Water Polution essays

Water Polution essays How to Protect and Keep Our Water Supply Lake Catoma is the only water source for Cullman County and some portions of Morgan and Winston County. We only have the same amount of water today that we did when the Earth was formed so we need to use it sparingly. Less than one percent of the Earths water is available to use for drinking water. Water quality samples are taken regularly to insure the safety of our drinking water, but there are also things we have to do to keep it safe for ourselves. We can not rely on the professionals to do all the work and keep our water clean. Here are some ways you can help protect our drinking water supply: Take used motor oil to an authorized recycling station. Never pour oil or other hazardous waste down your drain, on the ground or in storm sewers! Recycle all household and automotive batteries. Use lawn and garden fertilizers and pesticides sparingly. Here are some tips on conserving water in the bathroom: Check all faucets, pipes Take shorter showers instead of tub baths. Check for toilet leaks (90% of water leaks in the home are in the toilet system). Turn off the water while shaving, brushing teeth, etc. Place a bucket in the shower to catch excess water and use this to water plants. Here are some general water saving tips: Check all household and business plumbing fixtures for leaks and fix them. Thousands of gallons of water are wasted annually through leaky plumbing. Be aware of and follow all water conservation and water shortage rules in effect in your community. Conserve water because it is the right thing to do. Don't waste water just because someone else is footing the bill, such as when you are staying at a hotel. Try to do one thing each day that will result in saving water. Every drop counts and...

The 10 Best ACT Books Recommended for ACT Prep

The 10 Best ACT Books Recommended for ACT Prep SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Has your reading list been taken over by ACT prep books? There are a lot out there to choose from, and you want to make sure you're using high-quality materials that will get you ready for the ACT. This guide is meant to help you choose the best ACT prep books to achieve your goals. I've divided the books up into three categories: the critical book you need, the best books for general prep, and the best books by ACT section. Before jumping into myrecommendations, a quick note about the perspective I'm coming from. FYI: A Disclaimer If books are your preferredresource for studying, then they can take you as far as you want to go in prepping for the ACT. Since all of the following books have different strengths and weaknesses, I would recommend using a combination of several. That way one can make up for any content, strategy, or practice questions that might be lacking in another. At the same time, it's up to you to make a study plan and stick to it. This ACT book list hasall the material you need, but it's up to you to make the most of them. Because designing and sticking to a plan is challenging to students at any age and level (the urge to procrastinate never goes away, to be honest), PrepScholar's online ACTprep program has a great track record of helping students meet their goals. This program combines the best parts of each of these books, while also building in a measure of accountability. It helps you design a study plan customized to your particular needs, strengths, and weaknesses, keep track of your progress, and stick to your benchmarks over a sustained period of time. Regardless of what method works for you, we're committed to givingall students access to the resources they need for academic success. That's why we publish detailed guides to the ACT every day, along with free ACT practice test pdfs for you to download and print. That's also why we want to make sure you're using the best ACT prep books available. To that end, let's start by discussing the critical ACT prepbook that every student should purchase. The Critical Book for ACT Prep By calling this book critical, I mean every student should use it to study for the ACT, regardless of herlevel or target scores. It's really important. Go ahead and get it. I'll wait. The Official ACT Prep Guide (or the "Red Book") Amazon price: about $23 Why is The Official ACT Prep Guideso crucial? Because it's made by the test makers themselves, meaning its practice questions are the best representations of what you'll see on the test. They were actually already given on the test, on past administrations of the ACT. All books have pros and cons, though, so let's consider where this oneexcels and where it has limitations. Pros This book has the best sample questions because they're real ACT questions. That means the content will match what you'll see on the test (with one caveat - see the cons section below), as will the format, timing, and wording of the questions. It's crucial to use real practice questions to prep, so you can get used to the test, know what to expect, and assess where you need more practice. The Red Book has five full-length practice tests, all of which were previously administered official tests. It also has over 400 questions available online that you can access with a code you get when you buy the book. While this book is the best source of practice questions, it's not the best book for other aspects of your test prep. Let's consider some of its drawbacks. Cons While the Red Book is a great source for practice questions, it's not the most thorough when it comes to reviewing concepts or learning strategies. It's especially weak when it comes to test-taking strategies, since the ACT test makersare like magicians: they don't want to reveal their tricks. Another weakness of this book has to do with the answer explanations. They could be more thorough. Other books do a better job of walking through the steps of answering a question or solving a problem. This helps you develop a thought process for successfully approaching and answering questions. Finally, it turns out that not all practice tests are equivalent. While ACT, Inc. hasn't announced any changes to the test, many experts agree that the ACT has been gradually changing (ie, getting more difficult) over the years. In particular, they generally agree that the Science section has become more challenging and the Reading faster paced. The practice tests and questions in this book don't always reflect these changes. In fact, many questions in this book seem to be easier than what you'll encounter on test day. You may find yourself scoring higher on these practice tests than on the real ACT. Since the Red Book is best for practice questions, you would need to supplement it with other ACT books that review content and teach strategies. Below ismy ACT preparation books list, divided by the best general books, followed by my suggestions for subject-specific study guides. Best ACT Books for Overall Study The books that are best for overall study address all sections of the ACT, English, Reading, Math, Science, and the optional essay. Some excel in reviewing content, while others are better for strategies, like managing your time, recognizing question type, and speed reading the passages. All of these books can be used alongside the Red Book, where you can apply what you'velearned on real sample questions. Let's jump into the pros and cons of each. Barron'sACT Amazon price: about $17 Pros If you're looking for a large amount of content, strategies, and practice questions all in one big ACT prep book, then Barron's ACT is a good choice. It's a traditional prep book with a thorough review of the concepts that will appear on each section of the ACT. It begins with an introduction to the ACT and suggested study plan, followed by an ACT "dress rehearsal," or diagnostic test to measure your initial level. Then it devotes about 50 pages to each section, with test-taking tactics, skills and concepts, question types, and a practice test. Each section also begins with a warm-up drill, about ten or so quick questions. Barron's discusses the main concepts you need for answering Reading questions, like uncoveringmain point, interpreting details, and understanding vocabulary in context. It breaks down the English section by grammar rule, like punctuation, run-on sentences, and subject-verb agreement. Along similar lines, it describes and gives examples for math concepts like algebra and coordinate geometry, and reviews the data representation, research summary, and conflicting viewpoint questions on the science section. Barron's ACT is a good book for general study, but there's also Barron's for a 36 for those students aiming for a perfect score. Barron's also has subject specific workbooks, such as Barron's ACT Math and Science Workbook, for even more practice questions. Now for the downsides of Barron's ACT. Cons The general feeling around Barron's test prep books is that the practice questions are actually more difficult than real ACT questions. Some go beyond the test in terms of the concepts they test, while others are just worded in an overly complex way. While "overpreparing" is not necessarily a bad thing, it could be an ineffective use of your time. Plus Barron's practice tests might not give you the truest sense of your scoring level. While Barron's is very comprehensive, this thoroughness might also be a drawback for some students. The sheer amount of material can feel overwhelming, and it means students have the extra task of breaking up their studying into smaller, more manageable goals. Reading it cover to cover wouldn't be the most effective approach, so you have to break it up into an order that makes sense for you. Without a frequency guide that prioritizes some concepts over others, this may feel like additional work. The thoroughness of Barron's ACT is a strength, but it also signifies extra commitment from you. Princeton Review's Cracking the ACT Amazon price: about $17 Pros Like Barron's ACT, Princeton Review's Cracking the ACT is a comprehensive, traditional test prep book that provides a full review of content, strategies, and practice questions. It covers Math most thoroughly, followed by Science. The English and Reading sections are less comprehensive. This book clearly states important grammar rules and math concepts you need to know, while suggesting thought processes to use when taking the test. It talks about how best to use process of elimination, what order to answer the questions in to save time, and how to think through questions that leave you stumped. Each section has drills and example questions. This book also provides six full practice tests, four of which are in the book itself and two online. It has an online LiveScorer for the essay, as well as instant scoring for the online tests. Cons This book has similar downsides as Barron's ACT. As a big, comprehensive book, it can feel overwhelming and be difficult to approach. Since it's a traditional prep book, some students might find its style dry and hard to stay engaged with. Since the practice questions aren't official, they aren't the best representation of real ACT questions. Unlike Barron's overly difficult material, though, Princeton Review can be too easy. If you're looking to boost your scores into top percentiles, Princeton Review is probably not the book that will get you there. Instead, books like Barron's and the subject-specific books below are better for achieving top scores. The ACT Black Book Amazon price:about $29 Pros While Barron's and Princeton Review cover all aspects of ACT prep, the ACT Black Book is more narrow in its focus.By this I mean the Black Book is less concerned with teaching you math and English skills and more concerned with teaching you about how the test works. According to the author, Mike Barrett, the ACT is a predictable test that uses the same template year after year. If you study the question types and patterns, then you can recognize exactly what each question is asking you. In a sense, you can beat the test by truly understanding how it works in an in-depth way. Barrett suggests thatany student can score highly on the ACT regardless of their academic performance in school. Doing well is abouthow you think about the questions and avoid the common pitfalls of tricky wording and distracting answer choices. As Barrett says, the ACT is only hard because "it tests the basicsbut in very strange ways." Cons The major con for The Black Book is that it has no ACT practice questions of its own. Because it refers to questions from the Red Book, it has to be used alongside it. The Black Book doesn't have too many lessons on concepts, either. For what it does have, the Math and Reading are stronger than the English and Science. The Black Book presupposes that you already have the skills down, and then shows you how to apply them on the ACT. That's why it must be used in conjunction with another book for content review, and probably only after you possess the requisite skills. Additionally,at about $29, this is one of the more expensive ACT prep books. Because it's a wordy, in-depth look at the structure, format, and tricks of the ACT, it requires a lot of dedication and motivation from students. The Black Book will teach you a lot, but you have to really take the time and energy to engage with it. The Black Book is best for students willing to delve into the material and thereby gain a deep understanding of the ACT and how it works. Up Your Score: ACT, The Underground Guide Amazon price: about $11 Pros The Underground Guide takes a more fun approach to ACT prep. It breaks down the format and concepts of the test in a humorous way, and offers some test-taking strategies. It's written by test-takers who share their experiences and understand what the entire process is like. Unlike other books, it delves into issues of stress and pressure surrounding the tests and offers advice for taming your nerves.Plus it has a recipe for "GameFace Quintuple Sugar Blast Bars," if you're into that kind of thing. Cons This book is a lighthearted departure from more serious, traditional prep books. While it's a relatively fun way to introduce yourself to the ACT and gain some intriguing insights from former test-takers, it's probably not sufficientas your only source of test prep. It might be more like a "pre-book" to start out your studying, clear up questions and anxieties around the test, and learn about what the test and experience is like in an engaging way.To gain more rigorous review of different sections of the ACT, I recommend checking out these subject-specific books listed below. Best Books for ACT Math Are you looking to pay special attention to the math section of the ACT? These books focus specifically on ACT math, so they can be especially useful if this is where you're trying to improve your scores the most. My two recommendations are the Ultimate Guide to the Math ACT and McGraw Hill's Top 50 Skills for Math. Ultimate Guide to the Math ACT Amazon price: about $24 Pros The Ultimate Guide to the Math ACTgives clear, well-crafted lessons of each math topic that shows up on the ACT math, like algebra and geometry. It also breaks them down into smaller subtopics, like functions and plane geometry. It covers everything you need to know and doesn't go beyond the concepts that will appear on the test. It also has high-level strategies for solving problems, saving time, and prepping in the most effective and efficient way. Cons The answer explanations to the practice problems are not as thorough as they could be. This book doesn't walk you through the steps of solving the problem like the ACT Black Book does, meaning you could run into confusion with a similar problem. It also doesn't have a frequency guide that shows you how often to expect certain concepts or identify levels of difficulty. This means it's up to you to figure this out and prioritize your studying. McGraw Hill's Top 50 Skills for Math Amazon price: about $14 Pros McGraw Hill's Top 50 Skills for Math, unlike a lot of other math review books,is written in an engaging style. It discusses 50 critical math skills you need for the ACT, along with sample questions illustrating each concept. A particular strength of this ACT prep book is that itwalks you through solving the problems from beginning to end, which can aid your thinking when you're taking the real test. This book has a diagnostic pre-test you can use to assess your skills starting out, as well as a post-test to gauge your progress. Cons Since this book is more focused on teaching the top 50 math skills, it's limited in terms of practice questions. This book would best be used to review concepts alongside the Red Book plus another source of practice questions. While this book is useful for students at all levels, it doesn't provide extra strategies or tips beyond the ordinary. It's probably not the book that will push motivated students into the top percentile of scores. Best ACT Prep Books for English and Reading In terms of the English and Reading sections of the ACT, my top recommendation comes from Erica Meltzer. Erica Meltzer's The Complete Guide to ACT English Amazon price: about $31 Pros Erica Meltzer teaches you about the different types of English questions and drills you on those question types. She explains the important grammar and usage rules you need to answer these questions correctly, like parallel structure, sentences and fragments, even punctuation marks like apostrophes and dashes. The practice questions are grouped by skill so you can drill your understanding of each rule. This book is straightforward, to the point, and covers the most important skills and rules you need to know. Cons One obvious con is this book is relatively expensive considering it only covers one of the four sections on the ACT. It is helpful for learning and drilling all the grammar rules, but not sufficient as a source of practice questions. While it's helpful that Erica Meltzer groups the questions by skill, the actual ACT will ask these questions randomly. You'll have to move beyond this book to make sure you can identify the skill without it being pre-labeled in the book. The Complete Guide to ACT Reading Amazon price: about $28 Pros Both the reading passages and practice questions are high quality and realistic in Erica Meltzer's The Complete Guide to ACT Reading. Erica Meltzer does a good job of teasing apart the skills you need to develop for this section, which can be harder to identify than, say, the math section. She gives activities to drill each skill, as well as discusses strategies for reading the passages and saving time. For more pieces of advice, you can check out her blog, The Critical Reader. Cons Like her English book, this one is relatively pricey. Bought together, they total roughly $60, and that's only to cover English and Reading. Some students find her writing style to be a bit dry, while others appreciate that it's direct and to the point. While the material is high quality, the layout is not compelling. It has small font and not particularly creative graphics. Best Book for ACT Science Even though many students find the Science section to be the most challenging part of the ACT, until recently there were no books specifically dedicated to helping you on ACT Science. At PrepScholar, we know all the tricks for making ACT Science easier, so we decided to compile them into a book. The PrepScholar Guide to ACT Science Amazon price:about $5 (e-book) Pros This book covers every topic, skill, and question type you'll see on ACT Science which means that nothing on this section will come as a surprise on test day. It includes a list of every science fact you could be tested on, so you're only studying the science information you need to know. It also contains multiple strategies for tackling ACT Science passages so you can choose the method that works best for you. Most importantly, this book contains all of our best ACT Science test-taking tricks.Many students get tripped up on the Science section because it's so different from the science tests they've taken in school. However, this books shows you how to identify every trick in ACTScience and learn how toavoid getting fooled by them so you can find the correct answer quickly and more easily. Cons While every chapter in this book includes sample questions to help you see and understand different concepts, there is no final quiz or exam section at the end of the book. To fully practice everything you've learned from this book, we recommend takingfull-length Science sections. Additionally, right now the book is only available as an e-book, so you can't purchase a hard copy if that's how you prefer to study. Is Studying from Books the Best Option for You? Studying for the ACT probably isn't at the top of your favorite things to do. For a lot of students, it requires a lot of self-discipline to sit down and drill yourself on the skills you need for English, Reading, Math, and Science. Given this, you certainly don't want to be wasting your time. If you're taking the time study, you should see results. To make sure you're prepping effectively and learning the skills you need to know, I would recommend exploring all your test prep options. For instance, you can learn a lot about the ACT (for free!) from our various detailed study guides. A lot less expensive (and lighter) than all these recommendedACTpreparation books, since unfortunately there's no ACT preparation books free download. These are just a few of the most useful guides, and we're adding new ones every day. The Best Way to Review Your Mistakes on ACT Questions Should You Guess on the ACT? 5 Guessing Strategies The 31 ACT Critical Math Formulas You Must Know The Complete Guide to ACT Grammar Rules ACT Vocabulary: Words You Must Know How to Write an ACT Essay, Step by Step How to Get a Perfect ACT Score, by a 36 Full Scorer All of us at PrepScholar have been through the standardized testing process and understand what's at stake. We also know that it's important to prep in a way that's customized to you as a student, celebrates your authentic learning style, and doesn't feel tedious or boring. You can try a 5 day free trial of our online ACT prep program to see if it works for you. You can learn exactly how PrepScholar customizes your study plan, keeps track of your progress, and helps you stay accountable to your goals. While books offer a ton of information, their very thoroughnessadds extra challenge to an already high stakes situation. Before spending your time and money on all these books, consider how you best learn and what your goals are so you can make things easier on yourself and determine yourbest approach. What's Next? How long should you study before you take the ACT? Check out our recommended study plan here. When are you going to take the ACT for the first time? How many times do you plan to take it? This article discusses the most important factors in choosing your test dates. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.

Conflict Management Theory and The Role of Manager Assignment

Conflict Management Theory and The Role of Manager - Assignment Example When people work in teams clashes of opinions are likely to occur and every manager has to deal with the conflicts in a positive way. A qualified manager can intellectually appreciate that conflicts are the necessary ingredient of a free - enterprise system( Abraham, 1965). He also should take appropriate steps to resolve the conflicts and draw meaningful implications from them. The following essay attempts to explore the role played by the manager as a leader and a mediator in resolving conflicts. The major sources of conflict in an organization are personal differences, informational deficiencies, role incompatibility and environmental stress(David and Kim, 2005). According to him, personal differences are a common source of conflicts as individuals come together to play certain defined roles in an organization. The people who form the team for the completion of a specific task come from various cultures, family traditions and extent of socialization, etc. Hence, it is very common that conflicts will arise when they work together to achieve a common objective. They differ in their perceptions about the challenges ahead of them and they also differ in their expectations about the outcomes from specified situations. When there is a mismatch between the perceptions and expectations, the situation can take a personal overtone which may be the major source of organizational conflicts. Secondly, informational deficiencies can also be a major source of conflict. There may be lapses in the information flow between various functional units or individuals. These lapses may be due to technological disabilities or psychological barriers. Technological barriers can be caused by dysfunction of technical equipment used for communication and psychological barriers can be caused by various factors such as lack of knowledge and understanding, presumptions of the person receiving the message. Next, role incompatibility is another major source of conflict. Most often this factor causes more conflicts because when it is combined with the above two factors, it causes more deep conflicts. When the team members operate with different types of people, systems, processes, and procedures and report to various team leaders, the overlapping of the roles played by the personnel can cause conflict. Lastly, environmentally induced stress caused by a change in economic conditions. Family relationships, changes in the organization, etc can be major triggers for conflicts. Especially during the times of economic slowdown as in recent times, it is very stressful for the employees. Stress due to insecurity due to change in environmental conditions can cause deep mistrust on each other and can cause teamwork more difficult. When the employees are subject to uncertainty about their job status it can cause frustration and conflicts are more certain to occur. When these types of factors influence the behavior of employees, it is the duty of the manager to take up the role of mediator and facilitator to establish smooth working relationships and achieve organizational objectives.

Persuasive speech on NCAA should allow financial compensation to Essay

Persuasive speech on NCAA should allow financial compensation to collegiate athletes - Essay Example In some cases these athletes are also given special treatment by their colleges in regards to their academic issues like excused absences, extra tutorial classes and their schedules are also very lenient. One of the major concerns is that these money payments would change their status from amateur athletes to professional ones and this could generate unsportsman like behavior form these players. Hence, their part of the argument is that when everything is given to them through scholarship then why they need more financial compensations. On the other hand sport fans who believe that these athletes should be paid for their share in bringing huge profits to their respective colleges. This would give them incentive to work even harder and stay in college to complete their study instead of joining professional teams. This can also lessen the illegal dealings and payments which sometimes these athletes indulge in to pay for their everyday expenses. There are a lot of misconceptions regarding the fact that college scholarships should be enough for the student athletes. Sometimes these young athletes are demoralized by their schools because where their schools are making huge profits through them they cannot come up with the money for their food, entertainment or sometimes even educational costs. The author says that the NCAA places limits on how much money a student can earn and how many hours student athlete can work (Delaney, Madigan 124). Giving financial compensations to student athletes can actually motivate them to work hard and side by side would also help them get proper education. Getting proper education along with sports will broaden their career opportunities. This thing is very crucial in every person’s life because education is as much important as sports. According to Wladimir and Szymanski paying these players can make the competitive advantage to the institutes to disappear (380). NCAA

Tragic Hero in Sophocles Antigone :: Antigone essays

The Tragic Hero in Antigone Antigone is a Greek tragic piece that stresses the use of power and morality versus the law written by Sophocles. Both Antigone and Creon, the main characters in the play, could represent the tragic hero. A tragic hero is a character who is known for being dignified and has a flaw that assists to his or her downfall. In my opinion, Creon best qualifies for being the tragic hero and fitting the definition read in the previous sentence. The things he said, did, and the comments that were made by those around him show how a man with everything could lose it all due to his own behavior. To open, the things he said showed how he changed and became the tragic hero of the play. Many of his statements reveal his personality including his admirable parts and his flaws. When Creon says: "I call to God to witness that if I saw my country headed for ruin, I should not be afraid to speak out plainly," (Sophocles, scene 1,24-26), it shows his strong sense of nationalism and leadership which catches up with him in the end. "The inflexible heart breaks first, the toughest iron cracks first, and the wildest horses bend their necks at the pull of the smallest curb" (scene 2,76-79) is what Creon says to Antigone after finding out she is the one who buried Polynieces. He thinks that if Antigone wasn't so headstrong and arrogant then she could have avoided the consequence he was about to give her. I think Creon was being a hypocrite because he is just as stubborn as she is. The reason why Creon and Antigone come in to so much conflict is because their ways of thinking are almost exa ctly alike. "It is hard to deny the heart! But I will do it: I will not fight with destiny" (scene 5, 100), is a statement that shows Creon detecting his fault and how he needs to correct it. After talking to Teiresias, the blind prophet, he realizes in order for the higher powers to forgive him he needs to release Antigone. "Fate has brought all my pride to a thought of dust" (exodos, 138). Creon recognizes his flaw and its consequences but it is too late because fate has already occurred. Moreover, many people say that actions speak louder than words.

Forward Software Essay

Forward Software, Inc. is a software company potentially facing a copyright infringement lawsuit. The spreadsheet product Forward sells includes an optional menu navigation system identical to that of Focus Software, the original developer of the menu system. Forward’s spreadsheet product currently dominates the market. Focus Software is currently suing a smaller software company that has also used this identical menu system in their spreadsheet software. It is believed that based on the outcome of this pending lawsuit, Forward Software, Inc. may also be sued. Forward has to decide between offering Focus an unsolicited settlement prior to the pending trial’s conclusion or waiting for the outcome and possibly facing litigation. To do this, Forward needs to determine the optimal decision strategy to take and how much the strategy is expected to cost. The hiring of an outside law firm that may be able to provide a prediction of the company’s success in winning a trial must also be considered, as well as the maximum that should be paid for that service. Savings associated with hiring the firm need to be determined and analysis of the best decision strategy will also need to be done. Based on our analysis, the best strategy is to wait until the outcome of the pending lawsuit. If Focus wins that lawsuit and files a lawsuit against Forward, Forward should hire the law firm to conduct the proposed study for the lawsuit. Based on the law firm’s findings (predicted win, predicted loss, can’t predict) Forward will have to decide to go to trial or settle out of court. The results show that unless the firm can make the prediction that Focus would likely win the lawsuit, Focus should settle out of court. The expected costs of this strategy range between $9 – $12.8 million dollars. This includes expected costs associated with hiring the firm. The maximum amount that should be paid for hiring the firm is $1.14 million. If the firm could accurately predict the outcome of the Forward versus Focus case, Forward could expect to save $2.4 million. A decision tree was constructed to determine the best strategy for Forward. This approach was chosen as there were many decisions and states of nature to consider and chronology was important. The decision tree allowed for evaluation in a chronological pattern. In determining the optimal strategy, analysis was performed to determine if it is best to settle now or wait on the verdict of a pending trial, whether to hire or not hire a law firm if sued, and also to determine the value of information that could be provided. Our analysis is as follows -Settle Now or Wait? The optimal strategy indicates that it best is to wait until the outcome of the pending trial. Following the optimal strategy, there is a probability of .64 that Focus will not have to make any payout, this is based highly on waiting on the outcome of the trial as there is a .60 probability that Focus will lose and not initiate a lawsuit. As the bulk of the non-payout probability is based on the out come of the current Focus case, this event was included in a sensitivity analysis of the overall strategy. The analysis was performed to assess how sensitive the strategy is to changes: in the probability of Focus winning its pending lawsuit (0-1); the probability of Forward winning a suit if brought (0-1); the maximum expected settlement if sued (+/-50%); the maximum expected judgment (+/-50%); and the cost of the firm’s research prediction (+/-100%). The torpedo graph below shows that the optimal path is influenced most highly by the probability of 1) Focus winning the pending suit and 2) the probability of Forward winning if sued. Of particular importance is the increase in cost (expected value) based on changes in the probability of the outcome of the pending Focus vs. Discount Software trial. The increase in expected cost to over $6 million indicates that the decision to wait or offer settlement prior to the pending suit’s outcome changed. To determine the point at which the strategy changed base on the probability of the current suit’s outcome, a second sensitivity analysis was performed focusing on this event. The strategy region chart below indicates that the decision to wait or settle now changes if there is a chance great than 67% that Focus will win its pending suit. As there is currently only a 40% chance given to Focus winning its pending trial, the recommended strategy of waiting for the outcome should be followed. (Though Forward should confirm the probabilities assigned to this event.) Do or Don’t Hire a Firm? Should Sam hire this law firm to do a study for the lawsuit and what is the maximum amount of money Sam should pay for the service? Important considerations in determining whether to hire the firm include the value of the information the firm can provide and the cost for this information. To determine the value of the information provided by the firm, expected costs of making the decision with and without the firm’s (free) information must be compared. Without the law firm’s analysis, Forward’s expected cost is $12.1 million. With the firm’s analysis, Forward’s expected cost is reduced to $10.96 million. (This figure assumes the information is provided for free.) The difference in the expected cost with and without the information is $1.14 million. This is the value of the information the firm can provide and is also the maximum amount Forward should pay for the service. If the law firm could accurately predict the outcome of the Forward versus Focus case, how much money can he expect to save? If the firm was able to accurately predict a win or loss, this would be considered perfect information. The expected cost in this case is $9.7 million. The difference between this expected cost and the expected cost of proceeding without the firm’s perfect information ($12.1 million) is $2.4 million. This is the amount Forward could expect to save if the firm was able to accurately predict the outcome of the Forward versus Focus case.

Lowering the Drinking Age from 21 Would be Irresponsible...

Lowering the drinking age from 21 would be irresponsible. People argue that lowering the drinking age is not smart because most youths still have not yet reached a mature age to handle alcohol. Teens that include themselves in an unsafe environment are likely to endure in self-harm and encounter in binge drinking. The Alcohol Policy Information System says, â€Å"Annually, about 5,000 youth under the age of 21 die in incidents due to underage drinking† (â€Å"Drinking†). I believe the drinking age should not be lowered because of the major hazards that could occur, an increase in traffic accidents, and the age maturity to handle alcohol responsibly. Many risks and hazards can be caused from the use of alcohol. Binge drinking is extremely†¦show more content†¦al). Drinking is dangerous as it is, but underage drinking just upsurges the risk of wrecks, the health problems, and dependence on alcohol through adulthood (â€Å"Underage†). Age maturity is a big when dealing with alcohol. It’s obvious that teenagers under 21 are not yet mature, and are still trying to figure out their life. Even at the age of 18 they are entering a new phase with work, college, and a stage of independence. Nowadays parents allow their teens to consume alcohol as long as it is at their home, so they are sure they have a place to stay and can be in control. Some parents introduce alcohol to their teen in a responsible way to teach them and ensure they are safe when they become independent. In this case, teens think drinking is okay. Handling alcohol irresponsibly like this increases the teens killing themselves due to high alcohol content. Research states that if a child under 18 is drinking, they are also getting drunk. They report that 65 % of teens who drink monthly show that they are getting drunk at least once a month (â€Å"Underage†). Anything lowered from Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA) 21 would be medically irresponsible. The early adult brain can be easily affected and when alcohol interferes it can cause addiction, memory loss, and violence (â€Å"Underage†). Teenagers are not responsible enough for MLDA to be lowered. There are many risks to what could happen if the drinking ageShow MoreRelatedThe Legal Drinking Age Should Be Lowered Essay1548 Words   |  7 PagesIn the United States, the legal drinking age is twenty-one. In all fifty states, however, there are exceptions for underaged drinking at home, under adult supervision, or for medical purposes (â€Å"Drinking Age†). Overall, the legal opportunities for any person under twenty-one to legally drink alcohol are very scarce. There are many different points, made by people from both sides of the issue about whether or not to lower the drinking age to eighteen, or leave it where it currently stands at twenty-oneRead MoreShould The Drinking Age Be Lowered?995 Words   |  4 Pageslegal drinking age be lowered to age 18? Recently people have been debating whether If the drinking age should be lowered to 18. Some people think 18 is a better age but others think it’s outr ageous to lower the drinking age to 18. After much reading and observing, I myself think the drinking age should be kept at 21 years old,because young adults who drink while they re underage make poor decisions and majority of the young adults are in college lacking in classes. The legal drinking age shouldRead MoreShould The Drinking Age Be Lowered?875 Words   |  4 Pages Should the Drinking Age Be Lowered? Should the legal drinking age be lowered to age 18? Recently people have been debating whether If the drinking age should be lowered to 18. Some people think 18 is a better age but others think it’s outrageous to lower the drinking age to 18. After much reading and observing, I myself think the drinking age should be kept at 21 years old,because young adults who drink while they re underage make poor decisions and majority of the young adults are in collegeRead MoreChallenging The Legal Drinking Age1689 Words   |  7 PagesMackenzie Schultz Mrs. Hamilton AP English Language 25 July 2014 Challenging the Legal Drinking Age The Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA) has been challenged since the passing of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 that raised the drinking age to twenty-one in all fifty states (Ogilvie). Advocates for lowering the MLDA to eighteen years of age argue that this change will eliminate the thrill of breaking the law for young adults entering college and boost the national economy. SupportersRead MoreMandatory Legal Drinking Age Should Be Banned982 Words   |  4 Pagesused to be set at 21. In the late 60s states began to lower their MLDA, although this resulted in many deaths alcohol related. President Reagan signed off a law saying that the MLDA (Minimum legal drinking age) must be at 21. This was proven to be safer and reduced number of alcohol related deaths. There are many debates that argue whether or not we should lower our MLDA in the US. The MLDA should stay at 21. There are many reasons supporting this such as, lowering the MLDA would increase our alcoholRead MoreLowering The Minimum Drinking Age1380 Words   |  6 Pagesreaches the age of 18, they are allowed to tattoo their bodies, smoke tobacco, gamble and even enlist if they wanted to! As an adult, they want to be treated as one but how can they feel like an adult if hanging around with their friends and drinking beer while watching TV is illegal? Of course, that does not stop them, though. The United States is one of the few countries in which still have such a high minimum drinking age. Although most people think young adults (18-year olds) are irresponsible, theRead MoreWhy The Drinking Age During The U.s. Should Be Lowered1300 Words   |  6 PagesInsert name Professor’s name Course/class Date Why the drinking age in the U.S. should be lowered to 18 Getting to 18 years of age is an important milestone for a US resident because it is the legal age for independence, allowing the individual to make his or her decisions regarding tobacco smoking, driving and even joining the armed forces while being treated as an adult by the justice system. While this statement is essentially accurate, it is untrue concerning the ability to purchase and drinkRead MoreThe Drinking Age Should Be Lowered1542 Words   |  7 Pagesplaced on drinking alcohol and some are controversial. With the majority of the world having a drinking age of 18 years old many often wonder why does the United States have their own at 21 years of age. This has been a topic of much discussion and drama ever since the law was put in place by the US government. There are many people who agree with the law the US have placed on alcohol but there are even more people who have a problem with it. Not only do these people have a problem with the age but theyRead MoreThe Legal Drin king Age Should Be Lowered From The Age Of 21 Essay980 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"adults† cannot even make their own decisions? The drinking age on alcohol is a controversial social and cultural issue in today’s society; all fifty states have a minimum drinking age of 21. The legal drinking age should be lowered from the age of 21 to 18 allowing young adults to be granted the right to drink in restaurants, bars, at social events, in the comfort of their own home, and so on. If anything, lowering the legal drinking age would have a positive impact on the United Sates economy,Read Moreshould the drinking age be lowered to 18?948 Words   |  4 PagesIn 2009, about 10.4 million young people between ages 12 and 20 drank more than â€Å"just a few sips† of alcohol (Underage). The drinking age should be lowered to age 18 because teens are considered adults at this age, less people in jail for hosting underage drinking, and teens can be taught responsible drinking. A lthough there is a negative side to lowering the drinking age because it can cause more motor-vehicle accidents, greater chance for alcohol problems, and the health risk it can cause. There