Medimmune Case free essay sample

MedImmune is dedicated to helping patients live better lives through advances in science and medicine. Hundreds of thousands of patients have benefited from their products, which are designed to treat or prevent infectious diseases, cancer and inflammatory diseases (Wikipedia, 2012). Their extensive research and development efforts are focused on these same areas. MedImmune acquired FluMist when it purchased Aviron in 2002. FluMist is Aviron’s lead product for development and commercialization, it’s a live virus vaccine delivered to the patient as a nasal mist for the prevention of influenza (Wikipedia, 2012). Key Issues The board of MedImmune believed that Aviron was a good strategic fit but didn’t know what to offer. We need to see all the advantages and disadvantages to come to the conclusion. With other vaccines and cancer treatment products, MedImmune wants to get larger market shares and become the leader in vaccines discovery, development, manufacture, and marketing. From the background we can see Aviron is also a biopharmaceutical company. We will write a custom essay sample on Medimmune Case or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Its lead product, FluMist, is also a live vaccine. There is a huge overlap in their researches, which can provide MedImmune a good scale of economy and cost efficiency. For Example, Synagis, as MedImmune’s main product, is the first monoclonal antibody successfully developed to combat infectious disease, and is indicated for the prevention of serious lower respiratory tract disease caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in pediatric patients at high risk of RSV disease. Aviron’s PIV-3 is a common childhood respiratory virus (Wikipedia, 2012). By purchasing Aviron, MedImmune will achieve all complete products and undergoing clinical trials including the tax credits up to 50% attached. Risk First of all, what need to be concerned is that even though FluMist helped Aviron generate $11. 7 million in revenue for the first nine months of 2001, it reported a net loss of $89. 2 million for the same period (Sullivan, J. D. , 2004). This leaves a dangerous situation for MedImmune to value Aviron with negative earnings. The problems can be grouped into two categories: problems with estimating cash flows and problems with estimating discount rates. How long will it take to get a positive earning? What number should the discount rate be? Secondly, although the company took a long time before the introduction of the vaccine FluMist, the nasal spray flu virus has been unable to obtain FDA approval for the vaccination of young children and the elderly. FluMist also exists the problem of poor sales and difficult storage. MedImmune paid $ 1. 5 billion in 2001 after the acquisition of California Aviron in launching of FluMist. At that time, MedImmune predicted that FluMist would become a blockbuster drugs. But in fact, FluMist is quite poor performance on the market. Poor estimation on potential customers and market growth should be the main reasons for the failure. Recommendation The MedImmune Company expected that the transaction will be completed in the first quarter of 2002. The transaction will write off the companys 2002 earnings levels and reach breakeven point in 2003; then the level of its cash surplus will significantly grow (MedImmune, 2001). But from both MedImmune and Avirons’ statement of operations we can see that huge gap of negative earning will not be covered in 2003. From the news afterwards we know that according to the agreement reached by the two companies, MedImmune used 1. 75 shares of outstanding stock in exchange of one Aviron’s share, total payment of $170 billion (MedImmune, 2001). If I was MedImmune’s board member I would not approve this merger. MedImmune should not ignore the huge loss and expect too much on FluMist. When facing the negative cash flow, MedImmune could value Aviron based on asset value or earning power. In asset value part, they could look into its balance sheet and focus on cur rent asset number or total asset number, and then they need to deduct liabilities to reach the net asset.

Free Essays on Fashions Of The 60s

Why did some styles become so popular and remain popular though out the 60s’? Some were different enough to become a huge hit with teens, while others were not as lucky. From the peace symbols that attempted to keep the war far from home, to the ban the bra movement that gave women a group to belong to. In the Mod movement many teens started their own kind of fashion that was fresh and new, too unique for some though. The fashions of the 60s’ reflected the turbulence and rebelliousness of the era. The peace sign represented many people fighting for the war to stay far from home, and to keep it there. The peace symbol became a strong representation of hope for teens; it gave them a ground to stand on. To the Mod movement that started in Britain and slowly traveled to America that started the whole fashion uniqueness. It was mostly influenced by, art, music and drugs. The different cuts and colors of fabric really helped in the search to find whom they were. It was time to break away from the boring clothes of the 1950s and break in to a whole new line of style. With the new vibrant colors and slimming cuts fashion had taken off like a rocket. The youth of the world began to see that nothing could hold them back from being individual. They started wearing clothes that no one would criticize because they were too fancy. The skirts of the 60s had shorter and shorter hemlines. Some say this â€Å"led to the moral decline of society and youth† (SK). As the new styles emerged so did the way teens thought, not so much for themselves but for their country and what they believed in. The peace symbol really spread far and fast, pretty soon it was all over. It was on shirts, cars, jewelry, and many other things. Organizations really helped with the overwhelming question of â€Å"Where do I belong?† Such as the Ban the Bra movement, it helped young women know and feel like they belonged to something important. Women’s rights really came aliv... Free Essays on Fashions Of The 60's Free Essays on Fashions Of The 60's Why did some styles become so popular and remain popular though out the 60s’? Some were different enough to become a huge hit with teens, while others were not as lucky. From the peace symbols that attempted to keep the war far from home, to the ban the bra movement that gave women a group to belong to. In the Mod movement many teens started their own kind of fashion that was fresh and new, too unique for some though. The fashions of the 60s’ reflected the turbulence and rebelliousness of the era. The peace sign represented many people fighting for the war to stay far from home, and to keep it there. The peace symbol became a strong representation of hope for teens; it gave them a ground to stand on. To the Mod movement that started in Britain and slowly traveled to America that started the whole fashion uniqueness. It was mostly influenced by, art, music and drugs. The different cuts and colors of fabric really helped in the search to find whom they were. It was time to break away from the boring clothes of the 1950s and break in to a whole new line of style. With the new vibrant colors and slimming cuts fashion had taken off like a rocket. The youth of the world began to see that nothing could hold them back from being individual. They started wearing clothes that no one would criticize because they were too fancy. The skirts of the 60s had shorter and shorter hemlines. Some say this â€Å"led to the moral decline of society and youth† (SK). As the new styles emerged so did the way teens thought, not so much for themselves but for their country and what they believed in. The peace symbol really spread far and fast, pretty soon it was all over. It was on shirts, cars, jewelry, and many other things. Organizations really helped with the overwhelming question of â€Å"Where do I belong?† Such as the Ban the Bra movement, it helped young women know and feel like they belonged to something important. Women’s rights really came aliv...

Urinary incontinence Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Urinary incontinence - Article Example The people involved in the study were observed and given questionnaires to fill. The data collected was then analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Z-tests were conducted for every demographic factor and the results are then discussed comprehensively citing various studies that have been conducted before. Analysis shows that age and BMI increase chances of urinary infection and consequently urinary incontinence. Women of lower educational levels record more cases of urinary incontinence due to lack of general information about the condition. Women with higher parity levels also record more cases of urinary infections and subsequently urinary incontinence. This observational study aimed at describing the determinants and factors more likely to be responsible for urinary incontinence. Women who had urinary incontinence and women without urinary incontinence were compared with regards to their demographic features and risk of development of urinary problems. The group1 women were asked two more questions whether or not they had sought medical help and how long the problem had existed. Urinary Incontinence is a disorder that can be basically explained as inability to control or loss of bladder control. According to Danford et al, there exists risk factors that cause increased chances of urinary incontinence, especially among women of child bearing age (Danford, 2006). These risk factors can either cause short term or temporary urinary incontinence or they can cause long term or permanent urinary incontinence. This article is about some of these risk factors that may lead to urinary incontinence. The risk factors covered in this article are age, education levels, parity and BMI. According to Rogers, age is a significant risk factor especially for women who have given birth through vaginal method. Stress incontinence is more common in these women as it may result in destroyed pelvic muscles (Rogers, 2008). Body weight is also a

Properties of Materials Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Properties of Materials - Essay Example There are two rules of thumb that have been given in comparing the density of materials i.e. titanium is nearly half the density of steel and that of aluminum is about one third the density of steel. Any heavy and weak material is considered bad but for a strong and light material is considered good. Stress and strain Stress has been described as the amount of force applied to a certain material divided by the cross sectional area of the material to the direction of the force. Strain properties, on the other hand, indicate how much a material lengthens under stress. Tensile and comprehensive strength The strength of a material can be measured by putting a material sample in a powerful materials testing machine, which pulls the materials apart and then records the force required to do so, plus the deformation to the material. Compression strength is determined by subjecting the material under pressure until it breaks i.e. heat, impact, et cetera. Tensile and compressive indicators are then recorded. These are good measure of how much impact the building materials can withstand without breaking if subjected to certain pressures (James, 2011, 35). Elastic and plastic deformation As explained in the stress strain diagrams above, elasticity and plastic deformation occurs prior and after application of a certain amount of stress on a certain material. In figure 2 above, below point A, we find that steel goes back to its original state hence it is elastic. Beyond point B, the steel cannot go back to its original length hence it is deformed or inelastic. Permanent elongation of a material is called plastic deformation. The same case applies to other building materials under different stress conditions. Below is the load deformation curve: Modulus of elasticity This is a coefficient which denotes the ratio of stress per unit area acting on, to cause deformation on a material to the resulting deformation therefrom. The elastic modulus, E, is usually determined after the compression tests are done on buildings. It differs in various types of materials for building. Elasticity modulus for steel is determined during manufacture while that of a concrete wall is calcula ted depending on the building dimensions. Task II Figure three: Graph of load against extension See the excel attachment Modulus of elasticity, E E = 2G(r+1) where G is the modulus of rigidity and r is the Poisson’s ratio. E= (F) (L1)/ (A) (L2) where F is the force or load, L1 is the original length of material (in this case mild steel), L2 is the amount the length changes on application of the load, A is the cross section area that the force is applied on the material. Area of the rod steel is given by the formula:, then A= 22/7* 12.52 = 491.07 mm2 E = {[50*195] / [491.07*0.09] + [100*195] / [491.07*0.19] + [150*195] / [491.07*0.29] + [160*195] / [491.07*0.34] + [165*195] / [491.07*0.46] + [170*195] / [491.07*0.78] + [180*195] / [491.07*0.84] + [190*195] / [491.07*0.91] + [200*195] / [491.07*0.98] + [210*195] / [491.07*1.07] + [220*195] / [491.07*1.24]

Research paper on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice

On Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice - Research Paper Example In fact, a girl who was wed when her father died would not inherit his fortune; instead, the husband was in line for the inheritance. This is what would have happened in the Bennet house hold, and this is one of the reasons that Mrs. Bennet wanted to make sure that her girls were wed. Keeping these thoughts in mind, Jane Austen, in her novel, Pride and Prejudice, reinforces the conservative values of the society in which her characters live. The period that the novel takes place was called the Regency Period. This period was called this because King George IV was in rule between 1810 and 1820 and the story takes place midway between these two years in 1813 (Austen, â€Å"Study† 10). During this period, the industrial revolution created wealthy men from the middle class who were business owners and professionals. They were able to purchase large homes, landscape the grounds, wear elaborate clothes and be driven around in fine carriages (Austen, â€Å"Study† 10). Although many had become wealthy, others were struggling and many were hungry. When people have these challenges, they often turn to social unrest, which happened at this time, and there were bread riots and worker protests (Austen, â€Å"Study† 11). Social customs were very important to this era and men and women had specific places within society. Austen shows this throughout her novel. This historical back ground was never included in Austen’s novels. Instead, she wanted readers to understand what she saw during this time because she was constantly observing the middle class that she lived within. Her novels depicted the â€Å"manners and morals of the middle class† (Austen â€Å"Study† 11). This historical back ground is important to understand how Austen’s novel reinforced the conservative values of the time. â€Å"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife†

The Minoans And Mycenaeans History Essay

The Minoans And Mycenaeans History Essay During the Bronze Age, the Mycenaeans and Minoans became two of the most powerful and culturally unique groups the world had ever seen. Because they resided so close to each other, they had an undeniable influence on each other and this resulted in the two groups sharing a lot of the same characteristics. Despite having a similar set of characteristics, both civilizations had several noticeable and distinct differences, most notably in the areas of architecture, arts, and languages. These differences can be understood best when examining the fact that Minoans were more trade and nature oriented, while the Mycenaeans focused more on war and strengthening their military. The Minoans and Mycenaean civilizations both resided in present-day Greece, while the Minoans based their civilization on the island of Crete, and the Mycenaeans on mainland Greece. The Minoans, who were known particularly for their extensive trade and dominance of the sea, existed from about 27th century B.C. to 14th century B.C. until the Mycenaeans defeated them and took over (Biers, 1980, 27). On the other hand, the Mycenaeans were more war and military oriented than the Minoans, as seen by their victory over the Minoans and their material culture, which will be looked at later. As far as language is concerned, Mycenaeans appeared to use a language called Linear B, which consisted of 87 different signs and several ideograms, or graphic symbols that represents an idea or concept. There has been a large amount of evidence found in the palaces of the Mycenaean civilization in the form of clay tablets. The Minoans used a system called Linear A, a mostly syllabic script that contains 75 signs and several ideograms; unfortunately, archaeologists still havent completely deciphered all of the symbols (Burkert, 1985, 20). We do know however, that Linear A tablets contained accounting transactions, which supports the idea that Minoans were more trade oriented (Biers, 1980, 26). Both civilizations were very complex and advanced with complex social hierarchies; this complexity is best seen by examining the archaeological remains of each civilizations architecture and different types of art pieces including paintings, sculptures, and pottery. Although the Minoan and Mycenaean styles of architecture were very similar, there were still several structural differences due to their trade and military backgrounds. Mycenaeans were especially talented at working with large blocks of stone (Biers, 1980, 67), a technique called megalithic architecture, which made it possible for Mycenaeans to construct enormous, heavily fortified walls that surrounded their palaces. This was in stark contrast to Minoan palaces as they probably felt that fortifications around palaces may have been superfluous due to their isolation location and strong navy. Minoans also used a post and lintel system, or in other words, verticals and horizontals (Biers, 1980, 29), as opposed to the Mycenaean megalithic structure. A distinct feature of the Mycenaean style of architecture is the relieving triangle above a lintel block, an architectural element best displayed on the Lion Gate at Mycenae (Preziosi and Hitchcock, 1999, 176). Both civilizations had palaces with intricate and detailed floor plans that covered a vast amount of land and had a central area upon which the rest of the palace would be built around. Typically, in Minoan palaces such as Knossos, the central area would be a large courtyard which was the focus of everyday life and served as the site for religious rituals and other ceremonial functions (Biers, 1980, 29). On the other hand, the central area of a Mycenaean palace was called a megaron. Typically, Mycenaean palaces such as Pylos, were highly decorated; this included the walls and the floor and even the hearth, which had spiral and flame patterns painted several times (Biers, 1980, 71). Another aspect of the Mycenaean culture that showed they had a military sense was their utilization of advanced hydraulic engineering. Not only did they have great fortification walls, but they had carefully maintained roads that served as an important network connector to their various major centers (Bier s, 1980, 74). While it is reasonable to conclude that both civilizations had impressive pieces of architectural work, the Mycenaeans tended to have a greater abundance of military architecture in its world. Based on an abundant amount of archaeological evidence, it is apparent that the Minoans were more interested in nature oriented art while Mycenaeans were more interested in warlike paintings. The Minoans loved to paint frescoes with bright, vibrant colors such as terra cotta red and used these colors to depict beautiful scenes of nature (Biers, 1980, 29). Minoan also liked to use a vivid red paint to paint the floor as a blanket of color and not just for frescoes (Hirsch, 1980, 453). There were also many enormous bull-vaulting scenes, present in Minoan palaces. In these paintings, the bulls were typically painted brown and white while the men were painted red and then women were painted white (Biers, 1980, 46). When examining Mycenaean art it is clear that they were strongly influenced by the Minoans because you can see several Minoan themes in their paintings and frescoes. An example of this is the procession fresco and the bull-vaulting scene (Biers, 1980, 80). Despite this obvious correlation, Mycenaean art usually had a lesser emphasis on nature, which was only used as a backdrop for scenes, and a greater emphasis on warlike scenes (Biers, 1980, 82). Both societies also made terra cotta figurines but Minoans features household goddesses with flaring skirts and raised hands (Biers, 1980, 55) while the Mycenaean figurines were larger in scale and were primarily categorized into three types: Phi, women with no arms, Psi, women whose arms made a crescent shape, and Tau (Biers, 1980, 89). While both cultures were masterful in painting sculptures and other forms of art, the Minoans concentrated more on being detailed and nature oriented while the Mycenaeans were more plain and focused more on warlike sculptures. Perhaps the archaeological find with the most abundant amount of evidence that backs up the idea that Minoans were more nature oriented than their counter part, the Mycenaeans, is pottery. Minoan pottery is considered to be far more decorative than that of the Mycenaeans and their pottery attained a very high standard in both fabric and decoration (Biers, 1980, 52). Since pottery was actually also used to determine chronology, Minoan pottery actually provided a foundation for dividing the different Minoan eras. Late Minoan IA style featured spirals with details added in white and floral motifs (Biers, 1980, 54), while Late Minoan IB style, the Marine style, featured several nature-like qualities such as the depictions of sea creatures, particularly octopus (Biers, 1980, 54). Unlike Minoan pottery, Mycenaean pottery was simple and dull in its decoration (Biers, 1980, 85). Mycenaean pottery was designed with a dull black-to-brown glaze while the Late Helladic IIIB pottery featured shap es such as a kylix, and the Late Helladic IIIC period featured simple linear patterns and warrior scenes (Biers, 1980, 85 and 86). The Mycenaeans and Minoans had very different tastes in pottery as the Mycenaeans went for a more simple, plain, and at times, warrior style, while the Minoans went for a more colorful, and nature like style. Like most material culture, the religion and burial practices of the Minoans and Mycenaeans shared many similarities and had many differences. Minoan religion featured several female goddesses, prompting Arthur Evans to claim that their religion was a Mother goddess-centered religion (Olsen, 1998, 382). Additionally, animals and the death and rebirth of vegetationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦serve as the basis of Minoan religion (Biers, 1980, 27). A big difference between Minoan and Mycenaean religious practices was that Mycenaean cult buildings were independent structures which avoided the Minoan practice of building multiple shrines within their settlement (Burkert, 1985, 89). Grave Circle A and Grave Circle B are two of the most significant shaft grave archaeological finds for pottery and metalwork that have ever taken place (Biers, 1980, 75). The typical burial method was internment in chamber tombs and, for the royal family, in tholos tombs (Biers, 1980, 76). It is quite evident that both civ ilizations did have particular burial practices and practiced religion, although in Mycenaean civilization burial practices took on a larger scale. There is no doubt that the similarities between the Minoans and Mycenaeans are extensive, mostly because of their close proximity that allowed the Minoans to influence the Mycenaeans so much. While they were very similar, they also had several fundamental differences, most notably the Minoans being more trade and nature oriented while the Mycenaeans were more warlike. These differences are best understood by analyzing the different archaeological, artistic, and language aspects because they tell a story about the development of two of the greatest ancient civilizations during the Bronze Age.

Local Government In Tourism Essay -- essays research papers fc

Local Government has no Role to Play in Tourist Development The local Government is one of the keys to tourism development, a complete contradiction to that of the essay statement, which I believe really has no ground to stand on. In this essay I will illustrate this point by showing the roles with which local government plays within the community, and the importance it has to creating a successfully developed tourism product that maximises the benefits for not only the residences of the community but the tourist himself. Over the past forty years, trends in the tourism industry illustrate there has been evident growth on both a regional and global perspective. Because of this increase and growth of the industry it has ultimately brought large benefits to communities, providing great opportunity, economic development, employment and social benefits. Due to this benefit it is imperative that communities capitalise on these opportunities. One of the major authorities which provides the key roles to this success is that of local governments, who provide the ideal, authority, infrastructure and planning procedures to maximise the benefit for its communities, in a sustainable manner.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The reasons for Local government playing such an important role is due to its channels of communications with its nations powers, who control the actions and decisions of the country. The government creates local governments and provides the framework and influence of decisions that local government makes for its community. This is initially created by government that sets the framework of legislation for local government to abide by. The government then creates local government to enforce the legislature and provide a nurturing role for the community. Government can not address the problems of the entire country, so it uses local government, to distribute its ideas, and hold influence over its regions and communities. This also illustrates that local government plays a major role in a communities development providing the links between the people and government and implements and addresses its community’s problems, frameworks and ideals, and receives the c orrect guidance for developing its regions product. Local government is ultimately created to nurture, channel and control ideas of the country into its community so as to create benefits and realisa... ...d healthy returns for the communities residence. Local government has no role to play in tourism development is a bold statement in the least. The reason for this is local governments steer its communities in the right direction, through allocation of scarce resources into the correct development procedures. Now than ever before the influence of correct allocation has been apparent, as they are becoming far more limited, and if not used correctly, it is inevitable that in the long term market failures will occur. Local government is the key to tourism development in all communities, with its guiding hand it will ultimately produce the best benefit for all on a sustainable level, which will increase tourist arrival, increase community benefit and create a far more wealthy community and country. Bibliography Collier, Alan Principles of Tourism Fourth Edition Longman 1997 New Zealand Tourism Board Tourism in New Zealand Strategy and Progress New Zealand Tourism Board New Zealand Tourism Board Current Issues in New Zealand Tourism 1997 New Zealand Tourism Board Plimmer, Neil Tourism and Local government 1993 Young, Ernst How and why should local government promote tourism 1995

Critical Evaluation: Frankenstein Essay

Frankenstein Mary Shelley creates strong meaning through her interpretation a monster by the main concept. Bringing something back from the dead is what created the mystery and curiosity for this lost soul. The idea of this impossibility is what has made it recognised today. Mary Shelley had conceived the idea for Frankenstein in a time of wonder. She uses imagery and strategic repetition of key descriptive words to create an atmosphere of horror and gloom in the first part of the chapter, when the monster comes to life. Shelley invites readers to believe Victor’s story through an objective person. Shelley also uses an important literary device known as the epistolary form — where letters tell the story — using letters between Walton and his sister to frame both Victor’s and the creature’s narrative. She uses imagery and strategic repetition of key descriptive words to create an atmosphere of horror and gloom in the first part of the chapter, when the monster comes to life. She uses variations of words such as â€Å"dreary†, â€Å"horrid†, â€Å"disgust†, â€Å"miserable†, and â€Å"wretched† liberally, and paints vivid images of ugliness and decay. Frankenstein was deeply described as a monster that should not deserve the advantage of having a female companion through his life. The experiences which led Frankenstein understand the way the world perceives those who are different were unfortunately not the way they thought they would be. Within the book Frankenstein has a section where he speaks in first person narrative so that he can present his won perspective of the situation. Harmony was the soul of our companionship,† is an example of personification to the concept. Shelley uses the issues of being different to influence the way the audience feels towards the monster and his brutal murders. Meaning is exposed to the way Frankenstein really feels. His vulnerability is shown when he reveals that â€Å"it tort ured my heart† when he killed these innocent people. An understanding can also be gathered and influenced by the personalities and wishes of both Frankenstein and Victor. At first Victor’s mistake was to create this being of horror. It portrayed Frankenstein as the monster when actually Victor is refusing him of the only thing he wants and needs to live through this life which was not his choice to live. Mary Shelley guides you through the life of the creator and the creator’s created. Shelley gives the audience the change to make up their own mind of who caused the wrong doings by giving using different language techniques to give you an explanation on both sides. Why is it Valued? Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is so very valued because of the imagination which is depicted through the concept of life after death. Frankenstein is recognised worldwide because of his kind heart in such a sad life. Even though he is seen as positively repulsive Frankenstein still finds joy in seeing others act like a family and learning from their experiences in life. Frankenstein is cherished because of its shocking concept. Frankenstein was brought into the world without a second’s thought to what the consequences would be. It has captured audiences in our generation and generations to come for its passionate personalities and imaginary themes.

About the US Federal Privacy Act

About the US Federal Privacy Act The Privacy Act of 1974 is intended to protect Americans against invasions of their personal privacy through the misuse of information about them collected and maintained by the federal government agencies. The Privacy Act controls what information can be legally collected and how that information is collected, maintained, used, and disseminated by the agencies in the executive branch of the federal government. Only information stored in a â€Å"system of records† as defined by the Privacy Act are covered. As defined in the Privacy Act, a system of records is â€Å"a group of any records under the control of any agency from which information is retrieved by the name of the individual or by some identifying number, symbol, or other identifying particular assigned to the individual.† Your Rights Under the Privacy Act The Privacy Act guarantees Americans three primary rights. These are: The right to see the records about them held by the government, subject to Privacy Act exemptions;The right to request that the records be changed to ensure that they are accurate, relevant, timely or complete; andThe right to be protected against unwarranted or illegal invasions of their privacy resulting from the collection, maintenance, use, and disclosure of their personal information. Where the Information Comes From It is a rare individual who has managed to keep at least some of their personal information from being stored in a government database. Doing just about anything will get your name and numbers recorded. Here are just few examples: Getting a Social Security cardGetting a paycheckFiling a tax returnRegistering for the draftServing in the militaryApplying for Social Security or other federal benefitsWorking or contracting for the federal government Information You Can Request The Privacy Act does not apply to all government information or agencies. Only executive branch agencies fall under the Privacy Act. In addition, you may only request information or records that can be retrieved by your name, Social Security Number, or some other personal identifier. For example: You cannot request information regarding your participation in a private club or organization unless the agency indexes and can retrieve the information by your name or other personal identifiers. As with the Freedom of Information Act, the agencies can withhold certain information exempted under the Privacy Act. Examples include information concerning national security or criminal investigations. Another commonly used Privacy Act exemption protects records that might identify an agencys source of confidential information. For Example: If you apply for a job in the CIA, you would probably not be allowed to find out the names of people the CIA interviewed in regard to your background. Exemptions and requirements of the Privacy Act are more complicated than those of the Freedom of Information Act. You should seek legal assistance if necessary. How to Request Privacy Information Under the Privacy Act, all U.S. citizens and aliens with legal permanent residence (green card) status are allowed to request personal information held on them. As with Freedom of Information Act requests, each agency handles its own Privacy Act requests. Each agency has a Privacy Act Officer, whose office should be contacted for Privacy Act information requests. The agencies are required to at least tell you whether they have information on you or not. Most federal agencies also have links to their specific Privacy and FOIA Act instructions on their websites. This information will tell you what types of data the agency collects on individuals, why they need it, what they do with it, and how you can get it. While some agencies may allow for Privacy Act requests to be made online, requests can also be made by regular mail. Send a letter addressed to the Privacy Officer or agency head. To speed handling, clearly mark Privacy Act Request on both the letter and the front of the envelope. Heres a sample letter: DatePrivacy Act RequestAgency Privacy or FOIA Officer [or Agency Head]Name of Agency or Component|AddressDear ____________:Under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. subsection 552, and the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. subsection 552a, I am requesting access to [identify the information you want in complete detail and state why you believe the agency has the information about you.]If there are any fees for searching or copying these records, please inform me before filling my request. [or, Please send me the records without informing me of the cost unless the fees exceed $______, which I agree to pay.]If you deny any or all of this request, please cite each specific exemption you feel justifies the refusal to release the information and notify me of appeal procedures available to me under the law.[Optionally: If you have any questions about this request, you may contact me by telephone at ______ (home phone) or _______ (office phone).]Sincerely,NameAddress What Will it Cost The Privacy Act allows agencies to charge no more than their costs for copying the information for you. They cannot charge for researching your request. How Long it Will Take? The Privacy Act places no time limits on the agencies to respond to information requests. Most agencies try to respond within 10 working days. If you have not received a reply within a month, send the request again and enclose a copy of your original request. What to Do if the Information is Wrong If you think the information the agency has on you is wrong and should be changed, write a letter addressed to the agency official who sent the information to you. Include the exact changes you think should be made along with any documentation you have that backs up your claim. Agencies have 10 working days to notify you of receipt of your request and to inform you if they need further proof or details of the changes from you. If the agency grants you request, they will inform you of exactly what they will do to amend the records. What to Do if Your Request is Denied If the agency denies your Privacy Act request (either to supply or change information), they will advise you in writing of their appeal process. You can also take your case to federal court and be awarded court costs and attorneys fees if you win.

ethnography of the city essays

ethnography of the city essays Cities exist for many reasons and the diversity of urban form and function can be traced to the complex roles that cities perform. Cities serve as centers of storage, commerce, and industry. The agricultural surplus from the surrounding country hinterland is processed and distributed within the city. Urban areas have also developed around marketplaces, where imported goods from distant places could be exchanged for the local products. Throughout history, cities have been founded at the intersections of transportation routes, or at points where market goods must shift from one mode of transportation to another such as river or ocean ports as well as railways. Cities are also sites of enormous religious and cultural significance not to mention being the center of administrative action. (Johnson, Earle) Cities have always existed in the mind as well as in physical structure. For many poor and disenfranchised a particular city can be assumed to be a utopia of possibility in which there will be economic wealth, job security, political refuge, and religious sanctity. Thomas More's Utopia envisioned a city in which no one was exploited or impoverished, because all worked. This has never been made a terrestrial reality. With the rise of the industrial city and the onset of mass media, the city can has its dystopian features as well. Urban areas are plagued by enormous and widespread poverty intermingled with prodigious wealth. The plight of the poor within the city has not been a facet of traditional anthropological inquiry until the prevalence of urban anthropology and studies that evolved in the late twentieth century. Violence is a pervasive presence in the lives of young people in urban communities in the United States. Despite recent declines in murder rates, homicide is a leading cause of death and injury among young people, especially those in urban areas. A recent study showed that in New York City, "one in four adolescent g...

Nosocomial infections Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nosocomial infections - Assignment Example This report will look at various issues related to HAIs. Nosocomial infections have been a problem for many countries of the world. The challenge occurs as majority of countries are unable to put mechanisms to monitor HAIs. However, a number of countries have systems that could help in surveillance of these infections, but they lack a standard way of establishing infections. These challenges make it difficult to quantify information on these types of infections. However, various studies carried out have been able to establish that there are millions of patients that are affected HAIs in different parts of the world (World Health Organization (WHO) 1). There are worrying statistics concerning these infections in different parts of the world. As noted in the World Health Organization report, HAIs varies between 3.5 and 12 percent in those countries that are perceived as developed (WHO 2). In Europe, the average rate of infections is noted as 7.1 percents. In the region, over four million cases are reported in a very year. On the other hand, the infections have been a serious problem in United States. As it is, about four percent of admitted patients are said to have an infection linked to the hospital care (ODPHP 1). The infections lead to huge spending in the healthcare sector and also cause death. The infection or have huge consequences to individuals involved. In addition, the effects have been found more common in countries with limited resources as compared to those with more resources (WHO 2). There are common types of these infections that occur in the care environment. The most common are listed as urinary tract infections, surgical site infections, and bloodstream infections (ODPHP 1). However, these infections have been reducing in the recent past due to various initiatives that have been taking place in the healthcare sector. On the other hand, there are various factors that put the patients at risk of acquiring HAI.

E-commerce Security Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

E-commerce Security - Assignment Example The product of GAP is majorly the GAP image. Apart from just selling accessories and clothes, GAP makes huge sales of their own image as well as a trendy upper class environment of shopping. The company has branched out to many other markets like GAP outlet and Baby GAP. The company deals in various clothes of which some are in the stage of maturity with other brand new lines in the stage of introduction. GAP can keep up with the stiff competition online as it continually rolls out varying products to its clients. GAP is influenced by many factors just like other online retail centers. These can be both external and internal factors. They are hence considered when marketing strategy is being created. Today, GAP is trading towards being a driven by brand marketing rather than by creative marketing. GAP as a company experiences various strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The strengths of the company include: effective customer service; quality products; reliable services ; and branching out to the internet. On the other hand, its weaknesses include: the price point; competition from other available stores; and the stuffiness image of the company. GAP Company enjoys varying opportunities from the internet ranging from the stock market prices, and development of the new plan of marketing. However, the threats that are in store for GAP include: the industrial expansion; increasing competition; and high competition in internet shopping. The primary target of GAP is a Caucasian female ranging between 21 and 35 years of age. The male Caucasians of between 24 and 35 years and females lying between 15 to 20 years makes the secondary target market of the company. There are other targets in the online market but those two forms its major targets. The product of the GAP Company include: Baby GAP, GAP outlet, and SKU’s such as Old Navy and banana republic. The company is influenced by internal and external factors such as; competitive forces, economic fo rces, political forces, legal forces, regulatory forces, technological forces, and socio cultural forces (Holmes, 2011). Company history and background The first GAP store was opened by Doris and Donald Fisher on August 21, 1969 in San Francisco, Ocean Avenue. The merchandise of the store was composed of LPs and Levi’s. The Fishers raised about 63,000 US dollars in order to open the store. In about a year, the sales of GAP had grown to 2 million US dollars. A second GAP store was opened in 1970 in California, San Jose, with its headquarters established in Burlingame, California with mere four employees. The company grew rapidly. It had more than 25 stores by 1973 covering up to outskirts of California and entered the market of East Coast with a new online store in New Jersey, Voorhees. GAP began selling private label merchandise in 1974. Drexler Millard led GAP to its phenomenal growth in 1990s due to the transformation of the humble jeans discount emporium. In 2002, Drexler was ousted after an over expansion and slump sales. There was a strong rebound in GAP’