formed. Under this heading there is a presumption that if the user has used the easement for a period of 20 years that the deed of grant to use the land has been lost. This makes the presumption that a lawful grant was previously in existence and therefore the user should be entitled to continue using the land in the manner he has been doing. The case of Tehidy Minerals Ltd v Norman [1971]5 settled that the presumption cannot be rebutted even by direct evidence that no grant was ever made. If another explanation for the user is equally possible, than a grant should not be presumed6. It was decided in Neaverson v Peterborough RDC [1902]7 that the presumption can be rebutted if it can be established that no lawful grant could have been made at any relevant time. The Prescription Act 1832 gives rights to subsequent purchasers of the land. Section 2 of the Act takes the view that if a user has enjoyed the right without interruption for 20

Monday, November 18, 2019

Discuss the difficulties most often encountered in business writing Essay

Discuss the difficulties most often encountered in business writing and how to avoid them - Essay Example Lot of entrepreneurs who undergo the process of business writing usually fails to achieve the target due to the following problems. Many business writers fail to come up with effective business writing due to their failure to identify the reader of their business report (Siljander, 2008). This makes it hard for them to gather the necessary information needed to address the key areas of interest to the readers. During the writing, many students concentrate on giving a lot of explanation in areas that are of less importance to the reader. All this is due to their inability to identify the key potential areas which needs much more explanation. To overcome this, the writers need to know the audience they are addressing in their writing. The writer must be aware whether his writing targets up, down or lateral communication. The writer must know the reader of his or her writing as much as possible. The moment the writer realizes the reader of his writing, and he or she will be in a positio n to address the core problems the reader wants to see solved (Spedding, 2010). For example, if the writer is communicating up the chain of command, then knowing the reader of his writings will be beneficial as it will determine whether her or his writing will be acted upon by the targeted audience. Before engaging in any business writing, the writer should take his or her time to consider the reader preferred communication style. The writer needs to think about how the intended reader communicates with others in the business. Identify whether the intended reader wants the writing to get direct to the point or not. This knowledge of the writer about the intended reader of his message will enable him to know where to put his message, at the beginning or the end. Secondly, during business writing, writers face a monumental problem of deciding on the channel of communication he or she will adopt. This problem appears the moment the writer starts preparing business writing without knowi ng the intended reader (Moore, 2008). To overcome this, once the writer has identified the end reader of his or her business writing, he or she needs to make an informed decision on the channel to be used. Channels of communicating the writing may be divided into two forms, i.e. formal or informal. During the writing, the writer should consider the reader who will pass through his or her information (Butler, 2006). This will help the writer to choose appropriate channel of communication to use. He or she will be in a position to decide whether to use a brochure, letter, e-mail or other form of business writing. During seminars and business writing workshops, writers often understands the objectives required by different readers. They also find it easier to identify communication channels to be used at various instances. The main problem they face in their attempt to develop and come up with appropriate business writing is a task to realize their overall objective (Moore, 2008). Many writers think that the overall goal of their writing is to ensure the intended reader reads it. By this, they end up falling short of the purpose of business writing. To overcome this problem, writers need to verbalize what they want from the reader (Butler, 2006). This will help them adopt specific actions during their writing. Before the writer gets engaged in any business writing, he should clearly know what he or she wants from the reader. They

Friday, November 15, 2019

Personal Identity And The Soul

Personal Identity And The Soul The idea of personal identity is a concept we are consciously living but one we are never quite aware of. Our actions are determined by the anticipation of our future pleasures and future pains. This anticipation is shaped by instances in our past where a particular behavior or action on our part creates a result that we find desirable or undesirable. Our soul is that underlying thread that makes a connection between a situation we are faced with in our present lives to what we have lived through from the vast reservoir of our personal experience. Of the different types of personal identity; the Soul Theory, Memory Theory and Brain Theory, I think the soul theory offers the most complete explanation. We are at any given time, the sum total of our collective life experience that includes the people we have met, the situations we have lived through and the stories we have heard of through the people we encounter about others and their life experiences. For there to exist a connection between an individual at one point in their lives and their selves in another point in their lives, these two versions would have to exhibit traits that cannot be acquired through any other means but personal life experience; i.e. actually living through it. Evidence for such traits is evident in the existence of idiosyncratic individual memories and the logic behind setting goals. If an individual were to lock themselves in a room with no windows, furniture or technology, and they were to write on the palm of their left hand the word red, a day later there is no way for anyone else to know what happened inside the room unless that individual were to divulge those details themselves. A day later then, this individual would be the only one to retain the memory of themselves inscribing red onto their left palm, and this individual memory and the inscribed characters prove beyond reasonable doubt that the individual inside that room a day earlier, and the individual who retains the memory the next day are one and the same person. The evidence for this connection is not physical, but a referenced memory. While the letters can be erased, the memory is not as easy to remove. Hence the continuity between these two versions is not physical, but mental. It cannot be quantified or measured physically, and neither can the soul, but its presence in our lives is overwhelming. Our logic when we make decisions in every aspect of life is based on memories of sitiuations that we reference where we were able to obtain a result we find desirable or to avoid a situation at we find undesirable. Our soul, or our conscious self within our body, examines the experiences readily available in our mind at any given point of our lives and chooses a path that would help us attain what we want. Therefore the soul is the chief navigator for our actions and behaviors for the past, present and future. This notion gains even more prominence because the concept of the soul exists independently of religion. It is not dependent of the existence of God. Those who argue against the soul theory may say that the individual traits that are displayed by an individual before and after in the room experiment, exist independently in the body and not the soul. This objection lacks credibility because is fails to account for those that are identical in their physical makeup but have diametrically opposite personality traits. If personality traits were dependent on our physical selves, that would allude to a scenario where people with identical bodies, if put through the exact same situations for long periods of time would develop similar personality traits. Another version of this statement would argue that people with similar physical makeups would react to stress and other highly emotionally demanding situations in similar ways. But there is no evidence for either of these last two statements to gain any credence. The existence of different and even diametrically opposite personality traits amongst survivors in holocaust camps in Nazi Germa ny disproves this objection to the soul theory. Many of these survivors suffered the same horrors and were worn down to similar body types, but the way their conscious selves dealt with those inhumane conditions differed tremendously. The existence of a wide variety of behaviors to combat those inhumane times proves that there was something within each of these bodies that differentiated them from one another. And this difference was the entity of the soul. When thinking of personal identity, we must look at the body and soul as two pieces of the same whole. The sum total of our sensory organs helps us to see, touch, feel and smell every single life experience that we encounter. But without the soul, which is our conscious self, we have no way of classifying this incoming information and relate them to our lives. Such catharsis happens as a result of the soul, which defines our personal identity. Our soul shapes our perspective, and helps us identify what behaviors and actions we should implement when faced with any situation in our lives. We compare what we are experiencing or what we want with other similar situations from our past and look for some residual pattern that can justify an action or behavior that we deem suitable as a response to that individual situation or experience. The body serves as the vessel that aides the soul by providing it a wealth of information, and the soul in turn helps the body navigate through the waters of life. By providing a link between individual versions of each one of us at different times of our lives, the soul theory most completely offers an explanation for personal identity. Personal identity is the notion that each one of us displays certain idiosyncratic traits or identifiers that exist only within ourselves. These identifiers differentiate us from those around us. Since the creation of these identifiers, which are in effect actions/behaviors and personality traits that we pick up through our life experience, is dependent on our conscious thinking during which we weigh the pros and cons of each action/behavior and trait in terms of their effectiveness to get us a desirable result in similar situations in the past, they cannot exist in the absence of a soul. Therefore, the soul theory is indispensible when thinking of personal identity.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The Stolen Child by W.B. Yeats Essay -- Stolen Child Poem Yeats Essays

The Stolen Child by W.B. Yeats   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The Stolen Child†, a poem by W.B. Yeats, can be analyzed on several levels. The poem is about a group of faeries that lure a child away from his home â€Å"to the waters and the wild†(chorus). On a more primary level the reader can see connections made between the faery world and freedom as well as a societal return to innocence. On a deeper and second level the reader can infer Yeats’ desire to see a unified Ireland of simpler times. The poem uses vivid imagery to establish both levels and leaves room for open interpretation especially with the contradictory last stanza.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nature and the land of the faeries present images of freedom throughout the first three stanzas. â€Å"There lies a leafy island†(Stanza 1, Line 3) where the faeries live, which is presumably far away from the world of pain and â€Å"weeping†(chorus) that is reality. The image of an island is used to represent separation from the real world and the freedom that it creates for the faeries. In the second stanza the faeries are â€Å"mingling hands and glances†(Stanza 2, line 6) and leaping â€Å"to and fro†(Stanza 2, Line 8) presenting an image of youth and lack of restrictions. The faeries call the child away to â€Å"the waters and the wild†(chorus) in the chorus. Yeats use of the image water is symbolic of free flowing life. The â€Å"wild† represents the faeries ability to live a life unrestricted by society. The first three stanzas have strong Celtic references that lead the reader to be...

Monday, November 11, 2019

The Presley Mania

I think I’m already a lot prepared. Whew! Wait I need to look really nice†¦ there comes my idol there! Hi Elvis! Hi Elvis!!! Good thing I have my video cam with me! Hey Elvis look at me! I’m your number 1 fan here!!! Ha-ha, nice smile over there I hope that one’s for me. I wish I was musically inclined from childhood up to now that I must have watched the concerts of my only one King of Rock and Roll! God, I never knew that he could be this famous all over the world. No one can defeat him in his place as the King. God flooded charismas all over the earth and I think he got them all. Hehe. What about his flashy hair and the prominent long side burn that every male should possess, and even a female would want to, haha. It is really his trademark in his performances, and when you ask about him they would surely give this as his first description. Anyway, who would ask about Presley when nobody does not know him? I think even people of the next generation would still remember him for his popularity and impact on the hearts of humanity. One thing I like about Elvis is how he connects to the fans, especially when he begins to sing his songs. I call him Elvis coz I know we have a connection. Many of the fans here try to imitate his hair, the way he talks and his mannerisms. Oh no two of his fans here quarrel about who looks like Elvis more, haha! Good thing about my idol is that even though he got it really a blast with the audience, he makes us feel he is just easy to reach. I remember in one of his concerts in the 70’s: â€Å"Elvis: That's The Way It Is† when he actually goes into the audience to mingle for a while–being exchanged by a lot of persons which also highlighted a party where exchanges with Elvis and Cary Grant, together with Sammy Davis Jr. appened. I never imagined that he is this down earth in joining his fans, from the most elite to the simplest type of person. That his fans only imagine this to happen but he made it all come true. Sometimes a fan collapses when he looks at them, they feel so much honored. The same with other icons like Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey and Oprah Winfrey. I also heard on his concert 7 years after â€Å" That The Way It Is† that a girl came nearer the stage to see him but unfortunately she was not able to call his attention and was partially snobbed. This girl was really desperate upon doing this, a very few thought that my idol was bad enough to neglect the fact that someone was approaching her, but then maybe he was just being nice to everyone and he wanted to treat the fans equally. One of the highlights of the life of the late Elvis was when he won an award being second all over the world after. The award given was the Golden Globe award and this was really fantastic for Elvis to have won such an honor. He also liked having a live concert because of all the electricity created on the floor. He said it was his most favorite part of the business, not the awards or whatsoever. Frank Sinatra, a friend of Elvis said that he’s going to miss him together with all the praises from the audience, his wonderful music, which only Elvis Presley can create. Even the whole America was astonished; they were really affected by this great loss, as witnessed by the former American president himself, Mr. Jimmy Carter. The world quoted him because he is an icon. Almost everyone listened to what he was saying. He was really a good example to all. I reckon having heard of some of the famous lines he said: Don't criticize what you don't understand, son. You never walked in that man's shoes†¦ I don't know anything about music. In my line you don't have to†¦ These lines show that Elvis fostered good attitudes in his big audience. Criswell of The Book of Country Music Wisdom mentioned that he used this as an instrument to instill in the minds of the people the importance of being humble, being critical, being positive, and being true to oneself. He showed us that the music he creates is for the benefit of all, not even just for those who know music, but even for those who will hear it first. Elvis has been influential up to now. In videoke bars the song â€Å"My Way† has always been a hit. There has been a mistake when this song is being played. They say that it has demonic influences on people listening to it and singing it. The story behind this is that everyone would like to sing the song in the microphone for this is their favorite song, and suddenly everything will go the wrong way: they will begin to shoot bad words to each other, and in the long run have some quarrel and they will resort to kill each other. Then they kill or hurt each other as if their inalienable rights were taken from them whenever the mic goes away. Everyone might have wanted to feel the electricity there is whenever Elvis Presley performed. Even so, they would like to be like him. There are still so many things about Elvis Presley that I could still remember but due to the limitations of words I could not think of ways to express them. The feeling that you want to share to other fans your personal experience about your idol would really be helpful.

Friday, November 8, 2019

The history of radiation therapy machines Essays

The history of radiation therapy machines Essays The history of radiation therapy machines Essay The history of radiation therapy machines Essay Prior to the advent of ionizing particle beams, medicine had few options for treating some malignant and benign diseases. Physicians needs for new techniques to address these problems formed a vacuum, clearly demonstrated immediately following the discovery of X-rays in November 1895. By the first few months of 1896, X-rays were being used to treat skin lesions prior to any understanding of the beams physical or biological characteristics. The driving force was, of course, patients overwhelming need of treatment for uncontrollable and debilitating diseases. Radiation medicine developed over four major eras: the era of discovery, from R intents discovery to about the late sass; the orthoclase era, from the late o sass through World War II; the megavolt era, which began with higher-energy lanais for therapy in the sass, and, with refinements such as intensity-modulated X- ray therapy (IMMIX), is still ongoing. Within this scheme, the roots of BIT fall into the third or megavolt phase, with the first treatment of humans in 1954. J. M. Slater Department of Radiation Medicine, Loam Linda University Medical Center, 11234 Anderson street, SSP A-OHIO, Loran Linda, CA 92354, USA e-mail: [emailprotected] Lump. Du U. Line (deed. ), Ion Beam Therapy, Biological and Medical Physics, Biomedical Engagement, DOI 10. 1007/978-3-642-21414-1 1, Springer-Average Berlin Heidelberg 2012 3 4 These eras represent a continuum rather than a succession of distinct periods, but are a convenient way to assess the evolution of ART and BIT as a sophisticated part of it. In each era, the fundamental impetus for improvements came from patients needs for effective disease control while retaining or improving quality of life. These needs aroused the curiosity of physicians, physicists, and biologists, who, in their own ways in each of the eras, performed studies aimed at better understanding the tools they were working with and learning how to use them optimally for patients benefit. A kind of teamwork occurred in all of the eras, although often no formal teams existed; an overarching goal better patient treatment guided the efforts. The development of ion beams is part of this process. 1. 1. 1 The Discovery Era During this period of 30-35 years, the roots of ART were established. This era saw the coverer of the atom and various subatomic and electromagnetic particles; investigators strove to learn how to use them therapeutically. The salient discovery was R intents in 1895 [1], although X-rays were produced o earlier if unwittingly by others [2]. His report was followed soon by Becquerels on the phenomenon of radioactivity [3] and, in 1898, by that of the Curies on the discovery of radium [4]. Becquerel and Curie reported on the physiologic effects of radium rays in 1901 [5]. Such discoveries stimulated speculation that radioactivity could be used to treat disease [6]; indeed, X-rays were used to treat a patient with areas cancer in January 1896 [7]. By 1904, ART texts were available [8, 9]; reports of the use of X-rays and radium (characterize) occurred throughout the first decade of the twentieth century. In retrospect, it is clear that lack of knowledge of the biological effects and mechanisms of actions of the new rays led to much morbidity and poor cancer control [10]. However, such outcomes led physicians to ponder better modes of delivery; radiologists to study the effects of the rays on cells; and physicists to investigate the properties of these newly discovered radiations. Physics research led o the discovery of radioactive isotopes, which later were used for interactivity and interstitial therapy; the same research led ultimately to an understanding of the structure of the atom. As the era progressed, biologists began to understand the relationship between time and dose on cell survival. A crucial discovery occurred when Regard [1 1] and Couture [12] studied alternative ways of delivering the total radiation dose. Until that time, treatment was generally administered in one or a few large doses. Regard demonstrated that fractionated therapy would eradicate cooperativeness rearmament; Couture later showed that applying external beam therapy similarly could control head and neck cancer without the severe reactions and late effects that single large doses caused. These findings established that normal cells are better 1 From X-Rays to Ion Beams: A Short History of Radiation Therapy able to recover from radiation injury than cancer cells and led radiation therapists to employ dose fractionation. During this era also, Coolidge developed a practical X-ray tube, allowing physicians to deliver higher-energy X-rays (180-200 xv) to deeper tumors [13]. Until then, X-rays ere used mainly to treat superficial tumors. High-voltage transformers were also developed. Subsequently, physicists and engineers developed techniques to better measure the dose of radiation with X-rays. The path to charged-particle therapy begins with Ernest Rutherford, whose work spurred understanding of atomic structure. Rutherford explained radioactivity as the spontaneous disintegration of atoms; he helped determine the structure of the atom; and he was the first to note that one element could be converted to another. A complete bibliography of Rutherford works is available online, as part of a impressive site devoted to him [14]. The reader is referred to that source for publications relating to discoveries noted herein. In 1896, Rutherford began to use X-rays to initiate electrical conduction in gases; he repeated the study with rays from radioactive atoms after Becquerels discovery. In 1898, he discovered that two separate types of emissions came from radioactive atoms; he named them alpha and beta rays, the latter of which were shown to be electrons. He showed that some heavy atoms decay into lighter atoms, and in 1907 demonstrated that the alpha particle is a helium atom stripped of its electrons. He and Geiger developed a method to detect single particles emitted by radioactive atoms. He investigated whether alpha particles were reflected from metals, discovering that some alpha rays were scattered directly backward from a thin film of gold; a massive yet minute entity, the atomic nucleus, turned back some alpha particles. In 1911, Rutherford proposed the nuclear model of the atom. One of his students, Nielsen Boor, placed the electrons in stable formation around the atomic nucleus; the Rutherford-Boor model of the atom, with later modifications, became tankard, and Rutherford scattering is still used today in basic and applied research. Wilhelm Wine, in 1898, had identified a positively charged particle equal in mass to the hydrogen atom. In 1919, Rutherford demonstrated that nitrogen under alphabetical bombardment ejected what appeared to be nuclei of hydrogen; a year later, he equated the hydrogen nucleus with the charged entity that Wine had discovered. He named it the proton. The discovery of X-rays, then gamma rays, then the structure of the atom with electrons, protons, and neutrons marked the first era. It was one of physical and illogical experimentation to determine and understand the characteristics of the newly discovered beam and the effects of such rays on cells and tissues. Especially following the work of Rutherford, radioactive elements were also identified and diligently studied, as well. As treatment began with these new types of radiation prior to adequate knowledge of their characteristics and effects, errors were made and patients were injured. However, as knowledge and understanding increased during this era, two major divisions of radiation medicine diagnosis and therapy were developing; reared, some of them successfully. 1. 1. 2 The Orthoclase Era The period from roughly the late sass to 1950 encompasses this era. Patients needs for treatment of deep tumors were addressed largely by radium-based interactivity and interstitial irradiation, in the absence of deeply penetrating external beam sources. It was also a transitional period: physical developments that led t o superlative (apron. 500 xv-2 NV) ART were being made [15]. During the sass, advances in physics and engineering led to increased understanding of subatomic particles and techniques for energize and focusing them. The first superlative X-ray tubes, built by Coolidge [16], were the basis of the linear accelerator, developed by Widere in 1927 and described in a German Journal in 1928. E. O. Lawrence, despite knowing little German, used Widerex.s equations and drawings to conceptualize the cyclotron [17]. By the late sass, particle accelerators began to be constructed. Following the invention of the linear accelerator, devices operating on the principle of applying a potential difference were developed by Van De Graff in 1929 [18] and by Cockcrows and Walton in 1932 [19, 20]. The cyclotron, also based on the principle of applying a difference in potential, was invented in 1930 by Lawrence and Livingston [21]. At Lawrence laboratories at the University of California, Berkeley, accelerated particles were used to bombard atoms of various elements, forming, in some cases, new elements. Lawrence brother, John, a physician, along with Robert Stone, pioneered neutron radiation for medical treatments [22]. Electron beam therapy became a practical and useful therapeutic option in 1940, when Serest developed the beetroot [23, 24]. The first machine produced 2 Move electrons; later devices yielded up to 300 Move. Medical research in particle therapy was largely sidelined during World War II, but high-energy physics investigations were spurred, notably in the effort to develop an atomic bomb. Some who worked on it, notably Robert R. Wilson, became instrumental in the development of 1ST. One major advance during this period was the synchrotron, conceived independently and at about the same time (1944-1945) by Vessels in the Soviet Union and McMillan in the United States. McMillan gave priority to Vessels [25]. The central concept was phase stability, by which high energies could be achieved without the need to build ever larger cyclotrons. Phase stability became the basis for all heightening proton and electron accelerators thereafter. More importantly for medical use, the synchrotron made it easier to vary the energy of acceleration and thus the depth of penetration in tissue needed for optimal radiation treatments. The first, the Commotion at Brookhaven National Laboratory, began operation in 1952 [17]. 1. 1. 3 Megavolt Era noted, in some respects it is still in progress. A major advance, in response to 7 the continuing need to treat tumors located in deep tissues, was the development of ball telegraphy machines and megavolt linear electron accelerators. Cobalt telegraphy was capable of producing beams equivalent to approximately 1. 3 NV X- rays. Electron lanais began to become clinically available as early as the mid sass [26], but widespread application occurred in the sass and sass. Their higher energies (4-6 Move in earlier machines; 10-20 Move in later units) made possible increased depth of penetration, greater skin sparing, and improved disease-control rates, which often doubled or tripled, through delivery of higher doses [27, 28]. There as still a major limitation, however, because the radiation sources, X-rays or gamma rays (cobalt), were difficult to control as they passed through tissue: they scattered laterally and passed beyond their targets, exiting patients opposite the point of entry and causing excessive radiation in normal tissues surrounding the tumors. To overcome this, radiation oncologists and medical physicists developed multiplied treatment plans to spread unwanted radiation to larger volumes of normal tissue, thereby reducing the high dose to any one region. This tactic helped to reduce visible effects, but also increased the total dose delivered to normal tissues (volume integral dose). Doses sufficient to control many tumors were still unattainable because of continued acute complications and late effects caused by injury to normal tissues. During this era, radiation medicine advanced as a discipline. Well-designed clinical studies demonstrated the efficacy of modern methods of delivering ART. One of the earliest was done by Gilbert Fletcher at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Hospital; it demonstrated clearly that megavolt treatment resulted in improved survival in cancer of the uterine cervix [29]. The founding of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiologists (ASTRAY) in 1966 (originally the American Club of Therapeutic Radiologists, founded in 1958) occurred partly as a means of encouraging careful studies such as those done by Fletcher. As time progressed, radiation therapists began to emphasize themselves primarily as radiation oncologists; in 1983, the organization became the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTOR) [30]. In many respects, the megavolt era is still in progress, although the development of higher-energy electron accelerators is quite mature. In recent years the emphasis in photon ART has been on conformal techniques, featuring computerized control and approaches such as IMMIX. The intent, as has been true throughout the megavolt era, is to deliver a more effective dose to the target volume while reducing the dose to tissues that do not need to be irradiated. One might think of it as the multipart approach brought to its logical conclusion; indeed, the approach was anticipated by rotational arc therapy, popular for a time in the sass and sass. IMMIX can conform the high dose to the target volume, but the modality employs a greater number of imposed of photons; their absorption characteristics in tissue remain unchanged. 8 1. 1. 4 The Era of Ion Beams The groundwork for BIT was laid in 1946 when Robert R. Wilson wrote the landmark paper in which he proposed that protons accelerated by machines such as Lawrence could be used for medical purposes as well as scientific investigations [31]. In a conversation with the author, Wilson said that his insight was inspired by the medical work that Lawrence and Stone had done at Berkeley. In the immediate postwar years, higher-energy accelerators were Just becoming available. Wilson seasoned that protons, among the charged particles, offered the longest range for a given energy and were then the simplest and most practical for medical use. Willows interest in the medical use of protons never ceased. When he was selected as first director of the National Accelerator Laboratory (later Ferreira), he encouraged the idea of a proton treatment facility. In 1972, Ferreira investigators proposed such a facility. However, physicians in the Chicago area advocated a neutron facility at the laboratory instead. After Wilson resigned the directorship in 1978, others at Ferreira, mongo them Miguel Shallow, Donald Young, and Philip Lividly, continued to believe in a patient-dedicated proton facility. The first clinical use of a proton beam occurred at Berkeley in 1954 [32]; limited investigation proton treatment lasted for a few years afterward, until Berkeley scientists, notably Cornelius A. Tibias, began investigating biologically similar helium ions. Tibias was a nuclear physicist who, early in his career, became interested in applying physics to biology and medicine. His fundamental research interest was on the effects of ionizing radiation on living ells, and he, like Wilson, foresaw the advantages of therapeutic ion beams long before most radiation oncologists did [33, 34]. Proton therapy (OPT) began to spread to other physics laboratories around the world. The second use of a physics research accelerator for OPT occurred in Pascal, Sweden in 1957. Physicians at MGM, led by a neurosurgeon, Raymond Goldberg, began employing protons in 1961 for neurological radiographers; pituitary adenoma were first so treated at Harvard in 1963 [35], followed by fractionated OPT for other malignant tumors in 1973 [36, 37], under the leadership of Herman D. Suit. Proton beam therapy began at Audubon, Russia (then USSR), in 1967; subsequently, other Russian facilities began operating at Moscow in 1969 and at SST. Petersburg in 1975. The Japanese experience began in 1979, at Chief; another facility opened at Tissues in 1983. At the Swiss Institute for Nuclear Research (now the Paul Scorcher Institute), OPT commenced 1985 [38]. The development of the worlds first hospitals of data output from the computer-assisted treatment planning systems developed at LUMP in the sass. The image from the first (ultrasound) planning system, for a patient treated in 1973, is shown at left; a planning image from the second LUMP system, which employed CT scans, is shown at right for a patient treated in 1978. In addition to reproduction of the patients anatomy, the CT- based system allowed assessment of density variations as the X-ray beams passed through tissue particle beams (CB. Chap. 34 for details). Industry provided sufficient computer competence and the needed imaging technology by the early sass. LUMP investigators began developing the concepts needed for computer-assisted radiation treatment planning in the late sass and completed the first unit, utilizing ultrasonically, in the early sass [39]. In the mid-sass, this was converted to a CT- based unit, using one of the first GE scanners developed (Fig. . 1). This system provided electron density data, which made possible placement of the Bragg peak precisely within the designated treatment volume [40]. Michael Gotten at MGM expanded the planning system to three-dimensional capabilities, thus providing excellent treatment-planning capabilities for heavy charged particles [41, 42]. The establishment of such planning systems provided one of the essential prerequisites for proton (and other heavy charged-particle) ART [43]. By 1984, all prerequisites for establishing optimal ion beam facilities for clinical use were in place. This was clearly agonized by some of the staff at Ferreira and at the MGM and LUMP departments of radiation medicine. The author approached the leadership of Ferreira, Deputy Director Philip V. Lividly and Director Leon M. Alderman, who agreed to provide Ferreira support for developing a conceptual design for such a clinical facility; to continue with development of an engineering design; and to produce the accelerator, beam transport, and beam delivery systems for LUMP to begin OPT clinical trials (Figs. 1. 2 and 1. 3). A major turning point in OPT, therefore, occurred in 1990, with the opening of he worlds first hospital-based proton treatment center at LUMP. This event occurred more than 20 years after the author and colleagues began to investigate and work toward developing such a facility [44, 45]. Protons were selected as the particle of choice at LUMP because the relatively low LET of protons as compared to that of heavier ions would allow selective 10 Fig. 1. 2 Leon Alderman, Ph. D. , Director of Ferreira from 1979 to 1989; recipient of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1988. In 1986, Dry. Alderman approved Forelimbs collaboration with LUMP in developing the worlds first hospital-based proton reattempt center destruction of the invasive cancer cells growing among normal cells, as had been demonstrated for many years and documented by the worldwide data from using photons (X-rays). By this period, the ROBE was known to be very similar for the two kinds of radiation. Loam Linda investigators realized that optimal applications and accumulation of meaningful clinical data could be made only in a facility designed to support patient needs and to operate within a medical environment, with access to a large patient volume and the supporting services available in a medical center. To date, over 15,000 patients have been treated at LUMP. Protons were not the only particles investigated for therapy. In the sass and sass, some physicists and radiation biologists were enthusiastic about the therapeutic possibilities of negative pi-mesons and ions heavier than the hydrogen nucleus. It was then not a given in the minds of many that the particle employed most commonly would be the proton. Basing their suggestions on the pinion capture phenomenon, Fowler and Perkins proposed pi-mesons for clinical use [46]. Pinions were expected to become clinically ascribable [47], and trials were conducted at three centers: Los Alamos National Laboratory, the Paul Scorcher Institute in Switzerland, and TRITIUM, in British Columbia, Canada. Although some successful outcomes were reported [48-50], in general, the anticipated clinical outcomes did not materialize. 11 Fig. 1. 3 Two Ferreira personnel who helped make the hospital-based proton center at LUMP a reality. Philip Lividly (left) was Deputy Director of the laboratory in 1986, when the decision was made to proceed with the center. Lividly had been a colleague of Robert Wilson; he shared Willows commitment to proton therapy. Lee Tent, Ph. D. Right), shown with the Loam Linda proton synchrotron under construction in the late sass, was the chief designer of the accelerator Helium ion therapy was begun at Berkeley by Tibias and colleagues in 1957 [51]; some notable outcomes supervened [52-54]. Clinical studies with heavier ions were begun by Joseph R. Castro and associates in 1974 [55, 56]; Tibias elucidated the molecular and cellular radiology of the particles [57]. Advantages of heavy ions, though appealing theoretically, were not well-understood clinically; the Berk eley studies were undertaken partly to help develop this understanding. Several trials notably specialized indications such as bone sarcomas and bile duct carcinomas [58- 60]. However, the cost of developing and delivering heavy ions eventually could not be Justified by the relatively limited patient experience, as had been true in the pinion trials [61]. Studies of heavy ions shifted to Japan and Germany, under the leadership of such individuals as Horopito Tutsis at Chief and Gerhard Kraft at Dramatic. Today, several ion beam facilities operate around the world, including facilities in the United States, Japan, Germany, Russia, France, Canada, China, England, Italy, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, and Switzerland. Most centers offer protons, but carbon ion therapy is available at HIM (Chief) and HIBACHI (Tattoos) in Japan, and at HIT (Heidelberg), in Germany. The two latter centers offer both protons and carbon ions [62]. Thousands have been treated to date with carbon ion therapy [63, 64], but Kickoff and Line note that systematic experimental studies to find the optimum ion have not yet been pursued [65]. They speculate that ions with atomic numbers greater than 6 are unlikely to undergo a clinical revival, but those with atomic numbers between 1 and 6 may be alternatives to carbon. 1. 2 Perspective The development of 18TH was a response to the need to preserve normal tissue as much as possible, so as to lessen the side effects and complications that often barred delivery of sufficient dose levels to control tumors, even in the mature megavolt era. Investigations by physicists and radiation biologists from the sass to the sass pointed to the supe riority of charged particles in comparison to photon and neutron beams. Both Wilson and Tibias told the author that they found it easier to explain and demonstrate the advantages of protons and other ions to fellow scientists than to physicians. As evidence mounted, however, some physicians recognized the physical attributes of ions and were able to understand how these attributes would translate into clinical advantages beneficial to patients. From the clinicians point of view, the advantages ultimately rested on the fact that ion beams are precisely controllable in three dimensions, while photon and neutron beams are less controllable in two dimensions and are uncontrollable in the third. The controllability of ion beams, in the hands of skillful physicians, provides a superior tool for cancer therapy and for dealing with difficult-to-treat benign sissies. Curing patients who have solid tumors requires controlling those tumors at their site or region of origin. Normal-tissue damage, whether occasioned by surgical trauma or effects of radiation or chemotherapy, restricts the ability to ablate malignant cells. Keeping the volume integral dose to normal tissues as low as possible is a fundamental issue in radiation medicine. Rubin and Creates demonstrated that there is no safe radiation dose, in terms of avoiding sequel in irradiated normal tissues [66]. Later, Rubin and colleagues noted a cascade of cytokines in mouse fibrosis [67]. Biological studies are now commonly finding other injury mechanisms. Research, therefore, is always ongoing to develop new techniques to overcome these imposed limitations of normal-cell damage. Proton and other charged-particle beams are one outcome of such research. Any radiation beam, regardless of the basic particle employed, can destroy any cancer cell or any living entity if the dose is high enough. Historically, therefore, the limiting factor in radiation medicine has been the normal cell and the need to avoid irradiating normal tissues, so as to permit normal-tissue repair and avoid reattempt-compromising side effects. This was the fundamental reason behind dose fractionation and multipart techniques. During the early years of radiation medicine, the major problem of practitioners was their inability to focus the invisible radiation beam precisely on the invisible tumor target. Improvements in imaging technologies, along with computer-assisted, CT-based radiation treatment planning, enabled radiation oncologists to deliver precision external-beam radiation treatments to any anatomic site. This advance was limited, however, because conformity with photon beams, which has reached a high degree 3 Fig. . 4 An example of improved controllability needed to spare normal tissues from unnecessary radiation. A 3-field proton plan (left) is compared with a 6-field IMMIX plan for treating a large liver cancer. Both modalities effect similar high-dose coverage of the clinical target volume (red outline), but the superior controllability of the proton beam enables the physician to avoid most of the normal liver tissue receiving low-dose irradiation in the IMMIX plan of precision with IMMIX, requires a trade-off: an increased normal-tissue volume integral dose. Ion beams forming a Bragg peak offer a means to achieve the needed increased conformity I. E. , sparing a greater volume of normal tissue (Fig. 1. 4) because of their charge and increased mass. Physicians using ion beams can now plan treatments to place the Bragg peak in targeted tissues and avoid unacceptable normal-tissue effects. Such capability is facilitated not only by precision therapy planning but also by precision positioning and alignment (CB. Chaps. 33 and 34). This creates a new focus for research and development in the upcoming era. Included in this era, one can expect studies on cell organelle effects with each particle and delivery technique used, and ultimately, biological dosimeter to be developed and merged with physical dosimeter for further improvements in treatment planning. We can also expect to use much more optical imaging fused with our more conventional imaging techniques to better understand the physiological attributes and biological effects of targeted cells and nearby normal cells following treatment. In future years, this increased understanding of cell physiology should help provide a more reasonable rationale for selecting the particle

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

buy custom Hostile Takeovers essay

buy custom Hostile Takeovers essay Introduction Hostile takeovers have over the years taken the role of keeping corporate management in check. This is because to add the shareholders value, corporate raiders often change the management team once the buyout is complete. For this reason, hostile takeovers often solicit negative reactions from target corporate management. Corporations when taken over through buyouts are restructured to enhance wealth. Hostile takeovers can be described as unsolicited purchase of one firm by another. The buyer is referred to as the acquirer or the bidder, while the company that is bought out is referred to as the target. Unlike friendly takeovers where a buyout often ends improving the corporate status of the buyer and target in hostile takeovers not both corporations end up better off. Schwert ( 2000 ) argues that hostile bids are often perceived as threats by the targeted companies. Because of this negative perception the target management reacts defensively towards the unsolicited bid. Schwert ( 20 00 ) further argues that hostile take overs can be beneficial to the shareholders when redudant management teams are replaced, since operations improve.In a hostile takeovers the details of buyout can be made become public by either the buyer or the target. The buyer can make his bid public in order to force the negotiation. The target firm on the other hand, can make the details public in bid to resist the take over. The target can also go public in order to solicit multiple bids and push for better prices. Given such undertakings, hostile takeovers often attract both negative and a positive perception from the various stakeholders. However ,in cases where the takeover threats increase the companys share prices,such news is often welcomed by the shareholders and other market players. Buyers often go public with their intention to takeover the target ,when private negotiations fail. They can also go public if they perceive their offer being rejected. By making their intentions publi c ,buyers put pressure on target firms managers by informing the target firms shareholders of their options. When the details of the offer become public target management teams can use the information as a means of attracting better offers. Targets, therefore, the publicity that often accompany takeover threats, to attract better prices. In the process the target management team can get better offers from other bidders. Problem statement Hostile takeovers can be used to ckeck management excess in corporations,However, this role is often curtailed by the interest that drives the hostile takeover bid. Hostile takeovers can ,therefore ,be beneficial or disadvantageous to shareholders. Briefly define the concept of corporate governance In the modern world corporations have become powerful dominant entities with tentacles in each corner of the planet. Today business are seen to be more powerful that governments. Indeed, governments are nowadays perceived to be serving the interest of the corporate world. For this reason most corporation seek more power by increasing their operation and entering new markets. This has seen more corporations use the various tools available to them to enlarge the range of their business. This is especially so, in this era of globalization where successful corporations have operations in all corner of the globe. This means that in the last few decades, business organizations have acquired rivals, merged with competition and taken over vulnerable completion in a bid to catch up with the globalization frenzy. As such the global business environment has turned into an arena of intense competition, where it is fair play to exploit all weaknesses of competing entities. In addition, all the av enues available to ensure competitive advantage is maintained are exploited. These include management strategies intended to run corporations more efficiently and reduce costs so as to maximize profitability. The current business environment, therefore, has been increasingly getting competitive forcing business to adopt various strategies to remain ahead of their competition. Gompers, Ishii, Metrick ( 2003) argue that in order to survive, business organizations today require corporate management strategies, which will see them remain competitive. This has seen various organizations adopt varied strategies to survive. One of the most touted strategies is the good corporate governance strategy. Corporate governance entails making a decision and implementing the best choices. Most corporations today have wider ownership, which leaves the management teams with the roles of overseeing the organization on behalf of their many shareholders. These roles, of overseeing the day to day runnin g of organizations are entrusted to management teams who act on behalf of shareholders by making the necessary decisions and overseeing their implementation. Caton and Goh ( 2009) argue that managers are agents who oversee the daily running of organizations on behalf of the shareholders. To secure the interest of their varied owners, managers employ corporate governance strategies that add value to their shareholders investiment. Corporate governance can be reffered to as the process of making and implementing the best decisions in organization. This process as mentioned earlier ,is entrusted to management teams, whose role is to direct organizations on behalf of the shareholders. However ,the corporate governance strategies that organizations employ can vary from one corporation to the next. Corporate governance operates on the principle that managers or shareholders agents, will act in the best way that brings maximum value to their shareholder investiment. This therefore means that ,Corporate governance can be defined in a number of ways and may differ from one organization to the next (Jensen Meckling, 1976). The principles that govern corporate governance ,however largerly remain the same. So ,despite various definations the function of corporate governance is to oversee the competent running of organizations. By observing the laws governing the various states they operate in, a the regulatory framework guiding the operations of the organization. Moreover ,most coporations today have set objectivesand goals that are outlined in their vision and mission statement. Corporate governance entails fulfilling the set goals ensuring that an organizations mission is fulfilled while observing the corporate culture adopted. One such defination is by OECD ,according to their defination corporate governance is a set of relationship between an organizations management, the organizations board ,the stakeholders and the organization shareholders (Bhimani, 2008). They view these relationships as providing the structural framework in an organization, to enable its achieve the organizations set objectives. The relationship also involves monitoring the performance to determine whether the objectives are met. Although, the stakeholders such as suppliers and creditors are often recognized ,corporate governance is mostly seen as related to shareholders and managers (Scharfstein, 1988). According to Bhim ani (2008) managers are driven by self interest and at time undertake huge risks. On the other hand, he argues that the shareholders are only interested in maximum returns. Given such behaviour ,it is possible to understand why large corporations fail. Management team can fail to achieve an organizations set objectives for several reasons. Such reasons include, immense pressure to deliver their shareholders expectations, therefore, undertaking risky projects. Self serving behaviour, can also lead to failure especially if managers acts for their benefit, rather, than serving the interest of their shareholders. To ensure that shareholders and stakeholders are not undercharged, organization management teams are expected to follow good coporate gorvanance practices (Bhimani, 2008). However , this is easisly said than done. Bhimani( 2008) argues that for an organization to meet their goals and maximize their shareholders value , agood regulator framework should be in place. Agency theory and coporate governance The agency theory determines the relationship between shareholders and the corporation management. According to the theory managers acts as agents for the shareholders. The agency theory reduces corporations into an entity involving the shareholders and their agents or more appropriately the management team. This theory simplyfies the relationships that exist in any given bussiness organizations. In that, it views corporate governance relations from the mangers and the shareholders perspective.as earlier noted corporate governance is a set of relationship between an organizations management, the organizations board ,the stakeholders and the other organization shareholders (Bhimani, 2008). These other stakeholders can range from regulators,creditors,suppliers,distributors, consumers,employees to the general public. They hold a stake in organizations , in that its behaviour can affect them directly or indirectly. It is ,therefore, in the interst of all these stakeholders that corporati ons be governed in a manner that remuneration all those concerned. The agency theory seeks to explain corporate governance from a more simplified perspect. The theory, therefore, view corporate governance as a beneficial relationship between the management and the shareholders. In other words managers are employed or appointed by shareholders to protect their investiments by overseeing eeficient daya to day running or their corporation (Bhimani, 2008). Corporate governance theories and hostile takeovers Several theories have been formulated to help explain corporate governance. In their paper Heath Norman (2004), argue that in absences of an effective regulator framework, corporate failures such asEnron can easily be repeated. Such huge failures ,have demostrated that greedy human nature, can easilytake over and run down even the big coporations. The self serving nature of management teams is evident in such failures ,where the interest of shareholders comes second to self interest. As such, various tools should be employed to help keep in check the behaviours of management teams responsible for failure. According to Franks and Mayer (1996) hostile takeovers are a market driven mechanism that can check ineffective management teams. Various schorals have, however, raised objections to the capability of hostile takeovers in checking management failure. Grossman Hart ( 1980) for instance, dispute this view. According to them, hostile takeovers are motivated by bidders self interest , rather, than to check management behaviour. In their view, bidders seek to maximize their investiments. Hostile takeovers , on the other hand, evoke different reactions from the various stakeholders. As earlier noted, the agency theory seeks to simplify the realationships existing in corporations, to be perceived as that involving managers and the organizations shareholders. However , the various actions undertaken by coporation management teams,does not affect the two parties alone. Management decision can affect the members of the general public, whose may seem to have no relation to the actions or events in a given company. As earlier mentioned, corporate governance can be seen to as a means of providing the structural regulatory framework. This structured regulatory framework, can be argued to have the capacity to enable an organization its achieve the organizations set objectives. The relationship between coporation management and that of its stakeholders, should also have mech anisms to monitor management performance to determine whether their objectives are met. Although, the stakeholders such as suppliers and creditors are often recognized ,corporate governance is mostly seen as related to shareholders and managers (Scharfstein, 1988). According to Bhimani (2008) managers are driven by self interest and at time undertake huge risks. On the other hand, he argues that the shareholders are only interested in maximum returns. Given such behaviour ,it is possible to understand why large corporations fail. Hostile take overs are seen as one of the mechanism that can ensure that management undertake their roles in an efficient manner in order to maximize their shareholders value. The takeover process and possible strategies by individual shareholders and raiders Hostile takeovers can be undertaken by corporations with similar assets as the targeted firm on in the same industry as their target. This is done in order to specialize in a given industry in order to gain larger market share. Dominant firms in any given industry are in most cases, those larger firms that control a large chunk of their given market. This control, often results in more market power. Corporations with immense market powers can be able to cut their operation costs either through the economy of scale or by undercutting their competition. On the extreme such firms gain the capability to dictate their product prices and make it difficult for new entries to gain substantial markets. Hostile takeovers can, therefore, be employed by corporations in order to gain market power or specialize in their given industry. Hostile takeovers can also be undertaken by corporate Management Buyout teams or corporate raiders. The management buyout teams (MBO) and corporate raiders, takeove r corporations purely to gain wealth and power. They operate through indentifying vulnerable firms; move in to takeover either by accumulating shares of their targeted firm or through direct negotiations. Hostile takeover gains, can at times result from merely under pricing the share value of the target firms. In such a case, the bidders gain wealth simply by buying their target firm. Most MBO Teams and corporate raiders operate on this premise. They make wealth simply by target firms that have under priced shares then buy them out increasing the value of their investment. Similarly, they can buyout vulnerable firms then change the management team to increase the value of the taken over corporation. For such a scenario to succeed, the management of the targeted firm has to be inefficient thus, operating the firm below its capacity. In such a case, by simply changing the management team the stock price of the target firm simply increases. Effects of potential hostile takeovers threat on corporation management The motives of hostile takeover are often not very direct. It is safe assumed, however, that most takeovers are driven by wealth gains. This can be either direct gain, where a corporation share prices are undervalued. Alternatively, indirect gains can be realized through cost cutting measures that can result, through gaining more market powers (Goergen Renneboog, 2004). Either of the above motives translates into better management for the new venture. In the first scenario undervalued corporation share prices translate to investment value lose for the targeted corporations shareholder. A takeover bid, can point out such discrepancies leading to corrections. Increased share value translates to wealth gain for the shareholders. This means that, the overall effect is that shareholders investments increase in value hence, maximizing their resources. The general motive of any business organizations is to maximize its shareholders value. The management teams, which act on behalf of their shareholders, are tasked to carry out this vital task. A hostile bid that results in such objectives being met can, therefore, be said to achieve its end. Hostile takeovers can be linked to good corporate governance practices. In that, corporations avoid being targets of potential takeover threats. The link between corporate governance and hostile takeovers can, therefore, be said to be the capability of hostile takeovers to keep managers in check. Managers ensure that they run their organizations, in such a way that, their efficiency deters potential hostile takeovers threats. In so doing, managers run their organizations more efficiently, to ensure that shareholders value is maximized to keep away looming potential hostile takeover bids. Other gains that can ensure efficient corporate governance include joint research, distribution, procurement among many combined operation capable of reducing operating costs. Reducing costs can have an overall effect of cutting wastages in corpor ations, which implies the application of good governance principles (Heath Norman, 2004). According to Bhimani ( 2008) corporate governance entails running organization efficiently to reduce the overall cost in organizations. In the recent years, however, there has been increased cases of higher managemant compensation and higher board honoriums. Their overall effects is that management increase the risks taken and misrepresent the financial reports, in a bid to make their organization more attractive to shareholders and other stakeholders (Heath Norman, 2004). Such underhand management practices can be said to be undertaken to keep looming hostile takeovers at bay. Takeover defenses Acting in ones best interest can be said to be second to human nature. As such, managers often act in self serving ways, putting the interest of their shareholders second to their interest. Bhaghat, Schleifer, Vishny ( 1990) argue ,that a substantial number of takeoverbids are often undertaken or detered to fulfill managements interest. Managers can undertake defensive measures against takeoverbids, to serve their own interest. According to (Bhaghat, Schleifer, Vishny ( 1990) one of the major results of takeovers is the laying off the top management teams. Given that it is predictable that takeovers results in management changes, managers can undertake defensive measures to ensure that their jobs are secure. Similarly hostile takeovers are accompanied by changes in corporation boards,defensive measures can be as a result of the self serving nature of humans. Despite such defensive self serving behaviours, defensive actions can be carried out to protect the erosion of shareholders v alue. This is particularly so,in areas where the bidders underprices their bids to gain wealth. In other words, as long as the defensive actions such as a fair price amendments can be undertaken to protect shareholders values. Given then ,that management can block hostile takeovers in order to protect their shareholders, such measueres should be allowed. It all depends, on the motive of disallowing the takeover. As noted earlier, hostile takeovers can gain more wealth for the shareholders. As such each case should be judged on its merits. Hostile takeovers benefactors Various stakeholders react differently to hostile takeovers. The reactions range from acceptance to outright rejection of the takeover bids. These varied reactions are often driven by the various self interests that different stakeholders hold. Hostile takeovers are often accompanied by changes in management, corporate structure and the general ways in which an organization is run. This implies that various players in a target corporate can either gain or lose from a hostile takeover. Franks Mayer (1996) argues that in most of the takeovers in the USA and Britain management changes were carried out. As such, we can argue that the first culpruits to fall when hostile takeovers are undertaken , are the management teams. Consindering this, then it is clear that the managements objection to takeover bids is not always to protect their shareholders. Franks Mayer (1996) argue that takeover motives can vary. In most cases, however, the bidders are driven by wealth gains. This is because, most target firms are often underprices and post-takeover periods are marked by significan rises in the new entitys value. The question that arises, is the sources these wealth gains. In an examination of over sixty hostile takeovers bids between 1984 to 1986 Bhaghat, Schleifer, Vishny (1990) found out that fifty two targeted firms were acquired. In their post-takeover analysis they concluded that in most cases the wealth of bidding firms increases. In their examination they also concluded that target firms gain from take over bids whether successful or not. In their examination of hostile takeovers (Bhaghat, Schleifer, Vishny (1990) post takeover operation were evaluated in order to find out the gainers in the takeover bids. divesture ,tax savings ,investment cuts and layoff operations after takeovers were examined to determine the gains made and those who benefitted. They also looked into the possibilitoes of taken over firms losing their investiment values. The authours noted that once takeovers were concluded and the merged entity operations harmonised it was impossible to determine or attribute any given gain to the target firm or the bidder. Their joint ac count records do not specify the origin of gains or loses made after operations of the two firms are combined. Howeever , their reasearch indicated that the first losers in the takeovers are employees in top management positions. The following layoffs according to their findings begins with the acquired firms top management team. Tax savings in the examined hostile takeovers were minimal implying that wealth is not gains from tax savings. They argue that gains made from tax savings are minimal in comparison to the gains made by laying off top employees. They did note, however, that the resulting entities make substantial tax reduction in their merged operations (Bhaghat, Schleifer, Vishny, 1990). The overall implication of these savings is reduction in the operation costs of the new entity. This proves the point tht in hostile takeovers the merged entity becomes more efficient since operation costs are significantly reduced. In additon, the debts incurred during the takeover are paid out in shorter periods reducing the interest rate burden on the new merged corporation. Their reaserch also concluded that once the firms merge they do not undertake major investiments. This means that the motives for hostile takeovers are not so that firms can increase their investiment. Share holders of the bidding firms were also found in some cases to lose the value of their investiment while the investiment value of the target corporation increases slightly. The most common characteristic that they found in the operations of the resulting corporations , was that targeted firms and bidders are most often in the same industry or closely related fields (Bhaghat, Schleifer, Vishny, 1990). This suggest that one of the motives of hostile takeovers is to corner the industry market. This is because the resultant firms most often become big players in their given industry. One of the gains that result from hostile take overs is an enlarged market. This therefore implies that future operations of the resultant firm can gain immensely from the economy of scales. The bidding firms also gains market shares in regions where it previsouly had no presence. Similarly majority of the targeted firms ,often have similar assets to those of the larger bidder. This implies that in most cases, hostile takeovers represent an attempt by corporation to specialization in areas where they have invested substatial assets. In such cases the gains that motivate hostil e take overs seems to be cost saving strategies, resulting from the new joint operation. Under such consinderations, we can argue that some of the hostile take overs are driven by future gains rather that immediate wealth increament for the shareholders. In addition, large corporations dominate their given industry. Thus , hostile takeover can be power driven as corporations seek to dominate their industry to gain market power. This can enable such firms to dictate prices and undercut their competition. Hostile takeovers can also simply earn the bidders wealth. This is especially so in cases where the stock value of the targetted firm is undervalued. These kind of hostile takeovers are often undertaken by corporate Management Buyout teams or corporate raiders. Simply put, they buyout underpriced corporations, and by merely doing so, gain additional value for their investments. The management buyout teams (MBO) and corporate raiders, takeover corporations purely to gain wealth and power. They indentify vulnerable firms with undervalued stocks or inefficient management teams. Hostile takeover gains, can at times also result from merely under pricing the share value of the target firms. The bidders, therefore, gain wealth while the targeted firms shareholders lose theirs. During negotiations the bidders simply offer to buy firms at lower values knowing that by doing so they are gaining wealth. In such a case, the bidders gain wealth simply by buying their target firm. Most MBO Teams and corporate raiders operate on this premise (Bhaghat, Schleifer, Vishny, 1990). They make wealth simply by target firms that have under priced shares then buy them out increasing the value of their investment. Similarly they can buyout vulnerable firms then change the management team to increase the value of the taken over corporation. For such a scenario to succeed, the management of the targeted firm has to be inefficient thus, operating the firm below its capacity. Changing the management, therefore, increases the value of the targeted firm. Hostile takeovers can also be instigated by a firms management purely for personal gains. In such a case, both the bidders shareholders and targeted firms shareholders can gain from the hostile takeover (Franks Mayer, 1996). In that most hostile takeovers become public, the publicity puts the takeover bid under scrutiny helping the targeted shareholders realize that their stock is underpriced. In other case, other bidders emerge offering better prices. As mentioned earlier takeovers can be carried out in a bid to gain more market power. This often the case with bidders targeting firms in the same industry (Schwert, 2000 ). This means, that the bidding shareholders can fail to gain from such an undertaking. In that, if the hostile takeover motive is to corner the market, the bidder may end up overpaying the target. Such a hostile takeover bid is often driven by the management, and is undertaken to achieve management teams expansion strategies. In such a case, the target shareholders end up gaining wealth. On the other hand the bidders shareholders, stands to gain from their management long-term strategies. This can be accrued through future savings, as well as, pricing advantages and cost cutting gains through economies of scale. In other words, the bidders shareholders, in management driven hostile takeover have no immediate wealth gains. Instead they end up paying the target more that their stock value. This implies that they lose wealth while the bidders gain more wealth. For every case, therefore, wealth loses to the bidders shareholders, implies wealth gains to target shareholders. In most cases as mentioned earlier the publicity that results from hostile takeovers often results in competition for the targeted company. This, inevitably increase the value of the target stock prices. In most cases, target shareholders end up gaining in the majority of hostile takeovers (Bhaghat, Schleifer, Vishny, 1990). Additionally, by announcing takeover bids, share prices for the target firms often increase. This also increases the value of target shareholders stock. Hostile takeovers can also result in operation efficiency. In that joining operations firms can gain through combined marketing, research, headquarters, and distribution among other combined operations. Conclusions The link between corporate governance and hostile takeovers can be said to be, the ability of hostile takeovers to keep managers in check. Managers ensure that they run their organizations, in such a way that, their efficiency deters potential hostile takeovers threats. Acting in ones best interest can be said to be second to human nature. As such, managers often act in self serving ways, putting the interest of their shareholders second to their interest. This means that some of the hostile takeovers, are undertaken to serve the interest of managers. This can be ,to expand the bussiness by divesting or increasing their market shares through acquisations. Such moves,can lead to the bidders overpaying for their target. The process cana also be open to manipulation by management teams in order to serve their own interest. As earlier noted in absence of efficient coporate governance, corporations can fail.Such huge failures ,have demostrated that greedy human nature, can easilytake over and run down even the big coporations. The self serving nature of management teams is evident in such failures ,where the interest of shareholders comes second to self interest. As such, various tools should be employed to help keep in check the behaviours of management teams and prevent failure. Hostile takeovers, have demostrated the capacity to keep such failure in check. In addition shareholders can also gain from hostile takeovers by increasing the value of their investments. This can happen by bringing efficiency in the corporate world.However , hostile takeovers can also earn the bidders shareholders wealth. This occurs, where the stock value of the targetted firm is undervalued. In addition, hostile takeover can accrue gains to bidders simply by under pricing the share value of the target firms. The bidders, therefore, gain wealth while the targeted firms shareholders lose theirs. However, the joint ventures resulting from hostile takeovers often enjoy combined operation ad vantages such as procurement, marketing, research, joint overall operations and distribution. This helps shareholders, increase their investments value and maximize their investments achieving the overall objective of corporate governance. Buy custom Hostile Takeovers essay