The Impact of the Increase of Cigarette Taxes Term Paper

The Impact of the Increase of Cigarette Taxes - Term Paper Example This term paper focuses mostly on the implication of the increased cigarette tax to smokers, to the target beneficiary of the law and to the government. The researcher also gives light on how the cigarette tax is implemented. Studies and articles reviewed in the paper show strong indication of positive and negative effects of additional cigarette taxes. It has pointed out that the low-income earners and the youth are the categories of smokers who are most likely to quit due to the economic reason of price. The real loser in any price increase is the smoking public who shoulders the cost passed on to them by manufacturers, distributors, and retailers through the tiers of taxes imposed by the government. The positive growth of government revenue is shown as tax increases government income. As a source of revenue, tax collections increase as higher taxes are imposed thereby providing a source of revenue for project allotments. In this term paper, the tax hike in 2009 is intended to bene fit the expansion of the State Children Insurance Program. But this is contradicted that the amount of collection will not be sufficient to support this program. The researcher then concludes that cigarette tax is a conflicting policy that has to be weighed in terms of revenue generation, health promotion, and social considerations. However, it is an economic tool that balances economic and social policy. In Asian experience, their policy favored the tax increase, in the same way, that this year, US has implemented cigar tax hike.

Project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Project - Research Paper Example However, there are considerations that have to be made when deciding on what kind of computer systems to use within the office environment. This is because there are very many computer systems vendors in the market currently. These vendors often produce products that differ in quality and structure but only similar in functionality. It is therefore important get expertise advice on what is should be the most appropriate hardware specifications to for in a product that is to be used in the company for various office purposes. In the newspaper company, the following computer systems specifications are the most appropriate for the office computer systems. CPU- this is the central processing unit of a computer. CPUs are made of processors which vary in their effectiveness in terms of processing speed and hardware or motherboard compatibility. The recommended CPU for the office is Intel Processor. Intel processors have undue advantages over the AMD processors. This is because Intel processors enjoy some a better CPU gaming performance than the AMD processors. Intel CPUs enjoy a stronger and good single-core performance which is always above other processors (Nyakoi, 21). The performance of a processor is actual the sole driving factor that should lure one into choosing certain CPUs over others. Intel CPUs enjoy good performance that makes them more appropriate for the office services. The Intel cores have a much better performance generally which gives them an edge over the other products especially the Intel Core i5-3570k. This core can process several frames per second, about 103, which is a much better performance. Video Card- there are mainly two types of video cards that can be used in the business environment. These are desktop card and workshop card. The main functional difference between the two is precision and speed. The environment dictates the preference. In the newspaper company, workstation

Reflection on Return to Education

Reflection on Return to Education What are some of the changes I can make in my routine for success in my return to college? I am a 38 year old working husband and father thats going back to school with the hopes of getting into the nursing program at Coahoma Community College. Getting back into school has been fun and enlightening, but Im also quickly reminded of the time and commitment required. The intent of my paper is to enlighten my teacher and my schoolmates my ideas to help me prepare for a successful collegiate experience. As a returning college student, my challenges include waiting until the last minute to start assignments, being unorganized, paying too much attention to distractions such as social media, television, noisy settings, and unwillingness to get started. This paper discusses the academic issues that I have and my plan for solutions in each paragraph. Out of all my bad habits, my biggest one is waiting until the last minute to start assignments (Carter 12). My plan is to not procrastinate when I know I have assignments and quizzes due. I need to arrange my study times in advance (Carter 13) and place an emphasis on responsibility and self-regulation (Adams 19). Finding time to do homework assignments and study is hard for me to do. Working a full time job during the week and some weekends, being a musician, and raising two school age children takes a lot of my time. Weekends seem to present the best times for me to study, but my assignments are usually done in between work and bedtime during the week. Recently, my wife purchased a nifty new dry erase board calendar that Ive found really helps me keep on track with assignment and project due dates. At the beginning of each week, I mark down everything that is due for the rest of the week so I can clearly see it listed in front of me. I mark each assignment out as I do them. This ca lendar has really helped me see a specific timeline in which I know when to start and when to have my schoolwork done for the week. I think its a good step for to helping me address responsibility with my work. Ive also blocked time in the afternoon and evenings to work on assignments and study after work in between dinner, helping the kids do their homework, and putting them to bed. My most productive times during weeknights are after 8 p.m. when everything has calmed down. I often seem to be unorganized (Carter 12). My result will be taking the time to look at all my assignments for the week and getting a timeline for deadlines, and mapping out assignments on a planner (Carter 13). Being unorganized is something that Ive always had problems with. I always seem to have many things going on in my life that prevents me from doing one thing at a time. This issue creates clutter on my workspaces and work areas. Along with placing my new assignment calendar where I can clearly see it, Ive made efforts to clean up my messy and untidy workspace. From now on, everything from assignments to syllabuses have a particular place on my desk and will be easy to find and identify. I have also planned to look over all my assignments in Canvas every day and mark them down for the week so I am able to see them written in front of me as I work. I pay too much attention to distractions such as social media, television, and noisy settings (Carter). My fix is to pay attention to how much time I spend on my phone, television, and my noisy environment and make proper adjustments to help with the distractions. Put away electronic devices and find a quiet place to do work and study (Carter 13). As long as I can remember, Ive been a big fan of television and various social media. Although I do not watch nearly as much television as I used to, I have plenty of family members in my household that do. Our house isnt that large and televisions can be heard throughout it. Even when I am not particularly not watching television, it can still be distracting. Social media apps on my phone and computers are distracting and detrimental as well. My short attention span keeps me wanting to be entertained constantly, and I get distracted very easily. The best way for me to handle these distractions is to isolate myself completely from them. I h ave a room I can go to in my home that doesnt have a television and get away from my children playing. I can also leave my phone in another room while I quietly do my work and study, away from those distractions. I am often unwilling to get started (Carter 12). I plan to change my approach to school work by adding new daily routines to help me focus on efficiency. Join a study group (Carter 13), add a set of reminders, and hold myself responsible (Adams 19). Aside from my issues with disorganization and distractions, I have problem with procrastination as well. In the past, I leisurely did assignments as I felt that they needed to be done. That process ended up hurting my averages as some assignments were sometimes late and even incorrect because they were done at the last minute. My untimely starting has prompted me to take charge of my academics by focusing on each assignment and deadlines for that assignment. Adding several intervals of work and study time throughout my days and weekends have also made a big difference. I have started looking out for study groups for various classes within my school to help with my efficiency, along with assignment reminders at work and at home. This new s tructure will surely help my efforts for better achievements with class. In my return to college, I have had to readjust a few of my old ways of applying myself academically. The ways of learning I had been used to no longer worked the same way for me.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Introducing a suitable schoolwork schedule, assignment calendar, planner, organized work area, and getting away from distractions have made a positive impact on my school performance. For anyone who finds themselves with similar issues like mine, I suggest utilizing some or all of these ideas to their routines as I have found them beneficial. Works Cited Adams, Caralee J. Soft Skills Seen As Key Element For Higher Ed. Education Digest 78.6 (2013): 18-22. Academic Search Premier. Web. 14 Feb. 2016. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=aphAN=85157969site=ehost-live Carter, Claire. From Vegetation to Procrastination: Breaking Bad Habits. (Cover Story). Collegexpress Magazine (2015): 12-15. Academic Search Premier. Web. 14 Feb. 2016. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=aphAN=110434600site=ehost-live

Hill House :: essays research papers

Ever do something stupid to impress someone? Throughout a person’s life they will do something very ignorant or say something very stupid hundreds of times. Most of the time it is because they are trying to impress somebody or change their ways to make someone or others accept them. The story â€Å"Haunting of Hill House† has great examples of people changing just to fit in. The author Shirley Jackson, who died in 1965, was one of the most brilliant writers of her time. She was widely acclaimed for her hair-raising stories and novels of the supernatural. Although the â€Å"Haunting of Hill House† fits this description perfectly with its eerie description of supernatural tales of the happenings of Hill House; there is a more to it than hauntings. The story starts out with three guests being invited to the house to monitor any out of the ordinary occurrences in Hill House. Throughout the story the guests experience some ghostly moments. However during this one of t he guest named Eleanor changes her ways to fit in with the guests. Her actions show that society’s views on a person can lead that person to things they would never have thought of. One example would be when Eleanor told lies about herself and her past. Another example would be when Eleanor went around the house alone having no fear. Finally Eleanor became open and spoke out what was on her mind.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An example of society’s views on a person leading them to things they never thought of was when Eleanor became a liar and lied about her past. Today a lot of people are pressured so much by society to be a certain way they will lie about themselves to fit in with those certain people. In the story Eleanor feels that she does not fit in with the group of people who are staying at Hill House. She is a person with a lack of confidence so she feels she has to lie to feel accepted. â€Å"Theodora came through the bathroom door into Eleanor’s room; she is lovely, Eleanor thought, turning to look; I wish I were lovely.† This quote shows the lack of confidence she has. One of Eleanor’s lies was when she told the others she lived alone in an apartment. This is not true because she lives with her sister and her boyfriend in a house. The reason she told this lie was because Theo lived in an apartment with a friend so she felt Theo would not accept her. Hill House :: essays research papers Ever do something stupid to impress someone? Throughout a person’s life they will do something very ignorant or say something very stupid hundreds of times. Most of the time it is because they are trying to impress somebody or change their ways to make someone or others accept them. The story â€Å"Haunting of Hill House† has great examples of people changing just to fit in. The author Shirley Jackson, who died in 1965, was one of the most brilliant writers of her time. She was widely acclaimed for her hair-raising stories and novels of the supernatural. Although the â€Å"Haunting of Hill House† fits this description perfectly with its eerie description of supernatural tales of the happenings of Hill House; there is a more to it than hauntings. The story starts out with three guests being invited to the house to monitor any out of the ordinary occurrences in Hill House. Throughout the story the guests experience some ghostly moments. However during this one of t he guest named Eleanor changes her ways to fit in with the guests. Her actions show that society’s views on a person can lead that person to things they would never have thought of. One example would be when Eleanor told lies about herself and her past. Another example would be when Eleanor went around the house alone having no fear. Finally Eleanor became open and spoke out what was on her mind.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An example of society’s views on a person leading them to things they never thought of was when Eleanor became a liar and lied about her past. Today a lot of people are pressured so much by society to be a certain way they will lie about themselves to fit in with those certain people. In the story Eleanor feels that she does not fit in with the group of people who are staying at Hill House. She is a person with a lack of confidence so she feels she has to lie to feel accepted. â€Å"Theodora came through the bathroom door into Eleanor’s room; she is lovely, Eleanor thought, turning to look; I wish I were lovely.† This quote shows the lack of confidence she has. One of Eleanor’s lies was when she told the others she lived alone in an apartment. This is not true because she lives with her sister and her boyfriend in a house. The reason she told this lie was because Theo lived in an apartment with a friend so she felt Theo would not accept her.

Market Research for Entry of Kellogs Nutribar

Defining the research problem: MID: Develop market entry strategy for Kellogg nutria by studying consumer behavior towards unnatural Determine product features, pricing, SKU (small and big packet) and postulating Sub problems: Sub Problem: to understand the relationship between the Kellogg brand and the consumer Research Questions: 1 . What does the customer, identify the Kellogg brand with? 2. What is the demographic profile of the Kellogg consumer? Sub Problems: to understand consumer preferences about nutrias and canvasbacks Research Questions: 1 .What is the extent of customer knowledge about nutrias? 2. What are the major usage patterns of nutrias and canvasbacks? 3. Which attribute of canvasbacks do consumers dislike? 4. Who Influences the customers buying decision? 5. What would be the recommended price-point for the Kellogg nutria? 6. Is the unnatural considered an Indulgence? Research Design The product under consideration Is Kellogg Unnatural. We have Identified the target segment to be young children between age groups 6-15. We have positioned it to be a delicious and healthy, nutrient filled snapback.After conducting a secondary search the following parameters are identified The main problems which are identified for the research are 0 to understand the relationship between the Kellogg brand and the consumer 0 to understand consumer preferences about nutrias. We have designed a necessary questionnaire for conducting a cross sectional survey and found that proportionate stratified sampling will be apt to get the necessary consumer Insights. Sampling Design There are many methods of sampling when doing research.We have to choose the most Ideal sampling method giving us the maximum probability of getting the results hat are needed to develop the best entry strategy. Proportionate stratified sampling will be carried out giving due weight to the various age-groups' representation in the Indian population. This will be conducted, ideally, at an urban/semi -urban geography. Simple random sampling, which is the most ideal, is seldom used since the luxury of time or money to access a whole population is hardly ever available. Hence, Stratified Sampling is the sampling method that should be implemented.The survey will be an anonymous one, with no mention of gender or name. This will not affect results, hunger being universal. Appropriate weight will be given to all age-groups In the survey, In line with their representation In the Indian population. Insights from exploratory research Market research was carried out at xx, and a sample size of 50 respondents was obtained. xx was chosen on account of it containing urban and semi-urban areas anonymous survey and respondent gender profiles weren't considered.The profiles of these respondents were chosen so as to meet the requirements of Proportionate Stratified Sampling. A number of insights were obtained from this exploratory market research survey. They are: The young age groups wanted tas te benefits from any eatable product and the old and middleware age groups were more in favor of the health benefits of eatables 0 As long as the consumers believe they are getting value-for-money, price of the product is not a big issue 0 Consumer awareness about nutrias is significant, but much distance remains to be covered.The advent of the internet and social media have impacted youngster awareness, with it being significantly higher than the mean 0 Nutrias are largely perceived as snack bars that are healthy by the majority of consumers Data analysis The data was obtained from a sample size of 50 respondents, done via proportionate stratified sampling. Data was analyzed in an MS – Excel Workbook, using basic Excel tools.Demographics of the respondents were analyzed and the results are: Age-wise: Age Group 6-15: 24% Age Group 16-29: 24% Age Group 30-59: 38% Age Group 60 & above: 14% Secondary Research Extensive secondary research was carried out using the internet and th e main findings were that user economic status didn't really matter, with the bar's relatively low perception. To parents, health benefits were more important. To their children, it was taste. We have selected the middle-class and above as our serve sample group, the product being perceived as an indulgence and the poor having no money to buy it. We extrapolated, from their U.S pricing that Kellogg could supply nutrias in India at the price points RSI 10 & 20, which are psychologically important. Final recommendations & findings Findings: 0 Residents of the age groups 6-15 and 16-29 gave higher importance to taste (in decreasing order) 0 Residents of the age groups 30-59 and 60 & above gave higher importance to health benefits 0 The Kellogg brand is identified with healthy breakfast cereal by he customer 0 The average demographic profile of the Kellogg consumer is that if the age groups 6-15 and 16-29 0 These two age groups have the most knowledge about nutrias.They can accurately d istinguish them from similar canvasbacks 0 Nutrias are largely considered an indulgence, hence they aren't consumed frequently, with most consumers having them at most once-a-week 0 By contrast. Canvasbacks are consumed regularly by the 6-15 age-group. Here, smaller SKU sizes are prevalent, egg: RSI 5 and RSI 10 0 The major attribute of canvasbacks disliked is their unhealthy nature.

Debate Paper

Whether or not armed security guards should be in schools has been a debate for years but has really been brought into the limelight since the most recent tragedies of Columbine, Virginia Tech and Sandy Hook. The supporters of having armed security in our school districts believe that it is a needed layer of security and helps to diminish response time if necessary while keeping children, parents and teachers feeling safer to be in school. The ones against having guns in the schools believe that we have had armed guards in schools and it did nothing to stop it.They also believe that the cost is too high while also worrying about their children’s psyche from being around loaded weapons every day. No matter which side you are on, there are great arguments for both sides that are logical as well as emotional and it is everyone’s job to listen to all of the information that is available and make their decision based on what they feel is the best choice. That choice could be one of the most important decisions that they ever make because it could mean the difference between life and death.Sandy Hook Elementary School, Columbine High School, Virginia Tech, and the University of Texas at Austin were some of the most televised and the deadliest school shootings that have ever occurred in the United States. Since 1992, there have been over 387 school shootings which are way too many for the United States which poses the question, why did these tragedies happen in the first place? If we had armed security guards or a military/police presence at our institutions of development and higher learning would these tragedies have been prevented or could there have been less loss of life?The answer is that having an armed guard would not have prevented these attacks from individuals whose entire intention was to commit murder. Look at Columbine and Virginia Tech, both of these facilities had armed guards on their campus and it did nothing to stop the attack. The att ackers observed the guards behaviors and learned their routines for patrolling and made their moves when they could get past the guards without detection.This also raises the question is if the school is liable for the deaths of these students since they had trained professionals on site and they did nothing to stop the attack could the school be charged with negligence? So with the evidence of having two of the most brutal school shootings of all time happen while armed security was present, what makes you think that they could stop an incident somewhere else? Deciding whether or not armed security would actually stop an attack is important but so is figuring out how to pay such high costs to have these armed personnel on site to protect our children.Most schools are struggling as it is to keep viable programs such as the arts running while also trying to keep their schools staffed with teachers and other personnel. How could they even fathom paying more money for security when the y cannot even keep an art class going? The average salary for armed security guards across the country is around $55,000 per year then you have to factor in training, equipment, uniforms, and benefits so, on average a school would have to pay $100,000 per year for one security guard for their school.Now some school districts only have a few schools but others have a lot more and they would have a hard time paying for that. Of course, a lot of people would argue that you should not put a price tag on our children’s safety but in many cases the price of their educations would diminish because less money would be spent there to be able to pay for security. Could a school district along with the parents choose to take education away from the students in order to add armed guards in the chance that something goes wrong?Education is a key component in raising a smart, self-sufficient adult. The other factor that becomes a part of cost is having the money to pay for the lawyers and incidentals in the chance that the security guard acted inappropriately. What if there is an accidental shooting or a guard becomes over zealous in what they feel that their responsibilities are? These factors could lead to major lawsuits that the school would be responsible for by either having to represent that officer or in paying settlement and court costs for a lawsuit.These are added costs that the majority of the schools across the United States cannot afford to take on. The safety of schools have been tested more in the recent years with news coverage of the most recent incident in Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, where twenty children and six staff members lost their lives. With the recent rise of school shootings it is no wonder parents are concerned for their children’s safety in schools.Where drugs and peer pressure were once major concerns, in today’s society, we worry about our children dying in the hands of armed shooters. While ther e is much controversy over how to protect the future of America’s children, lawmakers are supporting a bill to allow armed guards to stand and protect our children in the school systems by creating laws to allow armed security in the schools. â€Å"The Indiana amendment's sponsor, Rep. Jim Lucas (R), said he believes mass shootings like the one in Newtown could be prevented by more firearms. † (Resmovits, 2013).In support of armed guards, the National Rifle Association has paid for research and found among the study’s central conclusions is that ‘‘the presence of armed security personnel adds a layer of security and diminishes response time’’ in a shooting, (Asa) Hutchinson said. (Asa Hutchinson) cited a 1997 Mississippi incident in which an assistant principal ran to his truck to retrieve a . 45-caliber semiautomatic pistol and subdued a gunman who had already shot two students (Stolberg). † New legislation would allow armed teac hers, staff members, or on-duty patrols to respond if a situation were to occur.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"The (National Rifle Association's) model legislation would lift restrictions on guns in schools and require specific training for school employees who choose to carry guns. † (Resmovits, 2013). In this time of uncertainty, President Barack Obama, is trying to pass stricter gun laws. â€Å"As President Obama tries to persuade a reluctant Congress to pass new gun laws, the poll found that a majority of Americans -54 percent- think gun control laws should be tightened, up markedly from a CBS News poll last April that found that only 39 percent backed stricter laws.† (Cooper and Sussman, 2013).There is much speculation this increase could be as a result of the Newtown shooting. Meaning people are seeking security, parents are worried for their children, and there is widespread fear of a situation like Newtown ever happening again. Which brings us back to our controversial view, why is having an armed guard important? Having an armed guard might also dissuade any possible shooters from attempting to attack the school, avoiding the situation altogether. The armed guard would be a figure of authority and possible intimidation of any gunmen.As the saying goes ‘you can’t bring a knife to a gun fight’ therefore it would be hasty to think schools can stop armed intruders with anything other than a gun itself. Usually these gunmen are suicidal and seeking attention, where they understand their outcome is death, therefore restraining is not enough. A gunman at this level would not hesitate to shoot first, regardless of who is in their way, which is why having someone on site ready to respond and taken the gunman down is an ideal solution. As a parent there is nothing more important than keeping your kids safe and the same goes for a teacher and their students.Many parents feel that whatever a school needs to do to keep their children safe they are more than willing to agree with. Teachers feel more relaxed that they have someone there to help them in an emergency situation that can help protect the children and children feel safer knowing that they have someone to turn to when their parents are not around to protect them. Some people might argue that having a loaded gun in the school might mess with a child’s mental state because it makes them feel that guns are the only form of protection so they would prefer them not to be there.The reality of the situation is that we live in a world that can be tragic and devastating at times and a lot of kids are forced to see things that are way beyond their years and they are circumstances that no child should have to deal with. But, the great thing about kids is that they are resilient and very smart and with the proper education could be taught about right and wrong and why they need to have armed security guards at school. It is just like explaining to your kids how to dial 91 1 or where in the house the smoke detectors and fire extinguishers are.You also make your kids wear seatbelts and bike helmets to protect them so that they do not get hurt in case of an accident. Parents do these things not to scare their kids but to prepare them in case of emergencies. Children are not equipped to handle an active shooter in school nor should they ever be expected to just like you would not teach a child how to fight a fire but teaching them that this person(s) on campus are there to protect them in that small chance that someone comes into their classroom wishing to do them harm.Parents and teachers would love nothing more than to let their children believe that the world is filled with rainbows and teddy bears but the reality is that it is not and no matter how much people try to protect children from evil you are doing them a disservice by not telling them the truth. It would be morally wrong to lie to children and to make them feel safe when there is a potentia l for danger. Ethically it is the responsibility as parents and teachers to teach children that there may be evil in the world but there is also a lot of good and that there are always people here to protect us.Making a child feel safe and secure while also making the parents and teachers that are responsible for these kids is clearly more important than what it might cost or the possibility that having proper security might possibly fail. There have been too many shooting incidents in the United States but who knows the number of shootings that were prevented because a school chose to have security on campus. Proper knowledge and training is key to making sure that these security guards can do there jobs to protect the innocent.Another option for a school that may not have the financial resources is to hire off-duty police officers to work details on there days off because this would cost a lot less and you are guaranteed to have highly trained and dedicated people willing to put t heir life on the line for your children. As a society why are we more willing to pay for name brand clothes for our kids then add security that can save their lives?During a situation as horrific as an active shooter in a school is a serious issue that unfortunately is our reality today and we have to prepare that it could happen and having armed and trained security personnel on site could mean the matter between life and death and is this something we really want to chance because of money or the possibility that it is for nothing? We do not get into car accidents every day but we always make sure that are children are buckled up so why should adding security measures to schools be any different?