Sarbanes-Oxley Whistleblower

Catherine Zulfer, a former employee of playboy filed a suit against them alleging that Playboy Enterprises violated provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. The former employee reports that playboy retaliated against her for refusing to participate in fraudulent activity against Playboy’s shareholders (Katz, Marshall& Banks, LLP, 2013). Without receiving permission from the board of directors, Christopher Pachler, Chief Financial Officer, instructed Zulfer to gather one million dollars in bonuses for various corporate officers of the company.At that time Zulfer felt that Pachler was attempting to embezzle the money from the company, therefore she denied the request until it was approved by the board. Zulfer then informed Playboys General Counsel and the Securities and Exchange Commission of the request that was made by Pachler. Soon after Zulfer made the report, she claims that retaliation against her began. She was excluded from company meetings and discussions, crucial information to her position was withheld from her, and her accounting staff was diminishing (Katz, Marshall & Banks, LLP, 2013).On December 31, 2011 Zulfer was terminated, although Playboy describes it as a layoff. Issue: Did Playboy violate the whistleblower-protection provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (â€Å"SOX†)? Rule: The Playboy Company retaliated against Zulter for refusing to participate in fraud regarding the playboy shareholders. Under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, (SOX) one rule prohibits any employer from retaliation against and employee. Another rule is that under this law employees are protected when they speak of a wrongdoing within the workplace.â€Å"Under SOX, employers are strictly prohibited from retaliating against employees who report illegal or unethical conduct. Employees are also protected when making disclosures about shareholder fraud or violations of SEC rules and regulations. † (Halunen, p. 1, Para. 1) Analysis: Append reflecti on Zulter dismissal was retaliation against her by the playboy company, because she reported and activity of fraud with the playboy shareholders.In this case, Zulter was continually excluded from meetings and discussions, withholding crucial information she needed to carry out her corporate accounting responsibilities, and eliminating corporate accounting staff. Conclusion: In the end, the courts dismissed playboy’s argument reaffirming that under the bylaws of (SOX) employees are protected from employees from retaliation for reporting violations of â€Å"any rule of regulation of the SEC.Zulfer was protected under the SOX Act, whistle-blower‘s of publicly traded companies are protected. Employers are not supposed to retaliate or discriminate against employees in the terms and conditions of their employment. The plaintiff provided information regarding violations the company was participating in; the violations that can be of a federal fraud statute, a rule or regulati on of the SEC, or a provision of Federal law relating to fraud against shareholders.The team agrees that Zulfer was protected under the Act and that the Act is there to bring forth more white collar crimes that would not otherwise be disclosed if the was not there to protect and compensate. SOX promotes honesty without fear, the whistle-blower provisions of the SOX Act provides a general framework for ensuring that employees (including attorneys and auditors) disclose information which may harm investors. Sarbanes-Oxley Whistleblower Catherine Zulfer, a former employee of playboy filed a suit against them alleging that Playboy Enterprises violated provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. The former employee reports that playboy retaliated against her for refusing to participate in fraudulent activity against Playboy’s shareholders (Katz, Marshall& Banks, LLP, 2013). Without receiving permission from the board of directors, Christopher Pachler, Chief Financial Officer, instructed Zulfer to gather one million dollars in bonuses for various corporate officers of the company.At that time Zulfer felt that Pachler was attempting to embezzle the money from the company, therefore she denied the request until it was approved by the board. Zulfer then informed Playboys General Counsel and the Securities and Exchange Commission of the request that was made by Pachler. Soon after Zulfer made the report, she claims that retaliation against her began. She was excluded from company meetings and discussions, crucial information to her position was withheld from her, and her accounting staff was diminishing (Katz, Marshall & Banks, LLP, 2013).On December 31, 2011 Zulfer was terminated, although Playboy describes it as a layoff. Issue: Did Playboy violate the whistleblower-protection provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (â€Å"SOX†)? Rule: The Playboy Company retaliated against Zulter for refusing to participate in fraud regarding the playboy shareholders. Under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, (SOX) one rule prohibits any employer from retaliation against and employee. Another rule is that under this law employees are protected when they speak of a wrongdoing within the workplace.â€Å"Under SOX, employers are strictly prohibited from retaliating against employees who report illegal or unethical conduct. Employees are also protected when making disclosures about shareholder fraud or violations of SEC rules and regulations. † (Halunen, p. 1, Para. 1) Analysis: Append reflecti on Zulter dismissal was retaliation against her by the playboy company, because she reported and activity of fraud with the playboy shareholders.In this case, Zulter was continually excluded from meetings and discussions, withholding crucial information she needed to carry out her corporate accounting responsibilities, and eliminating corporate accounting staff. Conclusion: In the end, the courts dismissed playboy’s argument reaffirming that under the bylaws of (SOX) employees are protected from employees from retaliation for reporting violations of â€Å"any rule of regulation of the SEC.Zulfer was protected under the SOX Act, whistle-blower‘s of publicly traded companies are protected. Employers are not supposed to retaliate or discriminate against employees in the terms and conditions of their employment. The plaintiff provided information regarding violations the company was participating in; the violations that can be of a federal fraud statute, a rule or regulati on of the SEC, or a provision of Federal law relating to fraud against shareholders.The team agrees that Zulfer was protected under the Act and that the Act is there to bring forth more white collar crimes that would not otherwise be disclosed if the was not there to protect and compensate. SOX promotes honesty without fear, the whistle-blower provisions of the SOX Act provides a general framework for ensuring that employees (including attorneys and auditors) disclose information which may harm investors.

Tattos

English 105 Instructor Jim Higuera Tattoos A tattoo is a mark (a person or a part of the body) with an indelible design by inserting pigment into punctures in the skin. There is so many opinion and arguments upon tattoos. Yes tattoo is permanent life can change, and so can your tastes. The thing is, most of those things can be changed, but a tattoo can’t. Yes I do have tattoos but each tattoo has a special meaning I wouldn’t get a pointless thing tag on me for life it has everyone gets a certain tattoo for they own personal reasons.I love my tattoos ( I have 6 myself) but before you get any, you need to think about the fact that getting a tattoo is a big deal. It might come out looking terrible, you might hate it, you might be allergic to the ink they use, your parents may never speak to you again, you may become unemployable (depending on what you get & where) & YOU WILL HAVE IT FOREVER. Unless you can afford laser removal which, I understand, is very expensive. There are lots of good reasons for getting a tattoo. There are also a lot of bad ones.For example you want to piss off your parents, you want to look tough, All your friends have them and you feel left out. You want to profess your undying love to your significant other with ink on your skin. You want to be cool. You’re drunk. Your friend needs someone to practice on etcetera. I have seen so many bad tattoos so bad they make me cringe when I think about them. I know a guy who went somewhere â€Å"cheap† to get it done he went to a guy who did tattoos at his house and he ended up with a tattoo that is crooked and not dark enough. The point is its so embarrassing and a waste of money.My point is, getting a tattoo which doesn’t suck isn’t that easy. The proliferation of ugly tattoos on the shoulders of the great unwashed is proof of that. These days tattoos are more common than ever. Tattoos have grown in popularity quite a bit over the years, giving people the ab ility to stand out and display their individuality. Both men and women both have them on display – some with them covering the whole body! The choice is totally up to you, of course, as you can get a tattoo in virtually any size you want. Most of the general public who get tattoos get them for the symbolic value.Of course, some get them as part of a trend, but such people usually end up regretting their tattoo later on in life. Tattoos are great for showing off, though this depends a lot on the pattern of course. There are a variety of motifs and colors to take your pick from, which adds to the positive benefits you can get from your tattoo. You can check out the many different designs at your tattoo parlor or through magazines, or over the Internet. The Internet in particular can yield an intense supply of tattoo patterns, as there are literally thousands to look at.You can also look at pictures of those who have been tattooed already, so as to get an idea as to what a parti cular style will look like, once it has been finished. Why do we get a tattoo when we know that although tattoos can be removed by lasers, surgery and other methods, they are altogether permanent. Many people have very distinctive reasons for these lifelong marks and some even have stories attached to every one One plain reason for a typical tattoo is just for looks. The tattoo may be one that resembles another seen on a public figure.It may also be a background detail that is merely pleasing to the eye. Maybe the tattoo has bright colors or neat shapes. Aesthetics are one typical reason for many tattoos. Another rationalization why one might get a tattoo is as a memorial. Friends and family who may have passed away are often memorialized with tattoos. These memorial tattoos are also often created in the memory of a particular public figure or celebrity. These might be designed with flowers, crosses and other shapes and dates of birth, names and death dates.They might embody specifi c sayings that were important to the deceased. They may also involve complicated tattoos that have been copied from an actual photograph. These might be designed with flowers, crosses and other shapes and dates of birth, names and death dates. They might embody specific sayings that were important to the deceased. They may also involve complicated tattoos that have been copied from an actual photograph. Very many individuals will get tattoos designed to commemorate specific events experienced during their lifetimes.Achievements, difficult times and other unique events are usually displayed as a lifetime reminder of a significant time in one's life. Tattoos also represent spiritual status for some cultures. They can also sometimes be a symbol for social ranking. Some social groups are known for particular tattoos which would require a member to display the same. Others are known for having tattoos in general, the designs being unimportant. Expressing individuality and personality are often the reasons for getting a tattoo. If an individual likes butterflies, they might get a single tattoo or multiple tattoos flaunting butterflies.If someone else enjoys a particular field in which they worked, they may have tattoos representing what they do for a living. There are other ways to pore over expressing individuality around tattoos, however. Numerous tattoos are designed to reflect heritage. Ancient designs that are associated with the history of some cultures are routinely displayed on those who are of a particular culture's descent. As an example, someone of Irish descent may choose a tattoo depicting the Claddaugh background while another of Egyptian descent might lean towards one similar to their ancient ancestors.On the other hand, very many people choose designs from other cultures just for aesthetics Regardless of where you crave having your tattoo applied on the body or where you get the procedure done, it's important to understand why you really love the tat too. Unlike many other forms of body art tattoos are enduring. So why do we get a tattoo done? Having a tattoo created for the right reasons, and reasons that are truly important to you will help to increase the joy of the design for many years to come.

Eminent Domain

Eminent Domain Business 186 The ancient right, for the government to take property from an individual with out consent for a common good is called Eminent Domain. Some examples of a common good are, to build a dam, an airport, a hospital or a highway. The U. S. constitution understands that right; as long as â€Å"just compensation† is paid they are permitted to take the privet property for public use. However, New London took land from one privet party and gave the property to another privet party. By doing so the city promises to attract new growth, which in return will help invigorate the community and bring in more tax revenue.The area they want to build all these new structures is where the Undersea Warfare Center of the Navy was. When the Navy moved it took 1,400 jobs with it. The unemployment rate of the city only got worse. This has been a rough neighborhood for quite some time. Pfizer, a pharmaceutical company built a $350 million research center, which created 1,400 job opportunities. Since then the government has created parks and opened up the river fort access to the public. Furthermore, the city wants to build new homes for professionals, office buildings and a hotel.They want space to build these luxurious homes for the professional employees of Pfizer. The houses that sit above the Thames River in front of Fort Trumbull is the area they want to use to build all these new structures. Though many people have left their houses, there are still a few that remain in their homes in this area. The city is offering a fair price for their homes but the residents do not want the money, they just want to keep their homes that they worked very hard to get. The Supreme Court upheld the city’s condemnation right; the homeowners had to forcefully sell their homes.It ruled that required purchase to foster economic development falls under public use and is constitutionally permissible. By making this decision the Supreme Court drives the argument o ver eminent domain back to the states and local communities. Eminent domain has been used correctly to rebuild decayed urban areas or start economic growth; conflict now is rising with political and legal battles, there are many states that are taking advantage of it. In 2009 Pfizer closed its New London location and transferred its 1,400 employees to a campus the company owns in Groton, Connecticut.I enjoyed this article because it opened my eyes to what people are experiencing around the country with Eminent Domain. I don’t think New London treated their residents fairly by authorizing these structures built over their homes. Towns such as New London and others are not pursuing their decisions wisely as to their beneficial and progressive social policies. I think that they are socially harming and being biased against ordinary working people and small business owners. I do not think that eminent domain is a morally legitimate right of the government.I do not think that the government should have the right to take away your property. It takes someone about thirty years to pay off a home and finally be able to call it their property and not the banks. I think that after thirty years of slaving away making payments and paying interest rates, the government should not be able to just come in and take your property, it is not morally correct. Now on the other hand, if the property is abandoned then yes, the government should be able to obtain it for public use. I do not think its right for the government to forcefully vacate someone from his or her home to use it publicly.

Prompts are at the attachment document below Essay

Prompts are at the attachment document below - Essay Example There is no doubt that the concept of zombie apocalypse is quite popular at the present moment. As it was mentioned by the scholars â€Å"these days, however, catastrophic events not only threaten friends, family, and neighbors; they also become the stuff of endless repetitions and dramatizations on radio, television, and Internet† (Borg, 2003, p. 57). That is why one might see numerous television series about vampires or werewolves. However, the two series in question feature dramatically different approaches towards depiction of the event. Thus, The Walking Dead is largely considered to be a serious work of art. The characters tend to face difficult ethical choices and often make actions that are controversial. On the other hand, Z Nation represents a different approach: it is more focused on actions rather than ethical choices. Of course, there is space for character development; however, the time that shooting occupies in it is significantly bigger if compared to its counterpart. This shows that people like watching television series about zombies not to see the characters fight their own demons, but actually fight the real demons. In other words, there are two different approaches one of which uses zombie apocalypse as a background for exploring the real nature of the human beings and the other that strictly focuses on the post apocalyptic life. It is rather surprising that the above mentioned television series are not classified as horror movies, though they have all the attributes: the monsters, the blood and the gore. Nevertheless, they are perceived by the public as something than that. This can be explained by the fact that â€Å"very little about the underlying structure of horror images really changes over time† (Mathias Clasen, 2010, p. 313). In other words, the primary purpose of these television series is to explore the eternal questions about this world

Journalism, Mass Media and Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Journalism, Mass Media and Communication - Essay Example He conducted a number of experiments in an attempt to develop various successful transplantation processes between his subjects and organs from animal. Brinkley was considered one the most persuasive and manipulative individuals in the united states during this period and he used his wit and strategies to succeed in various advertising activities and political endeavors. His ability to gather and appropriately use large amounts of data presented with a number of opportunities and this contributed towards his personal growth in the different activities he was engaged in (Kennedy, 2010). This section of the paper will analyze the various advertising strategies that Brinkley used and how these strategies enabled him to develop into a great business and political personality in the country. As a medical doctor, Brinkley opened a major clinic in Milford to enable him serve the locals who were suffering from male impotency. In this clinic, Brinkley xenotransplanted goat testicles into his patients as a means of curing importance, a practice that was viewed as rogue and out of line according to medical practice guidelines. However, Brinkley was loved and cherished by the locals who frequented his clinics in different parts of Kansas City. As a way of winning over the hearts of the locals, Brinkley adopted to employ a large number of the local residents into his clinics and accord them hefty wages. As a means of caring for his patients after the transplantation and prior to the exercise, Brinkley would personally call his patients and provide assistance from the phone call to enable them recover well. This practice made him more popular especially during the 1918 flu pandemic that affected the Arkansas locals and cost widespread deaths and devastations. At a time when advertising using the public airwaves was minimal and partly restricted, Brinkley decided to construct his own radio station, a means that he used to advertise his products. The idea of using radio airwav es as a means of advertising arose when he visited KHJ radio station in Los Angeles during one of his business and data collection trips. The decision to build a radio station presented Brinkley with a self-controlled media that enabled him to reach a large number of his target clients. He also possessed the ability and power to influence the thinking of people, an act he perfected by using his radio station to act as an opinion shaper in the country (Kennedy, 2010). The radio station created a number advertising opportunities and this allowed his business to grow and extend beyond the boundaries of Milford. The radio also provided a number of opportunities to the different businesses within the state, who would advertise their products at much cheaper prices as compared to other available means. This endeared Brinkley to the people of Milford and other parts of Arkansas and propelled his political ambitions and career. Though he lost two attempts to be the governor, Brinkley was a serious contender, coming second in the two successive elections. Despite the controversy that surrounded his professional and academic credentials, Brinkley was supported by over 30% of the voters in the two successive attempts he made (Lee, 2002). Legislative actions on media freedom The enshrinement of the first amendment into the united states constitution broaden the media space in the country and resulted into the expansion of media freedom and space. This amendment resulted into subsequent barring of the government from interfering with the processes of printing and circulating of media information and opinions in the country. The enshrinement of this amendment into the United States constitution presented the opportunity for the enactment and passage of more laws

The International Monetary Fund and World Bank Annotated Bibliography

The International Monetary Fund and World Bank - Annotated Bibliography Example IMF has laid strategies and efforts to promote sound macroeconomic policies, orderly adjustment, and market-oriented reforms are essential to reduce poverty and income inequality in those countries under the IMF programs. According to the Eurodad report, the organization is paying increasing attention to the quality, not just the quantity, of its adjustment programs. These allegations raised by the IMF are of fundamental nature but I disagree with the initiative based on the following sentiments. In this case, the IMF does not issue fresh instructions to adjust the amount the member must transfer so that the amount will be in accord with the new exchange rates in relation to the loans offered through World Bank. Article IV of the IMF has provided a disagreement support regarding the motion that the IMF and World Bank should not continue attaching strict conditions on how their loan money is used and what other economic changes must occur before the loans are approved. The support is based on the macroeconomic outlook and the risk of economy globally. With the recovery of intense domestic demand in New Zealand by mid-2010, the IMF in conjunction with the World Bank should do away with the strict notions laid on the loans offered to the clients. Such unexpected happenings that were experienced in New Zealand should be planned for when the IMF is issuing out funds through the World Bank. For instance, the IMF director had announced a direct increase on the funding projects in New Zealand by 15%, a state that could not have been implemented in the initial epoch while implementing the standardized value on the funding of the earthquake victims in New Zealand.

Life's Greatest Miracle Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Life's Greatest Miracle - Term Paper Example The processes such as meiosis are critical for the variation that makes the offspring to possess better traits than their parents do. The division of the cells and development of the embryo into a fetus through the formation of vital organs results in the birth of a child. The documentary indicates that the sexual and asexual reproduction is significant in the propagation of life. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) plays an important function that involves the carrying of human genetic information, which is useful for the development of new human life. The DNA offers each human being unique traits. Sexual reproduction creates variation and improves the survival rate of the species. The process of meiosis, which entails the combination of genes, confers a unique set of characteristics. Fundamentally, the human body has an unquestionable urge to reproduce and the union of the sperm and ovum results in an embryo. Fertilization leads to the combination of hereditary information and forms the building blocks of the new human life. Melinda and Sergio’s story underpins the significance of the DNA in passing the hereditary information from one generation to the other. Evident in the documentary, the two partners wonder the appearance of their baby. Melinda an d Sergio contemplate whether the baby will have its father’s eyebrows or that of the grandmother (PBS). The conversation between the two shows that the offspring have a certain percentage of DNA from the previous generation. Hence, DNA is a crucial molecule that carries hereditary information. The embryo undergoes developmental stages to become a fetus and eventually a fully developed baby. The multiplication of cells results in specific body parts. Notably, blood vessel forms at the first three weeks, followed by the development of the primitive backbone, brain, and the eyes, as well as other organs that comprise a functional body system (PBS). Genes play a critical role in turning on and off various

City of Atlanta Water Quality Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

City of Atlanta Water Quality Report - Essay Example Microbial contaminants can come from sewage treatment plants, livestock, and wildlife. Inorganic contaminants are salts and metals and can be naturally occurring in soil and river beds. Organic chemicals can be synthetic and volatile and are by-products of industrial processes and petroleum production (http://www.atlantawatershed.org/pdf/WQR2009.pdf). They can also come from gas stations or septic systems. The EPA has strict guidelines regarding pollutants in water, the food and drug administration provides guidelines for bottled water that is sold to citizens. The main source of the Atlanta water supply is the Chattahoochee River, providing 75 % of the drinking water, processed by two water plants. Total coliform detected in the water supply was 1.4 % in 2009. The detected level of turbidity was 0.4 %, both of these are within acceptable range and likely explained as naturally occurring. Turbidity was found in 100% of samples, probably a result of runoff. Turbidity is the cloudiness of the water or unsettling of sediment. Both copper and lead were well below the threshold of the action level, which is when this contaminant would require some further treatment. Chlorine and fluoride are additives and within their respective proper ranges of detection. Organic contaminants noted were likely the byproduct of drinking water and naturally occurring. Water pollution of unacceptable adulterants do not appear to be a problem with Atlanta and they have consistently been well within limits. The Atlanta regional commission and the Metropolitan North Georgia water planning district both sponsor and collaborate for the ‘Clean Water Campaign’ which focuses on public education and the negative effects of soil runoff and water pollution (http://www.atlantaregional.com/environment/water/clean-water-campaign). It is estimated that over a thousand stream miles are in Atlanta violate state standards.

Risk mangement Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Risk mangement - Personal Statement Example I have decided to take the risk management course to better my quantitative and technical skills in finance. I wish to re-enter the financial field with the current harsh economic conditions only after solidifying my little experience in your institution. After obtaining an in-depth understanding of the computational, statistical tools and the mathematical skills that are essential when dealing with bank or any organizational data, the economic waters that have become treacherous to navigate without the necessary risk management skills will be an easier sailing place. I hope that I will evolve into an individual who has understood the industry well so that I can deliver well to the clients at the same time employ the management audacity through quantitative portfolio to the advantage of the investor. I believe I can excel in this course taking into consideration my enthusiasm and commitment to finance related institutions, I have worked in the banking industry for nine years. The vast experience I have gained so far gives me an opportunity to develop extensively the gained knowledge and skills in the financial operations. The course content appeals to me strongly and being a student at the University will definitely provide me with the essential knowledge that I need in advancing my

Biochemical identification of unknown bacteria Lab Report

Biochemical identification of unknown bacteria - Lab Report Example 1) Nutrient agar slant: Given culture was streak on the nutrient agar slant and incubated at two different temperature 25Â °C and 37Â °C respectively. After 24h of incubation, slants were taken out from incubator and growth was observed. Growth on tube incubated at 37Â °C was found to be effuse and the growth was extensive while in case of tube incubated at 25Â °C growth was found to be lesser compared to previous tube and echinulated in nature. There was no pigmentation observed and growth was found to be whitish in color and translucent in nature. Results indicated that given unknown bacteria is either Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes or Staphylococcus aureus ,being human /animal inhabitant The optimum temperature for growth of these bacteria is 37Â °C (i.e. human body temperature) while in case of Pseudomonas aerogenosa being free living as well as human inhabitant, it can grow at 25Â °C as well as 37Â °C . Similarly it also produces bluish green pigment and grows as mucoid colony. 2) Nutrient agar: Given culture was streak on to the nutrient agar plate using quadrant streak technique and incubated at 37Â °C for 24 h. After incubation colonies were found to be convex, circular and having entire margin. Optically colonies were found to be translucent and without any pigmentation. This observation again ruled out the possibility of Pseudomonas aeroginosa. Similarly colony of Staphylococcus aureus is opaque, slightly elevated, appears yellowish white.

How cell phones changed todays society Essay Example for Free

How cell phones changed todays society Essay How cellphones effect people everyday lives today? Cellphones play a bid role in today’s society as many would concur. From when someone wakes up in the morning they instantly checks their profile, messages, or missed calls. Cellphones make it easier to communicate with each other even if there’s a lot of distance between them. They made it to where if someone in Georgia want to talk to someone in New York anytime, then they could without haven to drive or fly to the other destination to. In order to keep the cellphones in business and effective they made different companies, that advertise, sale, keep in order, and produce the product. So to keep the business around each company tries to make the best deals for single and family purposes. They also build more signal towers all around the world to produce more signal than another company, to promise better service. They advertise the company on TV by commercials, on the internet with web site, on the streets with flyer or poster. They also advertise by saying they got the best by comparing there produce or services to others. Other ways like most of today’s phone are high quality with best games, internet, music, and communication. So when someone gets bored the first thing they do is pick up a phone. Most of some people’s day is spent on a cellphone. People now a days are on their phones extremely too much, missing the beauty of life. Not going out doing things hands on, they rather be sucked into cyber life or social media. Researchers found the radiofrequency field generated by your cell phone causes brain tissue to heat up. This proves your brain is absorbing radiation from your cell, study author David Gultekin, Ph.D., a researcher at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, tells MensHealth.com. Ten studies connect cell phone radiation  to diminished sperm count and sperm damage. Others raise health concerns such as altered brain metabolism, sleep disturbance and behavioral changes in children. Thats why I did research and found a case that can reduce radiation exposure. One of the greatest disadvantages of the cellular phone is the fact that we do not talk to strangers when traveling anymore. In the past, several people waiting for a bus would engage in a conversation while they were waiting. People who traveled the same routes every day might develop friendships along the way. This situation does not happen anymore. Today when people are waiting for a bus, they just pull out their cell phones and speak with old friends, missing out on the opportunity to make new ones. In large cities, many people do not know their neighbors, even though they may have lived in the same neighborhood for years. As a society, we are beginning to lose the face-to-face contact that was such an important part of our lives in the past. Cell phones are a great asset in aiding in our everyday lives. You should remember, however, to hang up every once in a while and pay attention to the world around you.

Economics Markets Essay Example for Free

Economics Markets Essay The most probable result if the minimum wage for teenage workers in Australia will increase is that the employment rate will decrease. The effects on employment on the workers on the increase in the minimum wage of teenage workers will lose their job. This is because employers must retain their profit. Increasing the minimum wage of the workers will result into decrease profit of the company, thus employers will lessen their employers also decreasing their labor costs to retain their profit (Kennan 2007). Take for example a company that aims to maximize its profit. Currently, the companys labor force is n and the minimum wages for its employer is w. Consider a case when the company increases the minimum wage to W with no changes to other factor like profit. If this happens, the profit will decrease because of n*(W-w). The only way to regain the losses of the company that is brought by the increase in the minimum wage is to lessen its labor force n to compensate the losses. Drastic change will occur on the employment of teenage workers in Australia because employers will consider first the adult or the professionals. Companies that need personnel with expertise on the said company will be hired first because these professional are more equipped in producing profit for the company. The figure below illustrates how employment is being affected by the increase in the rate of wage of the labors. As the wage increase, so also the gap thus increasing the rate of unemployment (David Tuerck and Paul Bachman 2005). There are other possible outcomes when minimum wage rate will increase among teenage workers in Australia. Though many employee will be attracted on the high wage rate in Australia, there is a big possibility that companies will go to other places where there is low wage rate. Most companies now are finding their personnel on places where there is a low wage rate. This is to lessen other expenses incurred by the companies (Haussamen 2007).

Effects of Viral Marketing

Effects of Viral Marketing Viral Marketing 1.1 Viral Marketing These years, the competitions among companies become more and more furious. Song (2004) pointed out that many companies in order to survive even to develop, they try to make good use any way that can help them to enlarge their market share and build a strong brand. The traditional Medias such as television, newspaper, radio and printed Ads were over used in the last decade. This view was supported by Mogg (2006) who believed that using these traditional ways to promote a product or service not longer can stimulate audiences’ passion and urge effectively. Because in some extent, audiences were get used to receive information of these ways, they need something new, need a new â€Å"flavor† of the information they receive (Sally, 2006). The era that customers rely on marketers’ suggestions or advertising to make a purchase decision was gone. Czinkota (2007) argued that only supply the information that you think customers would need is not working, not enough to persuade customers, and can not fulfill their needs and satisfy them. Customers already become smart enough; they do not like to be persuaded by marketers or advertisings in many situations. They prefer to be active in the buying process and use their own knowledge and standards to decide what they need, and what they happy to buy (Grewal, 2008). A strong brand can make customers have faith in a company and its products. This view seems acceptable for Fill (2005) who agreed that building close relationship with customers is vital; companies try their best to pursue the best marketing strategies with the purpose to be strong and profitable. Word of mouth is one of the effective ways for a company to promote its products (Anderson, 1999). Word-of-Mouth (WOM) was described as oral, person-to-person communication between a receiver and a communicator which the receiver perceives as a noncommercial message, regarding a brand, product or service (Haywood, 1989, pp53-66). It can help a company use less money to do the mass promotion. This view was supported by Buttle(1998), he believed that customers are easier to be persuaded through this way as they think it is a noncommercial way. They consider that they are on the active position to receive information and make a buying decision, not be persuaded to do that. With the evolution of technology, and the growth of the internet, the arena of many companies have move from realistic world to a new world—the internet (Castells, 1997). Word of mouth has upgrade through internet, and gets a new name â€Å"viral marketing† these years (Modzelewski, 2000). Base on Dicher’s (2001, pp47) research, â€Å"viral marketing is a strategy that companies use to stimulate their customer to pass on something about their products to their network of colleagues and friends†. For the company, viral marketing can help a company use a little budget to promote itself sharply, since the information you send out, customers would pass them on by themselves. In the customers’ side, viral marketing help customers feel better as they think that they make the purchase decision by themselves, and they get information from their friends who seem more reliable than marketers or advertisings. (Wangenheim, 2007, pp131-146) Base on the advantages of internet, using viral marketing relate to internet can make the promotion effect like a nuclear bomb. Internet can make the information deliver very fast, even exceed your expectation. Sudaraman and Rajagopalan(2003) found that since you use viral marketing to send out your information, it may reach every corner of world that has internet connections only need a few days. Internet seems something bring information deliver from the â€Å"Stone Age† to â€Å"21st century†, it acting like a pair of wings of information delivery, make information deliver reach to an incredible speed. Considering the effective of viral marketing strategy, this report decides to examine the effects of viral marketing that can make to a company. The author is very interested in the effects of viral marketing, as it is a trend for future business; it is so useful to company’s promotion and information delivery. To know clear about the viral marketing can help author to enrich his marketing knowledge, and will be very helpful in his future job or business, even can help readers of this report to know more about viral marketing. In order to make the research more reliable and get accurate analysis, this report would choose MySpace, an online company which seems to be success on using viral marketing strategy to assist the analysis. 1.2 MySpace Tom Anderson (born November 8, 1970) is the President of the social networking website, MySpace. He is one of the people identified as a founder of the site, along with CEO Chris DeWolfe (Boyd, 2006). At the beginning, it was a website with a small number of users, which used to make friends. Then they invite some famous people to join in, these famous people bring many fans in. since more and more bands build up their website on this station, MySpace becoming bigger and get huge number of users. It develop from a music wed station to a core of young people’s live in America, then explore all over the world(Diving into the Myspace Pool, 2006). It chooses to give users enough freedom to build what they like in this wed station, and this freedom and right make it explore so quickly. People can use their email address to sign up as the user of it. (Source from Dwyer, 2007) Every user can upload the things they like, such as video and sound clips, pictures and many other things. MySpace listen to their users and improve the wed station, like increase blogs, message board, discuss rooms, and online communications. Users can talk to their friends there, play games together, even use wed camera to meet each other when they talking.(source from Boyd, 2006) This wed station can make users feel so free in it; they can talk what they like with their friends here. So users invite their friends to join in MySpace (Diving into the MySpace Pool, 2006). In such a way, MySpace reach to a great success. Until 2006, MySpace only set up three years, but its development speed was faster than any wed station in history, it is a myth of the internet development history. It already beyond Yahoo and Google to be the biggest wed station in USA. It was set up with a very small cost, but in 2005, Rupert Murdoch, the CEO of The News Corporation Limited, use 580 million dollar to buy it. One year after it was purchased, it earn 900 million dollar from Google for advertising fee. (Source from Hempel and Lehman, 2005) It seems that MySpace really a success example to make good use of viral marketing strategy, that why this report choose UK MySpace as the case study to assist the research and analysis. 1.3 Research Objectives a. Examine the effects that viral marketing can make to a company, associate with case studyUK MySpace b. Access to customers attitude and reactions to viral marketing through primary and secondary data analysis c. Find out the effects of viral marketing for a company’s success at last. Chapter 2 Literature Review 2.1 The Background and Development of Viral Marketing Marketing is a social process which satisfies consumers needs. The term includes advertising, distribution and selling of a product or service. It is also concerned with anticipating the customers future needs and expectations, often through market research (Frenzen and Nakamoto, 1993). This view was supported by Eugene (1998) who believed that marketing is the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion, and distribution of ideas, goods, and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organizational objectives. Pamela (2000) pointed out that traditional marketing is the marketing techniques that are used for many years, it mainly using mediums such as, television, newspaper, telephone and radio. Nowadays, there are many new technologies are used to replace the traditional mediums to do promotions: Internet, multimedia mobile phone, blogs and so on. These new mediums can help marketers to reach more customers and cut cost. This view was supported by Wegert (2004) who believed that the traditional mediums do not work effective as before, they make many audiences feel boring and many offers what they dislike. Customers want to see something new and soothing, really make them interesting and happy, so the new mediums may work effective and can catch their eyeballs (Anderson, 1998, pp104-141). These years, more and more people like to surfing on internet (Wangenheim, 2007). This situation leads to many marketers focus on internet to promote their products and services. Especially, young people prefer using internet to traditional mediums. For a company’s future development, holding the young people now can make them get a big market share in the future (Bayus, 1985). So to make good use of the internet to do promotion is vital for many companies, especially the company which rely on internet to do business. There are many advantages to use internet as an advertising medium: message can change quickly and easily; create own page cheaply; low cost; direct sales possible and so on (McWilliams, 2000). Base on its advantages, more and more companies choose to use internet to do advertisings. Several main online promotion techniques are recognized by marketing researchers, viral marketing will be the focus of this research as it can reach mass consumers in a short time with a low cost. 2.2 From WOM to Viral Marketing During the last decade, customer satisfaction and perceived service quality have been important topics in the marketing literature. This is due to the empirically verified belief that increases in satisfaction and quality will finally result in higher profitability (Wangenheim, 2007). Over the past 10 years however the focus of research on satisfaction and quality has slowly shifted from understanding how â€Å"service quality perceptions and satisfaction judgments† are formed to a more â€Å"outcome-oriented view† of assessing the returns on service quality and satisfaction based on a thorough understanding of the associated costs and benefits (Buttle, 1998, pp76-89). A strategy called â€Å"viral marketing† was used by many companies to pursue the profit. Before the â€Å"viral marketing† appears, a marketing strategy called â€Å"word of mouth† was used in that way. Haywood (1989) believed that Word-of-Mouth (WOM) refers to oral, person-to-person communication between a receiver and a communicator which the receiver perceives as a noncommercial message, regarding a brand, product or service. Even though WOM strategy can bring huge benefits to a company, the development of technology usage has upgraded the word of mouth strategy to a new one call â€Å"viral marketing† (Richins, 1999). These years, stationary Internet consumers’ communication environment has been changed and enriched. As a result WOM has gained new significance and WOM on the stationary Internet was termed â€Å"viral marketing†. This view was supported by Godes and Mayzlin (2004), that Viral or word-of-mouth marketing has become very popular because it has a new medium—the Internet. According to one venture capital firm, 76 percent of new business plans have the words viral marketing in them (File, Cermak and Prince, 2000). Using e-mail makes it incredibly easy to pass information on to a friend or colleague, especially if it involves something fun or free. With millions using the Internet all over the world, the potential for exponential growth is quite huge. 2.3 What is Viral Marketing Since the term viral marketing was introduced in 1997, many disagreements exist about its definition. Subramani and Rajagopalan (2003) view it as word-of-mouth advertising in which consumers tell other consumers about the product or service. Yang and Allenby (2003) argued that true viral marketing differs from word-of-mouth in that the value of the virus to the original consumer is directly related to the number of other users it attracts. Shirky (2000) suggests that, in generally, viral marketing would be word-of-mouth advertising to most people. More importantly, however, he adds that the concept describes viral marketing as a way of getting new customers by encouraging honest communication among consumers. The originator of each branch of the virus has a unique and vested interest in recruiting people to the network. (Modzelewski, 2000, p.30). According to Senecal and Acques (2004) suggestion, purchasing is part of a social process, it involves a one-to-one interaction between the company and the customer and many exchanges of information and influence among the people who surround the customers. They also suggest that many effective networks comprise hubs, clusters, and connections among clusters. In these networks, people will notice a constant flow of green sparks between certain nodes. Wilson (2000) said that viral marketing is sort of this explosion that you start with one customer and he/she will tell people and pass it on continuously. In Dichter’s (2001, p47) opinion, â€Å"viral marketing is the idea that you incite your customers or referral sources to pass on something about your business to their network of colleagues and friends†. There is a similar saying that viral marketing describes any strategy that encourages customers to pass on a marketing message to others, creating the potential for exponential growth in the messages exposure and influence (Hogon, Lemon and Libai, 2004). Nalor (2002) claimed that viral marketing is a marketing tactic relying on some aspects of the system to promote itself as initial targets pass the promotion on to others. Depend mostly on Hogon, Lemon and Libai’s perspectives, the current article views viral marketing as the process of encouraging honest communication among consumer networks, and it focuses on email as the main channel. One example of viral marketing is encouraging current and potential customers to tell others about a companys products and services, and then encouraging those others to tell even more consumers, make the information go forward continuously (Subramani and Rajagopalan, 2003 ). These strategies like viruses, can take advantage of rapid multiplication to explode the message to thousands even to millions customers in a short time. â€Å"The term viral marketing is also used to refer to stealth marketing campaigns—the use of varied kinds of astroturfing both online and offline to create the impression of spontaneous word of mouth enthusiasm†(Hennig-Thurau, Gwinner, Walsh and Gremler,2004, pp 95). Out of the internet, viral marketing has been described as â€Å"word of mouth†, â€Å"creating a buzz†, â€Å"leveraging the media†, â€Å"network marketing†. However, on the internet, whatever, it was called â€Å"viral marketing† (Helm, 2000, pp 57-71). Datta, Chowdhury and Chakraborty (2005) used the term as â€Å"network-enhanced word of mouth† to describe the then high innovative marketing strategy of the free email service Hotmail. For other words, such terms as propagation, aggregation or organic marketing are used. Successful viral marketing is characterized as â€Å"strategies that allow an easier, accelerated, and cost reduced transmission of messages by creating environments for a self-replicating, exponentially increasing diffusion, spiritualization, and impact of the message†. (Hogan, Lemon and Libai, 2001) 2.4. Forms and Categories of Viral Marketing 2.4.1 Forms There are many forms of viral marketing; these include images, jokes, reality TV show transcripts, digital video clips, e-cards, interactive microsites, advergames, and alternative reality games (Modzelewski, 2000). The list is continuously growing as the development of viral marketing. 2.4.2 Categories There are several ways to categorize viral marketing. First, difference between â€Å"intentional and unintentional message† delivery and used a â€Å"motivational classification†. Secondary, difference is between â€Å"service-based and incentive-based†. In the first situation, viral effect was decided by the quality of offer, another one means that company uses monetary incentive to stimulate customers so that they would pass on an advertiser’s message. Base on the differences between private and public recommendation, the categorization between â€Å"high (active) and low (passive) integration strategies are varying in the degree of requiring the consumer’s activity in passing on the ‘virus’ †. (Source from Goldenberg, Libai and Muller, 2001, pp 209-257) 2.5 Viral Marketing in B2B Beside the explanation of viral marketing base on B2C, many authors get another similar definition for it on B2B side. In B2B, viral marketing means the rapid spread of a message about a new product or service, in a similar way to the spread of a virus (Yang and Allenby, 2003). Viral marketing can be word of mouth; however, it is particularly common being use on the Internet, where messages can be spread easily and quickly to reach people all over the world. Products can become very famous in this way with very little advertising cost. Carrabis (2006) has proved that viral marketing rely on social networks in order to function. Linking is also an effective viral marketing tool, as is the provision of free products or services. The Hotmail free e-mail service, for example, grew quickly with little marketing investment (Tafe, 2007). In B2B area, viral marketing works well in the following circumstances: (a) when a product is genuinely new and different, and it is something that opinion leaders want to associate with;(b) when the benefits of the product are real; (c) when the product is relevant to a large number of people, and the benefits are easy to communicate (Bansal and Voyer, 2000, p26-63). 2.6 Why Viral Marketing These years, online social networks are increasingly being considered as an important source of information to affect the adoption and use of products and services (Mac, 2006). Viral marketing as the tactic of creating a process where interested people can market to each other, is therefore emerging as an important marketing strategy to spread-the-word and stimulate the trial, adoption, and use of products and services. (Herr, Kardes and Kim, 1999) What is new about viral marketing is not word of mouth, but the way people are spreading it (Hogan, Lemon and Libai, 2004). Web users have the ears and eyes of hundreds, even thousands of people. They are in contact with an International crowd they would never have met otherwise. Most significantly, they can reach people they do not really know. That is why several weeks after a people sent the first Hotmail message into India; thousands of Indian users had Hotmail accounts (Kuruvilla, 2007). It is believed that a satisfied customer tells an average of three people about a product or service he likes, and nine people about a product or service which he dislikes (Sudaraman, Mitra and Webster, 1999). Viral marketing is based on this natural human behavior to conduct its campaigns. Domingos (2006) believed that the purpose of marketers interested in making a successful viral marketing campaign is to identify customers who with high social networking potentials, and then created viral messages that can attract this segment of the customers and have a high likely to keep the message spreading. Viral marketing has received extensive attention from both academics and practitioners these years (Jurvetson, 2000). Base on the analysis before, many authors form their standpoints about the effect that viral marketing strategy can bring to a company. They argue with other authors’ opinions base on their own standpoints. 2.6.1 Positive Effects of Viral Marketing Viral marketing facilitates spreading commercial information and content within the desired target group (Hogan, Lemon and Libai, 2001)). Another advantage of it is that advertisers can expand the promotion reach significantly at a very low company expense (Baker, 2005). According a survey of Duhan, Johnson, Wilcox and Harrell (1997), 35% of the 3000 respondents said a friend’s recommendation would convince them to visit a website they do not know before. These results illustrated the huge potential of viral marketing for communication and distribution purposes. What is great about viral marketing is that it is low cost and works virtually by itself. Once you make an offer and provide the facility, for referrals, viral marketing spreads by itself very faster, just like a virus (Hogan, Lemon and Libai, 2004). Just like Tafe (2007) said that, Hotmail only cost 18 months to get 12 million users by using viral marketing that let users to referral users, it cost nothing to do Ads, only use free email account. Viral marketing has been studied both as an input into consumer decision-making, and as an outcome of the purchase process (Holmes and Lett, 1997). In the pre-purchase stage, as a risk reducing strategy, consumers seek product information by participating in the viral marketing process. Positive and negative messages are examples of exit behaviors exhibited by consumers at the conclusion of a service encounter ((Hogan, Lemon and Libai, 2004) or usage of a product (Naylor and Kleiser, 2000). Anderson (1998) pointed out that viral marketing could â€Å"influence consumers’ choices and purchase decisions, and shape consumers’ expectations, pre-usage attitudes, even post-usage perceptions of a product or service†. It is believed that the influence of viral marketing is much greater than that of classic advertising media (Gremler, Gwinner and Brown, 2001).BMW is a good example, it supply 5 video clips to watch and download for free, and then get over 11 million visitor in 4 months. The sales of BMW car are increase 12.5% in the next year (Hespos, 2002). It seems that video clips and internet can make viral marketing working effectively. Viral marketing has been referred to as product-related conversation, personal recommendations, informal communication, and interpersonal communication (Jacob, Barak and Muller, 2001). There are one big distinction between viral marketing activities and commercial mass communication. As viral marketing is a consumer-dominated channel of information, the communicator is thought to be independent of the marketer (Lau and NG, 2001). As a result, it is recognized by customers as a more reliable, credible, and trustworthy source of information. It provides information concerning product performance and the social and psychological consequences of a purchase decision (Naylor and Kleiser, 2000). For example, Myspace use viral marketing to make the users to referral itself and make a big success (Dwyer, 2007). Viral marketing can convert lower order cognition and affect to higher order cognition and affect, which in turn can lead to committed behaviors of receivers (Baker, 2005). The credibility of viral marketing, coupled with the probability that a receiver will be more highly involved in a viral marketing message than an advertisement, lends itself to the formation of such higher order beliefs and cognition. Through multiple dyads and retransmission, one message can reach and potentially influence many receivers (Henning-Thurau, Gwinner, Walsh and Gremler, 2004). Make good use of the customers’ internet social networks, like using free email referrals and internet chat rooms, the information can spread sharply (Domingos, 2006). The effectiveness of viral marketing can also be explained by the accessibility-diagnosticity model (Hogan, Lemon and Libai, 2004). Some findings suggest that vividly (face-to-face) presented information is more memorable to customers and is weighed more heavily in their judgments (Henning-Thurau, Gwinner, Walsh and Gremler, 2004).such as Myspace, it use the chat rooms that users can talk to each other, even face-to-face through PC camera, and then its information become more reliable and memorable for users (Boyd, 2006). Because of internet, information accessibility increases, it is high likely that this information is used by customers as an input for their judgments and choices also increases (Hogan, Lemon and Libai, 2004). 2.6.2 Negative Effects of Viral Marketing For all its advantages, viral marketing also has many unexpected pitfalls. Most important, companies have almost no control over the viral spread since it was send out, and therefore they can do little if the viral turns to against them and their products (Jurvetson, 2000). â€Å"The action most frequently reported by consumers who are dissatisfied with a purchase or who have rejected or discontinued using a product is telling friends about the experience and urging them to avoid it† (Weinberger and Lepkowska-White, 2000 ). Many researchers have suggested that negative information tends to cause many attention to and weighting of that information (Bristor, 1990). For example, Naylor and Kleiser (2000) found that negative messages destroy the image of a brand are more than twice as strongly as positive WOM promoted sales of that product. Negative message has also led to the failure of many companies’ promotion. Wilson (2000) argues that negative messages would be communicated to more people than positive messages. According to much previous evidence about the spread of marketing information, it is suggested that a negative message may travel farther than a positive message through retransmission. In previous research; the influencer was oft en considering to be an opinion leader. However, a dissatisfied customer who initiates negative message need not be an opinion leader, and yet his opinions can have adverse effects on the marketer (Richins, 1999). For example, Sony try to use Youtube to promote its Playstation consoles, it created an imaginary character called Peter and tried to make the character as a hip -hop shark. However, some clever users soon discovered the wile, and tell many others. Many people then angary with what SONY done, and refuse to buy the playstation consoles. In the end, Sony had to make a public apology to delighted and hold the customers. (Source from Kuruvilla, 2007) 2.6.3 Viral Marketing Effects in B2B For business-to-business companies, it makes sense to begin with a product or service offer that has real, free value to prospects. Examples: an e-mailed newsletter that can easily be forwarded to colleagues, or a product that comes with an incentive, such as gift certificates or coupons, sent via e-mail, which can be passed along to more than one person. Viral marketing can work effective for B2B providers, since the following is true. One very significant effort of viral marketing is to allow others to post articles that you have authored on their Web sites (Lau and NG, 2001). Another way to encourage visitors to spread the word about your product or service is to provide a link or button on each Web page that they can click on to forward your wed site (Goldenberg, Libai and Muller, 2001). While some people may use viral marketing only as buzzwords, there is another significance for B2B marketers. Companies can encourage satisfied customers and referral sources in a credible way and persuade them to spread the positive words for their products. Keep the reward combined with your business and appropriate for the size and type of referral. Ensure that your offer adds value or reward for the referrer and for those people that are referred to you, and then you will have a cost-effective marketing tool to grow your business (Herr, Kardes and Kim, 1999). 2.6.4 Factors Motivating Viral Marketing According to Chen, Iyer and Padmanabhan (2002), viral marketing involves two parties: the communicator and the receiver. Viral marketing will only start when the communicator is motivated to speak and the receiver is motivated to listen. Therefore, in order to understand how the process works, it is very important that understand the inherent motives. In the case of the receiver, motivation to listen may be affected by: (a) source reliability (Blodgett, Granbois and Walters, 1998); (b) interpersonal ties between the sender and receiver (Goldenberg, Libai and Muller, 2001); (c)product and purchasing situation characteristics such as high perceived risk (Bristor, 1990), newness, .and intangibility associated with services (Weinberger and Lepkowska-White, 2000); and (d) situational factors such as conditions where product information may be hard or impossible to get from the marketer, or where there is a shortage of time. In the case of the communicator, motivation to speak may be influenced by: (a) the personality of the communicator, for example, self-confidence (Bristor, 1990) and sociability (Richins, 1999); (b) the attitudes of the communicator, for example, a desire to help others (Lau and NG, 2001) and attitude towards complaining (Singh, 1990); (c) involvement with the product and with the purchase decision (Henning-Thurau, Gwinner, Walsh and Gremler, 2004); and (d) situational factors like â€Å"proximity of others during dissatisfaction† (Lau and NG, 2001). Viral marketing has quickly been recognized by many companies because of many successful examples: Marketers proved that a little budget they could motivate millions customers. They did so by encourage customer-to-customer communication to increase sales, brand awareness, and market share. Seth Godi uploads his ebook on the internet and the people can download for free and has the right to send to their friends. If they like, they can buy a print copy. Only three months, nearly one million people download the e-book. (Source from Tafe, 2007) Receivers getting a marketing message from familiar communicators participate more frequently in a campaign as initial contacts. Because the personal message which come from friends or people you know would be more credible than that coming directly from the self-interest advertiser (Goldenberg, Libai and Muller, 2001). Taking advantage of the inherent nature of internet as communication vehicles viral marketing enables consumers to share information and content within their social network easier and faster, there are without time and location limitation for internet communications (Naylor and Kleiser, 2000). Money incentive can works very effective when a viral marketing not clever and attractive enough for customers. Give referrers a reward can encourage fast spread of the marketing information. Those people who pass on your information can get something in return can encourage their passion to pass on the information. That something may be a gift or service related to your business or simply the knowledge that they have added value for others. 2.7 Measuring Success and Effective Many authors argue that what is a successful campaign? Can it based on the amount of number of people who positively interact with the campaign’s content or the sales created by the campaign? Although no a single measurement system has build up for viral marketing, measurement tools do exist, allow the markers use to tracking the process and effects of viral marketing. It is hard to know whether audiences care about the contents behind the campaigns, what ensure about the marketers maybe how many people see the campaign (Goldenberg, Libai and Muller, 2001). Shirky (2000) believed that viral marketing not always effective as it also have many disadvantages, and many situations would make it fail. The difference between a successful and unsuccessful viral marketing campaign is the campaign’s ability to connect with audiences and persuade them to pass on the message and ultimately the product or service (Kirby, 2006, p.92). Kirby (2006) recognizes that in order to increase the chances of a successful viral campaign many companies are starting to invest more into the planning and implementation of it. Freedma

Concept of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Essay -- essays researc

Concept of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Voice over Internet Protocol, commonly known as VoIP, is a technology used for the transmission of voice information using the Internet Protocol (IP). VoIP allows the sending of voice information in a digital form using packets as opposed to the traditional circuit-committed protocols of the Public Switched Telephone network (PSTN). Traditionally when one wishes to make a phone call, a call is placed using a telephone that is connected to a circuit-switched network. In a circuit switched network, network resources are static; the network resources are allocated from the sender to the receiver before the start of the voice transmission. Two points are connected in both directions thus creating a â€Å"circuit†. The resources remain dedicated to the circuit during the entire transfer and the entire voice transmission follows the same path, this is the foundation of the PSTN. Up until circa 1960, every call had a dedicated wiring stretching from one end of the call to the other for the duration of the call. An example of this essential physical connection is a call from New York to Los Angeles required all the switches to connect pieces of copper wire between the two points for the entire duration of the call. Naturally this was expensive due to the resources in use. Telephone conversations today are somewhat more efficient and cost a lot less. The voice transmission is digitized, and along with thousands of other phone calls can ...

To Kill A Mocking Bird Essay -- To Kill a Mockingbird Essays

2. â€Å"What is the significance of the title of the novel† â€Å"I’d rather you shoot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you’ll go after the birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mocking bird.† Atticus Finch recites these lines to his two children, Jem and Scout after he gives them air-rifles for Christmas. Scout is curious, as this is the first time that she has ever heard her father refer to anything as a sin, Scout asks Miss Maude what Atticus meant by this. Miss Maude tells Scout that mocking birds don’t rip up people’s garden’s or annoy them in any way, all they do is play beautiful music for us to listen to. To Kill A Mocking Bird is set in a small town in South America called Maycomb. Most of the town’s people of this happy town are not at all what they seem for there is a great hate for all coloured humans. At first glance many readers would wonder how the title evolved, but once you explore the text you begin to understand what the bases of Harper Lee’s message. Harper Lee has portrayed two characters as Mocking Birds. The first of these is Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson is a Negro living in Maycomb who becomes notorious when he is wrongly accused of the rape of a white woman. Atticus knows that the battle will not be an easy case to win, but decides to represent Tom Robinson, as he says that he couldn’t hold his head up in town or tell the children what to do. Tom Robinson was a harmless member of society who nev...

Rap Music Essay example -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Imagine an inner city kid having grown u in an environment where real life street violence is a way of life. His body, having survived personal experiences of violence, endured barely life sustained conditions, and many sleepless nights caused by the constant yet unpredictable call of death. His mind doubtful over where his next meal will come from, lost in search of some higher guidance, struggling through a world, not of innocent childish fantasies, but trapped in a forced reality. His only outlet is the loud blaring music coddling his already pent-up rage, an escape from these harsh realities, seducing him to a life of violence. In him is created a â€Å"me against the world† mentality that is manifested in the rap and hip-hop music that dominates his culture.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Among the most common subjects of rap and hip-hop is violence and misogyny. They emphasize these two as inevitable regularities of the life lived in the streets. Their music reflects this fact by promoting violence and misogyny, which poses adverse influences on not only children and teenagers in the ghettos and urban cities but also other people affected by them. Violence and misogyny is a very serious problem that the American people have to face in today’s society. It is rapidly growing and is more frequent in major cities and suburbs. Most random acts of violence are surprisingly committed in the streets by young teenagers and even young children, most of which are influenced by their favorite rap or hip-hop artists. The subject of violence and misogyny found in rap and hip-hop music promotes violent crimes in city streets as well as influencing our innocent youth to commit random acts of violence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The most common acts of violence committed are armed shootings and rape, many of which are commonly committed by teens and young children from urban cities living with poor family values. According o Senator Dole, â€Å"†¦ The loss of family values is caused by the moral corruption of popular culture, and therefore we should hold rap artists, Hollywood moguls, and record executives responsible for our moral chaos.† (Maker) Poor family values and influences from rap and hip-hop music may also tend to lead the young teen or child to commit acts of violence such as armed shooting and rape. â€Å"Our kids have adapted the gangs... ...an image that all women are just looking for sex.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If you though that song lyrics are bad, the song titles are just as worse. Most song titles are very extreme and have deeper meanings to it. For example Dr.Dre’s hit son â€Å"Let Me Ride,: has two connotations: the first refers to sexual encounter and the second refers to the sexual act of intercourse. Snoop Doggy Dog’s album â€Å"Doggystyle† refers to the sexual act of having sex through the â€Å"rear entry† position. Finally, K7’s â€Å"Come Baby Come,† incorporates a â€Å"catchy† chorus line saying â€Å"I come baby come, baby baby, come come†¦ if ya gotta give me loving then you’ve gottta give me some†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (qtd in Sexton 64) which basically refers to the sexual act.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is surprising that music can have such an impact on American society today. The truth is that rap and hip-hop music not only affects teenagers and children that commit violence, but also affects those victims who suffer from the violent acts, Violence and Misogyny is a very serious problem that Americans face today and in order to create peace in our city streets, we must set guidelines to what our children should or should not hear.

The Stupidest Angel Chapter 6

Chapter 6 BE OF GOOD CHEER; THEY MIGHT HAVE PUT A TREE UP YOUR BUM The Archangel Raziel found, after some consideration, that he did not care for being run over by a Swedish automobile. As far as things  «dirtside » went, he liked Snickers bars, barbecued pork ribs, and pinochle; he also enjoyed Spider-Man, Days of Our Lives, and Star Wars (although the concept of fictional film eluded the angel and he thought they were all documentaries); and you just couldn't beat raining fire on the Egyptians or smiting the bejeezus out of some Philistines with lightning bolts (Raziel was good with weather), but overall, he could do without missions to Earth, humans and their machines in general, and (now) Volvo station wagons in particular. His broken bones had knit nicely and the deep gouges in his skin were filling in even as he came upon the chapel, but all things considered, he could go a very long time not being run over by a Volvo again and feel just dandy about it. He brushed at the all-weather radial tire print that ran up the front of his black duster and across his angelic face. Licking his lips, he tasted vulcanized rubber, thinking that it wouldn't be bad with hot sauce or perhaps chocolate sprinkles. (There is little variety of flavors in heaven, and an abundance of bland white cake has been served to the heavenly host over the eons, so Raziel had fallen in the habit of tasting things while dirtside, just for the contrast. Once, in the third century B.C., he had consumed the better part of a bucket of camel urine before his friend the Archangel Zoe slapped it out of his hand and informed him that it was, despite the piquant bouquet, nasty.) This wasn't his first Nativity mission. No, in fact, he had been given the assignment of the very first Nativity mission, and due to having stopped on the way to play some pinochle, he'd shown up ten years late, announcing to the prepubescent Son himself that he â€Å"would find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.† Embarrassing? Well, yes. And now, some two thousand years later, he was on another Nativity mission, and he was sure now that he'd found the child, that this one was going to go much more smoothly (for one thing, there were no shepherds to frighten – he'd felt bad about that back then). No, come Christmas Eve the mission would be accomplished, he'd grab a plate of ribs and head back to heaven lickety-split. But first he needed to find the site for the miracle. There were two sheriff's cruisers and an ambulance outside the Barker house when Theo arrived. â€Å"Crowe, where the hell have you been?† the sheriff's deputy was yelling before Theo was even out of the Volvo. The deputy was the second-shift commander; Joe Metz was his name. He had a linebacker frame that he augmented with weight lifting and marathon beer drinking. Theo had encountered him a dozen times in as many years. Their relationship had gone from a mild disregard to an open disrespect – which was pretty much Theo's relationship with everyone in the San Junipero County Sheriff's Department. â€Å"I saw the suspect and made pursuit. I lost him in the woods about a mile east of here.† Theo decided he wasn't going to mention what he'd actually seen. His credibility was thin enough with the sheriff's department. â€Å"Why didn't you call it in? We should have units all over the area.† â€Å"I did. You do.† â€Å"I didn't hear the call go in.† â€Å"I called it in on my cell. My radio's broken.† â€Å"Why don't I know about it?† Theo raised his eyebrows as if to say, Perhaps because you're a big no-necked dumb-ass. At least that's what he hoped the gesture said. Metz looked at the radio on his belt, then turned to disguise his action as he turned a switch. Immediately the voice of the dispatcher came on, calling out for the shift commander. Metz keyed the mike clipped to the epaulet of his uniform shirt and identified himself. Theo stood by, trying not to smile as the dispatcher reported the entire situation again. Theo wasn't worried about the two units that were headed to the woods up by the chapel. He was sure they weren't going to find anyone. Whoever the guy in black was, he had a way of disappearing, and Theo didn't even want to think of the means by which he did it. Theo had gone back to the chapel, where he'd caught a glimpse of the blond man moving through the woods before he was gone again. Theo had called home to make sure that Molly was okay. She was. â€Å"Can I talk to the kid?† Theo asked. â€Å"When the EMTs are done looking at him,† Metz said. â€Å"The mother's on the way. She was out to dinner with the boyfriend in San Junipero. Kid seems okay, just real shaken up, some bruises on his arms where the suspect picked him up, but no other injuries I could see. Kid couldn't say what the guy wanted. There's no property missing.† â€Å"You get a description?† â€Å"The kid keeps giving us names of characters from video games for comparison. What do we know from ‘Mung-fu, the Vanquished'? You get a good look at him?† â€Å"Yeah,† Theo said, forcing a lump out of his throat, â€Å"I'd say Mung-fu is pretty accurate.† â€Å"Don't fuck with me, Crowe.† â€Å"Caucasian, long blond hair, blue eyes, clean-shaven, six foot two, one-eighty, wearing a black duster that goes to the ground. I didn't see his shoes. Dispatch has it all.† Theo kept thinking of the deep gouges in the blond guy's cheeks. He had started to think of him as the â€Å"ghost-bot.† Video games – right. Metz nodded. â€Å"Dispatch says he's on foot. How'd you lose him?† â€Å"The woods are thick up there.† Metz was looking at Theo's belt. â€Å"Where's your weapon, Crowe?† â€Å"I left it in the car. Didn't want to scare the kid.† Without a word, Metz stepped over to Theo's Volvo and opened the passenger-side door. â€Å"Where?† â€Å"Pardon?† â€Å"Where in your unlocked car is your weapon?† Theo felt the last of his energy flow out of him. He just wasn't good at confrontation. â€Å"It's at my house.† Metz smiled now like the bartender had just announced pitchers all around, on the house. â€Å"You know, you might be the perfect guy to go after this suspect, Theo.† Theo hated it when the sheriffs called him by his first name. â€Å"Why's that, Joseph?† â€Å"The kid said he thought the guy might be retarded.† â€Å"I don't get it,† Theo said, trying not to grin. Metz walked away shaking his head. He climbed into his cruiser, then as he was backing past Theo, the passenger window whirred down. â€Å"Write up a report, Crowe. And we need to get a description of this guy to the local schools.† â€Å"It's Christmas break.† â€Å"Dammit, Crowe, they'll be going back to school sometime, won't they?† â€Å"So you don't think your guys will catch him, then?† Without another word Metz whirred up the window and whipped the cruiser out of the driveway as if he'd just received an urgent call. Theo smiled as he walked up to the house. Despite the excitement and terror and outright weirdness of evening, he suddenly felt good. Molly was safe, the kid was safe, the Christmas tree was up at the chapel, and there was just no rush that compared to safely and successfully fucking with a pompous cop. He paused on the top step and considered for a moment that perhaps, after fifteen years in law enforcement himself, he really should have matured past that particular pleasure. Nah. â€Å"Did you ever shoot anybody?† asked Joshua Barker. He was sitting on a bar stool at the kitchen counter. A man in a gray uniform was fussing medical over him. â€Å"No, I'm an EMT,† said the EMT. He ripped the blood-pressure cuff off Josh's arm. â€Å"We help people, we don't shoot them.† â€Å"Did you ever put that blood-pressure thing around someone's neck and pump it till their eyes bugged out?† The EMT looked at Theophilus Crowe, who had just entered the Barkers' kitchen. Theo frowned appropriately. Josh turned his attention to the lanky constable, noting that he had a badge clipped to his belt but no gun. â€Å"You ever shoot anybody?† â€Å"Sure,† Theo said. Josh was impressed. He'd seen Theo around town, and his mom always said hi to him, but he never thought he actually did anything. Not anything cool, anyway. â€Å"None of these guys ever shot anyone.† Josh gestured to the two deputies and the two EMTs stationed around the small kitchen, giving them a look that said the wussies! with the full disdain his soft seven-year-old features could muster. â€Å"You kill the guy?† he asked Theo. â€Å"Yep.† Josh didn't really know where to go now. If he stopped asking questions, he knew that Theo would start asking questions, just like the sheriffs had, and he didn't want to answer any more questions. The blond man had told him not to tell anyone. The sheriff said that the blond man couldn't hurt him, but the sheriff didn't know what Josh knew. â€Å"Your mom is on the way, Josh,† Theo said. â€Å"She'll be here in a few minutes.† â€Å"I know. I talked to her.† To the EMTs and deputies, Theo said, â€Å"Guys, can I talk to Josh alone a minute?† â€Å"We're done here,† the lead medic said, leaving immediately. Both the deputies were young and eager to be asked to do something, even if it was to leave the room. â€Å"We'll be outside writing this up,† said the last one out. â€Å"Sergeant Metz told us to stay until the mother got home.† â€Å"Thanks, guys,† Theo said, surprised at their congeniality. They must not have been on the department long enough to learn to look down on him for being a town constable, an archaic and redundant job, if you asked most area cops. Once they were gone he turned to Josh. â€Å"So tell me about the man who was here.† â€Å"I told those other police.† â€Å"I know. But you need to tell me. What happened. Even the weird stuff you didn't tell them.† Josh didn't like the way Theo seemed to be ready to believe anything. He wasn't being too nice, or talking baby talk like the others. â€Å"There wasn't any weird stuff. I told them.† Josh nodded as he spoke, hoping he'd look more convincing. â€Å"None of that bad touch stuff. I know about that. None of that.† â€Å"I don't mean that kind of stuff, Josh. I mean weird stuff you didn't tell them because it's unbelievable.† Josh really didn't know what to say now. He considered crying, did a test sniffle just to see if he could get things flowing. Theo reached out and took his chin, lifted it so Josh had to look him in the eye. Why did adults do that? Now he'd ask something that would be really hard to lie about. â€Å"What was he doing here, Josh?† Josh shook his head, mostly to get out of Theo's grip, to get away from that adult lie-detector look. â€Å"I don't know. He just came in and grabbed me and then he left.† â€Å"Why did he leave?† â€Å"I don't know, I don't know. I'm just a kid. Because he's crazy or something. Or maybe he's retarded. That's how he talks.† â€Å"I know,† Theo said. â€Å"You do?† He did? Theo leaned in close. â€Å"I saw him, Josh. I talked to him. I know he wasn't like a normal guy.† Josh felt like he'd just taken his first deep breath since he left Sam's house. He didn't like keeping secrets – sneaking home and lying about it would have been enough, but witnessing the murder of Santa, and then that strange blond guy showing up. But if Theo already knew about the blond guy†¦ â€Å"So, so, you saw him glow?† â€Å"Glow? Shit!† Theo stood up and spun around as if he'd been hit in the forehead with a paintball. â€Å"He glowed, too? Shit!† The tall man was moving like a grasshopper locked in a running microwave. Not that Josh would know what that was like, because that would be a cruel thing to do and he would never do something like that, but, you know, someone told him about it once. â€Å"So he glowed?† Theo asked, like he was trying to get this straight. â€Å"No, I didn't mean that.† Josh needed to back out of this. Theo was trippin'. He'd had enough of adults trippin' for one night. Soon his mom would come home to find a bunch of cops in her house and the trip to beat all trips would start. â€Å"I mean he was really mad. You know, like glowing mad.† â€Å"That's not what you meant.† â€Å"It isn't?† â€Å"He really glowed, didn't he?† â€Å"Well, not constantly. Like, for a little while. Then he just stared at me.† â€Å"Why did he leave, Josh?† â€Å"He said he had what he needed now.† â€Å"What was that? What did he take?† â€Å"I don't know.† Josh was beginning to worry about the constable. He looked like he might hurl any second. â€Å"You're sure you want to go with the glowing thing, Constable Crowe? I could be wrong. I'm a kid. We make notoriously unreliable witnesses.† â€Å"Where'd you hear that?† â€Å"CSI.† â€Å"Those guys know everything.† â€Å"They have the coolest stuff.† â€Å"Yeah,† said Theo wistfully. â€Å"You don't get to use cool cop stuff like that, huh?† â€Å"Nope.† Theo was sounding really sad now. â€Å"But you shot a guy, right?† Josh said cheerfully, trying to raise Theo's spirits. â€Å"I was lying. I'm sorry, Josh. I'd better go. Your mom will be home soon. You just tell her everything. She'll look out for you. The deputies will stay with you until she gets here. See ya, kiddo.† Theo ruffled his hair and started out of the kitchen. Josh didn't want to tell her. And he didn't want Theo to go. â€Å"There's something else.† Theo turned and looked back at him. â€Å"Okay, Josh, I'll stick around – ; â€Å"Someone killed Santa Claus tonight,† Josh blurted out. â€Å"Childhood ends too soon, doesn't it, son?† Theo said, putting his hand on Josh's shoulder. If Josh had had a gun, he'd have shot him, but being an unarmed kid, he decided that of all of these adults, the goofy constable might just be the one who would believe what he had seen happen to Santa. The two deputies had come into the house with Josh's mother, Emily Barker. Theo waited until she had hugged most of the breath out of her son, then reassured her that everything was okay and made a quick escape. As he came down the porch steps, he saw something yellow shining by the front tire of his Volvo. He looked back to make sure that neither of the deputies was looking out, then he crouched before the front tire and reached up into the wheel well and pulled out a hank of yellow hair that had caught in the black vinyl dent molding. He quickly shoved it into his shirt pocket and climbed into the car, feeling the hair throbbing against his chest like a living thing. The Warrior Babe of the Outland admitted that she was powerless without her medication and that her life had become unmanageable. Molly checked off the step in Theo's little blue Narcotics Anonymous book. â€Å"Powerless,† she muttered to herself, remembering the time when mutants had chained her to a rock in the den of the behemo-badger in Outland Steel: Kendra's Revenge. If not for the intervention of Selkirk, the rogue sand pirate, her entrails would even now be curing on the salt stalagmites of the badger's cave. â€Å"That would sting, huh?† said the Narrator. â€Å"Shut up, that didn't really happen.† Did it? She remembered it like it did. The Narrator was a problem. The problem, really. If it had just been a little erratic behavior, she might have been able to wing it until the first of the month and go back on her meds without Theo noticing, but when the Narrator showed up, she knew she needed help. She turned to the Narcotics Anonymous book that had been Theo's constant companion when he was battling his pot habit. He talked about working the steps all the time, and how he couldn't have done it without them. She needed to do something to reinforce the rapidly blurring line between Molly Michon, party planner, cookie baker, the retired actress, and Kendra, mutant slayer, head breaker, the warrior temptress. â€Å"‘Step two, † she read. â€Å"‘Come to believe that a power greater than ourselves can restore us to sanity. † She thought for a moment and looked out the front window of the cabin for the lights from Theo's car. She really hoped she could get through all twelve steps before he got home. â€Å"Nigoth the Worm God shall be my higher power,† she declared, snatching her broken broadsword from the coffee table and waving it in defiance at the Sony Wega TV that mocked her darkly from the corner. â€Å"In Nigoth's name shall I sally forth, and woe unto any mutant or sand pirate that crosses my path, for his life shall be sacrificed and his bloody balls shall decorate the totem tree of my lodge.† â€Å"And the wicked shall cower before the grandeur of your dirt-striped and well-shaped thighs,† said the Narrator, with robust enthusiasm. â€Å"Goes without saying,† Molly said. â€Å"Okay, step three. ‘Turn your life over to God as you understand Him. â€Å" â€Å"Nigoth requires a sacrifice,† cried the Narrator. â€Å"A limb! Cut it from your body and impale it still twitching upon the worm god's fiery purple horn.† Molly shook her head to rattle the Narrator around a little. â€Å"Dude,† she said. Molly seldom  «duded » anyone. Theo had picked up the word on his patrol of Pine Cove's skateboard park and now used it generally to express incredulity at the audacity of someone's statement or behavior – the correct inflection on the word would convey Doood, please, you've got to be joking or hallucinating, or both, to even suggest such a thing. (Lately Theo had been doing some testing on â€Å"Yo, dat's wack, yo.† But Molly had forbade its use outside of the house, for, as she pointed out, there is little more off-putting than the sound of hip-hop vernacular coming out of the mouth of a white, fortysomething, goony bird of a man. â€Å"Albatross of a man, yo,† Theo had corrected.) Thusly duded, the Narrator bid devotion down. â€Å"A finger, then! The severed finger of a Warrior Babe – â€Å" â€Å"Not a chance,† Molly said. ‘A lock of hair! Nigoth requires – â€Å" â€Å"I was thinking I'd light a candle to symbolize that I'm turning myself over to my higher power.† And to illustrate her sincerity, she took a disposable lighter off the coffee table and lit one of the scented candles she kept on a tray at the table's center. â€Å"A snotty Kleenex, then!† tried the Narrator. But Molly had moved on to step four in the book. â€Å"‘Make a searching and fearless moral inventory of yourself. I have no idea what that means.† â€Å"Well, I'll be fucked in the ear by a blind spider monkey if I get it,† said the Narrator. Molly decided not even to acknowledge the Narrator on that one. After all, if the steps worked like she hoped they would, the Narrator was not going to be around for much longer. She dug into the little blue book in search of clarification. Upon further reading, it appeared that you were supposed to make a list of all the things wrong with your character. â€Å"Put down that you're fucking nuts,† said the Narrator. â€Å"Got it,† Molly said. Then she noticed that the book recommended making a list of resentments. She wasn't exactly sure what she was supposed to do with them, but in fifteen minutes she had filled three pages with all variety of resentments, including both parents, the IRS, algebra, premature ejaculators, good housekeepers, French automobiles, Italian luggage, lawyers, CD packaging, IQ tests, and the fucktard who wrote the â€Å"Caution, pastry may be hot when heated† warning on the Pop-Tarts box. She paused for a breather and was reading ahead to step five when headlights swept across the yard and raked the front of the cabin. Theo was home. † ‘Step five, † Molly read. â€Å"‘Confess to our higher power and another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. â€Å" As Theo came through the door, Molly, her broken broadsword in hand, spun from the cinnamon candle of Nigoth the Worm God and said, â€Å"I confess! I did not file taxes for the years ninety-five through two thousand, I have eaten the radioactive flesh of mutants, and I resent the hell out of you for not having to squat when you pee. â€Å"Hi, honey,† Theo said. â€Å"Shut up, grommet,† said the Warrior Babe. â€Å"So I guess I'm not going to get my Volvo washed?† â€Å"Quiet! I'm confessing over here, ingrate.† â€Å"That's the spirit!† said the Narrator.

Finance Internship Report

Internship / Project Title: Revenue Operations Specialist Internship / Project Progress: I worked in a Saas-based company as a revenue operation specialist. My main responsibilities were to work closely with the CFO with weekly cash flow analysis and to apply cash, book journal entries and created A/R aging reports in Net Suite and GP. Also, I completed monthly GL account reconciliations and revenue waterfalls and prepared SOX filing, such as sales order and journal entry samples.Furthermore, I worked closely with account executives in managing over 350 customers, generating invoices and processing payments in Quickbooks and Xero. When my company transferred system, I migrated over 5 GB of system data using Pivot Table and Vlookup and created novel collection metrics and invoice billing charts on daily basis. Besides, I helped AP team to verified over 100 weekly expense reports for employee expense reimbursements and assisted with accounting logs and billing/revenue close process.I a lso supported in preparation of financial statements and management reporting and managed billing schedules for revenue recognition This position helps me understand how a finance department runs in the daily work. Also, I built many skills relevant to accounting in the software industry, such as revenue recognition, account receivables and VSOE. I summarized what I learnt and contributed for my company below.Revenue and Budgeting: Assisted financial team to reached $29 million quarterly revenue target in ahead of one month; Managed P&L, aged receivables, income statement, bank reconciliation reports and journal entry for monthly revenue reconciliation; Handled revenue waterfall month end closures in an accurate and timely manner, finishing a week before official due date and exceeding manager expectation. Maintained the budgeting model by the development and improvement of budgeting process to decrease 10% cost on delivery rates and advertisement occupancy.Account Management: Engag ed professionally with sales personnel to manage over 350 customer master files in QuickBooks and 300 customers in Xeros and to implement leads generations in Salesforce. com CRM; Built and developed customer relationships to enhance performance in the bank and generated 10% in portfolio revenue. Data Management: Posted daily cash applications and journal entries in various accounts in Net Suite, kept track of over checking and money market accounts simultaneously and maintained onsistently 100% accuracy; Reconstructed over 5 GB of system data using vlookup and combination formulas in Excel, handled software compatibility issues, input and output parsing, saved company over 30 hours in automating the manual migration of data. Overall, what I learn from class in ITU is well applied to my job. For instance, in Financial Accounting class, we learnt the knowledge about three important financial statements, which I used and reviewed in my job.