Free Essays on Alcoholism

One evening a group of friends and I were sitting at my house watching movies. As we were all sitting there we suddenly heard someone banging on my door, I couldn’t think of who it would be at that time of night. As I looked through the window, I saw my Uncle Jim standing there. All I was able to notice when I opened the door was his bloodshot eyes and the strong odor of alcohol coming from his breath. As he was walking up my hallway stairs, I can only remember him stumbling, and stating â€Å"There’s no way I can go home†. Even though having been around alcoholics in my life, I have never truly understood what makes some people so attached to the alcohol. Many people today feel that alcoholism is an addiction which is a settled habit, but I feel that alcoholism is considered a progressive disease where a person consumes excessive amounts of alcohol and is unable to control his/her need to drink (Encyclopedia of Psychology 111-115). This is because alcoholism has been classified as a disease by the American Medical Society as well as by the National Council of Alcoholism because of the four factors such as it has symptoms and signs, it is diagnosable, it is progressive, and it can be treated (Facts about alcohol and Alcoholism 8). Drinking alcohol is an individual choice. People may drink for many different reasons. A few examples of why people drink are to be more sociable, be relaxed, and to feel bigger or stronger (Kinney & Leaton 8). It does, however become a problem when a person has an overwhelming compulsion to drink. This is when they are considered to be an alcoholic. Alcoholism has many early warning signs and symptoms, any one of which a person can signal a developing problem. Some of the symptoms consist of gulping the alcohol beverage in large amounts, or hiding the amount of alcohol they consumed from others. For example, keeping bottles stashed in the trunk of a car, or the m... Free Essays on Alcoholism Free Essays on Alcoholism Introduction When examining societies ‘normal’ families today we see them striving for values of love, loyalty and trust. Television shows and movies most likely illustrate teenagers drinking at ‘fun’ parties, or the parents at a social occasion, never getting trapped in the evils of drinking. Many people do not realize in the real world that these social ways of interacting can lead to much more serious and deeper issues in ones life. The causes and development of drinking are unbelievable, and it’s amazing that we don’t hear enough of this information in the media. This is the subject which I wish to discuss in this paper, and to define the true meaning of alcoholism: It refers to the drinking of alcoholic beverages to such a degree that it seriously and repeatedly interferes with major aspects of an individual’s life-such as work, school, family relations, or personal safety and health. Alcoholism is considered to be a disease, meaning that if it follows a characteristic course with known physical, psychological, and social symptoms. The alcoholic continues to consume alcohol despite the destructive consequences. (Acoholism-Encyclopedia; 427) How families deal with the stresses of a loved ones drinking habits are crucial to the way the child will learn to deal with drinking in the future. The effects of alcohol on the human body vary from person to person, as do the symptoms, and causes. The social effects of alcoholism will be reflected in this essay. Alcoholism in the family can cause many problems for each individual with in it. Causes and Symptoms â€Å"It has been said that there are as many causes for alcoholism as there are alcoholics.† (Ogilvie; 3) some of these are as follows alcoholics usually resort to drinking to ease anxiety; to heighten their excitement, to get them in a more upbeat mood; to enhance the feeling of power- so they feel they are in charge and they also may get aggressiv... Free Essays on Alcoholism Alcoholism refers to the abuse of alcohol by individuals who are unable to control their binge drinking behavior over a prolonged period of time. Alcoholics are not simply people who consume alcohol; instead, their entire lives revolve around alcohol. While many people usually dismiss the effects of heavy drinking to a hangover that will not last beyond the day, the effects of alcoholism are infinitely more enduring and devastating not only for the alcoholics, but also for their families and friends. Excessive consumption of alcohol can exert a severe impact on the brain, both on the short-term and long-term basis. The reason why alcoholics exhibit aggressive behavior can be attributed to the effects of alcohol on various parts of the brain. First, alcohol can affect the gamma-aminobutyoric acid receptor (GABA-A) complex in the brain that inhibits aggressive behavior by creating anxiety over socially inappropriate behavior. Second, the effect of alcohol on the dopaminergic system that controls the psychomotor stimulation can lead to an increase in the intensity and level of aggression. The lower blood sugar in the brain can also contribute to a heightened level of aggression (Graham, Wells, & West, 1997, p. 626). Consequently, alcoholics tend to overreact to unpleasant situations by using aggression. Furthermore, with excessive alcohol consumption, alcoholics lose their capacity to exercise self-control over their emotions and feelings. Very often, alcohol consumption becomes a means for them to unleash pent-up negative feelings. For other alcoholics, alcohol is a way for them to bury their negative feelings of anger, guilt and depression. Therefore, their general state of mind is moody and hostile, leading to increased chances of aggressive behavior at the slightest provocation (Graham, Wells, & West, 1997, p. 627). Alcohol also has debilitating effects on the individuals’ ability to function effectively in a cognitive way. Al... Free Essays on Alcoholism Alcoholism is a terrible disease, which has the possibility of affecting one’s health, family or work. College students often times turn to alcohol to solve their problems as a release from mounting school pressure. But does drinking while attending school really affect a student’s behavior pattern and performance in school? Studies indicate that as many as 30% of youth engage in frequent drinking behaviors (Sullivan & Risler, 2002). Believe it or not, this happens to be a more than a quarter of our student population! Granted learning can be tedious at times, but this probably could be the last stop of acquiring raw knowledge before heading out into the real world. I have assembled a set of factors that might explain student’s alcohol abuse and how it affects their behaviors respectively. Too bad it could be as easy as telling them to just stop drinking. A substantial amount of empirical research is available demonstrating a connection between alcohol consumption and impaired academic performance (Perkins, 2002). How surprising is this though? This whole statement reminds me of a chain reaction down the line. Play with fire and you die by fire. Drinking all night causes a student to lose interest in school. Their grades start to falter and laziness turns into major procrastination. A survey was taken from a pool of about 40,000 students stating that 22% had performed poorly on a test or project and 28% had missed a class due to alcohol use (Presley et al., 1996). One of the effects of student drinking is the increase of risky sexual behavior. In a study relating alcohol and sexual behavior (Desiderato & Crawford), 59% of students surveyed responded saying alcohol consumption usually preceded a sexually activity. This is surprisingly scary since sexual situations can lead to altered lives down the road. People tend to become less careless which leads to either unwanted pregnancy or even worse by contracting... Free Essays on Alcoholism The Psychosocial Effects of Alcoholism Alcoholism refers to the abuse of alcohol by individuals who are unable to control their binge drinking behavior over a prolonged period of time. Alcoholics are not simply people who consume alcohol; instead, their entire lives revolve around alcohol. While many people usually dismiss the effects of heavy drinking to a hangover that will not last beyond the day, the effects of alcoholism are infinitely more enduring and devastating not only for the alcoholics, but also for their families and friends. Excessive consumption of alcohol can exert a severe impact on the brain, both on the short-term and long-term basis. The reason why alcoholics exhibit aggressive behavior can be attributed to the effects of alcohol on various parts of the brain. First, alcohol can affect the gamma-aminobutyoric acid receptor (GABA-A) complex in the brain that inhibits aggressive behavior by creating anxiety over socially inappropriate behavior. Second, the effect of alcohol on the dopaminergic system that controls the psychomotor stimulation can lead to an increase in the intensity and level of aggression. The lower blood sugar in the brain can also contribute to a heightened level of aggression (Graham, Wells, & West, 1997, p. 626). Consequently, alcoholics tend to overreact to unpleasant situations by using aggression. Furthermore, with excessive alcohol consumption, alcoholics lose their capacity to exercise self-control over their emotions and feelings. Very often, alcohol consumption becomes a means for them to unleash pent-up negative feelings. For other alcoholics, alcohol is a way for them to bury their negative feelings of anger, guilt and depression. Therefore, their general state of mind is moody and hostile, leading to increased chances of aggressive behavior at the slightest provocation (Graham, Wells, & West, 1997, p. 627). Alcohol also has debilitating effects on the individuals’ ability to... Free Essays on Alcoholism One evening a group of friends and I were sitting at my house watching movies. As we were all sitting there we suddenly heard someone banging on my door, I couldn’t think of who it would be at that time of night. As I looked through the window, I saw my Uncle Jim standing there. All I was able to notice when I opened the door was his bloodshot eyes and the strong odor of alcohol coming from his breath. As he was walking up my hallway stairs, I can only remember him stumbling, and stating â€Å"There’s no way I can go home†. Even though having been around alcoholics in my life, I have never truly understood what makes some people so attached to the alcohol. Many people today feel that alcoholism is an addiction which is a settled habit, but I feel that alcoholism is considered a progressive disease where a person consumes excessive amounts of alcohol and is unable to control his/her need to drink (Encyclopedia of Psychology 111-115). This is because alcoholism has been classified as a disease by the American Medical Society as well as by the National Council of Alcoholism because of the four factors such as it has symptoms and signs, it is diagnosable, it is progressive, and it can be treated (Facts about alcohol and Alcoholism 8). Drinking alcohol is an individual choice. People may drink for many different reasons. A few examples of why people drink are to be more sociable, be relaxed, and to feel bigger or stronger (Kinney & Leaton 8). It does, however become a problem when a person has an overwhelming compulsion to drink. This is when they are considered to be an alcoholic. Alcoholism has many early warning signs and symptoms, any one of which a person can signal a developing problem. Some of the symptoms consist of gulping the alcohol beverage in large amounts, or hiding the amount of alcohol they consumed from others. For example, keeping bottles stashed in the trunk of a car, or the m... Free Essays on Alcoholism Alcoholism refers to the abuse of alcohol by individuals who are unable to control their binge drinking behavior over a prolonged period of time. Alcoholics are not simply people who consume alcohol; instead, their entire lives revolve around alcohol. While many people usually dismiss the effects of heavy drinking to a hangover that will not last beyond the day, the effects of alcoholism are infinitely more enduring and devastating not only for the alcoholics, but also for their families and friends. Excessive consumption of alcohol can exert a severe impact on the brain, both on the short-term and long-term basis. The reason why alcoholics exhibit aggressive behavior can be attributed to the effects of alcohol on various parts of the brain. First, alcohol can affect the gamma-aminobutyoric acid receptor (GABA-A) complex in the brain that inhibits aggressive behavior by creating anxiety over socially inappropriate behavior. Second, the effect of alcohol on the dopaminergic system that controls the psychomotor stimulation can lead to an increase in the intensity and level of aggression. The lower blood sugar in the brain can also contribute to a heightened level of aggression (Graham, Wells, & West, 1997, p. 626). Consequently, alcoholics tend to overreact to unpleasant situations by using aggression. Furthermore, with excessive alcohol consumption, alcoholics lose their capacity to exercise self-control over their emotions and feelings. Very often, alcohol consumption becomes a means for them to unleash pent-up negative feelings. For other alcoholics, alcohol is a way for them to bury their negative feelings of anger, guilt and depression. Therefore, their general state of mind is moody and hostile, leading to increased chances of aggressive behavior at the slightest provocation (Graham, Wells, & West, 1997, p. 627). Alcohol also has debilitating effects on the individuals’ ability to function effectively in a cognitive way. Al... Free Essays on Alcoholism Alternative names alcohol dependence; habitual alchohol use Definition A illness marked by uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages that interferes with physical or mental health, and social, family, or occupational responsibilities. Causes, incidence, and risk factors Alcoholism is a type of drug dependence. There is both physical and psychological dependence with this addiction. Physical dependence reveals itself in withdrawal symptoms when alcohol intake is interrupted, tolerance to the effects of alcohol, and evidence of alcohol-associated illnesses. Alcohol affects the central nervous system as a depressant resulting in a decrease of activity, , , and inhibitions. Even a low level of alcohol within the body slows reactions. Concentration and judgment become impaired. In excessive amounts, intoxication, or poisoning results. Alcohol also affects other body systems. Irritation of the gastrointestinal tract can occur with of the lining of the stomach causing . are not absorbed properly, which can lead to nutritional deficiencies with the long-term use of alcohol. , called , may also develop. The system may be affected by . Sexual dysfunction can also occur, causing erectile dysfunction in men and in women. during can cause problems in the developing fetus known as fetal alcohol syndrome. The development of dependence upon alcohol may occur over 5 to 25 years, following a relatively consistent pattern of progression. At first, a tolerance of alcohol develops. This results in a person being able to consume a greater quantity of alcohol before its adverse effects are noticed. Memory lapses relating to drinking episodes may follow tolerance. Then a lack of control over drinking occurs, and the affected person can no longer discontinue drinking whenever desired. The most severe drinking behavior includes prolonged binges of drinking with associated mental or physical complications. Some peo... Free Essays on Alcoholism Alcoholism Alcohol is a liquid distilled product of fermented fruits, grains and vegetables used as a solvent, antiseptic and sedative for potential abuse (Webster’s New Word Dictionary). Many people drink for the effects of sensory alteration and anxiety reduction. Drinking too much of this substance can cause staggering, loss of coordination, slurred speech, nerve damage, liver damage, and dilated pupils. An alcoholic has problems admitting that alcoholism is a disease, and that they are addicted to this substance. Alcoholism has been called the most serious drug problem in terms of the number of victims and costs to society. Alcohol is a depressant that will release feelings of guilt, anxiety and remorse if taken in heavy quantities. It will impair your motor skills by slowing your alertness and awareness, which leads to many accidents. Recent studies have shown that 50 to 80% of all alcoholics have close relatives that are alcoholics as well. In 1990 scientists found what they believe to be responsible for the inheritance of alcoholism in family lines. The defective gene is located on chromosome 11 and is called Dopamine. Dopamine is a receptor located in the brain. People with fewer Dopamine receptors are very likely to develop alcoholism. This helps to develop the theory that alcoholism is not a disease of choice, as believed by many. An estimated ten million Americans suffer from this horrible disease. There are many signs that may lead to the development of an alcoholic. Most alcoholics feel the need to take a drink just as a smoker has a craving for cigarettes. In the later stages, people have been known to suffer from frequent blackouts, which have led to many accidents. It is estimated that there are three million alcoholics between the ages of fourteen and seventeen today. Drinking does not only affect the alcoholic, it affects the family and society as well. An estimated forty billion dollars is spe...

BPL vs. DLL in Delphi Programming Applications

BPL vs. DLL in Delphi Programming Applications When we write and compile a Delphi application, we typically generate an executable file - a standalone Windows application. Unlike Visual Basic, for example, Delphi produces applications wrapped in compact exe files, with no need for bulky runtime libraries (DLLs). Try this: start Delphi and compile that default project with one blank form, this will produce an executable file of about 385 KB (Delphi 2006). Now go to Project - Options - Packages and check the Build with runtime packages check box. Compile and run. Voila, the exe size is now around 18 KB. By default the Build with runtime packages is unchecked and every time we make a Delphi application, the compiler links all the code your application requires to run directly into your applications executable file. Your application is a standalone program and doesnt require any supporting files (like DLLs) - thats why Delphi exes are so big. One way of creating smaller Delphi programs is to take advantage of Borland package libraries or BPLs in short. Whats a Package? special dynamic-link library used by Delphi applications Packages enable us to place portions of our application into separate modules that can be shared across multiple applications. Packages, also, provide a means of installing (custom) components into Delphis VCL pallete. Therefore, basically two types of packages can be made by Delphi: Run-time packages - provide functionality when a user runs an application - they operate much like standard DLLs. Design-time packages - used to install components in the Delphi IDE and to create special property editors for custom components. Design packages From this point this article will deal with run-time packages and how they can help Delphi programmer. One wrong mit: you are not required to be a Delphi component developer to take advantage of packages. Beginner Delphi programmers should try working with packages - theyll get better understanding of how packages and Delphi work. When and when Not ot Use Packages DLLs are most commonly used as collections of procedures and functions that other programs can call. Besides writing DLLs with custom routines, we can place a complete Delphi form in a DLL (for example an AboutBox form). Another common technique is to store nothing but resources in DLLs. More information on how Delphi operates with DLLs find in this article: DLLs and Delphi. Before going on to comparison between DLLs and BPLs we have to understand two ways of linking code in an executable: static and dynamic linking. Static linking means that when a Delphi project is compiled, all the code that your application requires is directly linked into your applications executable file. The resulting exe file contains all the code from all the units that are involved in a project. Too much code, you might say. By default, uses clause for a new form unit list more than 5 units (Windows, Messages, SysUtils, ...). However, the Delphi linker is smart enough to link only the minimum of code in the units actually used by a project. With static linking our application is a standalone program and doesnt require any supporting packages or DLLs (forget BDE and ActiveX components for now). In Delphi, static linking is the default. Dynamic linking is like working with standard DLLs. That is, dynamic linking provides functionality to multiple applications without binding the code directly to each application - any required packages are loaded at runtime. The greatest thing about dynamic linking is that loading of packages by your application is automatic. You dont have to write code to load the packages neither you have to change your code. Simply check the Build with runtime packages check box found on the Project | Options dialog box. The next time you build your application, your projects code will be linked dynamically to runtime packages rather than having units linked statically into your executable file.

Introducation to computer science assingment Assignment

Introducation to computer science assingment - Assignment Example Q6. The value that can be retrieved from the table by the pop instruction is 11 C. this is because it is possible to get the pointer in to the first element of the vector through incrementing this pointer in order to access the second pointer. The value that will be found in the pointer after the pop operation is 12 A. on the other hand, the deque is not a guarantee of a contiguous storage which contains the same elements (10, 11 12) and getting the pointer to the first element does not guarantee that you will get access to the second pointer by incrementing the pointer (Finkel, 1996) Q7. Assuming that the stricture above represents a queue, the value that will be removed from the queue is 14.this is because it is obtained after several increments of 10. The head pointer will next point at 13 which will be the value before 14. *In order to obtain the left child of a certain index, we multiply the current index 2 and we add 1. *for us to get the right child on this specific index, we multiply the current index by 2 and then we add 2. Q10. The reference data types are used to refer to objects while the primitive data types usually contain some values. Some of the example of primitive data type includes the byte, int Boolean and the float. Q11. When writing a chessboard structure that has an 8-by-8 grid, the programmer can consider using arrays that contains chess like structure which is a two dimension array. In order to store the position of the chess piece. The two dimension array is used in pinpointing individual elements in the array (Finkel,

International Penology Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

International Penology - Term Paper Example In China, death penalty is reserved for human trafficking and serious cases of corruption. According to the Shot at Dawn Pardons Campaign (2006), world courts-martial have imposed death sentences for offenses such as cowardice, desertion, insubordination, and mutiny. Since time immemorial capital punishments such as decapitation, electrocution, firing squad, gas chamber, hanging, lethal injection, shooting and stoning have been widely used. Decapitation super cedes all other form of penal practice and this practice has been proved to be fatal, as brain death occurs within seconds to minutes without the support of the organism's body. Decapitation was a common practice in the Asian continent. Countries such as China, India, Japan, Thailand and European, American, and African counterparts also greatly used reserved this practice to punish criminals. However, these types of capital punishment methods has been widely debated, where opponents of the death penalty often feel that there is the possibility of innocent or wrong execution, the lack of deterrence of violent crime; and religious grounds for opposition to the death penalty. Supporters of capital punishments often feel this to put an end to violent crime, closure to the families and friends o f the victim and term of prison sentence is not an ideal way to punish. These debates across countries and among philosophers have gradually changed the style of handling criminals and punishing criminal activities. Foucauldian Perspectives Foucault brought forth the idea of the social permeation of power relationships inherently linked to resistance (Gupta and Ferguson, 1997). Foucault gives two senses to the word "subject": One is at once under the control of power and one is acting as one's own agent of power, but never is one outside of power (Foucault, 1972) According to Foucault (2005) "The emergence of prison as the form of punishment for every crime grew out of the development of discipline in the 18th and 19th centuries". He greatly looks are the development of highly refined forms of discipline, of discipline concerned with the smallest and most precise aspects of a person's body. He strongly believed that discipline develops a new economy and politics for bodies and those modern institutions required that bodies must be based on their tasks, as well as for training, observation, and control. His prime argument is that discipline could mould a whole new form of individuality for bodies, which enabled them to carry out their duty within the new forms of economic, political, and military organizations emerging in the modern age and continuing to today. Foucault challenges the commonly accepted idea that the prison became the consistent form of punishment due to humanitarian concerns of reformists. Hence Foucault's theory of "gentle" punishment made created a way for practice of more generalized and controlled means of punishment better compared to excessive force of the sovereign. In his lecture titled Governmentality, Foucault defines governmentality as "1.The ensemble formed by the institutions, procedures, analyses and reflections, the calculations and tactics that allow the exercise of this very specific albeit complex form of power, which has as its target population, as its principal form of knowledge political economy, and as its essential technical means

Values of society Essay Example for Free

Values of society Essay This in itself is interesting and is perhaps representative of the modern day fear of corruption from foreign sources for example, Donna goes to That London for a job interview and returns a slightly deranged, career driven woman, so concerned with herself and her work that she fails to notice both that one best friend has gone into labour and the other has gone off with Gaz, Donnas boyfriend. This does however hark back to the values of the pre-90s sitcoms like Steptoe and Son and The Good Life that family (and in this context this refers to the close knit group of friends) comes first. A lot of the humour in the traditional British sitcoms is derived from class distinction and the contrasts between these two classes this is particularly evident in The Good Life, in which Tom and Barbara Good decide to give up working for a living and instead enjoy a self-sustained lifestyle. This is in great contrast to their neighbours and friends, the Leadbetters, who are very upper class and disparaging of Tom and Barbaras new lifestyle choice. The majority of disequilibrium (as relating to Todorovs theory) came from a problem the Goods faced in maintaining their self-sufficiency whether it be a lapse back into middle-class for Barbara or Toms pigheadedness causing a minor problem to develop. They are continually challenged by Margot Leadbetter, who is a stereotypical snob with no sense of humour, who tolerates but doesnt understand their choice at all. While The Good Life was being produced in the 1970s, a revival of sorts was taking place concerning self-sufficiency and the growing snobbery of the middle class. The show was hailed as a great support to the cause as it showed it in a very positive light Tom and Barbara face a great deal of adversity in turning their South London home into a small farm, however they always overcome these issues and equilibrium is restored. Margots complete misunderstanding when it comes to self-sufficiency is representative of the snobbery of the middle-class towards those beneath them why should you do the work by, for example, growing your own food, when you can just drive to the shops and buy it? However Tom and Barbara get a good deal of joy from producing their own goods with varying degrees of success, and despite Margots disapproval, they are happy its a very positive message, that you dont need material worth to have a good life. The character of Margot can be seen as a precursor to the character of Hyacinth Bucket on Keeping Up Appearances, a caricature of a middle class social climber. It again employed class distinction as the main source of comedy, that is between Hyacinth and her unemployed sister Daisy, her husband Onslow and younger sister Rose who are an exaggeration of the working class, in that they dont do any work at all and instead spend all day in front of the television. The driving point of Keeping Up Appearances is that Hyacinth, forever striving to be higher in the community, is never happy, while Daisy, Onslow, Rose and Daddy are quite literally happy as pigs in muck. This is further explored in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, where the main cast (with the possible exception of Donna) have no ambition whatsoever and are completely happy to just continue with their working class lifestyle. British sitcoms tend to be very character driven a prime example of this is My Family, an exploration of the life of long-suffering dentist Ben Harper and his equally long-suffering family. Propps character theory can be applied thus Ben, the protagonist and hero, his wife Susan, the secondary hero, his son Nick, the idiot who provides comic relief, his daughter Janey the princess, and his son Michael, who acts as the donor, often providing Ben with the means to achieve his goals at a price. Each family member also periodically acts as the villain, the antagonist to Ben. The sitcom, then, is very formulaic the hero wants something (usually peace and quiet, in My Family), the antagonist has it or the ability to make it happen. This formula acts as something of a comfort blanket to the audience they are aware that whatever happens to the characters, it will be resolved and the status quo restored by the end of the episode these are the audience expectations of the sitcom genre regardless of the era it was produced in, therefore the basic structure of the sitcom has not been changed more than a slight amount to reflect society. The idea of a nuclear family in sitcoms is not a new one, in recent years however it has become more common to challenge this view Jam and Jerusalem is one such example. In the first episode the village doctor Mike Vine dies and leaves his wife Sal as a single parent. Sals children are grown up but her nature and role as village nurse, along with her inception into the village chapter of the Womens Institute, means she effectively acts as a parent to much of the community. Jam and Jerusalem also challenges social ideals by including a character afflicted by a mental illness Rosie Bales, a middle aged woman with the mentality of a child, has an angry and violent alter ego known as Margaret. This inclusion is an attempt to challenge the stigma of mental illness as a weakness and presents Rosie as a functioning member of society, even holding down a job at the local cheese factory and being a member of the WI. Jam and Jerusalem is considered a very down to earth sitcom, in that it doesnt utilise situations unusual to the surroundings it doesnt attempt to jump the shark, a phrase coined to describe the growing desperation of the producers of the sitcom Happy Days who created ever more bizarre plotlines in an attempt to eke out further profits. Set in the rural Cornish town of Clatterford, disequilibrium is caused by everyday situations such as the death of a family member or a bad harvest affecting the income of farmers. By doing so the producers have appealed to a wider audience, not merely interested in watching a programme which is, in effect, the same format every episode, but realistic situations and a life they can relate to. This is a reflection of the growing maturity of sitcom audiences and the need to approach the genre in a more sensitive manner. The strength of Sal Vine as a single mother is a response to the feministic values explored in AbFab however Eddie failed as a single mother, leaving her daughter to her own devices and even, in effect, becoming the child in the relationship herself. These views are challenged by My Family, in that My Family represents the nuclear family both parents are shown to be a part of the upbringing of the children, however with various degrees of success showing the strengths and weaknesses of both the mother and father. Class distinction is also explored in Jam and Jerusalem, with Sals daughter Tash being a hippy and living on a commune with her illegitimate son at the beginning of the programme. Tashs alternative lifestyle is a focal point in the second series with her impending wedding to Spike a traditional wedding proves too expensive and complicated so the whole village, including the other members of the WI, pull together to create a home-grown gypsy wedding, showing that the differences between classes can be overcome by a common goal. Each sitcom studied reflects some aspect of society the class distinction and its associated friction in Fawlty Towers, family life in My Family and lifestyle choices in The Good Life and Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps. Ultimately the sitcoms that we see today are echoes of the ones that have gone before. Whilst their setting and even content may have changed the underlying structure remains the same whilst the traditional family may have been replaced in such programmes as Two Pints, the essential format has remained the same. The reason for this development and renewal is that sitcoms need to change and evolve as society does a perfect family such as The Brady Bunch holds no real appeal to a modern audience as Two Pints or My Family because dysfunctional families are commonplace in modern life, and make plotlines about family life much easier to write. Sitcoms have a close link with the social and economic milieu from which they emerge, however, they are ultimately about people, and people do not change. Bibliography 1) http://www. mediaculture-online. e/fileadmin/bibliothek/stafford_sitcoms/stafford_sitcoms.pdf 2) Image and Representation Key Concepts in Media Studies Nick Lacey 1998 3) Narrative and Genre Key Concepts in Media Studies Nick Lacey 2000. 4) The Media Studies Reader Tim OSullivan and Yvonne Jewkes 1997 5) Exploring the Media Text, Industry, Audience Barbara Connell 2008 6) Media Studies AS and A2 Jacquie Bennett 2005 7) Media Studies Second Edition Stuart Price 1998 1 http://www. mediaculture-online. de/fileadmin/bibliothek/stafford_sitcoms/stafford_sitcoms. pdf 2 http://www. mediaculture-online. de/fileadmin/bibliothek/stafford_sitcoms/stafford_sitcoms. pdf.

Essay --

Currently in international market and domestic market, there are two types of the purchasing methods purchaser uses. One method for the buying the products from the market is â€Å"spot market buying† and the second method of buying the products is with â€Å"future contract†. The on the spot method is also called â€Å"cash market† or â€Å"physical market†, where the products, currencies or commodities sold for cash and delivers the products immediately or within short period of time. For example, â€Å"oil, grains, silver, beef, sugar, natural gas, milk, and gold are done through the spot market, where the prices are the set by open market and the transfer of cash and goods takes place immediately†, and deliver as requested date in the future or within short period of time. The spot market is an instantaneous exchange for the current list or spot price for a particular commodity. With the integration of internet technology, the spot market has be come even more efficient and useful especially in the energy industry. If energy companies have large surpluses of energy, the internet can give them a chance to find buyers in current need almost immediately. Though the spot market is good for company I need â€Å"right now†, its drawback is the fluctuating prices that can cause chaos when calculating the logistics over the long term. There are several pros and cons of on spot buying, such as; it conducts the market research and supplier identification quickly in new market. Also, it provides easy access for lower value purchases. Moreover, it improves the sourcing productivity; as well as alleviates the capacity issues that enhance the productivity of plant and category buyers. Also, it provides easy platform ability for market tests across geographies Though apro... ...vent of the futures contract negotiated by Calpine, it did not fulfill the need for sodium hypochlorite, which implementing the spot market as a way to assure the efficiency of operations that would be the decision most logically made. If Calpine’s buyers or sellers know that they will be buying certain chemical in future, and selling certain number of products or energy, then they should consider taking a long term future contract for purchasing, and short tern future contract for selling the products which hedge its positions in market. So, operations ramp up, more energy needs to be supplied for the increased demand that was not accounted for in the purchase of the particular chemical Calpine ordered. Supply of the chemical dwindles and it up to the men and women at Calpine to search the spot market to find a company with a surplus looking to sell â€Å"on the spot.†

Huckelberry Finn – Chapter 1 Commentary

â€Å"There were things he stretched, but mainly he told the truth.† Straight away Twain shows us the irony and hypocrisy of American society through the eyes of the young and innocent Huck. For Twain's story to come out as he has intended the voice of the narrator is a crucial part. Twain has deliberately chosen a 13-year-old boy as the first person narrator to give the reader a greater sense of belief and trust which Huck quickly gains through his innocence. A young boy such as Huck would be less influenced by the world around him and, therefore, he will be telling the story straight from the heart and what he truly believes in. His vision isn't clouded by the ‘sivilised' society, which Twain perhaps purposely uses to symbolise the way in which American society attempts to place people into a certain stereotype. The language Twain has used is very simple which reflects Huck himself. The grammatically incorrect English. This seems to give Huck more appeal as it further demonstrates his innocence and honesty. Further more, Twain provides us with two contrasting characters in the widow Douglas and Miss Watson in both their personalities and language they use. Their main concern is to behave in the manner that is considered by the society to be ‘sivilised'. This gives the reader the impression that they are fake and not true to themselves but rather more worried about what others will think of them. From the beginning it is clear that Huck believes to be trapped by what he believes to be a confined society. When he is away from this Huck feels ‘free and satisfied' but now that the widow and Miss Watson have taken to ‘Civilizing Huck', his new clothes symbolise the way in which he is feeling on the inside. Huck feels ‘all cramped up' and ‘tiresome and lonesome'. He feels so lonesome that he ‘wishes [he] was dead'. All Huck wants is ‘to go somewhere' and he ‘warn't particular'. He is so desperate to get away from the society that is constricting him that Huck wishes he was at the ‘bad place'. Twain perhaps uses Miss Watson's criticism of Tom Sawyer going to the good place ‘not by a considerable light' as a way to emphasize Huck's fear of being lonely. Huck is very glad at this thought because he wants ‘Tom and [him] to be together'. Perhaps one of Twain's greatest concerns about America's society is its evident hypocrisy. This is greatly exemplified by the widow's ban on smoking because it was a ‘mean practice and wasn't clean' while she herself ‘took snuff too'. As she has authority others are willing to ignore her faults and ‘of course that was all right, because she done it herself', whereas Huck is compelled to follow the rules, only because he has not yet been ‘sivilised'. This passage also seems to explore the idea of criticizing others in order raise themselves. By condemning Huck for smoking, the widow is making herself feel better knowing that she has the authority and that it is all right for her to smoke. Twain uses the idea of Miss Watson using the spelling book perhaps to symbolise the way in which Huck sees this ‘sivilised' society- ‘I couldn't stood it much longer'. The society's concern with being respectable is emphasised by the irony that Huck is only allowed to join Tom's ‘band of robbers' if he goes back to the widow and becomes ‘respectable'. A possible implication of this is that no one would suspect a ‘respectable' person. The society would straight away try and accuse the ‘unsivilised' rather then point the blame on someone of a ‘respectable' status. Therefore, in order for Huck to join the ‘band of robbers' he must establish himself as a ‘respectable' member of the society so as the blame won't be pointed at him. Throughout the chapter the tone changes but particularly towards the end there is a darkness which is mainly created by the use of sounds. ‘I heard an owl, away off, who-whooing about somebody that was dead, and a whippowill and a dog crying about somebody that was going to die', all add to the lonely mood that Huck is feeling at the time and his wish that ‘[he] had some company'. Through Huck Twain is also able to express his views of racism in American society at the time. The use of the word ‘nigger' shows the acceptance of the term. Huck's observation that ‘things go better' when ‘mixed up' seems to refer to the racial segregation. Twain is perhaps portraying his view that society would be a better place if we all ‘mix up' and ‘swap around'. As the society in which Huck is being bought up in slowly attempts to ‘sivilise' him, Huck's character and values seem to grow stronger. As he fights against the society that is attempting to take away his individualism, Huck is determined to stay true to himself and tell the truth, with as little ‘stretches' as possible.

Class or Mass Essay

Neptune Gourmet Seafood is faced with the issue of increased supply in its market. The response action is very time sensitive as a failure to react may cause severe loss in brand perception. Though they have increased investments as of late to produce more and also maintain high quality products through their freezing technology, they still need to find a way to combat long-term supply issues. They should not threaten their high brand image through low cost maneuvers, as this is the key driver of their competitive advantage. The recommendation I propose is to partner with very well known supplement retailer GNC to begin exclusive production of fish oil. On top of that, Neptune should recommend to GNC in the partnership that they expand to the young and upcoming market of frozen healthy meal delivery. GNC can partner with a smaller company that has already established their healthy meal plans, such as MagicKitchen.com. Utilizing GNC’s distribution and marketing prowess, both Neptune and GNC will be able to sustain competitive advantages through high brand equity and first mover advantages in a small, yet poised to grow market. As the world starts to become more health conscious, it will be a huge competitive advantage to have already set up the correct infrastructure to tack this market. Industry Dynamics Neptune Gourmet Seafood is North America’s third largest seafood producer playing in a market where seafood is considered high-end. They have generated nearly a third of its revenue from selling frozen and processed fish through US grocery chains and organic food retailers. An even bigger market is through the many restaurants within 250 miles of Fort Lauderdale that they sell to; along with many big cruise lines. The final third of their market was through wholesalers who then sold the fish to restaurants across the country. Neptune was considered top quality, and therefore demanded a 30% premium over the majority of its competitors. They demanded this premium due to their investments in new ships and freezing technologies that allowed them to find the biggest and best catches along with administering their top notch freezing agents to keep fish fresh. Some customers even preferred their frozen fish to fresh fish. Situation  Analysis Neptune Gourmet Seafood is in a tough situation where they continue to have surplus inventory although demand for their product is increasing. They have recently become more productive through both investments in new freezing technologies as well as new government regulation forcing them to deeper waters where they are having more successful catches. After analyzing their current market situation, some possible opportunities have been unveiled (Appendix A) that could possibly remedy their current predicament. These opportunities are coordinated with the company objectives, but it is clear that not all will be optimal due to offsetting industry conditions. The managers and decision makers at Neptune Gourmet Seafood have each begun to disagree about the proper course of action to best sustain a competitive advantage. (Appendix D) These issues come down to three main areas: Inventory Levels: Is this a short-term problem that will pass with time or is it a strategic problem that must be addressed now to avoid long-term damage. Pricing Scheme: Will a 50% discount help to rid of excess inventory or will it simply reduce profits? Will profits be hurt in the long term? Brand Awareness: Should the brand equity of Neptune Gold be jeopardized with the creation of a secondary Neptune Silver brand? What other opportunities could be explored to increase the brand awareness and brand equity of Neptune as a whole. After performing a SWOT analysis (Appendix C) it became clear that the creation of a secondary discount brand would not only hurt the reputation of Neptune but also cut into its own sales. Moreover, the increasing supply of fish due to new regulation makes it clear that this problem is not something that will just go away by shedding a bit of inventory. It is an issue that needs a long-term solution in order to sustain a competitive advantage, whether that is in another market with a different product, or some other long-term strategy. (Appendix B). For that reason, the idea of expansion to the fish oil market with a partnership with GNC has emerged. This will be able to rid of excess inventory as supply increases while also tapping into a budding demand market. (Appendix E2). Further, they should use their frozen fish to provide the seafood for GNC expansion to the frozen meal delivery market. GNC can partner with MagicKitchen.com to utilize there already in place menu  (Appendix E4) while using the distribution, advertising, and target market that GNC already obtains. Importance of Decision The whole seafood production market is facing a difficult problem of how to deal with increased supply. The response that Neptune takes is vital to its long-term solvency as a misstep may set them back compared to their competitors. Due to its historical success along with a recognizable and trusted brand, Neptune’s customers expect no change in the status quo. Any negative spillover onto their current product or product mix may induce a negative customer response. Furthermore, a move to a low cost brand may hurt their brand image beyond repair. Evaluation Criteria Speed: how fast will the alternative address and remedy the surplus issue? Growth: will the alternative continue growth in current/new markets? Resource Usage: will the alternative use current resources or require new investments? Quality: will the quality of product be reduced through the alternative? Competitor Response: will the alternative start a price war? Customer Response: will the alternative affect customer perception of high quality? Supply Inventory: will the alternative address the increase in supply in short and long-term? Alternatives Neptune is at a point in which action is required. A â€Å"do nothing† strategy would almost certainly put them in a hole that would not allow them to compete long term in this industry. The alternative of a price cut does not align with their core values, and therefore the following three options were considered: 1). Create a Neptune branded chain of high-end Seafood restaurants located along the Florida Coast. Pros: Get’s rid of excess supply Maintains high quality brand perception Increases revenue while creating a testing ground for new products Cons: Large investment buildings and gaining restaurant experience Directly competing with a large portion of customer base 2). Form a partnership with GNC and begin production of fish oil tablets and recommend expansion into preplanned frozen meal market where Neptune would  be exclusive supplier of fish. (Further partner with MagicKitchen.com). Pros: Long term solution for increase in fish supply Extends brand to another market, non-seafood eaters GNC already understands processes to create/has distribution GNC has distribution system in place for frozen sector, already has target market as well Cons: GNC features many brands of fish oils already Possible cannibalization with GNC advised frozen meal plans 3). Create a mass-market brand called Neptune Silver that sells at lower cost through the same distribution channels. Pros: Addresses supply problem now and in the future Attracts new lower end customer base Cons: Decreased revenue Brand perception is lowered, may lose high-end customer base as well Possible lost ability to charge a premium in the high-end market Alternatives Evaluation Matrix Recommendations Short-term – Tactical: With the surplus of inventory increasing every day, Neptune must prepare its transportation services to begin regular deliveries to GNC’s manufacturing site. Long-term – Strategic: Neptune must take action in a few different areas if they are to be successful. Based on the alternatives matrix, the joint venture with GNC gives them the biggest opportunity to retain a competitive advantage. The current growth of the fish oil industry shows the trend that more and more consumers are starting to care about their longevity in health. Furthermore, the meal plan expansion recommendation to GNC helps to gain another competitive advantage in the pre-planned healthy meal industry. They must prepare an offer to GNC outlining the opportunities for GNC and the possible market penetration that they can achieve through this partnership. They will also recommend partnering with already in place frozen healthy meal delivery services such as MagicKitchen.com . The healthy frozen meals industry is growing and doesn’t have a lot of players. First mover advantages will be acquired and  flourished with the scale and distribution GNC already has in place. Key Implementation Actions 1). Begin weekly or monthly transport of specified amount of surplus fish to be used for fish oil at first until partnership with frozen meal team is acquired. 2). Fish oil production will begin at GNC production site, begin marketing and advertising campaigns. 3). Once GNC has partnered with a frozen meal provider, they must begin the marketing and advertising to help bring the health conscious customers of GNC together with the convenience of frozen meals. 4). MagicKitchen.com can utilize GNC distribution systems to deliver low transaction costs Impact to Resources and Capabilities on Competitive Advantages The impact of this partnership is an enhancement to both companies’ competitive advantages. Neptune is able to not only maintain its high quality perception but also penetrate a growing market of fish oil and pre-planned healthy frozen meals. GNC will be able to expand its product mix by penetrating the busy yet health conscious individuals. This is a market that is sustainable and growing due to the increase of information available about healthy eating habits and the importance of food to longevity. The groups of health conscious people are also great brand ambassadors, and are driving marketing efforts and demand for products through their use of social media (Appendix E5). Furthermore, through the partnership GNC will save on transportation costs and other costs by utilizing Neptune as its sole fish supplier. Expected Competitor Response Due to the common issue of increased supply throughout the market, it is likely that other competitors will be trying to find other outlets to sustain a competitive advantage. However, due to the lack of premium brand recognition it will be difficult for them to make such large partnerships. Neptune’s increasing margins over the past few years are giving it ample cash to make these big deals. The competitors will likely try to rid excess inventory through price cuts or charitable giving. Appendix A). Market Expansion Grid B). Porter’s Five Forces C). SWOT Analysis D). Stakeholder’s Analysis E). Exterior Research A) Market Expansion Grid B) Porter’s Five Forces C). SWOT Analysis D) Stakeholder’s Analysis E). Exterior Research E1. Finding New Uses Fish Byproducts Report http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/ar/archive/apr07/fish0407.pdfGlobal demand for fish protein will exceed supply by 2016 â€Å"Fish oil and protein supplements for humans can be made from high-fat livers. And low-fat livers, such as salmon, can be used as supplements for pets and livestock as well as humans.† E2). Grandview Research Industry Report: Fish Oil Market Global fish oil demand nearing $2 billion and expected to grow at 9% between now and 2014 The major driver of this growth is the increase in direct human consumption based on increased health benefit awareness and concern of general population. Not enough production to keep up with the increasing demand. E3). Global Frozen Food Market Report http://www.foodproductdesign.com/news/2013/09/global-frozen-food-market-to-reach-294-billion-by.aspxManufacturers finding more and more demand from organic and natural frozen market Overall market expecting nearly 15% increase by 2019 E4). Possible Partners for Frozen Meals for FNC http://www.magickitchen.com/press_releases/Local-Partner-Program.htmlDelivery of frozen healthy meals to individual doors Could do bulk deliveries to GNC for mass pickup and low costs E5). Health Conscious Shoppers building brands http://socialtimes.com/health-conscious-shoppers-become-powerful-brand-advocates-infographic_b149137More healthy people, more brand recognition and driving  demand. Infographics:

State of the union 2005 essays

State of the union 2005 essays On February 2nd at precisely 9:00 p.m. president George W. Bush gave the annual state of the union speech to Congress and the Americas people. Bush has many plans for our country in the next four years. Some of which are among social security, cutting our deficit, and man more. When President Bush made his state of the union address during his first term he talked about a plan called the no child left behind act. During his first term it was signed and put into action, the results received seemed to be worthwhile, standards are higher, test scores are on the rise, and the country is in the process of closing the achievement gap for minority students. Now during Bushs second term he is demanding that high schools get a piece of the no child left behind act and requests better test results from all high school students, and not just the grade schools. Also colleges will be getting in on a little of this action. Bush plans to help over 200,000 workers to get better training for a career by strengthening Americas community colleges. Also Bush plans to try and make college more affordable by increasing the number of Pell grants. Bush has a plan to keep our economy growing. About four years ago, Bush had submitted a complete energy strategy that encourages conservation, alternative sources, and more production here at home, including safe, clean nuclear energy. This year however Bush would like congress to pass a clear skies legislation, which will cut, power plant pollution and improve the health of U.S. citizens. Bush has a plan to use part of his budget towards leading-edge technology from hydrogen-fueled cars, to clean coal, and to renewable sources such as ethanol. Bush had said, Choices made today will decide our childs lives! this is significantly true when social security becomes the issue. The way social security is heading, this system will be bankrupt by the time my generation reaches retir...

What You Need to Know About Libel Laws

What You Need to Know About Libel Laws As a reporter, its crucial to understand the basics of libel and libel law. Generally speaking, the United States has the freest press in the world, as guaranteed by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. American journalists are generally free to pursue their reporting wherever it may take them, and to cover topics, as The New York Times motto puts it, â€Å"without fear or favor.† But that doesn’t mean reporters can write anything they want. Rumor, innuendo, and gossip are things hard-news reporters generally avoid (as opposed to reporters on the celebrity beat). Most importantly, reporters do not have the right to libel the people they write about. In other words, with great freedom comes great responsibility. Libel law is where the press freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment meet the requirements of responsible journalism. What Is Libel? Libel is published defamation of character, as opposed to spoken defamation of character, which is slander. Libel: Exposes a person to hatred, shame, disgrace, contempt or ridicule.Injures a person’s reputation or causes the person to be shunned or avoided.Injures the person in his or her occupation. Examples might include accusing someone of having committed a heinous crime, or of having a disease that might cause them to be shunned. Two other important points: Libel is by definition false. Anything that is provably true cannot be libelous.â€Å"Published† in this context simply means that the libelous statement is communicated to someone other than the person being libeled. That can mean anything from an article thats photocopied and distributed to just a few people to a story that appears in a newspaper with millions of subscribers. Defenses Against Libel There are several common defenses a reporter has against a libel lawsuit: Truth Since libel is by definition false, if a journalist reports something that is true it cannot be libelous, even if it damages a person’s reputation. Truth is the reporter’s best defense against a libel suit. The key is in doing solid reporting so that you can prove something is true.Privilege Accurate reports about official proceedings – anything from a murder trial to a city council meeting or a congressional hearing – cannot be libelous. This may seem like an odd defense, but imagine covering a murder trial without it. Conceivably, the reporter covering that trial could be sued for libel every time someone in the courtroom accused the defendant of murder.Fair Comment Criticism This defense covers expressions of opinion, everything from movie reviews to columns on the ops might include a rock critic ripping into the latest Beyonce CD, or a political columnist writing that she believes President Obama is doing a horrible job. Public Officials vs. Private Individuals In order to win a libel lawsuit, private individuals need only prove that an article about them was libelous and that it was published. But public officials – people who work in government at the local, state or federal level – have a tougher time winning libel lawsuits than private individuals. Public officials must not only prove that an article was libelous and that it was published; they must also prove it was published with something called â€Å"actual malice.† Actual malice means that: The story was published with the knowledge that it was false.The story was published with reckless disregard of whether or not it was false. Times vs. Sullivan This interpretation of libel law comes from the 1964 U.S. Supreme Court ruling Times vs. Sullivan. In Times vs. Sullivan, the court said that making it too easy for government officials to win libel suits would have a chilling effect on the press and its ability to aggressively report on the important issues of the day. Since Times vs. Sullivan, the use of the â€Å"actual malice† standard to prove libel has been expanded from just public officials to public figures, which basically means anyone who is in the public eye. Put simply, politicians, celebrities, sports stars, high-profile corporate executives and the like all must meet the â€Å"actual malice† requirement in order to win a libel suit. For journalists, the best way to avoid a libel suit is to do responsible reporting. Don’t be shy about investigating wrongdoing committed by powerful people, agencies, and institutions, but make sure you have the facts to back up what you say. Most libel lawsuits are the result of careless reporting.

Does the rotation of auditors improve the quality of auditing Essay - 3

Does the rotation of auditors improve the quality of auditing - Essay Example ntial advantages of MAR fail to outweigh costs incurred and other associated risks. 3 In this context, the essay will review the available literature that analyses whether rotation of auditors improve quality of auditing. It will use deductive reasoning to derive that while there are not much empirical data that prove MAR significantly improves audit quality, at the same time, there is not much conclusive evidence that shows MAR has an adverse effect on audit quality, thus keeping the debate open. Discussion Audit, audit quality and auditor rotation In the UK, it is mandatory for all public sector organisations and large business firms to produce an annual, audited financial report. In this context, the term auditing refers to â€Å"a systematic process of objectively gathering and evaluating evidence relating to assertions about economic actions and events in which the individual or organisation making the assertions has been engaged, to ascertain the degrees of correspondence betw een these assertions and established criteria.†4 The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) had recently published a report asking for public suggestions on the improvement of audit quality and auditor independence, wherein auditor rotation was taken into consideration.5 There are varying opinions on the effects of auditor rotation, and researches have revealed that existing literature fails to derive conclusively on the effects of audit rotation, hence researchers must be careful when analysing audit rotation reports from the past.6 Supporters for auditor rotation claimed that a long-term relationship between an auditor and a company develops a feeling of dependency that in turn diminishes audit quality.7 However, those against auditor rotation claimed that auditor rotation is an expensive process and the costs far exceed any derived advantages.8 Furthermore, they also claimed that auditor rotation is a hurdle, in regard developing a relationship between the firmâ €™s managers and auditors based on confidence and trust, and social exposures between the two often lead to improved audit quality, without hampering auditor independence.9 The theoretical debate on the issue of auditor rotation is based on how one views the auditor. If the auditor is seen as a medium for wealth optimisation, there are various theories that support the concept that there is an improvement of audit quality due to rotation.10 However, if one viewed the auditor as an agent for the principals, rotation is deemed disadvantageous, and a long-term relationship would allow the auditor to get a better understanding of the principals’ objectives, thus making him/her a better auditor.11 The term ‘audit quality’ denotes the probability that an auditor will find shortcomings within a firm’s accounting system (competence), and will report on them (independence).12